Live Christmas Concert 1978

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29885&item=3836521466&rd=1

I'm sure we talked about this but why hasn't Richard released any of this? It sure would be great to hear some live Christmas tracks even as a bonus track.

Has anyone heard this from 1978? What this really live or just lip synching the recorded original? What was the event from? I can't seem to remember this. Was this outdoors or indoors? Would love to hear a live verison of MCD & Ave Maria.

 

[andywithaz]

I just got this CD in the mail last week. I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet but I will later tonight and give my review.

 

[Chris]

Yes, that's an actual live performance. The copy of it that floats around isn't the greatest though. It sounds like it was recorded by an audience member. It's nice to hear though, since we have so few live performances, especially Christmas music.

You said it Chris! ... Richard or the record company should release these performances on CD. How I long to have some more of Karen's live vocals on an official release. There are far too few live performances on CD.

 

[andywithaz]

Tassin is right. The sound quality is poor but it is great to have the songs performed live. Merry Christmas Darling is the only one that is drastically different. Maybe it is because I am used to hearing the studio version and hearing all the details in the sound.

NP: Merry Christmas Darling (1992 remix)

 

[ullalume]

I take it this is the concert Richard "Knocked down to nothing" because he couldn't manage some of the piano work.

Probably doesn't want this in release since this single concert is possibly the lowest 25 minutes of his career with very bad memories.


Neil

 

[Chris]

Yeah, that's the same one, Neil. It starts out with the Choir singing "It's Christmas Time", then Karen's entrance is on "Sleep Well Little Children". Richard does not perform "It's Christmas Time" on the piano at all.

Her live vocal of "Ave Maria" is really gorgeous. So is "Silent Night".

 

[Mark-T]

I was there.
Karen sounded great, Richard stayed mostly background in comparison.
It was a very short performance.

 

[Chris]

Wow, Mark. That must have been wonderful to hear the Carpenters perform some of the Christmas selections live. Please tell us more.

How did Karen look and what was she wearing?

Chris

 

[CarpentersToYou]

I wouldn't think this would ever be released. It is, however, a nice intimate concert that was done at Downey. It is only about 25 min, and the C's are on about 18. It has a few Christmas tracks that are GREAT (like I think Sleep Well Little Children; Ave Maria; MCD). It also has the CLOSE ENCOUNTERS / STAR WARS medley (not very fitting!).

I LOVE THIS CD. I wish it was better quality! It's a shame Christmas is once a year, so I only enjoy it 2/12 months!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Well then that explaines why Richard has never released any of this, if it is not professional quality then he wouldn't release it.

But I'm still confused, did Richard take a back seat on purpose on these recording or was this a technical problem with the sound equipement? It sounds funny that Richard would not have been able to play his part on the piano & keep up since he was so use to live concerts by this time in there career, (1978)

Yes, anyone that was there, more details please. Was Karen out front with a mic? Was it a concert type stage? Was the set decorated for Christmas?

 

[Murray]

But I'm still confused, did Richard take a back seat on purpose on these recording or was this a technical problem with the sound equipement? It sounds funny that Richard would not have been able to play his part on the piano & keep up since he was so use to live concerts by this time in there career, (1978)

These excerpts from pages 238-240 of the Coleman book should answer your question:

By the autumn of 1978, Richard Carpenter, the musician whom many regarded as a genius of popular music, had lost confidence in his ability, particularly to perform "live." He began to ditch from the Carpenters' song selection any material that called on him to play extended or intricate pieces at the piano. "I was in trouble," he recalls. "No two ways about it." Their nadir came in September 1978 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas... "I was going through such anxiety, panic attacks, wanting to take these pills, that I was afraid to walk out on stage," he says... It was so debilitating that he decided he would have to act against all his professional instincts and end their live shows... he suddenly told the band and crew between performances on September 4, 1978: "That's it. I'm not playing another night."... If Richard wanted confirmation for himself that he had made the right decision in disbanding, it came as Christmas 1978 neared. He and Karen were scheduled to perform at a Carpenters Choral Scholarship fund-raiser for their old California State University. As the day drew close, Richard kept calling Karen saying he would not be able to play difficult works like "It's Christmas Time" and "Nutcracker." "My hands were shaking so much, I knocked the program down to almost nothing because I knew I wouldn't be able to play most of it," Richard says.

Murray
...sad that their live performances had to end this way...

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Great research Murray, I've read that book but there is so much material in there that I must have forgot about that.

So much attention was placed on Karen's condition during their career that we forget that Richard had his share of situations too. Indeed this is sad way to end their live performances being that they did sooo many live concerts, their live tour schedule was grueling during their early days, so this still suprises me to this day that them performing live ended in this kind of manner.

...who'd still love to hear this live Christmas 78 performance, online..

 

[Mark-T]

Chris,
I dont remember too much of the set, what Karen wore, or anything else.
I do remember her speaking and being very warm and engaging.
Maybe this is incorrect, but I think this may have been the last performance they did.
I had just seen them in Las Vegas a month prior (helps living in Southern California at the time!) That show had some Christmas numbers in it- I think before the hits medley- and it was great. As she ended with Merry Christmas Darling, she extended her hand and a bit of "snow" fell on it from the air. Quite classy a touch!
The Vegas show also included "When I Fall in Love", which is one of my favorites.

 

[newvillefan]

Hi mstaft,

Never heard the story about the snow falling, indeed a classy little gimmick to end the song!

