Let's Active - Live on Stage 1989 - Full Show

[@jaysmelkinson5577]

Just saw their 40th Anniversary show in WInston Salem two nights ago. It was magical as they paid tribute to Faye and Sara and had some special guests including Don Dixon. Very sorry I didn't see them earlier in their heyday but it was so nice to hear their music live with Mitch singing the songs I remembered so well.

[@kennyjohnson3837]

I wish they would come back to my old frat house at Ole Miss Kappa Sigma or somewhere near like Memphis

[@dugplayer]

Mitch is a genius. Big Plans for Everybody is an underappreciated masterpiece of any rock genre or any time period. This video is priceless and thanks so much for posting. Amazing.

[@ShanntahnPininchula]

Agreed he's a genius.

[@genethejeep]

Man oh man...! Saw Let's Active in San Diego 1989, and they blew the roof off the dump. Loved 'em in early 80's as I do Mitch's Dynamico. Let's Active was, as usual, another criminally neglected band among so many others equally original in the drone that made up most of rock in that time. Hell, maybe I'm officially old now, as I cannot bear most of what I hear today, though there are still jewels out there. But, as usual, no one seems to care, while rehashes and cookie-cutter sounds prevail.

[@Heel86]

And we dearly miss Faye. She was one of the kindest souls I've ever had the pleasure to meet. Still recovering from the shock of her being gone.

[@kevincragun4259]

We drove from SLO to Ventura in1989 to see them. They put on an amazing show. We waited for what seemed like forever to meet them after the show. They were so gracious and soft spoken. I love this band.

[@executiveboard13]

What a great show. I too saw Let's Active in 89. In a world where there was some justice, this music would be all over the airwaves and cable.

[@rtbstuff840]

Eric Marshall was a fantastic drummer and a driving force with their newer "Power Pop" sound by the end of the decade. I can't remember if it was Wiley or Brunson where we both took Drums together...but he was good then. Even on a drum pad. :-)

[@RhettLawrence-s2w]

Yep - I love the hell out of Let's Active, but I come back to this show about once a year mainly for Eric's drumming!

[@StephenMonjure]

A gem for sure. Mitch Easter and Don Dixon helped shape 80’s pop and we all benefited. Saw the Sneakers at the Ramkat in Winston-Salem last week. Mitch and Chris were incredible.

[@nicolescardinatieche2863]

Jon Heames is my 1st cousin. My mom and his Dad are siblings. EVen though we're miles apart, I love him dearly and he is an AMAZING musician

[@Heel86]

Jon Heames is a monster at whatever instrument he picks up.

[@bobb8361]

I know Jon, and he is as humble as he’s a monster on whatever instrument he picks up! Great guy and phenomenal talent.

[@sgardner5813]

In late '88, Let's Active played at The Wrockledge in Lexington, with Velvet Elvis opening and playing from their eponymous LP produced by Mitch. LA played a nearly identical set, adding only "Bad Machinery" to the setlist here. When you hear these songs live, it's really impressive that they capture the layers of sound on "Every Dog" and "Big Plans." I think LA covered "Dancing Days" and "Back of a Car" in the encore, but I might be mixing up their set from a Statesboro, GA show, opening for REM @ GSU. I wore out "Big Plans" and REM's "Lifes Rich Pageant." They're knit together in my memory, and hold up well 30 years later. Thanks much for posting this.

[@beepbeepahoooga]

Fantastic Band! They saved my life during some pretty dark days. Thank you for posting.

[@johnnypetro9314]

The film crew did a fantastic job documenting this concert! Cannot believe they even had a keyboard cam, lol. Gosh I wish Mitch could manage to say a few words to connect to the audience. The few words he does get out don't help.

[@jontv7350]

Mitch focused on production. He did put out a solo album a few years ago -- a very good one, actually.

[@HakimALIGHT]

94 views ? No comments ? What's wrong with the world ? Jar13 you are a hero. Thank you for uploading this.

[@jasonsoutthere7733]

Love this band! I remember skipping school in middle school to listen to local college radio and wait for "every dog" to come on.

[@wombuster]

THis is stellar! Mega-talented band. Underappreciated. Mitch Easter is an underated guitarist, too, amongst his many other talents. Thanks for posting.

[@BreconWalsh]

REM for thinking persons and so much more on the ball. The heirs to Big Star!

[@sps179]

Indeed. It is cruel that Easter is best known as an REM producer, when REM was never half as good. This 1989 tape will endure as the best capture of the later version of the band, but it also features a nice selection of their earlier classics.

[@billkeon880]

+Brecon Walsh both bands were awesome. They defined the '80s for me

[@teodelfuego]

Stephen Saunders I love early REM, but I agree wholeheartedly with you. Stipe had a beautiful voice but his lyrics were either cast offs or, later, overtly preachy. Mitch had a wonderful ear for chord changes and melody

[@bernardelias976]

REMs producer from 1981 through 1984

[@wizardnyc]

We are recording with Mitch this weekend! Can't wait! What a great show...but the crowd except for some dude jumping up and down...

[@sjones5863]

Ledz Active. Great power pop here. Worth watching for Mitch's solos alone!! Epic stuff.

