Little Feat delivered a concert at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on this date in 1978. The beloved, genre-bending band was a little over a year out from capturing their landmark live double LP Waiting For Columbus, and the September 17 Chapel Hill show saw a number of favorites that appeared on the record including “Fat Man In The Bathtub,” “Spanish Moon,” “Dixie Chicken,” “Willin’” and more. Just as Wating For Columbus was a snapshot of Feat’s incredible output up until that point, so too was the show in the North Carolina college town. JamBase takes a look at the concert from 43 years ago for this edition of Full Show Friday.
Little Feat — guitarists Lowell George and Paul Barrere, drummer Richie Hayward, keyboardist Bill Payne, bassist Kenny Gradney and percussionist Sam Clayton — got the show underway with the galloping “Teenage Nervous Breakdown” from 1972’s Sailin’ Shoes before heading into the bluesy shuffle of the opening track, “Rock And Roll Doctor,” from the band’s 1974 LP Feats Don’t Fail Me Now. Next up, a pairing of “Time Loves A Hero” and “Day Or Night,” a juxtaposition that kicks off side two of Waiting For Columbus.
Feat then got into Sailin’ Shoes’ “Texas Rose Café,” ahead of a pair of tunes from the band’s most recent studio album, “Rocket In My Pocket” and “Keepin’ Up With The Joneses,” from 1977’s Time Loves A Hero. “All That You Dream” followed ahead of the classics “Fat Man In The Bathtub” and “Spanish Moon.” George would take a breather as the group stretched out on “Gringo Jam” and “Day At The Dog Races” which collectively clocked in at 15 minutes.
Lowell would return for “Old Folks Boogie” and “Hi Roller” ahead of the title track to Feat’s 1973 album, Dixie Chicken, which is always a masterclass in barrelhouse blues piano for keyboardist Bill Payne with George joining him on guitar during the intro. Another favorite, “Willin,” came next which saw John Carl on pedal steel guitar for the country-tinged trucker anthem. After a round of intros, the band delivered “Don’t Bogart That Joint,” a tune from Hayward’s Fraternity Of Man days that featured some country harmonies and continued into a “Willin’” reprise. “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” counted as the penultimate song of the set ahead of an “Oh Atlanta” closer.
Listen to Little Feat’s entire show from September 17, 1978 below:
Setlist (via Featbase.net)
Set: Teenage Nervous Breakdown > Rock and Roll Doctor, Time Loves A Hero > Day Or Night, Texas Rose Café, Rocket In My Pocket, Keepin’ Up With The Joneses, All That You Dream, Fat Man In The Bathtub, Spanish Moon, Gringo Jam^ > Day At The Dog Races^, Old Folks Boogie, High Roller, Dixie Chicken
Encore: Willin’* > Intros > Don’t Bogart That Joint* > Willin’*, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now, Oh Atlanta
Notes:
^ w/out Lowell George
* w/ John Call on pedal steel guitar
Kaz-Fuller Band opened
