Frank Zappa : City Of Tiny Lites (Palladium, NY, Halloween 1977)

[@JoeRivermanSongwriter]

Adrian doesn't get the recognition he deserves in the mainstream. Zappa, Bowie and KC owe him loads.

[@IgnatiusChinaski]

hahahahahahahahahahahaha - zappa doesn't owe belew anything, what are you talking about???? he hired him to be in his band. adrian did that. what does he owe adrian? he paid him according to everyone....

[@brunoblivious]

Justin Green Literal Man has entered the conversation.

[@SLAYERSWINE1]

Don't forget his contributions to Talking Heads "Remain In Light" album as well as a handful of NiN releases. Also Paul Simon's "Graceland"

[@thoughtfulpug1333]

Not to mention Talking Heads "Remain in Light". Guy almost surplanted David Byrne as the band's frontman.

[@tixximmi1]

Yes, he does because of Zappa, Bowie and Fripp.

[@itkojecockot]

Adrian Belew = the best musician you've never heard of

[@avi_s0ncin0]

Many people are familiar with the music he’s made but not with him, because of the enormous amount of fantastic musicians he’s played with…Zappa, Bowie, Talking Heads, and King Crimson (of course), just to name a few.

[@jonmyers8681]

I first heard of him in 1984. Talking heads and Discipline.

[@jonmyers8681]

Everyone has heard Adrian, even if they don't know it.

[@djo-dji6018]

​@@jonmyers8681 They've heard him, not of him.

[@jonmyers8681]

I have a little head game that I call Two Degrees Of Separation. When I'm at work, or listening to music with friends, or even a radio station or random Pandora mix. It's surprising how many bands and artists are closely connected to King Crimson. Yes, Genesis, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, Blondie, Zappa, Asia, Eno, Foreigner, ELP, Mr Mister, the list is endless!

[@JimGardner]

How can a piece of music I've been listening to for over 25 years still get more and more glorious every time I listen to it? What a band! What an amazing fucking band. That guitar sound. Fuck me, I'm in tears.

[@dianamjackson]

Rock on man 🙌🙌

[@chickenbeek]

feel the same 1000%

[@LOMOARCHER]

This song has the same affect on me and will do in 25years time when im 88 if still breathing

[@steelcityspeedshopj.r6942]

Happy FUCKING HALLOWEEN. I find myself wondering what Franks take wpuld be on this crazy world we call 2021. Hes missed daily.

[@kooneya9890]

That band delivered! Zappa is what I needed growing up.

[@paulytamale]

Adrian Belew is music's secret weapon

[@FeloniousPedigrees]

The truest shit

[@Yurivlc]

He's an amazing artist. Very impressive

[@bongofury5924]

“Talk, talk”........

[@suntfierbinte]

Well... yes! 🙂

[@eis904]

Unbelievable powerhouse

[@TheMusicRoom1973]

When I was in High School I lived in a small tourist town in SE WI. Adrian Belew lived next door to my best friend at the time who happened to be the guitar player in my first band. We had nooo idea of the mans greatness, we just knew he was guitar player that had some success. He must of heard us hacking through Stairway to Heaven one afternoon, he actually came over and gave my buddy a bunch of pedals and cables that he no longer used. Very nice of him.

[@lucasanfilippo5370]

Wow..

[@TheSlandis]

Terry Bozzio is a beast! Belew is impecable as always. Frank's solos are sublime.

[@nadasonic6]

"Terry you're a beast, Terry you're a beast" :D definitely! played the Black Page like it weren't nuthin'..!

[@Alix777.]

This solo is terrible

[@devilsforkdigital1490]

@@Alix777. Not as gratifying as the album version....

[@Alix777.]

@@devilsforkdigital1490 there are some 82' live versions with solos that are so much better...

[@dutch-man7997]

​@@Alix777. Overall the 77 versions are just much better in my opinion

[@A-Gut-of-the-Past]

Adrian's performance Belew my mind! (don't hit me...)

[@TheTimananda]

+CH3MIS7RY never really followed what he was doing with Fripp. maybe I'll go back and check some of that.