[@vittoriocacchione6125]

Saw them in 86" at Seton Hall where I was going to school...such a great band, Mitch Easter was a great guy! They ended up hanging out and partying with a bunch of us after the show...so much fun! Wish I was young again...

[@flagemdown66]

Wow, had all their records, never got to see them live... never thought Mitch Easter would be using a Paul Reed Smith, but I understand why... great playing, great sounding and reliable.

[@stevewagner2165]

Damn! Where has this mighty clip been hiding all these years?!

[@jat13]

Totally agree. I'm always in awe of his guitar skills, his lead and rhythm playing is phenomenal and those vacuum cleaner solos always get me going!

[@Heel86]

In answer to the question about Angie Carlson's whereabouts, she ran Propeller Publicity in Brooklyn for a couple of years after leaving YepRoc Records here in NC. Now she's Director of Publicity at Red House Records in Minneapolis.

[@MyMuzikVideos578]

Great stuff! Saw them on this tour in Philly at the TLA Theater, Velvet Elvis opened. Got to meet the band after and about 2 weeks later interviewed Mitch on my College Station. Then the following year contacted him and he met me at the Drive-In. We hung out for about an hour - He's a very cool guy and a great talent!

[@7777Scion]

+Thommy Harmand Yeah, Velvet Elvis opened for them at The Rialto in Raleigh, too. Not a bad album, that VE cd.

[@rileysdad1923]

Great concert. Thanks for posting. Best live In Little Ways that I've heard.

[@tictocbang7443]

Brilliant songwriting. I was lucky to see them a few times on this tour.

[@jontv7350]

Thanks for posting that -- what a great band! I never got to see them play in person, but they are one of my favorites of all time.

[@dONW7]

Such a criminally overlooked band...!

[@wattsun7946]

Was lucky enough to see them open for REM at Cameron Indoor Stadium think around 85-86. Met Mitch a few years later in Charlotte NC when my band was recording at Reflection Studio. Great guy brilliant artist.

[@rickbort7875]

Great band, highly underrated, IMO on a par with REM. And Easter's guitar playing was criminally underrated as well, he is one of my top 50 favorites of all time, there is a hint of Led Zeppelin in their songs. Anecdote- Robert Plant was a huge fan of Let's Active, and in particular Mitch Easter, Plant heard a shade of Zeppelin in Easter's songs.

[@billkeon880]

what great chord changes. Sound sculptures. The best

[@rileysdad1923]

Agreed on the chord changes. So much imagination!

[@kennyjohnson3837]

Loved the show when Mitch played my frat house at Ole Miss in the mid 80's

[@tommyrock69]

John Heames. One of the Top Five Bass Players You Don't Know.

[@dONW7]

This is WONDERFUL stuff...!

[@RedClayRamble]

Jon Heames is so good on that #Rickenbacker bass 🔥

[@fireant33]

Thank you very much for posting this-- so awesome. Especially liked how they pulled off "Room With a View." Seems like kind of a studio song, but they pulled it off so well. I'm a drummer and I liked how this drummer played that even though it's a drum machine on the album.

[@jhhunter3000]

went into the kings head inn on my 21st birthday in 1988 and they were doing an afternoon sound check... those were the great days of great bands in small clubs

[@TragicallySchapp]

I was there. Steppenwolf played, too. Weird but true!

[@RedClayRamble]

Angie looks and sounds so good on that SG !!!

[@grantdenn]

Mitch really reminds me of Paul McCartney here.

[@seanhershey3390]

So good..such an underrated guitar player..( weird seeing him play a PRS..but I get it

[@bernardelias976]

In Between is my favorite Let's Active song! From Afoot pre Angie Carlson Days.

[@holodais9067]

Love this band!

[@dg1019]

Used to catch them at Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill. Had a monster crush on Faye. RIP sweet girl.

[@4skyebird]

Jon Heames was my next door neighbor-Last saw him at Clark Honeycutts funeral.

[@WeemusStudio2017]

RIP Faye Hunter

[@vanderleimiranda7868]

Great band!!!

[@scillyautomatic]

Saw them at the 688 in Atlanta. Must have been about 1988 or '89.

[@Ted_Selke]

I got to open for them there in May of 1986! 688 closed in November of ''86 but it was renamed The Rollick and stayed open until mid 1987.

[@scillyautomatic]

@@Ted_Selke Cool! So I guess we saw them in '85 or '86. Did you play under the name Ted Selke or were you with a band?

[@Ted_Selke]

I was playing drums with Arms Akimbo. They were already a weekend headliner at 688 when I joined in the summer of 1984 but of course we jumped at the chance to open for Let's Active - it's one of the highlights of my musical career!

[@scillyautomatic]

@@Ted_Selke @Ted_Selke No kidding! That's awesome. I think we we are that show. Talking with my wife I realized it had to be 1986 because I started working at PC&E in Atlanta in December 1985. So very cool. Now that I think about it, it was just 13 months later that I got to work on the REM video for "The One I Love". That was one of the highlights of my production career.

[@scillyautomatic]

@@Ted_Selke By the way I have searched to Arms Akimbo live videos and only found one little video. I was really hoping to find more.

