Waiting For Columbus was Little Feat’s double record live album. It was recorded live in two locations; Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC on George Washington University and the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK in August of 1977. The Release date was February 10, 1978. That spring it peaked on The Billboard 100 at 18. In my home town 20 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio, it may as well have been number one as we played it throughout the summer. Celebrating 45 years since it’s release, Little Feat will be touring in 2022 on the “Waiting For Columbus Tour.”
This bluesy live album with the addition of The Tower of Power ‘s horn section brings a New Orleans flair that makes this album memorable. Little Feat and The Tower of Power horn section had hooked up on a previous Little Feat album in 1974, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now.
Waiting For Columbus is recorded on two vinyl albums. It was recorded to listen from beginning to end in one sitting as if the listener is actually attending a Little Feat concert! The album’s first track, “Join The Band” is proceeded by an introduction. The crowd is caught by surprise and I’m sure the stage was probably dark. The introduction of the band was made by a local Washington radio personality, Don “Cerphe” Colwell as he spells out “F” “E” “A” “T”, please welcome Little Feat!
1/1. Join the Band (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977)
The first song, “Fat Man in the Bathtub” hits hard with congas and the pure vocals of Lowell George. Then the keyboards and synthesizer of Bill Payne take over. The band comes in and the mix is just pure magic. Listening to the track while I write this made me miss Lowell George’s contributions to live music ever so much.
1/2. Fat Man in the Bathtub (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977
The next track “All That You Dream” was written by Little Feat and released in 1975, but it was Linda Ronstadt covering the song in 1978 that really made the song take off. I believe the live version on this album is the best it has ever been performed.
1/3. (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977)
“Oh Atlanta” finishes off side one and was written by Billy Payne. After releasing three studio albums that didn’t sell very well, the band was on the outs with Warner Bros Records and needed a breakout album. The band found an inexpensive studio, Blue Seas Recording Studio in Hunts Valley, Maryland and recorded the 1974 album Feats Don’t Fail Me Now. “Oh Atlanta” was released as the first single and went on to be one of their most popular songs. It really makes your feet move!
1/4. Oh Atlanta (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977)
Side two of the first album is a bit slower but ends on a high note with “Spanish Moon” which is my second favorite track on the entire album. Additional tracks on this side include “Mercenary Territory” featuring the Tower of Power horn section and “Time Loves a Hero” which was the band’s title track of their sixth studio album released in 1977.
2/4. “Spanish Moon” (George) – 4:49 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/8/1977)
Side one of the second album really picks up speed with “Dixie Chicken”, the longest track on the album. Dixie Chicken is also the name of the band’s 1973 album. Dixie Chicken also solidified the band’s signature New Orleans R&B/Funk sound. With all the great tracks in this album, I may have to say this is my personal favorite.
3/1. “Dixie Chicken” (George, Martin Kibbee) – 9:00 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/3/1977)
The first track on the back side of disc two is “Willin.” Lowell George wrote and released the song on Little Feat’s 1971 self titled album. Since then it has been covered by multiple artists including Bob Dylan, Phish, The Byrds, The Black Crowes and Linda Ronstadt to name a few. George was in the band, The Mothers Of Invention when he wrote the song. After Frank Zappa heard the song, he suggested George start his own band. This was typical for Zappa to kick musicians out of his band when he felt they were ready to excell on their own. The third song on this side is “A Apolitical Blues.” A point of interest on this recording is that Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones sat in and played lead and slide guitar. Track four “Sailing Shoes” is the title single from the band’s 1972 album of the same name. Number five and the last track, “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now,” was the title single of their 1974 release of the same name.
4/1. “Willin'” (George) – 4:42 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/8/1977)
Overall, Waiting For Columbus, is one of the greatest life albums of the 1970’s. Those four days of recording in London, UK and the four days in Washington, DC, produced a perfect presentation of a continuous live concert recording that I have ever heard. They actually had enough material for three live albums, but cut it down to two for marketing. 45 years later it still holds true and I rate this album in my personal top 10.
