The Magic Band - The Glastonbury Festival 2004 - full show

The Magic Band - live at the Glastonbury Festival England, June 25th 2004, recorded using a Hi8 video camera, saved to digital by me back in 2005 and now shared with you for free.
The Magic Band was the backing band of American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Captain Beefheart between 1967 and 1982. The rotating lineup featured dozens of performers, many of whom became known by nicknames given to them by Beefheart. Ex-members of the Magic Band formed the short-lived group Mallard in 1974.[2] The Magic Band reformed in 2003, without Beefheart. Set List As Follows.
00:30 Diddy Was Diddy
03:49 The Smithsonian Institute Blues (Or the Big Dig)
07:01 Circumstances
11:18 Nowadays a Woman's Gotta Hit a Man
- John French on drums
16:01 On Tomorrow
20:26 Steal Softly Thru Snow
23:38 Abba Zaba
27:03 My Human Gets Me Blues
30:46 Alice in Blunderland
34:09 Hair Pie
37:47 Veteran's Day Poppy
42:44 Evening Bell
46:46 Electricity
53:01 Moonlight on Vermont
57:42 Big-Eyed Beans From Venus
#captainbeefheart #glastonburyfestival #glastonbury

[@ScottishTeeVee]

1 of over 2000 music videos on this channel, all taken from my videotape collection. If you enjoy this channel, then help keep it going via Go Fund Me at gofund.me/f91033fc

[@hansmulder9087]

😂

[@dscorbin3122]

Yea baby

[@davidjames1858]

Drumbo should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, considering he practically co-wrote most of the classic Magic Band material anyway

[@alexfletcher5192]

Drumbo's reproduction is magical. I still hope another generation can discover this.

[@aakkoin]

Some freaks will discover this and live on the artist Captain Beefheart, amazing man

[@davidhurst100]

I have known a few young people who are into it. I used to be one of them! I started listening to CB in about 1985 as a teenager. So I already missed out on seeing new material being released. There is hope, but as the volume of new material increases year on year, it's easy for stuff to get lost. I keep preaching though, to anyone, if you got ears, you gotta listen!

[@ThomasAtzinger]

I don't know what to think about this. The similarity of the vocal delivery is remarkable.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Which cannot be said about some of the headline acts at last weekends Glastonbury😉

[@aakkoin]

Once you really get into Beefheart's music, it's so satisfying to listen to, it's like a good scratch to a spot that any other music doesn't really scratch. The music itself in it's timbre is so angular and spiky and scratchy, I think "satisfying" is a good adjective to describe it...

[@Earthasphagnum]

Beefheart ruined my life.

[@aakkoin]

@@Earthasphagnum Are you the guy from who I bought like the whole Beefheart discography with CD's and DVD's including actual signatures from John French and The Magic Band, seems like that guy wanted to get rid of all things Beefheart

[@Earthasphagnum]

@@aakkoin Haha, no, I am the musician who grew up on Beefheart, got obsessed and now has to scale that wall forever....sigh...

[@aakkoin]

@@Earthasphagnum I have a habit of getting obsessed with stuff, Beefheart for over 15 years or something, it's fast and it's bulbous.

[@remingtongagnard4442]

Tom Waits can try but Beefheart's personal brand of weird is completely and utterly unique. Absolutely nothing else out there quite like Decals or Doc at the Radar Station.

[@kjelectric5593]

now this is the band you want playing at your wedding!!!

[@LeeEisenstein]

i thought they were the greatest live band in the world, when I saw them at the Troubadour Club in L.A. around '70/'71 and they're still the greatest. Electrifying. There's no other music like it.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

You were lucky to have seen them at that time, thanks for watching and commenting Lee

[@martinh6677]

The music speaks for itself❤ Thanks to John (Drumbo) - the driving force behind bringing it back after 30+ years👏

[@TheIkaraCult]

nothing but respect - they are responsible for more of the greatness than they get credit for.

[@rdavis666]

Real musicians, a rare thing these days!

[@jwardbass4452]

I’m really impressed with Drumbo’s vocal abilities! I wouldn’t mind having his voice

[@LeeEisenstein]

I'd love to hear if John has had vocal coaching, as he developed Don's vocal style. Might be the case.

[@mffables]

Sufficiently fast and distinctly bulbous. Thanks!

