The Mothers Of Invention, February - September 1973
FZ, Jean Luc Ponty, Tom Fowler, Ralph Humphrey, Ruth Underwood, Ian Underwood, George Duke, Bruce Fowler, Sal Marquez (late March - July), Kin Vassy (73/04/07-73/05/01).
Song properties of this tour:
- Dog Meat = Exercise #4, Dog Breath, Uncle Meat;
- Mr Green Genes = when is played as final number in medley with King Kong and/or Chunga's Revenge always includes quotations from Also Sprach Zarathustra and Midnight Sun;
- Mystery songs #1 and #2 have been identified (see the Mystery Songs page) and are now listed as Nowhere riff and One-Shot riff;
- Yellow Snow Suite = Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, Nanook Rubs It, St Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast, Father O'Blivion, St Alfonzo reprise, Mar-juh-rene, Father O'Blivion reprise, Join The March And Eat My Starch.
February - May 1973
North American tour
1973 02 24 - Cameron Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC
90 min, Aud, A-/B+
RDNZL, Dog Breath, Uncle Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Inca Roads, improvisation (incl. Zomby Woof), Montana, Dupree's Paradise (incl. Blessed Relief), I'm The Slime, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Cosmik Debris
1973 03 01 - Daytona Beach, FL
Wrong date. See 1973 03 04.
1973 03 02 - Curtis Hixon Hall, Tampa, FL
70 min, Aud, B+
RDNZL, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Inca Roads, Cosmik Debris, Big Swifty, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, I'm The Slime
1973 03 03 - Pirates World, Dania, FL
100 min, Aud, B/B+
RDNZl, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Inca Roads, Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus, Cosmik Debris, Be Bop Tango, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, I'm The Slime, Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge
1973 03 04 - Peabody Auditorium, Daytona Beach, FL
Usually listed as 1973 03 01. A recording of the early show is reported but has never circulated.
Late Show
85 min, Aud, B/B-
soundcheck intro, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise (q: Space Oddity), I'm The Slime, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing? (q: Zomby Woof), Cosmik Debris
1973 03 07 - Veterans Memorial Hall, Columbus, OH
90 min, Aud, B+/B
soundcheck intro, RDNZL, Cosmik Debris, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Inca Roads, improvisations, Montana, improvisations, Uncle Remus, Dupree's Paradise, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 03 09 - Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK
95 min, Aud, B
RDNZL, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Inca Roads, Cosmik Debris, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, I'm The Slime, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 03 11 - Texas Hall Auditorium, Arlington, TX
100 min, Aud, A-
soundcheck intro, RDNZL, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, deviations (audience participation jam, speech about imaginary diseases of the future), Inca Roads, Montana, improvisations, improvisation (incl. One-Shot riff), Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 04 27 - McCarter Theatre, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
First circulating recording with Sal Marquez and Kin Vassy.
165 min, Aud, B+/C+
125 min, Aud, B+/B
90 min, Aud, B+
The longer recording has some annoying microphone problems. The 125 min tape suffers from distortion and doesn't have the soundcheck, Montana and Cosmik Debris. The shorter version lacks the long jam after Father O'Blivion, much of Inca Roads and Farther Oblivion.
soundcheck (incl. RDNZL, St. Alfonzo, Yellow Snow), RDNZL, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Pygmy Twylyte, Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, Nanook Rubs It, St Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast, Father O'Blivion, St Alfonzo reprise, Mar-juh-rene, improvisations (q: Sleepy Lagoon), Inca Roads, Montana, improvisation (q: Eat That Question, Big Swifty), Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Farther Oblivion, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 04 28 - Spectrum Theater, Philadelphia, PA
95 min, Aud, B
Drop-outs make parts of the show nearly unlistenable, but most of it sounds OK.
soundcheck jam, RDNZL, Dog Meat, Fifty Fifty, Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, Nanook Rubs It, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Inca Roads, Farther Oblivion, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 01 - Kent State University, Kent, OH
130 min, Aud, B+
85 min, Aud, B
Combined sources run for 145 min. Last show with Kin Vassy.
soundcheck intro, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, Montana, Dog Meat, Cosmik Debris, Pygmy Twylyte, Inca Roads, improvisation , Dupree's Paradise (q: Inca Roads), Big Swifty (q: Be-Bop Tango), Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 02 - Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN
85 min, Aud, B-
soundcheck intro, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty (with Uncle Remus vamp as intro), Cosmik Debris, Farther Oblivion, Montana, improvisation (q: Inca Roads), Dupree's Paradise (q: Inca Roads), King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 ?? - Unknown venue
70 min, SBD, A-
soundcheck intro, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Cosmik Debris, Zomby Woof, Montana, Dupree's Paradise, FZ poll, Farther Oblivion
1973 05 03 - Appleton, WI
In fact the first 40 min of 1973 05 13, Cincinatti, OH.
