Despite hailing from San Francisco, Flamin’ Groovies were the complete antithesis to the Summer of Love that came to characterise their home town. With a hard-edged, garage rock sound they had more in common with the primitive, proto-punk of Detroit bands such as the Stooges rather than any allusions to that “Flowers In Your Hair” dross. This refusal to play by the rules often left them in musical limbo, yet the flip side means they’ve left behind a discography that’s been unsullied by crass commercialisation. A previously unreleased live set, Let It Rock: Live From The San Francisco Civic Center 1980, finds the Groovies at their blistering best and shaking the venue to its very core.

The rather deadpan introduction given to the Flamin’ Groovies by compère Dirk Dirksen gives no hint of the coming storm; it sounds as if he’s presenting a local choir and not a kick ass rock n’ roll band and this means that when the Groovies arrive and launch into ‘Never Been In Love’, they arrive with some force. It’s a punchy and pugnacious opener, and one that refuses to have its existence denied as the band set about delivering a high octane shot of rhythm and blues. By the time 1980 rolled around Chris Wilson was firmly ensconced as frontman and his whiskey croak rings out strong and true, but with all except drummer David Wright providing vocals a huge, impenetrable wall of sound is created that recalls Phil Spector at his most bombastic.

If there’s one thing that’s puzzling about the set list that comprises the Groovies appearance at the Civic Center, then it is the preponderance of cover versions, and what makes this quandary even more perplexing is that the Groovies had an enviable back catalogue, certainly as strong as anything they covered. Subsequently, we get two Beatles renditions (three if we count the Fab Four’s take on ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’), two from Chuck Berry, one from the Stones along with a few surprises (Ike & Tina Turner’s ‘River Deep – Mountain High’). However, what it does reveal is a versatile band and one who can bridge the musical gap between soul and rock n’ roll effortlessly. In a way it feels as if the band have returned to their roots on this recording, turning back the clock to become five young hoodlums playing covers in their father’s garage, in a Nuggets type of way.

Three bonus cuts are included from a set at the infamous Old Waldorf on October 24th, recorded just two days before their gig at the Civic Center and proves that whether playing to a club or festival crowd, the Groovies still attacked with the same kind of manic energy. As the 60th anniversary of the band’s formation hurtles towards us, Let It Rock: Live From The San Francisco Civic Center 1980 reminds us why the Flamin’ Groovies are so important and is a disc that will sate old fans and attract young admirers.

• Let It Rock: Live From The San Francisco Civic Center 1980 is released via Liberation Hall and is available now (from here).

Track List:

1. Dirk Dirksen Introduction
2. Never Been In Love
3. Dizzy Miss Lizzy
4. Back In The U.S.S.R.
5. River Deep – Mountain High
6. Around And Around
7. Let It Rock
8. A Hard Day’s Night
9. Baby Please Don’t Go
10. I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better
11. Paint It Black
12. JuJu Man

Bonus Tracks:

13. Do I Love You *
14. Fall On You *
15. Shake Some Action *
    

* Recorded at the Old Waldorf on October 24th, 1980