Apparently, the Bowl concert was one of the very few gigs for which The Doors had a more or less pre-arranged setlist, put together while Mick Jagger looked on. But the overall feel of the concert is one of unexpected shifts and turns as The Doors seamlessly move from one song, or part of one song, to the next in often surprising ways.
It's strange to hear "When the Music's Over" as the opener, not the grand finale. It's followed by an unbroken stream of "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)," "Back Door Man," "Five to One," and "Back Door Man" again. Likewise, the band melds together "Moonlight Drive," "Horse Latitudes," "A Little Game," "The Hill Dwellers," and "Spanish Caravan." Before the encore, Morrison screams out "Wake Up!" which segues into "Light My Fire." According to a bonus interview, The Doors themselves were surprised by how things turned out, not remembering how they returned to "Back Door Man" as a reprise.
One of the attributes of The Doors live is that they never attempted note-for-note recreations of their studio recordings, which means each Doors concert was a unique event. Of course, they couldn't reproduce the sound of "The Unknown Soldier" on stage, and extended songs like "The End" begged for different treatments at different venues based on the crowd's reactions and Morrison's moods and/or state of mind. In addition to the grasshopper improv in "The End," for example, Morrison repeatedly asks the light man to please turn down the lights. He doesn't get his way. Turns out, he'd forgotten those lights were present for the filming. That, among many other light moments, are evidence this was a one night only event.
In addition to the concert itself, the Blu-ray package provides a solid hour of very worthwhile features. Short documentary films focus on the history of the Bowl, the concert itself as recalled by The Doors and members of the Chambers Brothers, as well as an analysis of how the film was restored. The icing on the cake are three bonus performances: "Wild Child" from The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1968, "Light My Fire" from The Jonathan Winters Show in Dec. 1967, and a version of "Gloria" with new visuals.
Article comments
1 - Kevin R.
Live at the Hollywood Bowl was my first real introduction to The Doors back in 1990. I'm extremely excite that they have restored this performance, and that we will be able to see the previously unreleased songs (and the entire performance of Spanish Caravan)! On a side note about your review: Ray Manzarek played bass on a second organ/bass piano with his left hand (not bass pedals).