1973 05 04 - Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada
85 min, Aud, B-
soundcheck intro, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Cosmik Debris, RDNZL, Montana, Dupree's Paradise, Farther Oblivion, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 05 - War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY
75 min, Aud, C-
soundcheck intro, Montana, Inca Roads, Farther Oblivion, Dog Meat, Cosmik Debris, Eat That Question, RDNZL, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 06 - Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA
120 min, Aud, B-
soundcheck intro, Montana, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, jam (incl. Fascination), Inca Roads (incl. I Left My Heart In San Francisco), RDNZL, Zomby Woof, Camarillo Brillo, improvisations, Eat That Question, Cosmik Debris
1973 05 08 - Music Hall, Boston, MA
125 min, Aud, B
soundcheck intro, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, Merely A Blues In E, Dog Meat, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, King Kong
1973 05 09 - Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
185 min, Aud, B+
soundcheck intro, RDNZL, Willie The Pimp (incl. Dental Floss speech), Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Camarillo Brillo, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, Cosmik Debris, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Big Swifty (incl. Sleep Dirt, Nowhere riff), Eat That Question, Zomby Woof, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 13 - Fieldhouse, University Of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
60 min, Aud, A-/B+ and 80 min, Aud, B
An abridged 40 min version of the shorter tape (that has various cuts) is a.k.a 1973 05 03, Appleton, WI.
soundcheck intro, Dog Meat, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, Cosmik Debris, improvisations, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge. Mr Green Genes
1973 05 16 - Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
90 min, Aud, C+
80 min, Aud, B+
The better sounding version is missing Montana + parts of some other songs.
soundcheck intro, Dog Meat, Down Beat Award Ceremony Ballet extravaganza, RDNZL, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, The Demise Of Catherine The Great extravaganza (incl. Catherine's Theme), Eat That Question, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 18 - Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
120 min, Aud, A-/B+
125 min, Aud, B-
soundcheck intro, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Inca Roads, Cosmik Debris, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 05 19 - Great McGonigle's Seaside Park, Annapolis, MD
95 min, Aud, B
RDNZL, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise (q: Tiny Bubbles), Eat That Question, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion
June - July 1973
Pacific tour
1973 06 21 - Festival Hall, Brisbane, Australia
125 min, Aud, B+
soundcheck intro, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, Inca Roads (q: Fly Me To The Moon), RDNZL, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 06 24 - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
Previously listed as 1973 06 25.
95 min, SBD, A-
150 min, Aud, C
The SBD recording cuts early in Farther Oblivion.
soundcheck intro, Montana, improvisations (q: Concierto De Aranjuez), Dupree's Paradise, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Cosmik Debris, Inca Roads (q: I Left My Heart In San Francisco), Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion, Blues (incl. audience participation; q: Be-Bop Tango), Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 06 25 - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
Previously listed as 1973 06 24.
130 min, SBD, A+/A
115 min, Aud, C
The Aud recording cuts in Farther Oblivion. The are two main SBD sources that together only miss part of the intros and some of Inca Roads. Complete show compiled from both Aud and SBD sources is nearly 150 minutes long.
soundcheck intro, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, soundcheck blues, Cosmik Debris, Inca Roads (q: I Wanna Be Around), Montana, Yellow Snow Suite [parts on Australian Yellow Snow, OSD, and on Farther O'Blivion, YCDTOSA6], Farther Oblivion (q: Montana), Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 06 26 - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
115 min, Aud, B
soundcheck intro, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Big Swifty, Inca Roads, Montana, Yellow Snow Suite, Farther Oblivion
1973 06 28 - Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia
Rehearsals
Broadcast on Australian TV and available as video.