[@sarahsydlowski6220]

+TheTimananda Fripp is a pretentious egomaniac but a lot of musicians are or were. Fripp didn't always welcome Adrian's presence regardless what he has said. from Adrian's bootlegs he bitched about fripp being impossible to record with

[@jayvandenberghe4530]

Nonetheless they did make great music together with King Crimson. The Power to Believe is an instant classic!

[@vbassone]

hi. what bootlegs of adrian's are you referring to? i would love to hear them. thanks.

[@lextual]

I never quite thought of the Fripp as pretentious as much as that he was very specific about what he wanted and what he was about. Couple that with a strain of English reserve and severity and it might be easy to come to that conclusion.

[@dorianedwards8522]

I did not know that Belew had that good of a voice. He sings really well. I knew he did great backing vocals from when he was later with Byrne, but this is different. He can belt it out.

[@lucasanfilippo5370]

Really? He has been singing for King Crimson since 1981 and he has hundreds of songs in his solo career... Have you ever heard Adrian singing Dinosaur? Check it out his live version from 94... amazing voice...

[@ballroomblitzkid1994]

You know, that was what I was thinking. I've never heard his voice this powerful before. Damn! :D

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

@@ballroomblitzkid1994 maybe not as strong as this performance but on Waiting Man he sounds wonderful kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnuVpneKpqmShbc

[@beyondz55]

Go get a copy of Discipline by King Crimson right now!!!!!

[@stmboat]

wth

[@thomasworden4139]

The amount of creative energy Adrian Belew and Terry Bozzio are exerting here could power a small (... a tiny?) city.

[@breakingglass27]

The city can even be big, as long as the lights is tiny

[@craftmania000]

adrian belew - guitar god and voices tommy mars - synth Peter Wolf - synth, organ patrick o'hearn - bass terry bozzio - drums zappa - guitar god

[@damianlagos]

not ocker. is peter wolf

[@craftmania000]

thx broo

[@JetEarlewood]

All on the Zappa disks I have I've never seen Adrian Belew's name printed on them. Arthur Burrow IS there. Same person?

[@igorrodrigues97.]

This patrick o’hearn is the same the make some masterpieces ambient music?

[@andytaylormusic]

@@igorrodrigues97. Yes, the very same! His solo work is amazing. He was in Missing Persons with Terry Bozzio, Dale Bozzio and Warren Cuccurullo when he left Zappa.

[@BlackWhirlies]

Another of the stunning Zappa lineups. This is probably the most 'in your face' Zappa band.

[@toddhunter2667]

seeing Frank get front and centre with dirty loud electric guitar is just so great

[@The_Kevinist]

Todd Hunter Yeah Zappa totally fucking murdered it

[@RogersPhotographyGuilford]

The musicianship is obnoxiously awesome. They had that completely locked up. I'm surprised Terry Bozzio didn't burst a blood vessel with that performance! Thanks for sharing that.

[@jimhardiman3836]

I think he did burst a blood vessel during Punky's Whips.

[@rayrecordings]

Bozzio is Zappa’s legacy true best drummer, the one that defined Zappa’s spirit and sound of the 70’s.

[@doctorbrown4343]

Coliauta

[@jjmarcos]

​@@doctorbrown4343agreed. Terry was good but Vinnie is in the conversation for greatest living drummers.

[@heycheckthisout2565]

Dude's got a beautiful voice.

[@bluesborn]

man I love that titanic blast of Franks guitar at the beginning of the solo riding a wave of distortion like surfing an electric storm.

[@mwarnken1234]

silver tongued devil

[@ganazby]

Frank knew damn well when it was time to let loose his inner guitar god. Glorious stuff.

[@bradgurley4854]

Makes you wonder if Bowie hadn't 'stolen' Belew less than a year later, what would it have been like to have Frank & Adrian together for a 3-5 year period. Just wow!! This touring band was so damn good, maybe the best Frank had.

[@spaceclown7650]

I'd say the Roxy & Elsewhere lineup was probably his best live band, but this one definitely would be a close second.

[@chuckpapermaker]

Patrick O'Hearn is a beast on bass!!

