The Doors - Live at the Aquarius Theatre: The First Performance [3LP Remastered Limited Edition] (2001/2016)

From the Doors' own Bright Midnight Records comes this double-disc package featuring the first of two sets performed on July 21, 1969, at the Aquarius Theater in Hollywood. The evening was billed as " Elektra Records Showcase Concert Series Presents..." and, as lead vocalist Jim Morrison announces at the outset, these homecoming performances were done for the express purpose of gathering material for a live album. Indeed, this was only the fifth concert appearance that the Doors had been able to secure in the wake of what is referred to as "the Miami incident." While at times pensive, the band members ultimately rise to the occasion as they wind through a set of hits and fan favorites, as well as a few compositions that would have been previously unheard by this audience. The set begins with little fanfare and the virtual absence of any response from the crowd is nothing short of eerie. The shamanistic wails that normally accompany "Back Door Man" are conspicuously absent. Instead, however, Morrison exhibits a more subdued power, which is equally hypnotic. The loose -- at times ambling -- pace between many of the songs allows for unique interactions between the band and attendees. The spur-of-the-moment decision to perform "Soul Kitchen" results in a palpable shift in the band's energies -- as if a cathartic weight had been lifted. From this point, the Doors take the initiative to integrate several works in progress. Among them are the blues-laden "I Will Never Be Untrue" and "Build Me a Woman" -- indicating the direction that their final two albums, Morrison Hotel and L.A. Woman, would proceed in. Their loose and seemingly improvised nature contrasts well with the rhythmic precision of "Universal Mind," whose instrumental section is derived from Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue." Ultimately, only the incendiary "Celebration of the Lizard" from this performance would be issued on Absolutely Live. In addition to the two discs, Live at the Aquarius Theater: The First Performance includes a 16-page foldout booklet, including notes from all three surviving band members.