Mahavishnu Orchrestra - Birds Of Fire

Live at Avery Fisher Hall, Dec. 27, 1973
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[@raulmacias1311]

My late brother Anthony and I saw The Mahavishnu Orchestra in November,1973 at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach,CA. Man! We were both only in High School! Only in America! What heady music for a couple of teenagers! The band all walked onto the stage, not speaking to one another, and Mahavishnu asked for a moment of silence. McLaughlin began playing the chord pattern to "Meeting Of The Spirits" and all of a sudden we heard a thunderous sound which was Billy Cobham pounding on his FIBES Drums! My God! It was such a Spiritual and Religious experience! It was festival seating so us fans all stood in awe watching and listening to this incredible transcendent group of musicians. You must understand how loud this band played. I stood in the back against the wall, later during the concert, absorbing these otherworldly sounds! Sadly, when the band played their last encore "Vital Transformation", they all walked off the stage separately. This was shortly before their last gig on December 31,1973. There was friction because Mahavishnu John McLaughlin felt betrayed, and I imagine hurt, that the other members of the band gave an interview to Crawdaddy Rock Magazine in which they voiced their frustration that McLaughlin dominated the songwriting. Mahavishnu stated in a follow-up interview that all they had to do was to share the pieces with him and record them. As they say, the damage was done, but when they returned to the studio, The Mahavishnu Orchestra recorded pieces by Jerry Goodman/I Wonder, Jan Hammer/Sister Andrea and Rick Laird/Steppings Tones. Billy Cobham decided to hold back the pieces he had written for his incredible 1973 album "Spectrum". I'll never forget in January,1974 opening the new issue of Downbeat Magazine with the heading in the, I believe, "Potpourri" section, and I'm paraphrasing - "The light goes out on the Inner Mounting Flame". I shouted out to my brother, The Mahavishnu Orchestra broke up! As I look back now, I feel so fortunate to have seen this incredibly transcendent band in concert! Over the years, my late brother and I would reminisce about that concert. It had such a profound affect on both of us.

[@seanhennessey9869]

I saw MVO 2 times as a teenager as well...once in Winterland when ELO opened up (by the way, loudest show ever, to this day, for me) and then again, around the time of this show, in Santa Barbara...it blew my mind, of course, but not as much as it could have because I saw Miles 2 years before at the Fillmore, the Bitches Brew tour..lucky, I guess...I sure never looked at music the same

[@cosmicman621]

Cheers a fine story...I met ..John..and saw him twice in Australia in the 90’s.A gentleman and the Brisbane gig was the greatest concert of any form of music that I was ever blessed to see🐝🌈

[@russellcrawford6274]

The summer of 1973 The Majestic Theater in Dallas Texas. In the late nineties McLaughlin sign the cover of birds of Fire when he was in town doing remember Shakti. Dallas Rocks, Muleshoe sucks!

[@dalewilliams8001]

I saw them on August 11, 1973, at the old Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The first concert I had ever been to. I was 17 way back then. It changed the course of my music interests. From there, I got more and more into jazz rock fusion and jazz.

[@jacko222333]

Billy Cobham was wearing a serape that night, Do you remember that?

[@manjay49]

Birds *ON* Fire! Billy! This band was *beyond* tight. Telepathic. And Rick. Without him, we were all lost. This is *The Lineup*. We should all thank Miles. Miles *ordered* John to start his own band. John obeyed.

[@LowSpark42]

Yes, thankfull to Miles, but John has a hard head, he woule probably have down anyway...

[@markanderson1313]

@@LowSpark42 Miles 'suggested' that Johnji form his own band and as Miles was Johnji's musical guru, he could hardly refuse. He said later that he wanted to please Miles ( and obviously himself) by forming the band and Miles introduced him to Clive Davis at CBS, without whose backing the project would never have got off the ground. Lets all thank everyone concerned in bringing this wonderful life changing music to the world.

[@raulmacias6146]

It is so frustrating that The Mahavishnu Orchestra rarely played "Birds Of Fire" live and never released a live version on album. There's no live footage of them performing Birds Of Fire on stage! This is an explosive version! Sadly, it cuts off abruptly.

[@JonesyTheCat]

God bless Mahavishnu

[@unearthnoise4975]

Insane in the best of ways.

[@davidstaples5398]

Wow! Hard not to feel sorry for the rest of the world.

[@glennpack2472]

Shazam..!!!!!

[@nigelcnash]

I want a gong.

[@davidryan6441]

I have the cd of the 28 December show. .I employ you to try and find one....It features ..!. You Know, You Know..2.I Wonder..3 Awakening..4. Hope.. 5. Vital Transformation 6.Dream...This Was a Band That Went beyond expectations and on this night they were taking you to another level. Incredible musicians on top of their game.

[@dalewilliams8001]

WOW !!!!

[@TweedSuit]

There's a good reason they played so fast. The gig would have taken hours otherwise.

[@chrispopyk6162]

Pure

[@stanleyscott9786]

This may be McLaughlin's most manic displays I've ever heard!! ❤️

[@markparee99]

Was there. Amazing show. I had no idea this was one of the last shows the group would perform.

[@bobfrye448]

Was there also. Breathtaking

[@lestrum]

I was too. Same thought. Rarely if ever missed a NYC performance. Always have the memories along with KZbin now.

[@LarryEM15]

I was there too. Only 16 years old at the time. Absolutely mesmerizing.

[@markdarnell614]

I am assuming this is Cobham on drums, and not Narada Michael Walden. Love both, but Billy? - Holy Shit!

[@kevinphillips2021]

Had to check the speed of this video. Honestly wondered if it was on 2x.

