John Fahey live at the New Varsity 1981

01 Sunny Side of the Ocean 1:22
02 Spanish Two-Step / Hawaiian Two-Step 5:08
03 Spanish Flang Dang 6:52
04 Lion 9:08
05 Steamboat Gwine Round The Bend 16:47
06 How Green Was My Valley 20:45
07 Poor Boy A Long Way From Home 22:50
08 Wine and Roses / The Red Pony 27:10
09 Guitar Lamento 36:06
10 Candyman / Brenda's Blues 42:30
11 When The Fire And The Rose Are One 44:33
12 Imitation Train Whistles / Steel Guitar Rag 50:20
13 Revolt Of The Dyke Brigade / Funeral Song For Mississippi John Hurt 56:00
14 Southern Medley 1:03:04
PS: The banter about George Winston, the Urantia book and bourbon for a common cold are hilarious
I've edited the tracks together from: / rlutge hoping to get the full concert without gaps, some cuts when the camera was off are still there ...

[@AlyseNicoleO]

I wish I could express to him just how much his music means to me. If anyone on this earth ever understood what's underneath, it's this man and his guitar.

[@freekvreys792]

[@wstr9963]

Music is about expressing emotions, and on guitar, nobody did it better than Fahey. In my opinion.

[@Flatwin4ever]

This speaks to me also !

[@DjNikGnashers]

I like Fahey a lot. I think John Martyn was better at expressing emotion though, but hey, both are awesome.

[@DjNikGnashers]

@@wstr9963 John Martyn was not just a Folk Artist at all, in fact he played a LOT wider range of music than Fahey ever did, MUCH wider. I have listened to lots of both artists, and play myself. Your comment suggests you have only scratched the surface of Mr Martyn sir.

[@wstr9963]

I know John Martyn’s music and I didn’t want to be disrespectful. I just think he was totally different than Fahey. I dont think we can really compare these two artists. Fahey was in a totally different world, in my opinion.

[@DjNikGnashers]

@@wstr9963 Thank you for your none abusive discussion, it makes a change on KZbin. Have a good weekend sir !

[@migsea7830]

"What moves those of genius, what inspires their work is not new ideas, but their obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough." Delacroix

[@FinalCurve]

:)

[@erricomalatesta8741]

FinalCurve hear that brother! beautiful.

[@frankcalter]

3rd man

[@dirtwolf]

Such a punk performance. His influence on Sonic Youth is so clear here. So cool. A legend

[@frgnvola]

can you point me to some Sonic Youth songs/albums that exemplify this influence by Fahey please?

[@rajusjoseph]

@@frgnvola Teenage riot by Sonic Youth. The riff in that is inspired by what Fahey plays at the start here

[@Astralpains]

The way he throws back that one strand of hair before plowing into “sunny side” as if in his mind hes a majestic lion. John was something else

[@tomgreen6889]

I was there in Palo Alto on that wonderful day. A privilege.

[@evansgate]

lol this is great just to see him interact with the crowd. He seemed to be in good spirits. And that hair doesn't get enough credit. He just said "fuck it" and that's why he's great

[@j0lleytunes]

Saw him many times during this era. Often had concern that his head was just going to come off his shoulders and roll across the stage, but trusted in providence. Always transfixed by his music, his mumbled non-sequiturs, the Whole Thing. The sound track of another time...

[@jrw344]

Every time I went to one of John's concerts in Seattle, as soon as he began to play he was transformed from an ordinary human being.

[@woodeze70]

You can tell he’s enjoying himself and the sound in this concert

[@baronperche9942]

In John's hairs there is no east or west.

[@macl653]

Can honestly say I've never seen anyone rock a 'comb over' as good as Fahey, maybe it's the fact that he's mad genius, but I mean he's giving me faith for my someday bald head. Edit: Ah but I'd probably have to grow the sideburns too

[@InfiniteRhombus]

im just now discovering john fahey after stumbling upon the term "american primitive guitar", what a monster player, totally mind blowing.

[@flitzmaster_piep]

same!

[@nirvilchigs7871]

John Fahey tuning up is better than most in full flow

[@johnstewart7025]

When he starts Days of Wine and Roses, he talks about making train songs on his guitar and then, just before he starts playing, he says "but now, into the void."

