Traffic - Christmas on Earth Continued, 22-12-1967

[@andythomas706]

Wow! Never expected to ever see any of the film stock! I was there! It was my first all-niter. Some night out! Hendrix/Traffic/Soft Machine/Pink Floyd/The Move/Sam Gopal and Tomorrow. Not often you go out for the night and get your life re-routed!

[@paisleybabee]

What did you think of Pink Floyd? How was Syd that night?

[@davidjoel5606]

This is absolutely incredible footage! I never saw anything like this, only imagined it existed perhaps somewhere. Thanks for posting this. Excellent!!!

[@willharris3798]

All one can say is WOW! I'm 70 years old and I've never seen this footage. Makes me want to run off and buy a bootleg.

[@benmeltzer]

Just get these: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_the_Canteen en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Road_(Traffic_album) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Barleycorn_Must_Die (2001 U.S. reissue or-if not-1999 reissue, which has just two live tracks, but they're great, and the studio album is great)

[@willharris3798]

Yeah, I'm from the sixties. Still have original vinyl.@@benmeltzer

[@leematthews6812]

I've always said I was born 15 years too late! Sure would have loved to have seen this...and the 14 hour technicolour dream.

[@seesaw1969]

i've never seen this before!!! fantastic...great post!

[@benmeltzer]

0:00 Dear Mr. Fantasy 3:44 Giving To You Steve Winwood - guitar (1), organ (2) Chris Wood - organ (1), flute (2) Dave Mason - bass Jim Capaldi - drums A four-minute "Dear Mr. Fantasy" has to be some kind of a record for the shortest live version. Perhaps they were rushing to complete two songs within their allotted time slot.

[@TheWheezerPump]

I was there - great event with Floyd on their last legs with Syd Barrett. Also, at 6.30 on this clip, I recognise the 'pre-Jesus' Bill 'Jesus' Jellett working up his soon to be familiar idiot dance, and I claim the prize!

[@blueswailer1952]

Yep, that's definitely Jesus there. Well spotted. I wonder where he is now?

[@paisleybabee]

How did Syd do that night? It's often been said he was an awful state

[@TheWheezerPump]

@@paisleybabee My friend first alerted me - he pointed out that Syd's guitar wasn't plugged-in. Syd was at the front of the stage with his hands by his side. The Floyd made an acceptable noise, and had a new light show based upon a series of perspex triangles about 4 foot high ,strategically placed around the stage, that were projected onto by the lightshow. This was my second experience of Syd and the Floyd. My other recollection was that they only played a short set - which in hindsight is understandable. But we enjoyed it, and the total event was a gas. The cream of the underground was playing, including Eric Burdon in place of The Who.

[@TheWheezerPump]

@@blueswailer1952 Last I heard he was in a London care home. There is reams of stuff about him on Facebook - I knew Jesus by sight from 69 onwards, and I was an casual friend to Jesus in the early 70's through my relationship with Gong. Jesus came to every London gig so we saw quite a lot of each other.

[@paisleybabee]

@@TheWheezerPump indeed so many greats! It's a shame about Syd's condition but how lucky you were to see him before that! What was the other time like? Was he still full of magic then?

[@karijohartmann2649]

Apparently the whole thing was filmed... there was supposed to be something done with the film and tapes of the event, but I imagine scraping up the original stock would be a huge effort, and original tapes if they exist... but they did it with Festival Express, and I would think this more historic, and the state of digital remastering and fixing old film negatives would make it worthwhile. Floyd's performance would be historic, if not a great one...

[@evesmith1336]

My Mum wouldn't let me go!!! I was only 15 at the time - but boy did I cry

[@andythomas706]

I was 15 too. It was the first all-niter I went to. I told my Mum I was staying over at a mates house. He did the same. It worked a treat! Its still the best £1 I ever spent!

[@MJK4444]

thanks for this post - we are lucky to have any footage from this time - hall9calation is a bad trip

[@jossmullinger6118]

And the legendary 'Jesus' Jellett dancing at 6.30 minutes in ! Amazing.

[@hawkmoon03111951]

My first all nighter. Tomorrow and Paper Blitz Tissue were brilliant. There used to be film of the Hendrix set on KZbin. Must see if it is still on here. Always hoping to find film of Tomorrow.

[@Keeleysound]

May I ask what your recollections are of Pink Floyd that night? My favourite band. I'd give anything to see footage of them at this!

[@hawkmoon03111951]

@@Keeleysound The main memory that I have is that, the group famous for it's light show was the only one that didn't have one that night. Both stages and all of the walls had chemical light shows playing on them but Pink Floyd just had normal lighting. You have me wondering now if that was all through their performance or only part of it. 53 years have passed (frightening) and it is all a little dim now. The set was good but not outstanding. Glad Syd Barrett was with them as I lost intereste once he had departed.

[@Keeleysound]

@@hawkmoon03111951 Thank you so much for sharing those precious memories with me! I'm totally fascinated by that period of the group in particular. What you say about the light show is very interesting. The only (brief) clip to have survived/emerged of the Floyd's set that night, and the testimonies of a number of attendees, attest to a bizarre but intriguing looking lightshow (of sorts) that the Floyd had with them that night, a series of four perspex triangles onto which light was projected. I've watched the footage and I've never seen that particular lightshow at any other Floyd gig, or any other band, so presumably it didn't last long. It was apparently new and I believe Christmas on Earth Continued was the first time they had used it. As for the band's set, that's so interesting that they sounded good (but not outstanding). You were there to see Syd's last major show with the Floyd. And he only ever did one solo gig (a mere four-song set at Olympia in 1970) so you were a witness to a very significant landmark in music history.