[@fadethetrade]

City of tiny has always been my top 3 of my zappa favorites from a catalogue of 50,000+ songs written by our modern day Mozart.

[@MrMftech]

4:17....2 guitar - 2 Synth + Pitch Wheel and insane drumming...the set in on FIRE !!!

[@Tony-Jabroni]

the ad before the video was strictly commercial

[@kenjarvis7764]

LOL

[@jravell]

Oh, I get it.

[@harrisonwintergreen1147]

FZ: hires genius guitarist, then features him as a lead vocalist.

[@IsaacAllison]

2 guys with the initials DB offers him better gigs

[@GiornoGiovannaGangstar]

guitar madman get him to play in his band for 2 decades

[@RaditzPedro71]

I don't sing. Yes you do. Sing baby snakes.

[@dobromirstanchev]

did the same with a genius piano player.

[@IsaacAllison]

And some guy named Bob worked with him!

[@jeffball6656]

Adrian Belew: Zappa. Bowie. Laurie Anderson. King Crimson. Tom Tom Club. Talking Heads... Plus some great solo albums of his own. How is it that more don't know of Adrian Belew? Pure Talented Sonic genius!

[@manifestgtr]

Pull Laurie Anderson out of that mix and you have quite a lineup of genius 👍

[@simonzai7386]

Without a doubt the coolest Zappa solo on film.I have a very old friend.Decades long & he refuses to acknowledge anything by Zappa (Unless I catch him out) & he is angry that his son once randomly visited me & I had the Baby Snakes DVD in the machine so I played him this solo and he loved it.Then he questioned his Dad as to how he could possibly dislike him.Ha

[@The1stMrJohn]

one of Adrian Belew's great performances...........

[@sarahsydlowski6220]

Talking ' bout those tiny cookies". So underated and not on Rolling Stones Top 100 guitar players but that kick ass Strummer joanid z!

[@sarahsydlowski6220]

But Joanie Mitchell was #76. What a joke

[@LeeOfLawazantiya]

These are some of the finest musicians in the world.

[@babyjoliey]

Anybody who gave this video a thumbs down does not understand music or how ABSOLUTELY mind-blowing this really is.

[@knobrotknobrot]

Some of the best drumming ever.

[@KingWTFuck]

This period of Zappa's band was fucking tight

[@jazzliscious13]

There wasn't a period that wasn't, except maybe before The Mothers.

[@WWAWHTR]

You can’t do that on stage anymore 😳

[@JamminClemmons]

* *Rod Langlands* * Holy Hell......be specific. Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6? There really IS a ship arriving to save that drowning witch.

[@thomasbrown6527]

I love what you guys did there lol

[@_thechowderman]

Genuinely the best live performance of all time (even if it is cut between 2 performances)

[@megadethmofo2035]

Seeing Frank and Adrian playing together is so cool.

[@markcat1]

Wow, mind blowing that this is 47 years old now. 😲

[@dianamjackson]

The way Frank's solo starts is so fucking badass!!!

[@andym28]

zappa was way more progressive than any prog rock band

[@DanYuleo]

Great point. You can see it in this job which I always felt was a pop-rock song. Which... it is... but... out there.

[@solerso68]

whats a "prog rock" band..since your definition is arbitrary and completely subjective, even in an historical context.....for that matter what is "progressive"

[@The1stMrJohn]

@@solerso68 😎

[@tixximmi1]

@@solerso68 Everything by definition is progressive. It's like the term eclectic. By definition, everything is eclectic.

[@bradoozy]

solerso68 I hate when the definition of prog is “rock with keyboard” because I don’t think Floyd is prog (as much as I love them)

[@jimmc2990]

Fully 1/2 of these guys ended up in ‘ This is Spinal Tap’ just four years later… 😆. freaking amazing.

[@panavisionnot7180]

Timeless classic ... Terry Bozzio utterly brilliant and the most animALated drummer in the world..

[@thomascassidy2724]

Adrian Belew - one magnificent badass in a band of magnificent badasses.

[@stevenflow]

I was born about 20 years too late. Really wish I could have seen this live

[@Proglove85]

Frank had some great musicians backing him up through the years, but in my opinion, this band, as a unit, was his best. There's no weak link whatsoever - unbelievably tight.