You've also added to my list songs which I thought Karen never sung live but did - When I Fall In Love.

Stephen

 

[Chris]

Mark, thanks for sharing your memories. They warm my heart.

That is a very nice touch, having some snow fall. Neil Diamond did something similar in a concert I saw in the 80s.

 

[aaflyer98]

I was at the Carpenters 1978 Christmas Concert with the Long Beach U Choir at The Terrace Theatre in Long Beach, CA. My Mom had bought our family tickets as a Christmas present for me since I was such a huge fan. This was the one and only time I saw the duo perform in concert live. (I was 15 years old at that time)
The first 3/4 of the concert featured the Cal State Long Beach Choirs and Orchestra. It was OK...but I was there for the Carpenters! Finally, the announcer said, "Ladies & Gentleman, Mr. Richard Carpenter!" He entered and with the choir, they began "It's Christmas Time" -not the piano and vocal version, just the choir version, and then it segued into Karen's entrance with "Sleep Well Little Children". Karen wore a green velvet dress. I thought she looked beautiful and was in awe. I remember my mom gasping and saying how thin she looked. I was just in awe, however, at seeing Karen sing live. Sounded great. The program had stated that Richard would perform the Nutcracker Suite with Orchestra, but that this selection would be replaced with the star wars/close encounters themes instead. Later reports stated that "the orchestra wasn't ready" in regards to the Nutcracker suite.
The concert was way too short, but I was thrilled to have been there and am extremely grateful to have seen Karen & Richard live.

 

[aaflyer98]

P.S. This was one of what I call my Carpenters 'moments'. I lived in Pasadena, CA at the time. When Karen died, I went to Downey where the funeral was and stood with many many fans to get a glimpse of the funeral proceedings. We saw the hearse carrying Karen's casket pass by us (white/cream with roses) I was being interviewed by KNX news radio outside the church gates when suddenly the crowd all ran to an adjacent hall which had been opened for fans so they could sit and hear the funeral over loudspeakers. Since I was still being interviewed, I didn't run over there. When my interview was finished, I went to the chuch hall which by then was completly full by that time, and no more seats were available. I decided to walk once around the grounds, pay my respects quietly, then leave. While walking near the back of the main church, where the funeral was about to take place, a side back door opened up and a church usher called to about 8 of us who were nearby and asked us if we wanted to watch the funeral from the choir loft! He said "no one should be left standing". I was stunned! We were rushed in the back of the main church and sat in the balcony of the church and were able to see and hear the entire funeral. Talk about luck! My Mom say "Karen made sure you were there." So I saw the whole thing. Very moving and very personal for me.
I also attended the memorial concert also held in Long Beach a few months later, with Richard, John Bettis, and a singer Dennis Heath who performed some Carpenters songs, Richard did some solo piano, and Richard & Dennis did "Look To Your Dreams" which they said would be on the upcoming "Voice Of The Heart" album.
And, as I stated before, I had John Bettis on a flight I was working (flight attendant) from LA to Nashville. Talked with him extensively about Karen, Richard, their music, his love for Karen among many things.
So I have been lucky, to have had a few Carpenters moments.

 

[aaflyer98]

P.S. This was one of what I call my Carpenters 'moments'. I lived in Pasadena, CA at the time. When Karen died, I went to Downey where the funeral was and stood with many many fans to get a glimpse of the funeral proceedings. We saw the hearse carrying Karen's casket pass by us (white/cream with roses) I was being interviewed by KNX news radio outside the church gates when suddenly the crowd all ran to an adjacent hall which had been opened for fans so they could sit and hear the funeral over loudspeakers. Since I was still being interviewed, I didn't run over there. When my interview was finished, I went to the chuch hall which by then was completly full by that time, and no more seats were available. I decided to walk once around the grounds, pay my respects quietly, then leave. While walking near the back of the main church, where the funeral was about to take place, a side back door opened up and a church usher called to about 8 of us who were nearby and asked us if we wanted to watch the funeral from the choir loft! He said "no one should be left standing". I was stunned! We were rushed in the back of the main church and sat in the balcony of the church and were able to see and hear the entire funeral. Talk about luck! My Mom say "Karen made sure you were there." So I saw the whole thing. Very moving and very personal for me.
I also attended the memorial concert also held in Long Beach a few months later, with Richard, John Bettis, and a singer Dennis Heath who performed some Carpenters songs, Richard did some solo piano, and Richard & Dennis did "Look To Your Dreams" which they said would be on the upcoming "Voice Of The Heart" album.
And, as I stated before, I had John Bettis on a flight I was working (flight attendant) from LA to Nashville. Talked with him extensively about Karen, Richard, their music, his love for Karen among many things.
So I have been lucky, to have had a few Carpenters moments.

 

[aaflyer98]

sorry for the double/triple post...don't know what happened there!

 

[Chris]

Thank you so much, Patrick. It's so enjoyable to read about your experiences. Very touching. It's especially touching to hear of your day at the funeral. That is so great that you got called to sit inside.

Wow! So Karen wore a green velvet dress for the Christmas concert? I've always envisioned her in a green velvet gown singing the Christmas music. That's neat.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I'm most happy that I brought up this topic, I've learned quite alot about this event.

Thank you everyone that contributed, it means alot especially to those who did not attend & knew little about this event. It's great that there are people here reading this forum that have the inside scoup on this kind of stuff.


thanks for sharing your experiences.