Ah, what a time the ’70s were. Men wore their hair long, women wore their jeans
tight, and bands like America were still dominating the airwaves (there was
this thing called radio then, but the kids won’t remember that, I’m
sure!). In fact, in the last year of the decade, America released Silent Letter,
an album produced by none other then George Martin, the first new material from
the group in two years, and the first for Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell without
long time member Dan Peek. And now, a new DVD called Live In Central
Park 1979 captures America in this transitional period, on the cusp
of MTV’s invasion, during those glorious years of the late 1970s.
This concert was filmed at Central Park in the summer of 1979 by Peter Clifton,
who worked on Led Zeppelin’s film from three years earlier, The
Song Remains The Same. It’s pretty much what you’d expect
of a concert film of the time, though thankfully showing more of the band than
the audience. For a majority of the film — except for the first few minutes
where we’re with Beckley and Bunnell high atop a hotel room overlooking
the concert site and a few stolen shots of park revelers — Clifton pretty
much stays right on stage with the band.
Beginning with “Tin Man,” the seven-piece band run through a tight
little set of 13 songs, all brilliantly played. You’re looking at old
footage, so the sound quality is not the absolute best (and given Bunnell and
Beckley’s penchant for acoustic guitars, the sound tends to be a little
on the ‘jangle’ high-end). “I Need You” (with Beckley
on piano and lead vocal) and “Sandman” are the highlights for me.
They seem to rush through “A Horse With No Name” and “Sister
Golden Hair,” and “California Dreamin’” is a competent
take on the Mama & Papas’ original, but nothing more. Overall, however,
Live In Central Park 1979 is a solid testament to where this classic rock band
was at this time in their career.
The DVD also includes commentary track by Clifton, which is quite informative
actually, something you don’t get too often on a musical DVD release.
Bunnell and Beckley soldiered through the next decade with some modest MOR hits,
some soundtrack work (most notably for the animated film, The Last Unicorn),
and came out of the other side as a respected musical force that still tours
today. Live In Central Park 1979 shows them as they were, standing
on the brick of the new decade, with a solid backing band behind them, a new
album and new direction, playing high spirited, fun music with tight harmonies
to an animated New York summer night crowd. Ah, remember when…
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
