THE GALLERY
SONG ABOUT THE MIDWAY
CHELSEA MORNING
FOR FREE
WOODSTOCK
(HIPPIE JOE INCIDENT)
MY OLD MAN/WILLIE
CASE OF YOU
CALIFORNIA
BIG YELLOW TAXI
BOTH SIDES NOW
It's finally good to hear the Doors' Afton set (29th October, 1970) in crystal clear stereo. For years, I have owned a copy of the audience tape, which was floating around since the early 1980s (First Flash of Eden and Get Fat and Die). The audience tape had excellent sound but the soundboard is better. Nevertheless, do not give up your audience tape. There are flaws on Palace of Exile which I want to discuss.
The CD begins with Rikki Farr's introduction, something that was garbled and half-intelligible on the audience tape. He announces "It has been officially reported that over a half a million people have come to the Isle of Wight for this festival . . . One of the reasons is on the stage now . . . Please welcome the Doors!!!"
Back Door Man starts the show, and it is followed by Break On Through. Both tunes are well-performed and in excellent stereo. The CD's first problem arises when one realises that the following When The Music's Over was merely lifted from the Message To Love CD soundtrack! Why do that when it is already preserved on the original soundboard master? Still, the tune is on the CD, and it is an excellent version. Dig that "We want it NOW!!!" scream. Amazing.
Ship Of Fools is next which is well preserved. The next problem comes, but it's not too bad. We hear the encore Roadhouse Blues for the first time ever, which has been stuck in the middle of the show. Nevertheless, we get an early encore, which is a good version of the 1970 classic. Too bad John Sebastian couldn't lend a hand, since he was at the festival!!!
Light My Fire sounds good, and The End begins eerily. Everything is fine: Across The Sea, Away In India, Crossroads. Unfortunately, there's a cut before Morrison's poetry recitation. In fact, someone re-arranged the poetry. Listen to The End on the audience tape, and hear what actually was performed by the Doors. This is the CD's biggest flaw. However, the CD then continues to a satisfactory conclusion.
Palace of Exile is worth getting in one form or another. It makes a good companion to the audience tape that reveals the entire show from another perspective, minus the encore.