This show isn't complete and there's a few mistakes, but it's also very rare and is not available anywhere, although you can download many other shows at Archive.org, this show has never been available until today. It's also a rare taped appearance with Peter Walsh (Seatrain) on guitar and the only recording with a flute player that I've heard.
preview > Mojo Navigator, 6.1.98, Barry Melton Band, San Francisco
Musicians are Doug Kilmir on Bass, Peter Walsh on guitar, Roy Blumenfeld on drums, George Husaruk on flute, Lisa Kindred, and Mike Persh (from Thailand)
The Saloon in North Beach, San Francisco, is the oldest bar in San Francisco
It's A Beautiful Day - June 12, 1998, Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco
the legendary San Francisco psychedelic band
This show was the headliner that night with Lydia Pense and Cold Blood (previous post) the opening act along with Country Joe (solo). This is a long and convoluted story, but to make it short, their former manager owns the name and only he can use it, not the band. But from 1993 to 1998, they won a legal 'stay' on the judgement which ended just weeks after this concert. They only played a few shows after this one in Poconos, PA and one up in Mendocino and never played again at the Fillmore. This was their last show as It's A Beautiful Day in San Francisco. Due to these same legal reasons, these original musicians cannot use the name "It's A beautiful day' live in concert, although David LaFlamme still tours with another band and plays the same tunes
THIS is the original band, or as close as anyone will ever see (photos courtesy of Rosie Wagenet with more photos). This is the band that played this concert at the Fillmore, 6.12.1998
Fillmore, San Francisco, 6.12.1998
We're pretty sure the Fillmore recorded this show, because they recorded and now have online the opening show, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, but for the same legal reasons, Wolfgangs Vault is unable to release this show as an official Fillmore recording (and unlikely ever will until the former manager croaks). However, (and even the musicians didn't know this until today) released for the first time in it's entirety, by two different audience tapers, It's A beautiful Day, Live, 6.12.98
the major difference is that I was in the back of the Fillmore with a good pair of mics, but a Sony D-6 cassette, while the other taper was near the front with lower quality mics, but with DAT digital deck. So each has it's own sound quality
two highlights and two samples of the same song, Bombay Calling, first one is mine near the back, second one is near the front (different audience, same exact show, same exact night at the Fillmore))
we hope this puts some pressure on Wolfgangs Vault to smuggle this Fillmore recording out somehow (their soundboard), even if they can't release it commercially :)
there is no other band from San Francisco that sounds like this and there probably never will be. The original guitar player, Hal Wagenet still lives in Willits and his website is here. Mitchell Holman also lives in Mendocino and even the drummer, Val Fuentes lives in the north bay
now you know why you rarely ever hear from It's A Beautiful Day, and might never again...but who knows...more info on my main IABD page which I haven't touched in years
It's A Beautiful Day, San Francisco, 1969
it was certified gold by the RIAA in 1969..It was one of the very few San Francisco recordings from the 60's that was certified gold
Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, June 12, 1998, Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco
Normally I wouldn't bother with this if a better version is available, but this is a rare chance to directly compare my own audience recording with a recently added official recording of the same show, now available on Wolfgangs Vault, especially since some people doubt the date is correct. It is correct, I was there and recorded it and it's the exact same recording, down to the stage banter. This was one of the first shows I ever recorded and totally screwed up the inputs, which means most of the concert is distorted and overloaded. But there's a few places were it turns out OK. If you really want the audience recording you can get that here, but the Fillmore official soundboard recording is much better, even if it's mono
BTW, this was not the headliner that night, It's A beautiful Day was, and Cold Blood is not only still around, they have a new live CD which is excellent and you can get that on Amazon. A true San Francisco classic original band
sample > Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, Fillmore, 6-12-98 - I Wish I knew How it Feels To Be free
