The Captain's Last Live Concert

Those lucky enough to have seen Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band in concert witnessed an act of convulsive musical alchemy. On stage, the Captain carried himself with the unhinged authority of a shaman as he led his group through feats of sonic contortion and unexpected glory. The Captain’s Last Live Concert is among the fugitive recordings that have surfaced over the years from various parts of the globe. The set list includes material from both Beefheart’s seminal early-‘70s period (“Hair Pie Bake III,” “The Smithsonian Institute Blues,” ”Big Eyed Beans From Venus”) and his fruitful “comeback” years that began later in the decade (“Hot Head,” “Bat Chain Puller,” “Sue Egypt”). Though the sound quality is often only fair, the Captain’s raw-throated vocals and brawny harmonica playing comes through, as does the Magic Band’s volatile on-stage power. The album is rounded out by some interesting flotsam, including interview excerpts and a studio recording of “Orange Claw Hammer” that sounds quite different from the version found on CB’s legendary Trout Mask Replica.