Live in Osaka 1976 Concert

R

Rumbahbah

Well-Known Member
Apologies if this has been posted before, but I came across a full concert filmed in Osaka in 1976 on YouTube that I'd never seen before.



The image quality is only so-so, but the sound is quite good. From the setlist, I'm guessing this is from mid-1976, as the setlist is something of a mix of their 1974 show and their revamped 1976 show in Europe. Presumably they were only in the early stages of reworking the show at this point.

Karen's outfit looks very like the one she wore in the video for 'There's a Kind of Hush' video, so maybe that was filmed when they were here (I'm pretty sure it was shot while they were in Japan)?
 
This is just a GREAT concert! Thank you for sharing. I LOVE this version of "Hush". It's nice to hear "Postman" live and the ending of the concert with the instrumental of "Yesterday Once More" is a nice touch. And of course the encore of "Jambalaya".
 
I love that "Please Mr. Postman" is in the oldies medley! First time I've seen it and "Only Yesterday" performed live.
 
Presumably March 1976 is the Concert date.
I have a 2-cd set entitled They Long To Sing Once More ,
from year 2000 , Australia's Shout From The Top Records.
 
Mark-T said:
This is just a GREAT concert! Thank you for sharing. I LOVE this version of "Hush". It's nice to hear "Postman" live and the ending of the concert with the instrumental of "Yesterday Once More" is a nice touch. And of course the encore of "Jambalaya".
Click to expand...
The intermission with Doug Strawn singing was also an interesting number. Was surprised to see Tony on crutches for this performance just like he was 7 to 8 months later during their Fall appearances.
 
Never seen this before, thanks so much for posting. That drum solo is just exquisite and slightly different to the one we're used to seeing. It has a different ending as she usually goes back to the normal drum kit in the middle for the big finish. This time she ended it on the tom set.
 
Bet there is a professional filming of this concert locked away in the vaults which unfortunately will never see the light of day.
 
In July 1976 at the Sahara Hotel, Lake Tahoe, Karen and Richard met with Joe Layton, Ken & Mitzie Welch and together took the Carpenters live show to it's next stage, it arrived at the London Palladium late 1976, two shows a night for a whole week, it sold out, Carpenters had landed, instead of touring around the UK's concert halls, the fans arrived from each corner of the UK to London. It was a very clever move, capital city, iconic venue, and entertainment. They could have extended that gig for another week, another month, that's how popular they were.
 
Chris Mills said:
two shows a night for a whole week
Click to expand...

I've never understood that. They seemed to do two shows a night for most of the career. Why? As if their touring schedule wasn't punishing enough at times, someone then thought "I know, let's make them do it all over again - every night!". No wonder it eventually wore them out.
 
This concert, as above, is identical to my cd of same, presumably late March 1976.
My favorite portion of the entire Concert hinges on two songs:
Only Yesterday and There's A Kind of Hush.
These two songs are the best--for me--in the entire Concert !
(On cd, it is harder to appreciate the drumming solo,
but watching same is delightful.)

That being said:
This is one concert (and, actually--on my cd's--- it is two-shows from March 1976 ,Osaka)
which saddens me.
Obviously, Karen is still not improved--especially compared with
the 1974 Japan Concert--where she simply glows with good health.
This concert--for my tastes--looks backward too often.
It is as if they are giving a farewell tour--a look back on a career which is ending.
That is simply my impression--comparing Japan 1974 to Japan 1976.
(One could go back to Japan 1972, but, I wanted to have some proximity "in time" to 1976).

Sadly, I never saw them "live", in concert,
thus, my 'take' on watching Youtube ,or listening to the cd,
of this 1976 Concert (or, any other)
an never actually capture the true sound heard at those concerts !
 
I've never seen this until now. Thanks for letting us know about this concert, Rumbahbah!

The Carpenters were huge in Japan and still are. Since they weren't doing too well on the charts in the States in the late '70s, I wonder if things could have turned out better for them (both in their professional and personal lives) if they had moved there and settled down for a few years or even permanently. But I guess they wanted to be close to their parents and friends, which is understandable. Anyway, just a stray thought.

(I think they were huge in the UK as well, so the thought experiment could apply to there as well, I guess.)
 
March 1976, the Osaka dates.
I have been re-visiting this concert, lately (2018).
I will say it is quite good. In fact, I like it more now, than ever before !
Johnny Angel , shows an added dimension to Karen's vocals.
Please Mr. Postman in its entirety, very well done.
So, really, as of March 1976 the duo were still 'firing on all cylinders.'
Now, November 1976, that is another story.
 
I put this onto DVD as soon as a saw it a couple of years ago, if the quality was better it would probably be my favorite concert. Like others had pointed out, this is clearly professionally filmed... It needs mastering and released on DVD !
 
This was a fantastic show and I honestly don't know why it wouldn't be one of the ones that Richard would want to put out there, as far as good concert performances go. Karen's singing was on fire that night and that drum solo had so much energy. It's hard to believe that this was supposedly the time when she would have to go backstage and lie down between shows. Having a decent quality video recording of this show would be pure heaven.
 
Basically I wanted to say that the 1976 European Tour was successful and despite Richard looking like a stick, (139 pounds by the time he reached London), the shows were completed without raising any alarms about their ability to perform.
 
It looks like 1976 was a super busy year. New management, Live shows, reworked shows, TV specials, and Christmas touring. Plus an album to record and a live album at years end. Wow!
 
Chris Mills said:
Basically I wanted to say that the 1976 European Tour was successful and despite Richard looking like a stick, (139 pounds by the time he reached London), the shows were completed without raising any alarms about their ability to perform.
Click to expand...
Times have changed in the music business, as well as a lot of other fields in the world. What has been realized, finally, is that even though people can get through the most hectic and demanding of schedules while operating at the top of their game, it causes lasting effects in the long run. Karen and Richard were proof of that. Sure, in 76 they were still going full steam ahead, but it wasn't long before they were both burnt out and wasting away. Physically, emotionally and creatively spent.
 
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