Overall rating
10/10
Band:
Paul Barrère – guitar, vocals
Sam Clayton – congas, vocals
*Lowell George – lead vocals, guitar
Kenny Gradney – bass guitar
Richard Hayward – drums, vocals
Bill Payne – keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
Mick Taylor – lead and slide guitar (“A Apolitical Blues”)
Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons – backing vocals (“Red Streamliner”)
1978 double LP
Side one
- “Join the Band” (Traditional) – 1:50 Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977
- “Fat Man in the Bathtub” (George) – 4:50 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977
- “All That You Dream” (Barrère, Payne) – 4:25 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977)
- “Oh Atlanta” (Payne) – 4:09 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977)
- “Old Folks’ Boogie” (Barrère, Gabriel Barrère) – 4:22 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/4/1977)
Side two
- “Time Loves a Hero” (Barrère, Gradney, Payne) – 4:20 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/4/1977)
- “Day or Night” (Payne, Fran Tate) – 5:23 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/4/1977)
- “Mercenary Territory” (George, Hayward) – 4:27 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/2/1977)
- “Spanish Moon” (George) – 4:49 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/8/1977)
Side three
- “Dixie Chicken” (George, Martin Kibbee) – 9:00 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/3/1977)
- “Tripe Face Boogie” (Hayward, Payne) – 7:02 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/3/1977)
- “Rocket in My Pocket” (George) – 3:42 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/2/1977)
Side four
- “Willin'” (George) – 4:42 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/8/1977)
- “Don’t Bogart That Joint” (E. Ingber, L. Wagner) – 0:57 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/8/1977)
- “A Apolitical Blues” (George) – 3:41 (Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, 8/3/1977)
- “Sailin’ Shoes” (George) – 6:18 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/10/1977)
- “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” (Barrère, George, Kibbee) – 5:17 (Live at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC, 8/9/1977)
*Lowell George was the anchor on writing, vocals and guitar of Little Feat. George died June 29, 1979 (aged 34). Ironically, after performing on June 28, 1979 at D.C.’s Lisner Auditorium where Waiting for Columbus had been recorded in 1977, George died of a heart attack in his Arlington, Virginia, hotel room.
“Waiting for Columbus” Dates for 2022:
Jan 20 Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall
Jan 22 Daytona Beach, FL – Peabody Auditorium
Jan 23 Ft. Lauderdale, FL – The Parker Playhouse
Jan 25 Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall
Jan 26 Melbourne, FL – The King Center for the Performing Arts
Jan 27 Fort Pierce, FL – Sunrise Theatre
Jan 30 Runaway Bay, Jamaica Feat Camp 2022
Jan 31 Runaway Bay, Jamaica Feat Camp 2022
Feb 1 Runaway Bay, Jamaica Feat Camp 2022
Feb 2 Runaway Bay, Jamaica Feat Camp 2022
Feb 3 Runaway Bay, Jamaica Feat Camp 2022
Feb 4 Runaway Bay, Jamaica Feat Camp 2022
Feb 5 Runaway Bay, Jamaica Feat Camp 2022
Feb 14 Rock Legends Cruise IX
Feb 15 Rock Legends Cruise IX
Feb 16 Rock Legends Cruise IX
Feb 17 Rock Legends Cruise IX
Feb 18 Rock Legends Cruise IX
March 4 Columbus, OH – Southern Theatre
March 5 Kalamazoo, MI – Kalamazoo State Theatre
March 7 Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
March 8 Des Moines, IA – Hoyt Sherman Place
March 10 Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
March 11 Chesterfield, MO – The Factory at the District
March 13 Nashville, IN – Brown County Music Center
March 14 Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre
March 16 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
March 17 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
March 19 Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Theatre
March 20 Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre
March 22 Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall
March 23 Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
March 25 New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre
March 26 Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
March 27 Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
April 9 Akron, OH – Akron Civic Theatre
April 10 Rochester, NY – Kodak Center
April 12 Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
April 13 Collingswood, NJ – Scottish Rite Auditorium
April 15 F.M. Kirby Center For The Performing Arts – Wilkes-Barre, PA
April 16 DAR Constitution Hall – Washington, DC
April 19 Richmond, VA – Dominion Energy Center
April 20 Virginia Beach, VA – Sandler Center for the Performing Arts
April 21 Durham, NC – Carolina Theatre of Durham
April 23 Johnny Mercer Theatre – Savannah, GA
April 24 Charlotte, NC – Knight Theater
May 26 Asheville, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville
May 27 Martinsville, VA
May 28 Chillicothe, IL
May 29 Chillicothe, IL
July 26 Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre
July 27 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
July 29 Greenwood Village, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater
August 1 Sandy, UT – Sandy Amphitheater
August 3 Bozeman, MT – The ELM
August 4 Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
August 6 Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
August 7 Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
August 9 Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
August 10 Sacramento, CA – Crest Theatre
August 12 Los Angeles, CA – Theatre at Ace Hotel
August 14 San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
August 15 Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theatre
August 25 Las Vegas, NV
August 26 Las Vegas, NV
August 27 Las Vegas, NV
August 28 Las Vegas, NV
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Photographer and Editor/Founder of AllMusicMagazine.com. My love of live music has taken me to incredible experiences with the top bands of all time in stadium shows to the smallest venues with equally inspiring musicians. Using the medium of photography and my publication, these memories will last forever.