[@WillCate]

Awesome video. Thanks for posting this. I saw them play in Atlanta on this same tour back in the late 80s.

[@BriRunk]

Such beautiful bass playing and hardly any shots of the bass player.

[@RedClayRamble]

agreed; Mitch consistently had excellent bass & drummers (miss you so much, Sara ❤☮)

[@7777Scion]

Saw them at Cat's Cradle in the very early days, then the first tour for "Every Dog" at The Rialto in Raleigh. Awesome show. One girl up front with a very high-pitched voice that cut thru the crowd kept screaming for "Fell" - Mitch said "this next song is Fell .... out of necessity!" Easter had long hair for that show - this must be later down the road after a haircut. It's too bad there is not a good videotape-recording (not film) of that Rialto show - the band were cooking and during the instrumental song the crowd cheered and lit 'em up for a good minute and a half. They seem kind of calm for this show, wherever it was .... tired from the road? Very different atmosphere than the Jane's Addiction show there (naturally) - two great concerts from opposite ends of the rock 'n' roll spectrum.

[@RedClayRamble]

I was also at the Rialto Raleigh show (Nov 17, 1988) 😎❤🎸

[@lefrauens]

Thanks for posting!

[@radtradclimber]

Pilot Mt., NICE!

[@MD-ur3dj]

So sad that most of their albums have been taken off Spotify!

[@jat13]

While the albums are still streaming in Europe, they have been removed from Spotify in the US pending a Section 203 transfer.

[@MD-ur3dj]

wow, how'd you find out about that? @@jat13

[@MD-ur3dj]

wow, how'd you learn about that?@@jat13

[@jstohler]

Why are those people just sitting?

[@anthonycrook1987]

now, thinking of be bop deluxe,,,,

[@omegamigo]

Brilliant find , shame they were playing to statues tho..

[@AmandaTheBigBelieve]

Faye's last record: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omSno6l4p5aXmqc

[@Toumocean]

RIIP Faye Hunter!!

[@pyanes]

Might this be at Slims if it is from a SF show?

[@teodelfuego]

Have to commit heresy and say that Mitch was a much better guitarist than St. Peter Buck and he damn sure wrote better lyrics than Mr. Stipe. If only he had Mike Mills and Michael Stipe's singing voice!

[@anthonycrook1987]

kinda, wondering, was it, ? that mitch, 52's, rem, 10,000 maniacs, and then everywhere clean strumming and the drop, resurged to make us think about the "roll" in "rock & roll",,,,😮😅and then an edit, did the brits get it first, knowing it was our shyness, to recognize why, or what stopped us. the trendsetters in the more pop'd old world? :: Never hidden the youthful imagination,,, 😮 39:48

[@wutzefreck68]

RIP Faye Hunter!

[@RedClayRamble]

☮❤

[@mjproebstle]

where the heck is sara on the kit?!?

[@SpineCenter-m5k]

Weirdest thing seeing people sitting at a Let's Active concert.

[@elvispresley718]

What ever happened to these guys?

[@motorcaster57]

That bass player is knocking it dead..... Drummer much too busy for this band...

[@Heel86]

Jon Heames on bass here. He is a monster. Probably the best all-around musician in NC.

[@scottt5484]

Disagree. Eric was a great fit for this band. Added lotta muscle and his tempo is perfect. Was a friend of mine as well! Very nice guy.

[@scottbrookman2626]

Had to stop watching. I hate this drummer so much. So OTT and without subtlety. Totally wrong for Mitch's wonderful songs. Mitch's guitar is nearly inaudible in the mix, which is a real shame because his leads look great. This is, I believe, either the last or nearly last Let's Active line-up which changed the sound to something closer to hard rock. On the plus side, Mitch's always fragile voice is great here.

[@theimaginarygallery5935]

Being a drummer myself I have always been impressed with Let's Active's drumming, What do you mean that this drummer is Over The Top? He/She/It kept pretty good time. Love a great crisp drum sound... OK Now I get what you are saying, the guitar is NOT very audible.The remedy for this would be to bring Mitch's guitar up to the same volume levels/up front and as clear as that creature's drums.

[@ebw343]

I think Cary means that the drummer in this set is not as good for the band as Sara Romweber, the original drummer.

[@duffbaker9554]

I disagree-the drummer is on fire here and in very fine form. Love his fills--reminds me Keith Moon at times. Love the early line-up, but this one has the needed power (puts the 'power' in power-pop, for sure). But I guess it's whatever you're into and that's fine.

[@scottt5484]

The drummers name is Eric Marshall. He was a fellow drummer (I played in a WS based punk band called The Apostles) and friend of mine. He took over after Sara R left the band. While Sara was a great fit/drummer for the band, Eric was a great replacement. Very powerful, tight, and imo very tasteful and not in the least bit OTT. Not sure what he's doing now but I hope he is well. I ran into Mitch at a pizza joint in dt WS last year and it was a real treat talking to him briefly.

[@duffbaker9554]

@Scott Toth Eric Marshall, that's right! And I totally agree with you concerning his drumming, too. Every member in that particular line-up was ace.