[@spaceclown7650]

Either this band, or the Roxy & Elsewhere band. Too close to call.

[@phrygiandominant6989]

@@spaceclown7650Frank Zappa Ike Willis Bobby Martin Scott Thunes Ray White and... Chad Wackerman That was an awesome line-up too!

[@geoffflato6065]

His lineup at Passaic NJ in 78 was pretty good too. IIRC Zappa, O'hearn, Barrow, Mars, Wolf, Willis, Walley, Coluiata, and Man

[@fredlewis1354]

@@phrygiandominant6989 who the hell is Chad Channing?

[@phrygiandominant6989]

@@fredlewis1354 It's Nirvana's original drummer. I meant Chad Wackerman.

[@noname1st139]

Greatest Zappa movie ever,Baby Snakes, what a performance,if you Zappa fan I would urge watching it 👊

[@zedascove6175]

Holy shit, this is far superior to the studio version. Goddammit Zappa had quite a crew with him.

[@thisklik]

there is no studio version of this song,like a lot of Zappa’s songs,mostly live recordings with some overdub or none

[@eis904]

Adrian has some chops! I love his voice on Thela Hun Gingeet and Frame by Frame.

[@ceephaxx]

Incredibly, he can still hit those high notes almost 50 years later! Check out his version of 'Frame by Frame' with the Metropole Orchestra.

[@cooliovasquez]

I love adrian belew

[@YouGotTheMelvin]

+1

[@Hegel2011able]

He is the most friendly and most modest guitarist I ever spoke to (I made a short interview with him ...)

[@jesusvelilla8117]

we all do

[@The1stMrJohn]

👍💚🎸🎵😀

[@The1stMrJohn]

Adrian's audition story is interesting 🙂👍🎸

[@Goryllo]

The solo is good, but the eyebrows at 03:09 are LEGENDARY

[@HughCorbyCruick]

Goryllo I couldn’t agree more. I mean he’s shredding that guitar and he just catches someone’s eye as if to say “how’s this?”

[@christophecornut1799]

Damn !!! O’Hearn fills and chops had me ! Fucking god of bass, so important for the mood, the feel in the song ! Thanks Patrick !

[@jwh475ezc]

Umphrey's McGee mashes this up with Exodus, Life During Wartime and 25 or 6 to 4. It's really cool imo, search for Life During Exodus. Live version recommended.

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

Cheers

[@MaryLeighLear]

That bass and franks solo were fucking sent from jesus himself...

[@silashansen3549]

***** what about terry?

[@TheGumboVariator]

+Silas Hansen who wouldn't ?

[@sbfcapnj]

Yeah he is more man that we will ever be.

[@shawna2529]

So what have you been up to? :)

[@billygoatgruff410]

The great escape for all of you. Frank held Adrian Belew in high regard and was somewhat miffed when he jumped ship for 3 or 4 nanoseconds of air time on Mr bowies latest shiny thing (be in my video)! Adrian takes syncopation to a whole new level and I can only imagine where Frank could have taken that band with Adrian on board.

[@rowdybodine8585]

If the Olympics had a drumming/underwear modeling competition (summer games), Terry Bozzio would win gold. Back in those days in New York, Halloween meant Frank Zappa Concert! I was at this show and it was the first time I saw Adrian Belew. He amazed everyone.

[@The1stMrJohn]

A fashion line in Dummers Swimsuits could have been a thing😎😁

[@phatpurrly]

It was the late set one of the nights. We were literally in the last row on mescaline, and I don’t remember the song but the stage filled with dry ice smoke and Belew just disappeared in a blaze of power chords… next night I went down and copped a 4th row seat for $10.

[@quogir1]

once again, one comment says :Adrian Belew is proof for existence of alien lifeforms on earth

[@chickenbeek]

Easily one of the best of the bazzilion live Zappa performances. Belews vocals, and that solo is LIT AS F!

[@HughCorbyCruick]

I find it amazing that the world of music has no space for musicians like this anymore.

[@faboolean7039]

There's probably space somewhere. Either no one is trying hard enough to fill it or we haven't looked hard enough for someone already filling that space.