[@aakkoin]

and tight also

[@nevhawkes8526]

@@aakkoin Bulbous also tapered

[@aakkoin]

@@nevhawkes8526 That's right

[@christopherthomas7253]

Some of those audience reaction shots indicate that people have no idea what or they're looking at and hearing. Like they wandered over from the main tent by accident or something, which, fine. I would be weeping with pleasure to see this in person.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thanks for watching and commenting Chris

[@martinh6677]

I missed Beefheart by one day when they were at Leeds in the 80's, got my dates wrong I finally saw TMB at Nottingham in 2004 and I wept

[@Alun49]

John French has got the Captain's voice down to perfection.

[@pit2ryan3]

Alun49 - Not that bass octave though...

[@aakkoin]

​@@pit2ryan3Gotta give it to Don, I read he got himself the flu in the cold desert, so his voice would be down

[@herbbirdsfoot]

Just a great sound, shades flavors echoes of MX-80, The Fall, Television, Pere Ubu, This Heat, Trumans Water, Polvo, Ruins, Thinking Fellers, mid-career Zeppelin, math rockers anonymous … This crowd seems stiffer than a used Kleenex … at Glastonbury??? John French still kickin’ it at 75+.

[@edwardmulholland7912]

Wow! The Magic Band! One of the truly great bands. Just about every album is wonderful. My fav is “Safe as milk”. Thank you for this and have a great weekend.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Have a great weekend Edward, so glad you enjoy this video🙂

[@martinarthur2597]

Having more fun than with the Captain I’ll bet. Truly a magic band of exceptional musicians.

[@davidhurst100]

I met all of these guys in this particular line-up after various shows around 20 years ago, in the words of Jimmy Carl Black (yeah, I know he's not in this line up), 'Frank was good, Don was the best'. French is a top guy and the best substitute for Don that there ever could be and we are very lucky to have had them playing the music of Beefheart so recently. If you don't know the music of Beefheart, start with Safe as Milk and work your way through. If you got ears, you gotta listen. Oh, and if you've never heard the solo work of Gary Lucas, look it up, he's terrific.

[@adamparker2754]

Captain beefheart and his magic band is like licorice some people love it most people hate it!!!! Just like Zappa, I love both of bands.

[@aakkoin]

Zappa is overrated, Beefheart is underrated, or maybe not

[@davidhurst100]

As Jimmy Carl Black said, 'Frank was good, Don was the best!' For years I disagreed, as I got older, I'm with him, Don, for me, was the greatest of all time.

[@adamparker2754]

I didn't get into captain Beefheart course till I got older. Trout mask replica got me started on him. Then of course, I bought all the other albums. The last one I got was. The album with ashtray heart on it..

[@aakkoin]

@@davidhurst100 Agreed, I love Beefheart and listen to his stuff regularly, but not Zappa's. Zappa's stuff is more superficial and childish humor-music, Beefheart's stuff also has humor, but it's darker and more mature, I think. It pisses me off a little when people always lump Zappa with Beefheart, as if Beefheart is some lesser little brother protege of Zappa. I think Beefheart is the better and more serious artist, his stuff has more weight, more thought and more hair to it. Even the "tragic band" sell out records have some really great catchy songs that should be playing on the radio to this day, in fact I can't think of a bad song from Beefheart, but Zappa has alot of mindless garbage.

[@davidhurst100]

@@aakkoin I think Zappa's output was so prolific that there would inevitably be some music that was less profound than others and Zappa, in my opinion, was certainly not at his best in the studio. Does Humor Belong In Music? Yes, I would say so and some of Zappa's material is magnificent, although maybe formulaic at times? (please don't beat me up for saying that! - and, sorry Frank!) Compared to Beefheart at least, maybe. If you've seen the TV interviews with Beefheart in front of a live studio audience, it's easy to see how unique and out of synchronisation with the factory rhythm of society and music he was. Fragile yet abstract, lost somehow. For that reason, for me, he is and always will be the embodiment of perfection in imperfection. I rejected the tragic band output for years, namely BJ&MB, I always got on with Unconditionally guaranteed though. Then one day realised that there are some great tunes on the aforementioned album like Observatory Crest and it was like discovering a new Beefheart album - It's not as great as the spotlight Kid, or Safe as Milk or Doc at the Radar Station, but considering his output went from the 60's to the 80s with only one questionable album (which I now also like) says it all. Very few artists that I listen to have been so perfectly consistent over such a period, I can't think of a single example, maybe Led Zep? Maybe Tull? The Captain wins every time for me for consistency in quality and consistently being different!

