List of Santana live performances (1960s–1970s)


is an American rock band, formed in 1966 by American guitarist Carlos Santana, which has performed for five decades.
The group's first concert tours were North America, with performances in Europe, where they performed at small and medium-size venues and rock festivals. Following a lineup change in early 1972, they toured the world from 1972 to 1973. During this tour, the band performed at arenas and theaters, while doing several concerts in South America, one of the first tours of the continent by a major American rock act. After a North American tour in 1974, the last remaining members of the group from their famous lineup, Michael Shrieve and José Areas, quit the group, and the band underwent multiple lineup changes during the following years. In the 1970s to the 1980s, the band played at arenas, but mostly theaters and seldom music festivals.
In the 1990s, the group lost their recording contract, but they continued to tour extensively throughout the decade, mostly playing at theaters and amphitheaters. However, the band ended the decade with the Supernatural Tour, a vehicle for their popular 1999 album Supernatural. The 177–date tour was a success with audiences and critics, and the group continued to perform within the 2000s. In the third quarter of 2010, Carlos Santana proposed to drummer Cindy Blackman after her solo on the song "Corazón Espinado", and she became an official member of the band in 2016. The group continues to tour the world to this day.

1967–68 performances (1967–1968)

, then known as the Santana Blues Band, performed in 1967 and 1968 in many line-ups throughout the West Coast of the United States.

History

In January 1967, Carlos Santana was offered a slot by Bill Graham as an opener for an upcoming show at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium after Graham was impressed with Santana's performance with Paul Butterfield at the same venue in late January. In February 1967, his group, the Santana Blues Band, was officially formed when guitarist Tom Fraser invited Carlos Santana to jam with his friend Gregg Rolie, after seeing Santana play with Butterfield at the Fillmore. The band's first performance was on March 1, 1967, at The Ark club located inside a converted ferry boat in Sausalito, California. At the second show on March 17 at the Winchester Cathedral in Redwood City, California, the band was paid $75 for their performance, and allegedly, future drummer Michael Shrieve was in the audience at that show.
After a hiatus due to Santana being treated for tuberculosis, the group opened for the Who at the Fillmore on June 16 and 17, 1967, but the band was blacklisted from performing at the venue due to players Sergio "Gus" Rodriguez and Danny Haro showing up late for the gig on the 17th. In July, manager Stan Marcum made Santana remove Rodriguez and Haro from the band, and Haro was replaced by Bob Wehr for one performance at the Grant & Green jazz bar, where David Brown was asked to join after the performance. In November 1967, the band changed their name to Santana.

Live releases

Live material from these performances has appeared on the following:
  • Songs from the band's shows from December 19 to 22, 1968 were released on the 1997 live album Live at the Fillmore 1968.
  • A performance from 1968 was released as The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 in 2007.

    Tour band

  • Gregg Rolie – lead vocals, Hammond organ, piano
  • Carlos Santana – lead guitar, percussion, vocals
  • Tom Fraser – rhythm guitar
  • Sergio "Gus" Rodriguez – bass guitar
  • David Brown – bass guitar
  • Danny Haro – drums
  • Bob Wehr – drums
  • Rod Harper – drums
  • Bob "Doc" Livingston – drums
  • Michael Carabello – congas, percussion
  • Marcus Malone – congas, percussion

    Set list

The group's set list usually consisted of covers of Latin music and blues songs, such as Willie Bobo's "Fried Neckbones and Some Homefries" and Chico Hamilton's "Conquistadore Rides Again." The set list of the live album Live at the Fillmore 1968 consists of the following:
  1. "Jingo"
  2. "Persuasion"
  3. "Treat"
  4. "Chunk a Funk"
  5. "Fried Neckbones and Some Homefries"
  6. "Conquistadore Rides Again"
  7. "Soul Sacrifice"
  8. "As the Years Go Passing By"
  9. "Freeway"

    Performance dates

Santana Tour (1969–1970)

The Santana Tour was the first concert tour by the American rock band Santana, promoting their self-titled debut album.

History

1969 marked the first year Santana entered the mainstream, thanks to the group's appearance at the Woodstock festival, where drummer Michael Shrieve, aged 20, was one of the youngest musicians to play at the festival, and the success of their self-titled debut album. They performed nearly non-stop in the United States during that year, appearing at several large music festivals such as the Texas International Pop Festival and the Altamont Speedway Free Festival. During that year, the group's lineup was finalized, Carlos Santana on guitar, percussion, and vocals, David Brown on bass guitar, Gregg Rolie on Hammond organ and lead vocals, Michael Carabello on congas, José Areas on timbales, congas, and trumpet, and Shrieve on drums. In 1970, the group toured Europe and they played in Canada for the first time.

