Sweeping Up The Spotlight Live At The Fillmore East

After so many of the recent 'grey' live Airplane releases which have varied from the so-so to the unlistenable, it's wonderful to find that this is the real McCoy, just how I remember them. It's obviously been put together with care, the sound is absolutely terrific and the band are absolutely at the top of their game; it's up there with 'Bless Its Pointed Little Head' as a reminder of what a superb live band this lineup was.You won't find me complaining that 'Dresses' is too long, too lightweight. It is, but what the heck, it's a live show and that's what you get sometimes if a band want to do more than churn out a couple more hits. Nor that Grace only gets one solo; heck, it's 'White Rabbit' and a blistering performance to boot.There's obviously a fair amount of material from these shows that's not made it out yet; 'Wooden Ships' is a real standout from the ones found as bonus tracks on the 'Volunteers' CD. So that's the beef - this should have been a double.Definitive.

Pretty good. As others say, more of Grace would have been good.

When I first saw 'Sweeping Up the Spotlight' listed, I was a little sceptical. After all we had already had two official live albums from RCA as well as a whole host of other releases in the so called 'grey market'. To add to this, the tracklisting for 'Spotlight' looked overly familiar - and I was beginning to wonder whether there was actually ever a Balin era concert when they they didn't do 'The Other Side of This Life'. I really should have known better. The Airplane's capacity for innovation and reinvention is underpinned here by their trademark instrumental prowess and some wonderful three part harmonies. 'Pooneil'features a virtual masterclass in improvisation from Jack Casady as well as series of especially deranged and discordant 'Zappaesque' sound effects at the beginning. In fairness it should be pointed out that two of the twelve performances appeared a few years back on the expanded (Legacy)version of 'Volunteers'. But they sound far better here in the context of the whole concert - and we have a bonus in Balin's 'Dresses Too Short' - the only official version of this one we've heard before is the one from the Box Set - dating from Marty's one off performance with the band in 1972. The attractive booklet contains a short but reflective essay from Jorma Kaukonen. This concert represents the Airplane at their most musically mature. Woodstock and their five classic studio albums are behind them. And yet the purity of their music has yet to be compromised by the departure of Marty Balin and the arrival of later extraneous members. Even if you are not chronically addicted to the Airplane's music you will love this one.

Takes me back! Nostalgia rules, OK

In many ways jefferson Airplane stands as the quintessential psychedelic band and the band that best captures the unique atmosphere of the glorious hippie-era.Unlike Grateful Dead and Quicksilver they wern't really into the long, spacey jams, the explorations into inner and outer space. Instead they relied, as their friends Crosby, Stills and Nash on great songwriting and superb vocals combined with a jam-attitude like Cream, where the numbers never was played alike two nights in a row.Marty Balin and Grace Slick are among the best vocalists and songwriters ever, the latter one of the finest female artist and of course immensely beautiful,and they were certainly well supplemented by Paul Kantner, arguably the best songwriter in the band with his galactic hymns and a fine singer too in his own right. And add to that one of the best bassplayers of all time in Jack Cassidy and you got a high-soaring unit.After the thorougly disappointing Golden Gate Park release last year, I was hoping that this was the definitive concert, and it sure is marketed that way, but it's hardly that. The sound is awesome, the playing great and inspired, but the songlist isn't that fabulous. Three Jorma Kaukonen blues numbers is far too many, and let's face it, he wasn't the most engaging blues artist neither as singer or guitarist. And a 9 min. version of "You Wear Your Dresses Too Short" isn't inspiring either, a throw away ditty far below Marty's usual high standard in songwriting. And worst of all, only one(!) song featuring the gorgeous Grace. And actually she sounds a bit restraint all the way, could sound like she's having a cold or something (I mean, things like that do happen also to rockstars).None the less a great release and a must have for everyone who - like this reviewer - consider the word hippie a title of honour.But let's hope they keep searching the archives and one day give us the ultimate Airplane-show. It must be there somewhere. Until then, "Bless It's Pointed Little Head" is still the best from the classic line-up. And "Last Flight" might be the best musically overall.

The Airplane were right up there, way, way up there with the Dead in the pantheon: I only saw them live once, but have loved those five albums to bits for a long time now. Bless Its Pointed Little Head remains my favourite overall, but this one - same lineup, one year on - could well come very close: the sound is excellent, the singing is great, and the playing is just phenomenal. They don't make 'em like this any more...