Aus dem Befreiungsschlag der Rockfans wurde eine Institution.
September 27, 2013 10:14 AM   Subscribe

The Rockpalast archive. Some 670 concerts.
posted by muckster (14 comments total) 36 users marked this as a favorite
 
Guess I might have added that this is a video archive of the German TV show Rockpalast, which has been running for 30 years. There's a ton of great stuff here but scrolling down, I just made it to Akron/Family.
posted by muckster at 10:20 AM on September 27, 2013


This is almost entirely performances from the past 10 years. Wonder why they didnt choose anything from the earlier 20 years? I distinctly remember seeing old Rockpalast performances by Wire and Gang of Four.
posted by basicchannel at 11:41 AM on September 27, 2013 [3 favorites]


Past ten years only? Pfft.

Here's the Rockpalast show you need to see. Peter Gabriel, 1978.
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:07 PM on September 27, 2013 [1 favorite]


Grateful Dead, 1981.
posted by muckster at 12:22 PM on September 27, 2013


Yeah, where is the really important, historic stuff? I remember the 1979 Patti Smith performance, it's one of the most amazing things I ever saw. At one point, she goes out into the crowd to break up a fight, alone and undefended. She just stands there with her microphone, yelling at them to break it up. I have never seen someone project so much personal presence.
posted by charlie don't surf at 12:26 PM on September 27, 2013 [3 favorites]


I didn't realize this was still a show. Lots of amazing stuff from the show in the 70s on youtube. A few highlights on my blog (John Cale, Thin Lizzy, Elvis Costello, John Martyn, Ian Hunter Band Feat. Mick Ronson, The Smiths, ZZ Top, and so on)
posted by saul wright at 12:28 PM on September 27, 2013


Here's the ONLY Rockpalast show you need to see. Peter Gabriel, 1978.
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:07 PM on September 27 [+] [!]

Fxed that for you. I actually saw PG on that tour, on Haloween night. He started the show in a darkened room (this was a small club with tables and chairs). First a single hand held spotlight, and Peter saying "We are going to play a game, it is called search for the musicians." Then another hand held spot, from another table, then a third...PG and the band had infiltrated the audience and then proceeded to "find" each other and make their way to the stage. PG wearing the flourescent eyeliner, day glow gloves and vest, and an umbrella hat. A flikr set is here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/103479217@N03/sets/72157635954880654/
posted by Gungho at 12:35 PM on September 27, 2013 [1 favorite]


Yeah, are the old shows on there? I don't give a damn about anything after the 1980 ZZ Top Rockpalast show (maybe a few exceptions).
posted by Liquidwolf at 1:14 PM on September 27, 2013



This is almost entirely performances from the past 10 years. Wonder why they didnt choose anything from the earlier 20 years? I distinctly remember seeing old Rockpalast performances by Wire yt and Gang of Four yt .
posted by basicchannel at 2:41 PM on September 27 [2 favorites −] Favorite added! [!]


That one linked Wire show was released on DVD as On the Box some years ago, probably a contributor to its being all over youtube.
Most of these are of too-recent vintage to do much for me as well, but I was gladdened by the Roky Erickson set.
posted by Rustmouth Snakedrill at 2:00 PM on September 27, 2013


The entire R.E.M. show there from 1985, during the "Fables of the Reconstruction" tour.
posted by droplet at 2:42 PM on September 27, 2013 [2 favorites]


This thread should just be about people posting favorite Rockpalast shows that don't appear in the original link. You guys are awesome!
posted by basicchannel at 4:27 PM on September 27, 2013


BTW here is that video of Patti Smith facing down the crowd. Amazing. The performance of the song Dancing Barefoot is pretty damn amazing too.

But dammit, someone took down the YouTube video of The Donnas at Rockpalast 2003. Even the bootleg is gone because Megaupload is gone. Here is a substitute, it looks like about the same time. Torry Castellano, the drummer is particularly amazing. At about 1:16 she breaks her drumstick and it goes flying, and she just keeps pounding. I want you to take special note of how hard she is playing. She is hitting the drums so hard that it is destroying her body. Within months after this performance, she would have surgery on her wrists, and in the years that followed, multiple surgeries on her wrists and shoulders. You are witnessing her playing herself to death. She had to quit drumming forever. She retired from the music business, graduated from Stanford, and is now attending Harvard Law School.
posted by charlie don't surf at 6:15 PM on September 27, 2013 [1 favorite]


Ho-lee shmokes, charlie. Wow.
posted by basicchannel at 12:15 PM on September 28, 2013


Wow what? Patti Smith or Torry Castellano playing her heart out? That Patti Smith moment is the Anti-Altamont.

Anyway, I found a fan site which seems to have more of the classic Rockpalast info we are all looking for, Rockpalast Archiv lists a section from 1977 to 86, and there are other sections. This does not appear to be connected with the other site. Maybe these are both fansites.

For example, here's a list of the Patti Smith concert. Lineup: J Geils Band, Patti Smith, Johnny Winter. Hey the Johnny Winter Rockpalast concert is on YouTube too. Damn he was good, I saw him on the Together tour in 1976, with Edgar, it was incredible. One of my guitar heroes.

So hey let's go down the Rockpalast archive list and see if I can pull anything out of the Archiv and find it on YouTube.

Holy Shit! A full concert of Ian Dury and the Blockheads! in 1978! Archive details.

The Go-Go's, 1982. Archive details.

Damn, no Bob Geldof 1990 concert on YT. It's available on DVD. No Gruppo Sportivo either.

I found one bit of Robert Gordon and Link Wray from 1978. There is probably more out there on YT. Archive info.

Nina Hagen of course. 1978. Archive info. Or perhaps you would prefer a more recent concert, this one appears to be from Rockpalast in 2002.

Holy shit, a clip from Wayne County and the Electric Chairs, 1978, There has got to be more out there.

OMFG Magazine 1980! I saw this tour in Denver. This is the exact same set list and performance. This would be the Correct Use of Soap tour.

Buzzcocks 1981!

The Pretenders, 1981

Oh damn, the Au Pairs concert isn't online. I have been searching for more of their material for a long time.

Man this list goes on and on and on. And most of these are full length concerts. Someone help me out and look for more gold. Most of it's up on YouTube in some for or another, usually the full DVD. You can see the stuff I like.
posted by charlie don't surf at 11:36 PM on September 28, 2013 [1 favorite]


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