The Haverford News
April,1969

Tim Buckley in His Own Bag Leaves Audience Empty-Handed

By Jay Hoster

Kaleidoscope is clearly a good place. It is in Manayunk, but don't let that get you down, since it is only a short distance from the Schuylkill.

The building used to house a small theater, but the new owners took out all of the seats and replaced them with couches. As long as the house lights are not on to reveal a motley and bedraggled totality, this arrangement is quite inviting. It is also, of course, very comfortable.

Kaleidoscope presently features one concert a week with people as diverse as Jimmy Cotton, Odetta, and Charles Lloyd (to come).

Last weekend it was Elektra recording artists Tim Buckley and Earth Opera. The Opera proved to be hard-hitting in some ways, but basically innocuous.

For this reporter it was the fourth time around with Buckley. The third was at the Fillmore East last year, when he blatantly stole a concert from a tire and bored group of Byrds. Bill Graham had given McGuinn and his crowd top billing, but it was Buckley that had the crowd shouting for more.

At Kaleidoscope it was Buckley's turn to show a bit of ennui. He remained seated throughout the concert framed within the V formed by the rods holding the microphones for the voice and the guitar. Lead guitarist Lee Underwood, who has been with Buckley since the first album, was seated also. This time Underwood somehow could never quite toss in the right riffs.

Two musicians who I had first seen at the Fillmore were also around. The bassist was attired in his dark blue suit as usual, and the man on vibes kept clumping away.

Buckley does not like to perform old material, and during the evening only did one song from his albums. Also in his usual manner, many of the songs were free form in style, and not nearly as rigidly structured as the songs he records.

He ended the first set with Gypsy Woman, powerfully done in the Buckley style: heavy chords from his twelve-string, popping notes from Lee Underwood, a smooth yet strong voice sometimes delicately placed into the microphone and then at other times screamed forth from a thrown-back head.

The second set remained much the same, yet instead of Gypsy Woman, it was concluded with a long run-on dragged-out Buckley lyric. Buckley was in his bag, all right, but it was nearly impossible to reach him. Applause for the performer was polite, and nothing more.

Tomorrow night at Kaleidoscope is the Kooper-less Blood, Sweat, and Tears along with Rhinoceros, a new animal whose nickname has been supergroup.