[@jasonw4053]

By this time he'd renamed the song "Touching the Disco Void"

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

​@@jasonw4053 the approaching of the disco void*

[@jasonw4053]

@@RickyBlackwell_X thanks, Fahey was so awesomely weird!

[@patrickfinn9560]

Just discovered John Fahey last month and now the evangelical power of my devotion is hopefully making up for all my ignorant years. I play at least an hour of his genius every day. This performance is one of my favorites so far, but like I said, I'm just starting out and have a whole lot to discover.

[@DwainDwight]

he was really special. so much emotion. beautiful.

[@walterneff]

I love how he wears his watch half way up his arm when playing

[@bufatutuagonistes8876]

Wine and Roses/Red Pony is perhaps my favorite song in the world. Also favorite Fahey other than that is When the Fire. But the best part is from 50:20. Southern Melody is shockingly good on that guitar and he's just in a superb place. He's finally warmed up! Probably that wine! He's so funny! Thanks to Randy Luge, who owned the Varsity Club back then, who recorded this in a quality way back then and then didn't throw it away. And thanks to Randy for sharing this with us. I am a devotee of such wonderful players as John McLaughlin and Eric Clapton, and Jimmi, they are my gods! But Fahey is God! (Yah, I know. We used to say that about Eric.)

[@Astralpains]

It was port, dude slugged that whole pint back like nothin

[@michaelhockin1984]

In the mid 80's I took my girlfriend (who was a rich diehard classical purist snob) to see John Fahey at the Julia Morgan theater in Berkeley, CA. He blew both me and the babe away! She couldn't rave enough about his playing. Of course he looked like a homeless dude but who cared? When he finished there was a momentary silence as the audience recovered from their bliss states. Then we all acknowledged what we had just witnessed. Applause wouldn't be the correct word but I guess it comes close.

[@MrJsodd]

Awesome fidelity, like he said,"nice PA". Truly one of a kind and he could do no wrong in my book, Thanks for this buddy

[@eths1966]

Thank you for posting this concert. Brings back many memories, mostly from the early 1970's. Enjoyed his concerts with my wife at both Amazing Grace locations in Evanston. And I enjoyed his music one rainy night in about 1974 in Rockford, and also in the early 1970's I believe at Tulagi's in Boulder.

[@beckchristian67]

I heard Fahey twice. First time in NYC in 1971 in a Mahattan church. econd time in the Chicago subburds in 1985 or 1986

[@jaystretch01]

Holy comb-over! But still, the best live Fahey on KZbin

[@dantean]

Ditto. Only I think that's more a wrap-around than a comb-over.

[@timzechiel7114]

Sublime Music Channel the hair is american primitive.

[@dantean]

Tim Zechiel Oh, dear.

[@matthewpaterson5216]

It's not the hair, its what under it.

[@acutehalitosis2021]

theres also Hamburg footage on the youtube

[@JD-vv7tq]

My Brother was the one who listened to Fahey for the most part and i started listening myself and loved it !

[@41landser]

plays what he means, means what he plays...JF the Maestro

[@704studio]

I love Fahey, and this concert was insanely strange, even for his standards, haha. I think he was poking a stick in the eye of the new age genre

[@josephtravers777]

He's smearing a few numbers, like Candyman. He mentioned being pressured to play faster by the likes of Kottke. Makes sense. Dig the mid-tempo he was so great at playing. So much feel.

[@DiamondSoul]

Just beautiful.

[@charlieleger1]

i love to play gtr. THANK GOD FOR JOHN FAHEY

[@BillyBob-il4gy]

My cousin played in his bands. I never listened to any of his music until today, so I am binge listening today at age 58. LOL

[@taiyoinoue]

"But now it's time to go into the void. Look! We're on T.V."

[@petemacdonald1744]

amazing!! I love how he just almost falls into Sunny side of the ocean! a great start!

[@tonyrigatoni766]

Love the shoutout to George Winston. Winston is a brilliant pianist and is a huge inspiration to me as a musician.

[@SWHBOYCE]

He's a great guitar player too .He's got a large Hawaiian guitar songs catalog .

