VIA PRESS RELEASE | 60 years ago this summer, Stax Records’ biggest stars landed in the City of Angels for a two-night residency at South LA’s 5-4 Ballroom.
Billed as the Stax Revue, the whirlwind visit was a milestone for the young Memphis soul label and marked the first time that many of the artists on the bill—Rufus & Carla Thomas, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, The Mar-Keys, The Mad Lads, Wilson Pickett, and William Bell—had played to a Los Angeles audience. But the high-profile engagement, which took place on August 7th and 8th, 1965, was also set against a backdrop of racial tension—just days before the Watts Rebellion.
The audio from this historic concert was shelved for decades, with highlights initially released in 1991 as Stax Revue Live At The 5/4 Ballroom. Now, Craft Recordings proudly presents Stax Revue: Live in ’65!—a deluxe collection that not only includes the electrifying Los Angeles engagement, but also unearths a rare hometown showcase, captured earlier that summer at Memphis’ Club Paradise, featuring David Porter, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, The Astors, and Wendy Rene.
As a special bonus, the expanded album features previously unreleased recordings from both cities’ shows, including a charismatic set by Porter, a searing performance of “In the Midnight Hour” by Pickett, a lengthy jam of “The Dog” by Rufus Thomas, and a high-energy rendition of “Boot-Leg” from Booker T. & The M.G.’s which is available to stream as an advance single today.