[@TheGman858]

Wow! What a gem especially from this early on

[@TweedSuit]

I think Marshall were promoting this gig...

[@davidmay8104]

Kick-Ass rarity!!!❤

[@guyglowmore1]

rare classic. sounds out of tune at first but quickly corrected. thanx for posting

[@cookmoore3736]

Great drumming!

[@BlackHoleSun1921]

Is that Dave Mason, I see? At last, some vintage footage of him performing with Traffic!

[@Thundergod-]

He really didn't like playing bass as he felt he was just in the background....

[@BlackHoleSun1921]

@@Thundergod- WHERE HE BELONGS! (Just kidding, I actually see where he's coming from. I just wish there was more footage of him performing with Traffic.)

[@Thundergod-]

@@BlackHoleSun1921 There may be a short clip of them at RRHOF induction in 2004 where Dave reportedly didn't play with the band on Dear Mr. Fantasy because again he refused to play bass. He and Steve had a falling out where Mason said he won't be a back-up musician and Winwood said that it's always been the lead singer with a backing band. I can see it both ways but it's a shame we all have to suffer while these rich crybabies can't get along. BTW I have seen Traffic in the '70s and they were fantastic. I also saw Dave at a small show in my hometown and that was great as well....

[@BlackHoleSun1921]

@@Thundergod- I really like Mason a lot, but he definitely strikes me as someone with a big chip on his shoulder.

[@Thundergod-]

@@BlackHoleSun1921 Yeah, kind of reminds me of George Harrison in that Dave had to fight to get his songs on Traffic albums while most of the attention went to Steve and Jim deservedly.BTW I saw Mason at a small venue in my hometown and he was great as well. Was a bit surprised he didn't have a British accent but he has lived in the USA so long he lost it....

[@thewordofgord]

Priceless live footage of Traffic, thank you! Is there any other live stuff this early? I don't think so. Miming yes, live no. Second piece is the 'b' side of their first single "Paper Sun" called "Giving To You". (also featured on their first album).

[@andythomas706]

There is a stunning bootleg CD of a '67 Copenhagen Concert. It was recorded by Dutch Radio and features a full set! Sound quality is excellent! It even features Mason playing sitar!

[@andythomas706]

Not with film footage as far as I know. There's a Copenhagen '67 Bootleg which was a radio broadcast. That's worth checking out. No visuals, but a great 30 minute performance that includes Mason playing sitar on Utterly Simple!!

[@melissaeller7328]

"The Sound of Success: MARSHALL"

[@stetrak1967]

Super

[@Bucknaykyd]

Rock on!

[@fabrikk60]

After they finish Dear Mr Fantasy, what song is Traffic jamming on? It's cool to see their versatility; Mason moves from bass to guitar while Winwood takes over bass with his organ pedals. Wood moves from organ to winds and Capaldi...well he looks likes he's tripping as high as the audience is. Love those Swinging London dolly-birds in their miniskirts too - yeah baby!

[@MrSnappy67]

It's called Giving To You, a song from their first album (same one with Dear Mr. Fantasy). Wild to hear (and see!) a live version, really cool!

[@rikk7041]

MrSnappy67 Thanks!

[@andythomas706]

Giving To You was also the B side of the Paper Sun single.

[@FrederickMatt]

Is the "guitar" dubbed onto the second song? I'm hearing too many instruments here. You have Jim/drums, Steve/organ Dave/Bass Chris/flute and who?

[@andythomas706]

Chris Organ on Mr. Fantasy. Flute on Giving To You. Bass on Giving To You are bass pedals on the Hammond!

[@wrbullard]

Thanks for posting! Excellent playing by the band and great audio quality - a crazy '67 scene, very trippy video, but shows their skill and energy in their early days. As a big Mason fan, always love finding rarities of their live work during his short tenure. Anyone know who the 5th guy is, playing organ to start and then some sort of flute?

[@yes_head]

Not a 5th guy. That's Chris Wood. He normally plays flute and sax but doubled on keys when Winwood played guitar.

[@hssmrg]

It’s versatile Chris Wood.

[@billylilly]

@hall9calation Thanks to hal9calation for finding this, I thought it looked better with the trimming at the start!. Peace!

[@hssmrg]

I was there! I knew there were people filming but have only seen brief footage of Hendrix so far. Where did this come from, please? Is there any more?

[@andythomas706]

The entire event was filmed. I was there too! What a night! PS. Love the Bullied shot! We called 'em Streaks or Spam Cans! Ah! Such times eh?

[@TuneInTurnOnDropOutt]

Where did you find this? Great stuff!

[@prestwickpioneer3474]

Jesus brought me here

[@user-nz6bs7cd6y]

I’ll have what he’s having

[@mariogrechi1840]

How do you define Traffic?

[@billylilly]

A better edit and quality (slightly) :-)

[@davidgrimblebyjoyceveres7140]

whatever happened to music? too slick nowadays

[@timswift1863]

Your question needs to be answered (.) This younger generation is suspiciously quick and suspiciously eager to disregard and even destroy anything their elders did toil to create (.......). To be continued

[@billylilly]

@hall9calation you don't come across as very nice!