[@donvanvliet9477]

I love looking at the crowd, the difference between those who 'get it' and those who dont!

[@andragg]

Great to hear them do so many of those difficult songs from Trout Mask Replica, some of my favorites. Nice to hear at least 2 of the older Magic Band members playing together again, John French and Mark Boston.

[@periplodemunt3320]

Amazing performance. Thank you so much for recording and sharing this concert

[@donaldarkelian1008]

Most uderrated band of all time!

[@ncl.a.2168]

00:30 Diddy Was Diddy 03:49 The Smithsonian Institute Blues (Or the Big Dig) 07:01 Circumstances 11:18 Nowadays a Woman's Gotta Hit a Man - John French on drums 16:01 On Tomorrow 20:26 Steal Softly Thru Snow 23:38 Abba Zaba 27:03 My Human Gets Me Blues 30:46 Alice in Blunderland 34:09 Hair Pie 37:47 Veteran's Day Poppy 42:44 Evening Bell 46:46 Electricity 53:01 Moonlight on Vermont 57:42 Big-Eyed Beans From Venus Btw, ScottishTeeVee, you are doing an excellent work here. Feel free to post this setlist on the description, if you'd like to.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thank you for taking the time to do this set list, I have added it to the video description 🙂

[@NachoVideo]

Thanks so much for this. I was there, so good to experience it again.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

It was a great gig and a nice day, I hope you spot yourself somewhere in the audience.🎥🙂

[@buska100]

Absolutely Awesome!! Great to see the Magic Band in Concert. Thanks for uploading this Gem. Cheers

[@johnbracher158]

Saw The Magic Band in London in about 2014 ? Been going to gigs since 1978 and have seen hundreds of groups, but that London gig was something very special.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thank you for watching and commenting, I am glad you enjoyed this video 🙂

[@burmesecolourneedles4680]

Flat out incredible, such energy! Thanks so much for posting! I was lucky to see a gig on the very last Magic Band tour in a little venue with no more than about 100 people. Only Drumbo from the original players, but phenomenal too.

[@andyd1190]

A boring Sunday scrolling through your catalogue and this unexpected joy pops up Many thanks👏👏👏

[@ScottishTeeVee]

It's a strange mix of uploads, I must baffle the subscribers from time to time. Thank for watching and taking the time to look over the previous uploads 🙂

[@andyd1190]

​@@ScottishTeeVee it's a fantastic mix of stuff and great quality too Your channel is a firm favourite 🙇

[@Eveandwolf]

Wow... had no idea John French could nail the captain's voice so accurately... great performace here. My favorite songs being the one's off of trout mask and decals :-) The way they pulled off the transition in veterans day poppy was pretty sweet

[@mikebennett3848]

Possibly the best gigs I've ever been too in a club setting.

[@2011LittleWing]

Unbelievable! The voice of John French is so similar to the Captain`s singing. But nevertheless I miss him...And, oh yes, great MAGIC BAND show. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@squareeyedgit]

I've seen the Magic Band several times since 2003 and they never disappointed. But the first time, in Shepherd's Bush, with this line-up, was just incredible. So is this, cheers for uploading!

[@OldSethOnetooth]

Saw them a number of times between the Edinburgh gig with the Fire Engines (2003?) and 2017 most recent. One of those bands which were far more influential than successful. Really glad they reformed, they deserved the recognition and some money in their pockets.

[@joaquinonthebass]

This is the same line up and probably a very similar set list to the one I saw at All Tomorrows Parties in Long Beach, 2003; two decades ago now. We were in the shadow of the Queen Mary, under a full moon (hot sun) as I recall. John French was an imposing figure in the same white trenchcoat and pretty much blew us all away not only with his extremely dynamic and nimble drumming but with a very powerful and credible impression of the Captain on voice and harp, arguably more accurate and definitely more prepared than the man himself. I was a bit skeptical that members from disparate line-ups, some of whom I had barely even heard of, were coming together to perform without Beefheart, and yet they unequivocally kicked our collective asses. One of the best shows I've ever seen. It is quite something to hear these abrasive, complex, viciously ugly and gorgeously dissonant sculpture pieces performed note for note, side by side with some absolutely filthy high desert delta blues. This video brought it all back, and I'm extremely grateful it exists.

