Live in Pittsburgh 1970

Live in Pittsburgh 1970

In their original incarnation with Jim Morrison, the Doors recorded six studio albums and issued one double live LP, 1970’s Absolutely Live, culled from tapes of the band’s final tour. This May 2, 1970 concert at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena was among the professionally recorded nights. Released 38 years after the fact, it shows the group in fine bluesy form, pounding through Willie Dixon’s “Back Door Man,” slowly meandering into Junior Parker’s “Mystery Train” (best known to rock audiences by Elvis Presley), and letting fly with Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads.” Throw in the band’s own “Roadhouse Blues” and organist Ray Manzarek’s vocal guest spot on the boogie of “Close to You” and you’ve got the makings of a band looking to rock juke joints and not arenas. On balance, there’s an extended version of “When the Music’s Over” that interpolates a number of improvisatory surprises including a vague attempt at “The Soft Parade” that’s entitled “The Soft Parade Vamp.” (The band vamp on the basic riff and Morrison free associates.) But the days of psychedelia are clearly over.