Live releases

Live material from this tour has appeared on a number of different releases:
  • The group's set at the Woodstock festival on August 16, 1969, has appeared on the following releases:
  • * The group's entire set was released on the 2008 box set The Woodstock Experience.
  • * The group's whole set at the festival was released on the 2004 Legacy Edition of Santana.
  • * "Savor", "Soul Sacrifice", and "Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries" was released on the 1998 reissue of Santana.
  • * "Persuasion" and "Soul Sacrifice" was released on the 1988 compilation album Viva Santana!.
  • * "Soul Sacrifice" saw release on the 1988 video Viva Santana! An Intimate Conversation With Carlos Santana. Additionally, the same song was released on the 1995 box set Dance of the Rainbow Serpent, the 1970 live album Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More, and the 1970 film Woodstock.
  • "Incident at Neshabur", "Soul Sacrifice", and "A Super Jam!" from the show on February 4, 1970, was released on the 2005 video A Night at the Family Dog. Plus, "Incident at Neshabur" was released on the video Viva Santana! An Intimate Conversation With Carlos Santana.
  • The band's performance in London on April 18, 1970, has appeared on the following releases:
  • * "Se a Cabo", "Toussaint L'Overture", "Black Magic Woman", and "Gypsy Queen" were released on the 1998 remastered edition of Abraxas.
  • * "Gumbo" and "Soul Sacrifice" were released on the 2001 video Legends of Rock: Live in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
  • "Gumbo", "Savor", and "Jin-go-lo-ba" from the band's performance at the Kralingen Music Festival in the Netherlands was released on the 1971 film Stamping Ground and the live album of the same name.

    Tour band

  • Gregg Rolie – lead vocals, Hammond organ, piano, percussion
  • Carlos Santana – guitar, percussion, backing vocals
  • David Brown – bass guitar
  • Bob "Doc" Livingston – drums
  • Johnny Rae – drums
  • Michael Shrieve – drums
  • Marcus Malone – congas, percussion
  • Michael Carabello – congas, percussion
  • José Areas – timbales, congas, percussion, trumpet

    Typical set lists

January 1969–April 1970: North American tour

Known as the Santana Blues Band up around March 1969, the band performed extensively during this tour, playing at mostly high schools, colleges, clubs, small music venues, fairgrounds, and large rock festivals such as Woodstock throughout. The tour began at January 10, 1969, at The TNT in Olympic Valley, California and ended on April 12, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City. A typical set list from 1969 was as follows.
  1. "Waiting"
  2. "Evil Ways"
  3. "Savor"
  4. "Treat"
  5. "You Just Don't Care"
  6. "Jin-go-lo-ba"
  7. "Persuasion"
  8. "Soul Sacrifice"
A typical set list from 1970 was as follows :
  1. "Se Acabó"
  2. "Black Magic Woman"
  3. "Gypsy Queen"
  4. "Savor"
  5. "Jin-go-lo-ba"
  6. "Oye Como Va"
  7. "Hope You're Feeling Better"
  8. "Toussaint L'Overture"
  9. "Evil Ways"
  10. "Persuasion"
  11. "Soul Sacrifice"
  12. "Treat"

    April 1970: One show in England

On April 18, 1970, the band did one show in England for The Sound of the Seventies festival at the Royal Albert Hall in London, their first show in Europe and their first show outside North America. These are the songs known to have been performed there are :
  1. "Se Acabó"
  2. "Toussaint L'Overture"
  3. "Black Magic Woman"
  4. "Gypsy Queen"
  5. "Gumbo"
  6. "Soul Sacrifice"

    April–June 1970: Second North American tour

A short North American tour followed the gig in England, lasting from April 24, 1970, at the Memorial Hall in Allentown, Pennsylvania and ending on June 13, 1970, at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. Taken from the show on May 22 at the Waikiki Shell in Honolulu, a typical set list from this tour was as follows :
  1. "Se Acabó"
  2. "Black Magic Woman"
  3. "Gypsy Queen"
  4. "Savor"
  5. "Jin-go-lo-ba"
  6. "Oye Como Va"
  7. "Toussaint L'Overture"
  8. "Evil Ways"
  9. "Treat"
  10. "Gumbo"
  11. "Waiting"
  12. "Hope You're Feeling Better"
  13. "Conquistadore Rides Again"

    June 1970: European tour

The group embarked on a short, 8-date European tour in June 1970, which commenced on June 16, 1970, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England and concluded on June 28, 1970, at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music at the Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, England. This set list is representative of the show on June 28. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.
All songs written by the members of Santana unless specified otherwise.
  1. "Se Acabó"
  2. "Black Magic Woman"
  3. "Gypsy Queen"
  4. "Savor"
  5. "Jin-go-lo-ba"
  6. "Oye Como Va"
  7. "Incident at Neshabur"
  8. "Toussaint L'Overture"
  9. "Evil Ways"
  10. "Persuasion"
  11. "Soul Sacrifice"
  12. "Gumbo"