[@stevecarter8810]

I don't think you can make a living like this now. What does this offer that isn't cheaper done in a daw, or more broadly appealing with a few dancers and a light show?

[@HughCorbyCruick]

@@stevecarter8810 Answer: Incredible musicianship.

[@nexdrums]

Belew great voice, Bozzio great grooves ☝🏻🔝

[@eis904]

Mad props go to Adrian but that solo Frank did made this extraordinary.

[@thefitnessinstructor8937]

to this day the intro guitar riff makes me feel like im 5 years old, coming back from nonna's (grandma's) on the highway , seeing Sydney out my window, drifting off to sleep my mum has brilliant taste

[@richardchristensen1768]

THIS VIDEO! THIS SONG! It clearly demonstrates the rare genius of what real magic happens when stars align! Everyone on that stage is kickin so much ass!!

[@davidofpiano423]

The level of musicianship on display here is just mesmerizing...

[@chavruta2000]

it's those simple 3 chord songs like this that can really get to you.

[@manco828]

When Zappa met Belew, he found somebody he couldn't just control for the first time.

[@Fred.pSonic]

FZ's band from the Sheik Yerbouti era was absolutely impeccable and wound tight, astounding musicianship.

[@anniedarkhorse6791]

So amazing. What a great band. I miss Zappa.

[@denisrozier5831]

Vu 2 fois Zappa en concert (Paris et Grenoble); quels chocs ce fut ! Pour moi Zappa c'est pas seulement un formidable guitariste, mais aussi un génial créateur. Et il faut pas croire : son côté fantasque, déconneur, provocateur, se cache derrière une grande rigueur sur scène ...

[@sarahsydlowski6220]

talking bout them tiny cookies..............Adrian is the unheard gem of rock as a solo act, session guy, member of Zappa, Tom Tom Club, king Crimson,talking heads, David bowie, The Bears, not a bad reseme eh?!! good singer with more then just a guitarist like Keith Richards who is a great rhythm guitarist but singing isn't keefs signature and weather experimental guitar work or echoing his Rhino sound, he can flat out do and play anything. Tim sydlowski

[@silverdy357]

Has awesome solo stuff too!

[@bassomatic64]

Unheard? Lol.

[@kanasatka1]

Not thinking any member of FZ band has to be qualified.....but yes Adrain is a gem.

[@sharktroubles]

Don't forget his awesome work with Paul Simon as well as Laurie Anderson, too.

[@davidpeters44]

ok then..

[@zappababe8577]

The drummer reminds me of Animal from the Muppets, bless him! Love his energy!

[@davidcora2751]

Complex orchestral beauty vocally as well as musically and possibly conceptually is what defined this unique artist . What a loss to the creative community ☹️.

[@ClaudioEscouto]

Amazing Belew! Just amazing... All amazing.

[@wezzmusic]

Such an amazing performance. Absolutely unbelievable that this superb talent is now totally non existent on talent shows.

[@stevecarter8810]

No, it's believable! Don't forget there were talent shows running alongside this back in the day, also full of mediocre variety performances.

[@danielremondini5787]

What a masterpiece!

[@finnmcginn9931]

Frank's a beast of a guitarist.

[@TheRubberStudiosASMR]

This is probably the greatest concert ever recorded. So much fun and brilliant players.

[@liamwaters702]

What a song unbelievable everytime I hear this song

[@johnvalvegod3999]

This is talent overload. Amazing.

[@sunray1918]

“For those of us who saw Frank play live! What !? It doesn’t get any better than this Era! & when Frank started out” Look at Terry Go on His Drum Kit. Both Terry & Kieth Moon are my fave drummers & Adrian Belew with Frank Blew me Away!! Miss you Frank We All do”

[@mtnnoonan]

I am so jealous!!!

[@scottydub5785]

what a great American prog/alt rock jam!

[@paule1983]

A great anti-drug tune! I was 13 when "Freak Out" came out, I was hooked! Frank RIP.

[@gregusjay]

Saw this tour at Stanford Maples Pavillion when I was sixteen ! Awesome Gig !