[@metalmarks04]

huge inspiration here too, long live

[@jroc2201]

This is the phenomenon that is music

[@JonasA]

I was happy to pick up a few of Johns albums in the early/mid 90's. Still enjoy his playing 25 yrs later.

[@jajdr]

Sounds like there's some of Dalhart, Texas 1967 in Southern Medley. Great concert and video.

[@adolin1338]

Ahhh is this the melody he slows into at 1:09:56? My favorite part of the song

[@dadaveda]

This is an amazing performance. It should have one zillion page views by now.

[@nelsonx5326]

His hair is amazing. It says, "I don't give shot".

[@rpdugoni]

Thank you! I saw John play at Stanford Univ. in 1974. Amazing talent!!

[@woodeze70]

Thanks for posting these John Faye concerts

[@leeinoregon1326]

thanks for editing & sharing this! Fahey is joy to my ears.

[@BrianDavis-zr2zj]

John was a railfan, as I am. Love the reference to the Union Pacific-Western Pacific-Missouri Pacific merger at 22:45. "Lament for the Western Pacific"

[@ivanbanovic8977]

While playing the melody from "Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel" at 49:03 he does this great transition from E minor to E major and I can't get that into my fingers for the life of me, I can't even find words for how he conveys emotions and things through his style

[@CS-mo7xp]

great upload thanks!

[@garyyeigh6098]

Why I love guitar you can go so many directions, Fahey shot beyond the North Star.

[@danjacobs6029]

so much power in red pony. the extremes of dynamic

[@HowardHello]

THANK YOU

[@chokysenge]

Pure energy!!!

[@vintagefuzz]

Noobi, his incoherent rambles are your greatest moments of clarity

[@deweypug]

EXACTLY!

[@partner348]

Although noone's been in 2 years, if the future finds you here, I'm gonna have to agree with Noobi, that this is just incoherent rambling. I was gonna call it disconnected, but incoherent will do.

[@grahamfarris252]

partner348 drunken actually. Fahey was an exceptionally smart dude he’s just blitzed here

[@jamespollock11]

@@partner348 you are t familiar with the tunes, the setlist, you jerk. Flamenco-ized Poor Boy...you try it.

[@MarkSeibold]

@@partner348 I don't know exactly but it's not incoherent. My daughter might call it cognitive dissonance. But I would just call it some of the most euphoric bliss ever performed on a guitar by a human being. And then John adds his great philosophies and narratives at times - I don't think anybody could complain about that. He's obviously well beyond genius.

[@harveyhensley875]

A genius at his peak!

[@wmialil]

This makes me feel happy. The first line of the first song - is it called Over the Ocean? - says all I need to know about America and why it is a great country. Spanish Fandango is a blast.

[@henkn2]

Great show, thanks for posting! To be honest, I was pretty exhausted at the end 🙂

[@tdb517]

His haircut is just as wild as his music. My favourite guitar player for sure

[@parkt6792]

1:07:17 brilliant

[@deenibeeni3938]

love the strum on the neck.

[@tomandaj1]

The new varsity … in Palo Alto Ca. Saw some amazing people.

[@pikeywyatt]

it's the way he troughs his hand from the neck ..so easy,

[@mariellemaple]

BRILLIANCE

[@aldoali6173]

JohnFahey, the MAN

[@uglyawesome]

You have to hand it to Fahey for doing something that today seems very obvious but was completely new at the time. He's the grandfather of a whole group of genius guitarists.

[@spallis]

What a legend

[@Nihil-kj4ih]

Genius!

[@KCBarr1]

By any standards, this is a guitarist that really to this day has still no equal, although Leo Kottke and Terry Robb do justice to Fahey, I'm positive both will still bow to him.

[@ibeate]

Robbie Basho

[@isaacdodson1565]

ken barr I would say Jack Rose is very close to John Fahey according to style of play and creativity. Both amazing.

[@salvandorum]

Jimmy swaggert in motel with prostitute

[@LosHuxleys]

I’m certain that John Fahey knew that Leo Kottke was a genius too.

[@romanshiryaev335]

причесон замечательный

[@brucedeane8]

bliss

[@crashstitches79]

A masterful musician, very expressive and fluid, but DAT COMBOVER HEADBANGING THO. That is the punkest thing I've seen today.

