The Doors' Boston Concerts of '70.Were these indeed filmed?

[secrethostofthetownship]

Hi Vince-

Could you respond to some strong speculation over the years that one or both of The Doors' Boston Concerts were professionally filmed?

Certain fans that seem to have inside information seem to know that one if not both of these shows were indeed professionally filmed.Now you being at these concerts i am hoping perhaps you might remember this night only because i can only imagine there would of been more preperation & co-operation w/ the film-crew.If indeed these shows were captured to film.

If your memory fails,i understand.If you can recall anything from Boston would be of interest also.

Peace

Dave

p.s.-It was cool chatting w/ you online,thanks for doing this for the fans!

[vince]

I do not like to answer you in this manner because I know you are sincerely interested in the results - However, I have to say I do not remember filming at either show.

May I go further - When official filming was undertaken it was by the Doors crew. Any other filming was by arrangement with the Group and highly restricted. This would mean Ferrara and Hill and other required personell. I was not warned about it, there was no need. They did not use my sound they recorded the film sound on a crystal sync Nagra. It was also not the habit of Siddons to let me in on activities like that.

The Film crew was usually out front. If they came to the rear there were usually two camera so the continuity of the front shooting would not be broken.

Unless they came on stage I would not really notice.

The stage was a very tense place. At almost every show someone would try to get on and either rush Jim or try to grab someting and get away. I was always besides John in case there was an "event with the Drums" and, of course, problems with guitar, organ or piano bass. There rarely was but that did not lessen the tension. I would also be keeping an eye on Jim for whatever antics he was getting on with.

I do not factually know that Boston was or was not filmed. I am sure you are aware that there is footage of various shows form 8MM cameras, Photos in slide and still form and bandito recordings made in small or large recording equipment. We just never knew what was going on unless it was done right at the stage front. Even so, what was to be done about it - and who really cared.

I am sorry to have to reply without an absolute.

It was a real pleasure to chat and I am much pleased that you, and others, could be there. Please excuse my typing. Puss got involved and sometimes put the paw on the wrong keys. She has no concept of the space bar.

My thanks to you for being a good member of the Forum Family.

[jim4371]

Do you recall the power cutoff at the late show?

I'd imagine that might be an incident that would stick out in your mind, particularly because of the 'Oh, shit, I hope I didn't do that?' that might've hit you.

Ray got up and covered Jim's mouth, but not before he got out a quick 'you cocksuckers!' through his still amplified microphone.

He was quite drunk that evening, Ray was obviously concerned he might have another Miami level fiasco on his hands, and explained to the crowd why they couldn't continue.

Any thoughts/rememberances?

Thanks.

[vince]

Power cut off.

Ineresting.

Mike is still operational. The mixer for the mike took power from the same lines as the power for the left side amplifiers. That meant that Robbies amps, One Bass horn, one of John's columns, and one monitor was working. It also provided power to the two columns on Stage left.

Now the power for the stage came in through two independant lines - one for each side - but with a common source. If the source failed that entire stage went.

Now if the stage right feed went down, Ray's organ, the Piano bass and one of John's columns would be deal as well as the right side vocals and monitor.

However, the main lines, which were #6-4 cables, were tied into the main power buss in the building by screws

The cable was connected to the power distribution boxes and each one of those had a red indicator so that if power was present, all you had to do was glance and tell - ON or OFF.

If the Left main went out there was no microphone no matter what. Power to the mixer was lost. If the Rigth side went out, there would ahve been a PA and Robbie and John could still be heard.

If the building lights went - Not my worry.

There was never and "Oh Shit, did I do that" because the only time we ever had a stage failure was at Santa Barbera - A friend of Bill's got on stange and kicked out one of the mains and shut the entire stage left side, including Jim's mike, out.

After that, we built the "New system" using twist locks for all the mains and everything down to the individual amp plugs. These remained standard format for studio use. The electrical system was too big, too awkward and too heavy for small venue use.

I wonder that it was something to do with the building rather than our equipment. I remember all our problems, trust me - Phoenix (From when the dark stage fix came) Sants Barbera with Alice Cooper and Miami when the big amps were threatening to fall off the collapsing stage onto the audience.

There was one other - Baltimore, when the stage crew pulled the main power feeds from the house buss, but that was immediately after the cop told everyone to get out and then the riot started.

Yes, Jim had been drinking. The show was in Boston Garden - Where the Celts played basketball and whomever played Hockey. It was part of the old North Station the origin for the Boston and Maine RR.

I don't think we had a traumatic power failure of the equipment after Santa Barbera. It may well have been that the building lights went out. That was an ancient building. I know if any of our power equipment failed it would have been instant fix and the show would definitely have gone on. We had built the system about as fail safe as could be done. We had enough power capacity for three groups and half the city of Boston. That is why we had to go right into the building main buss.

Well, that is about what I can remember from 36 years ago.

Thanks for the Question.

[Terry]

Boston Bruins

[jim4371]

Actually it was the Boston Arena, 4/10/1970, the show began and ran a few hours late, and supposedly the hall manager cut the power.

There was a recording that came up about a year ago, the band is well into their set and start a reprise of Roadhouse Blues, all of a sudden the instruments all cut out, but Jim's mic still functioned.

Was there a different setup for the recording of Absolutely Live, which was occurring that night, that would've allowed for this to happen?

Maybe it was Bruce who did an 'oh shit did I do that?'

Thanks.