5 min, FM, A/A-
RDNZL
Show
140 min, Aud, B+/B
soundcheck intro, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Montana, Inca Roads, Yellow Snow Suite (q: Mysterioso Pizzicato), Farther Oblivion (q: Holiday In Berlin, Sleep Dirt, Echidna's Arf), Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 06 29 - Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia
135 min, Aud, B+
With Barry Leef on vocals (*)
soundcheck intro, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Dog Meat, Montana, Fifty-Fifty, Big Swifty, Eat That Question, Cosmik Debris, Blues Jam* (incl. Road Ladies), Mudshark, Farther Oblivion
1973 07 01 - Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia
125 min, Aud, B-
soundcheck intro (q: The Idiot Bastard Son), improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Big Swifty, Montana, Inca Roads, Dog Meat, Farther Oblivion, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 07 04 - Apollo Stadium, Adelaide, Australia
100 min, Aud, B+/C
soundcheck intro, RDNZL, Dog Meat, Fifty-Fifty, Cosmik Debris, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Inca Roads, Big Swifty, Zomby Woof
1973 07 08 - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
125 min, Aud, B
With Barry Leef on vocals (*); last show with Sal Marquez.
soundcheck intro, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Zomby Woof, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Road Ladies*, Inca Roads, Cosmik Debris, Farther Oblivion, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
August - September 1973
European tour
1973 08 18 - KB Hallen, København, Denmark
125 min, Aud, B+/B
soundcheck intro, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Montana, Farther Oblivion, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 08 21 - Solliden, Skansen, Stockholm, Sweden
75 min, FM, A
Broadcast on radio and TV at various times. Video exists.
Parts of this recording are available on Piquantique - BTB.
Cosmik Debris, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, RDNZL, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise (q: Satin Doll), Join The March And Eat My Starch, Farther Oblivion (with last section of Cucamonga played twice)
1973 08 26 - Kalvoya Festivalen, Sandvika, Norway
Soundcheck
5 min, Aud, B-
Dog Breath, Penguin In Bondage
Show
80 min, Aud, A-
10 min of Dupree's Paradise is from a different, B- source.
Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Cosmik Debris, Montana, Dupree's Paradise, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes, Be-Bop Tango excerpt
1973 08 28 - Stadthalle, Freiburg, Germany
105 min, Aud, B/B-
improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Montana, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, Be-Bop Tango excerpt, Willie The Pimp, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 08 30 - Stadio Comunale, Bologna, Italy
80 min, Aud, B+
improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Cosmik Debris, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Farther Oblivion (q: Funiculì Funiculà), Brown Shoes Don't Make It
1973 08 31 - Palasport, Roma, Italy
130 min, Aud, B/B-
Three different recordings exist.
soundcheck intro, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Cosmik Debris, Arrivederci Roma, Brown Shoes Don't Make It (incl. Arrivederci Roma), Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Be-Bop Tango, Cucamonga
1973 09 02 - Mehrzweckhalle, Wetzikon, Zürich, Switzerland
125 min, Aud, B+/B
soundcheck intro, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Inca Roads, Cosmik Debris, improvisations, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise (q: Echidna's Arf), Brown Shoes Don't Make It, Join The March And Eat My Starch, Farther Oblivion (q: Sweet Leilani)
1973 09 03- Deutsches Museum, München, Germany
110 min, Aud, B+
soundcheck intro, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Cosmik Debris, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise, be Bop Tango excerpt, Mr Green Genes, King Kong, Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes
1973 09 05 - Stadthalle, Offenbach, Germany
95 min, Aud, C+
Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Cosmik Debris, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Montana, improvisations, Dupree's Paradise
1973 09 08 - Vorst Nationaal, Bruxelles, Belgium
50 min, Aud, C+
soundcheck intro, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, improvisations (Music for Broken Drum and Stella Artois), Montana, Be-Bop Tango, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, T'Mershi Duween
1973 09 11 - Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, UK
75 min, Aud, B+
Brown Shoes Don't Make It, Cosmik Debris, Village Of The Sun, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, T'Mershi Duween, Willie The Pimp (q: Big Swifty), King Kong, Mr Green Genes, Be-Bop Tango excerpt
1973 09 13 - Town Hall, Birmingham, UK
85 min, Aud, C-
soundcheck intro, T'Mershi Duween, Inca Roads, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Montana, improvisations (incl. Nowhere riff), Dupree's Paradise, Big Swifty, T'Mershi Duween, Echidna's Arf, improvisations (incl. themes from Echidna's Arf, Nowhere riff, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Willie The Pimp, King Kong, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, The Idiot Bastard Son)
1973 09 14 - Empire Pool, Wembley, London, UK
115 min, Aud, B+/B
soundcheck intro, T'Mershi Duween, Be-Bop Tango (q: Holiday In Berlin), Cosmik Debris, Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue, Kung Fu, Penguin In Bondage, Dog Meat, RDNZL, Inca Roads, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Be-Bop Tango Reprise, T'Mershi Duween reprise, impovisations, Dupree's Paradise (q: Holiday In Berlin, T'Mershi Duween, incl. Nowhere riff), Brown Shoes Don't Make It (q: Sweet Leilani), Chunga's Revenge, Mr Green Genes