[@maxroyle6750]

IDIOT

[@eschuber8]

now this is good stuff.... guitar is always nice, but the hair is nearly always spectacular

[@chiconmaui]

You John

[@joaquinodriozola4963]

very eclectic performer

[@ConcreteJungleSickness]

Fahey sounds much better as a slow rhythmic player rather than a fast technical one.

[@markcrowley6906]

John Fahey played and improvised on the guitar as Keith Jarrett does with the piano.

[@JohnSmith-ij6ms]

what a fucking legend

[@jennifers6435]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@romanoznobishin947]

ok, he was the best

[@mlwsf]

He certainly is chatty (for him) today.

[@garyyeigh6098]

Shear genius, enough said.

[@gatomalomusic6081]

Love it ... South Valley NM

[@jrw344]

John's guitar would sing for him...

[@SingleMalt77005]

This is wonderful stuff. As for the Southern Medley, I can detect (in order of appearance): Camptown Races/Dixie/???/???. What am I missing on those last 1 or 2 bits where he re-tunes his guitar in mid performance?

[@adolin1338]

I believe Dalhart, Texas 1967 is one of them, the other I could not say but would love to know

[@joshuabrown3654]

He looked in the mirror before the show and said "cool. This is fine."

[@adolin1338]

I'd bet $100 that looking in a mirror never crossed his mind

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

I guess this generation just don't give a shit about their hair.

[@joshuabrown3654]

Clearly@@RickyBlackwell_X

[@user-yx1zs1fi2u]

Legendary haircut. For chosen one only

[@jimmetesky6019]

Looks like the combover got a little out of control. Saw him in Atlanta around this time. Mesmerizing.

[@mo2heaven704]

He gives serial killer vibes, a rockstar one

[@FunkyCrumpet]

"A strange time of day to play the guitar". I get it, i don't know why but i get it.

[@maxroyle6750]

HE HAS MUSICIANS HOURS

[@nirvilchigs7871]

@@maxroyle6750 I get Funky Crumpets joke but I don't know why I get it......

[@chiconmaui]

Just practicing here.

[@brendonleary]

Is he tuning, or playing? Whatever it is, I like it!

[@JosefRosam]

damn the guy had a power huh?

[@castormuerto]

Rompe rejas en rejas

[@dc9291]

he can make a 6 string sound like a 12 string

[@seamusbrowne4909]

Only John could get away with that Fucking Hair cut. Due to Advancing years I've now got my own Comb Over. Can't drag myself away from the Mirror.😱😱😱Love it so much, Narcissis eat your Fucking Heart Out.😂🤣😂

[@lowtunesinc.2926]

What tuning is he in?

[@maxroyle6750]

C,D,G,STANDARD,MODAL C

[@RickyBlackwell_X]

First three songs is in open G, on slide guitar it's a open D or G I gess, then open D in Poor Boy Long Way From Home, open Dm in Red Pony, then standard tuning and open C with modal open C.

[@happyraccoon4791]

The reader doesn't know this but Fahey invented dreadlocks.... the braiding thing came later.

[@geraldhugley3618]

I’m still wondering if George Winston has read the Urantia Book !?

[@JPVanderbuilt]

Every Fahey song is the same drone song, each with a different interpretation.

[@grahamfarris252]

A beautiful destitute American drone

[@susangrossman410]

what was the first tune he plays on the slide?

[@TVLIES2YOU]

it's called Steamboat Gwine Round The Bend

[@hodshonf]

you can hear Vaseline Machine Gun

[@JohnDoe-gk7ok]

Fahey was in top form here. I’d say his peak was from the late 70s through the early 80s. Sadly, he went off the deep end during the 90s and did these bizarre electric shows in which he noodled around for an hour.

[@spadalino]

how about a track list for us new fans?

[@TVLIES2YOU]

You need to click the 'show more' button, it's already there

[@lanceuppercut2013]

talk to me more of the burgandy

[@mlwsf]

That is one serious comb over. Almost detracts from the incredible playing, almost.

[@mickeylosordo4757]

peter buck and thom yorke learned a lot from this guy