[@stephenwallen4942]

Fantastic! Thanks for uploading this! Never saw the Magic Band. I did see Captain Beefheart once with Zappa. It was the Bongo Fury tour.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Beefheart and Zappa, what a double bill 😎 And I just noticed that tour was in 1975, a good time to see both.

[@erichferdinand9742]

I've seen that bongofurious concert in Dortmund. I'll never forget it.

[@vincevirtua]

Holy crap I was there for this, have been wondering ever since if I’d see this. Thanks so much 🙏

[@ScottishTeeVee]

I hope you saw yourself in the audience, as the camera does pan around quite a lot. Thanks for watching and commenting 🙂

[@vincevirtua]

@@ScottishTeeVee I haven’t yet but will be pausing through. I’d have been 22 and I think nearer the back than the front. It’s great you got the crowd really well for doing that!

[@paukin9344]

I was here as well, would have been 19! Very cool to come across this one.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

@@paukin9344 Thanks for watching and commenting, I hope you spotted yourself in the audience

[@paukin9344]

@@ScottishTeeVee I bloody did. A brief pan over me, long curly hair and a Ramones t shirt. Thanks for the nostalgia!

[@Poss1]

Man! How did I miss this? For a week! Thank you! Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band live in, um... decorate... deep places in my brain. Another treasure from you. :)

[@taichi500]

Saw them with the Captain a couple of times early seventies. Would love to have been at this gig!!!

[@alexfletcher5192]

Erstaz but from the guys who lived and breathed this man. I don't think Beefheart will be beaten in my lifetime. A one-off.

[@juanpedroparrasanchez4884]

Nunca nadie,te llevará a los paisajes musicales del paraíso de la Magic Band.

[@Splitbrainmusic1]

Crazy little thing ! The magic band live ! Thank you so much for uploading this gem 🙏

[@SimonGoodman-oy7hb]

Just came across this - great stuff @ScottishTeeVee! I was lucky enough to see the Magic Band live twice in London - just awesome. By the way it's 'Diddy Wah Diddy' of course not Was (that was a different band ;) )

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thanks for watching and commenting Simon, you were very lucky to have seen the band twice.😎

[@filbertthedilbert1]

I love that outfit. Very Raoul Duke.

[@noname1st139]

I was saying to a friend other day, beefheart would be a difficult Voice to mimic, this guy singing is brilliant, I've Only recently discovered beefheart,yet to discover more, Observatory crest, this is the day, Lazy music, I can't stop playing, I like the other side of beefheart too,click clack, clear spot, and a few from this which I'll have to chase up the names

[@nulsh331]

Top! Cheers for posting.

[@pandalilpig]

beefheart n magic band inspired my improv music series, come hither under the sweet n tart plum tree

[@ritmo113]

Saw then at Under the Bridge in Chelsea (bloody good venue too). Good shit.

[@thomassummerhill6357]

Everyone of the musicians could write a book , probably have 😀

[@markmelvin299]

I don't think they ever played Orange Claw Hammer live, this version anyway. I know the Captain did and it was of course a smash. Always my first choice as introduction to the Captain and the Boys. These boys always knew how to play and here they could have some fun. Great stuff. Thanks for the amazing upload.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thanks for watching and commenting Mark, so few fans ever do so.

[@davidhurst100]

Reminds me of a story when I saw TMB in Stourbridge UK around the time this was filmed. French started singing Orange Claw Hammer and my mate's son asked me, are they doing Well? I thought it was a general enquiry as to what I thought of their performance and replied, 'yes, I think so!' The bloke in front of us turned round and said, 'no it's Orange Claw Hammer'! It was funny at the time... So yes, they definitely did perform OCH, I think that was in 2007..

[@liselottefrejdig1112]

It's not the same without Captain Beefheart. Sad, but true.😢

[@MarvinSumpter]

Excellent upload, completely unexpected. I'm trying to work out if it's Don Van Vliet singing or Peter Gabriel on acid.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

I'm glad you like it. I was worried about uploading this one, was not sure if there would be much interest, but the comments from yourself and others calm my fears 🙂

[@picknick3591]

@@ScottishTeeVee You shouldn't have any worries about uploading this one - I'm sure there will be plenty of interest! The Magic Band might not have been so 'magic' without Don fronting them but they still did a great job covering the old tunes . . . There's a John Peel Session from this same year (2004) which is a really good one. I was lucky enough to get to see Beefheart a handful of times back in the day in the UK. The best gig? The now legendary Rainbow Theatre 'Clear Spot' tour - the band were really cooking that night - Rockette Morton (bass) was something else! Thanks again for some great uploads! 👍

[@MarvinSumpter]

@@picknick3591 Is it not Beefheart fronting them here then? It somehow seems like him but I know how reclusive the Captain was in his later days...