[@erlinhld8745]

The best man of that evening was clearly little skinny drummer Terry Bozzio.

[@108grog]

So COOL to see Belew paired with different great guitarists. And each with an unusual style - Zappa, Fripp. Are there others he has played with ? Also interesting - Belew started off as a drummer, as did Zappa.

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

He stole the show with Talking Heads Live in Rome 1980, not really another great guitarist in the band but I just want everyone to listen to it. Cheers

[@finnmcginn9931]

I didn't know he started as a drummer. I was just Belew drumming with Buford in King Crimson on "Waiting Man " from Live in Frejus 82 and he was great.

[@beatenbeats]

thank you Frank for giving us Adrian, what a beast he is...

[@mircea1910]

Tommy Mars totally looks like a mad scientist with those shades

[@TheRealForrestGeorge]

City of tiny lites Don't you wanna go Hear the tiny auto horns When they tiny blow Tiny lightin' In the storm Tiny blankets Keep you warm Tiny pillows Tiny sheets Talkin' bout those tiny cookies That the peoples eats City of tiny lites Maybe you should know That it's over there In the tiny dirt somewhere You can see it any time When you get the squints From your downers and your wine You're so big It's so tiny Every cloud is silver line-y The great escape for all ot you Tiny is as tiny do Tiny is as tiny do Tiny is as tiny do Tiny is as tiny do City of tiny lites Don't you wanna go Hear the tiny auto horns When they tiny blow Tiny lightin' In the storm Tiny blankets Keep you warm Tiny pillows Tiny tiny sheets Talkin' bout them tiny cookies That the peoples eats That the peoples eats That the peoples eats That the peoples eats And it's over there It's over there It's over there It's over there

[@infie]

Zappa blows my mind with his solo. Damn.

[@jgreber1790]

One of my all-time favorite Zappa tunes! Here, grilled to perfection! Adrian Belew out front and selling it with all he's got. I wouldn't be surprised if his shoes came flying out of his mouth! Anytime Frank took the stage you can bet he had the best band in existence behind him.

[@TheSteelDialga]

Oh my god, Tommy Mars near the end. What a master

[@davidvollmar9029]

Belew just posted. I owe it to Frank. He taught me to be pro.

[@chrismccord1841]

Within a two year period Adrian had played with Zappa, Bowie, and Talking Heads. Wow.

[@igorrodrigues97.]

chris mccord and with King Fucking Crimson

[@HughCorbyCruick]

Then onto Laurie Anderson and King Crimson.

[@merlepatterson]

Saw them a few years after this show in Seattle 80 or 81 and it was just as awesome as this. 4:27 is an epic simultaneous lead!!

[@johndcoffee632]

This is the best video ever, everything about it is just amazing

[@popeyeman69]

I was in the 8th row for this show. Just indescribable. I was at most of the Halloween shows FZ played in the N.Y. area.

[@phatpurrly]

Haha! I was in the 4th row. Scalped it for 10 bucks. Ahh the good old days…

[@weeooh1]

Forever grateful to Zappa for leaving us with a tremendous output of music (in size and quality) that we could enjoy for decades after his death.

[@jublaim]

Jeez! What a work of energy! Swetting away looking at it :-) What a bunch of musicians!

[@tixximmi1]

Forty years ago and still fit's into today's style. This shows Frank's true genius.

[@blzbob7936]

What I love about these vids is seeing where and when the recordings that appear on Franks albums were made. Just another facet to Franks skills . . . selecting the best segments, and solo's etc, that made it to the album he was composing. The complete albums were flawless, and you would never know so many segments had been cut in from various concerts. Pretty impressive considering the equipment he was dealing with back then. Fuck, I miss this man. If he had lived for another 30 yrs, he could have churned out another 50 albums from his archive.

[@keithfrmcov]

The late Frank Zappa was a unique and great musician of all time.

[@adamswitlak1242]

My favourite Zappa's band

[@David-jb2wf]

Incredible energy 💕❤️

[@TheJQ1971]

Frank and Adrian's guitar tones are monstrous on this. They tear the roof off the place

[@superpotiron]

Such great musicians ! And a great singer too !