Live in Bakersfield: August 21, 1970

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Live in Bakersfield: August 21, 1970
Live album by
ReleasedNovember 24, 2023 (2023-11-24)
RecordedAugust 21, 1970
VenueBakersfield Civic Auditorium
Genre Rock
Label Rhino
The Doors chronology
Live in Concert
(2023)
Live in Bakersfield: August 21, 1970
(2023)
Live at Konserhuset, September 20, 1968, Stockholm
(2024)

Live in Bakersfield: August 21, 1970 is a live album by the American rock band the Doors, released on November 24, 2023, by Rhino Entertainment as a part of the Doors' archive series of live albums. [1] The album is a recording of the band's performance on August 21, 1970, at the Bakersfield Civics Auditorium which according to an Instagram post to the band's social media is "one of the most sought-after live shows of 1970". [2] It was originally released as a Record Story Day exclusive, [3] but was later released on its own and charted on the Billboard 200 and on various UK charts. [4] [5]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Under the Radar Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]

All About Jazz critic Doug Collette stated that "this two-CD set resides at the opposite end of the musical spectrum from the pre-fame performances that comprise Live at the Matrix.", noting that "the package itself befits the collectible nature of Live in Bakersfield August 21, 1970. More importantly, however, this set documents one of the final in-person events of the Doors' career, one that turns eerily true-to-life during the extended final tracks on each compact disc". [6]

Writing for AllMusic, Fred Thomas writes that it "finds the Doors in a nearly trance-like state", noting that "The raw sound quality will turn off some listeners, as it was recorded with a few mics on-stage, achieving fidelity just above a tape recorder snuck into the show in the leg of someone's boot, but not by much". [7]

Track listing

Disc one
No.TitleLength
1."Roadhouse Blues"5:50
2."Medley: "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)"/"Back Door Man"/"Five to One"12:42
3."Medley: "Universal Mind"/"Afro Blue"8:31
4."When the Music's Over"13:17
Disc two
No.TitleLength
1."Love Me Two Times"8:54
2."Medley: Mystery Train/Away in India/"Crossroads"15:13
3."Ship of Fools"8:32
4."The End"15:35

Charts

Chart (2023)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [9] 54
US Billboard 200 [4] 129
US Indie Store Album Sales (Billboard) [10] 1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [11] 20
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard) [12] 15

References

  1. "THE DOORS' Complete Live Recordings Available to Stream and Download for the First Time". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. January 17, 2025. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  2. Lances, Jill. "The Doors release concert from 1970 to digital services for the first time". digital.abcaudio.com. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  3. Hung, Steffen. "The Doors - Live From Bakersfield". hitparade.ch. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "The Doors Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  5. "LIVE FROM BAKERSFIELD". Official Charts. December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Collette, Doug (December 24, 2023). "The Doors: Live In Bakersfield August 21, 1970 (2CD) album review". All About Jazz. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Thomas, Fred. "Live from Bakersfield Review". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  8. Valish, Frank (December 8, 2023). "Live in Bakersfield, August 21, 1970". Under the Radar . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  9. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  10. "The Doors Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  11. "The Doors Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  12. "The Doors Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2025.