[@MarvinSumpter]

@@ScottishTeeVee Never, never worry about uploading anything. Not as long as Ed Sheeran feels he should be uploading things!

[@picknick3591]

@@MarvinSumpter Nope - Don retired from music in the early '80's to concentrate on his love of painting. The man fronting the band is John 'Drumbo' French (good job he did too!)

[@FRONTIERSPERSON]

So annoying to hear some putzes talking over the Band and looking bored. They have no idea who they’re seeing and what an honor it is to see these guys.

[@kenabelson4554]

John French can sing?? Why, yes he can. Remarkable good job.

[@christopherthomas7253]

Who's the other guitar player, the one who's not Gary Lucas, in the black t-shirt, who you can't see until five minutes in? That's not Jeff Cotton, is it? Thanks in advance!

[@christopherthomas7253]

There's a semi-audible band introduction before John French takes the drum stool, but I can't make it all out. Of course Rockette Morton on the bass, being like yeah I remember all these parts like it was yesterday, LOL.

[@robinjones6999]

Denny walley

[@davidhurst100]

Denny Walley

[@bedebill]

Bloke in crowd at 12.30 ish clearly bunking off work ;o)

[@dreamwell2020]

Don would be proud. And surprised.

[@wakajawaka44]

Rockette Morton!!!

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@ceef8688]

good instrumental Abba Zabba. Gary Lucas on guitar

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@brandonmatuja6498]

Anyone know who the other guitarist (not Gary Lucas) is, and who the other drummer (not John "Drumbo" French)?

[@disintegrationnation9352]

I think the other guitarist is Denny Walley.

[@steverichards8830]

The other drummer is Michael Traylor

[@klummpskards5652]

That is Denny Walley

[@laurentrousseau5433]

All this songs have to been played on stage.

[@coseyface2191]

Top quality. Saw them in Glasgow years ago. Will never forgive Gary Lucas for that terrible Obama song though.

[@ScottishTeeVee]

Thanks for watching and commenting

[@SaccidanandaSadasiva]

A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag, is fast and bulbous, got me?

[@remingtongagnard4442]

No offense to John French i think he does a fine job, but nothing quite like Don's filthy morphing voice. So sad i was born too late to see the original band in action in their prime!

[@fredzep01]

No way, is that Louis Theroux @8:21 ???

[@mr-nr4td]

emperor's new clothes

[@hansmulder9087]

Thats thru😂

[@propagocz7114]

Oh, big baboon

[@marklchapman2785]

Not

[@plansonore]

It’s a pity. The Magic Band is nothing without Captain Beefheart. He was the genius who created this music. Without the genius, it’s nothing but a clone. A cover band

[@albertjanvanhoek294]

Agree. It is done in the Jazz music field before: Mingus, Sun Ra ...

[@davidhurst100]

I agree to an extent, without Beefheart, there is no, well, Beefheart. Without these guy, even though they are a facsimile, there would be nothing at all, at all. I remember when Don was asked what he thought of Mallard and he said, 'they're a bunch of quacks!' I am so glad I got to experience the music of Beefheart played by actual members of the band. Let's not forget that now we don't even have these guys... As someone else on here pointed out, they are far better organised than when Don was in charge, but without Don, they are indeed a cover band and I loved them just the same.

[@massimotoccafondi4288]

John French is the genius behind...

[@luisreyguerrero6511]

Is he Don Van Vliet?

[@dj-fuzz]

John French, also known as Drumbo.

[@georgepointer1127]

A faded version of that famous band without the captain .

[@davidhurst100]

He is John French, the legendary drummer on Trout Mask who wasn't actually credited on the album due to Don being, well, Don. He is depicted on the inside cover of Trout Mask though, crouching under the bridge that the rest of the band are standing on. The special ones allowed to stand on the bridge include Mark Boston - AKA Rockette Morton, also in this line up.

[@stephenrudd1004]

Every one them!!!!!

[@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music]

Had no idea these guys had done this.