[@ViolinistExtraordinaire]

@Basil Ganglia it’s correct, I just played along. It’s still concert pitch. Barely playable because of the intensity, but it’s not altered.

[@Poeme340]

If Superman took drum lessons...almost frightening energy from all of them. Amazing they don’t just ignite!

[@philadelphian7814]

I honestly can't see anyone else drumming on this!! Absolutely insane

[@rhcerce]

How could I possibly resist such masterful writing and playing thats so to the point, I’m almost 😅 crazy with joy

[@yordemise150]

Awesome!

[@claymationwaves]

pin balls are flyng around in my skull at full speed man

[@raulmacias1311]

Can you believe this transcendent group broke up 4 days later! I've never understood why an official "Live" album was never released by The Mahavishnu Orchestra!

[@raulmacias1311]

please tell me that you love me Yes it is. Please check KZbin! Some more unreleased performances have been uploaded from the "Between Nothingness And Eternity" "Live" gig in Central Park, New York,NY in August, 1973. I believe "Birds Of Fire" wasn't played that night. The Mahavishnu Orchestra was simply burning on this track knowing they were to breakup just 4 days later on December 31,1973! My late brother and I saw The Mahavishnu Orchestra in November,1973 at the Long Beach Arena Long Beach CA. I It was a spiritually transcendent experience! Years after, my brother and I would reminisce about that concert and the impact it had on us. Sadly, in early 1974, I opened up an issue of Down Beat Magazine announcing the breakup. The headline said, and I'm paraphrasing, The Light Goes Out On The Mahavishnu Orchestra.

[@pgonzo98]

the way john saw it it was his band. he was mahavishnu....jan and jerry didn't seem to understand that..they began to insist that the band be a democracy..they demanded to be able to compose songs and chose which order the shows were performed...why does john get all the solos...shit like that..jan and jerry did an interview in a prominent music magazine talking complete shit about john. john was very hurt about this..the band came to an end shortly after..the end...

[@raulmacias1311]

@@pgonzo98 I believe the magazine was "Crawdaddy". What I understand is that Jerry Goodman and Jan Hammer never let Mahaviishnu know their about their feelings until he read it about in the magazine. Mahaviishnu later said in an interview that if they had simply gone to him directly he would have seen no problem with both of them contributing material. Mahaviishnu felt betrayed. I do remember reading Billy Cobham expressing his wish to not write for The Mahaviishnu Orchestra and that he would be releasing his solo album later in the year which turned out to be the excellent "Spectrum" album. My brother took pictures of the concert we attended and the last picture is very telling. Cobham has his back turned to the camera, walking away from his "fibes" Drums while Mahaviishnu is acknowledging the applause and cheers from the audience, smiling. There was no more camaraderie as everyone went their separate ways. I thought Jerry, Jan and Rick Laird wrote some very nice pieces for the band! I personally love "I Wonder" by Goodman! Mahavishnu's Guitar solo on that track is my all~time favorite by him. It is very expressive! I believe some of Devadip Carlos Santana's playing influenced Mahaviishnu. On the solo, McLaughlin plays each note with such spiritual intensity pulling each note! Looking back, I believe The Mahaviishnu Orchestra was of their time in that by "74 "Jazz Rock" was evolving into "Fusion". I just wish Mahaviishnu wouldn't have continued recording using the band's name. There was truly only one "MAHAVIISHNU ORHESTRA"!

[@jacko222333]

@@raulmacias1311 I was there that night too. Do you remember when the longhaired freak jumped on the stage and almost got to John? They got him off stage pretty fast. Before the show he was acting out to the Zeppelin tune being played over the p.a. before Harvey Mandel and the Pure Food And Drug Band opened the show. That was 11-25-73. Peace

[@walterkolosky1]

@@jacko222333 11-25-73?

[@brokenbones0161]

Crazy good sound

[@uncasist]

This is one of their last gigs, but John sounds like he is playing the Gibson Double neck, not the Rex Bogue. They have very distinct different sounds.

[@Frisbieinstein]

Good Lord. The mix is wretched, but that doesn't really matter.

[@lestrum]

Once Jan Hammer comes in, it does sound a bit more balanced. Overall you are correct. Too much emphasis on Cobham.

[@FireMunki63]

What do you expect? It is from the soundboard. Its not a HiFi mix it is a live sound mix.

[@Frisbieinstein]

@@FireMunki63 Excuses excuses.

[@Frisbieinstein]

Ah, the 1970s, age of 60 Hz hum.

[@pieroaycart785]

Si te preguntan quien es el mejor músico en la banda guardadas silencio todos son excelentes o espectaculares

[@geoffccrow2333]

They could have named the band the birds of fire

[@carltonwhite9682]

Gotta be Cobham John Bonham's jazz alter-ego

[@artysanmobile]

Soundboard?? Serious? A dictaphone mic in the middle of the room would’ve sounded better.

[@thiagosousa2217]

Billy Cobham or Narada Michael Walden on drums?

[@lesnyk255]

Billy. Narada played with the band's 2nd incarnation, with JL Ponty, sometime in '74 I think

[@davidgreen1504]

No brainer Cobham is the star of this group hands down him & John's spirits together form the best group ever who disagree ?

[@Miles2theHorizon]

Definitely Billy. Narada was in '74 with JLP and Ralphe Armstrong.

[@davidgreen1504]

@@Miles2theHorizon Miles thank for your input to me Lenny White over Naralda Don't get me wrong he's a good drummer but Lenny has an edge.stay safe cheif👊

[@kennybeckett]

BC