Blind Faith - London Hyde Park 1969

By: Erik Swift

October 2006

DVD Features Video: 1.33:1 Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Bonus vintage promo videos Photo gallery Discographies of each band member pre-1969 DVD released on 9/19/2006 by Sanctuary Records Running Time: 73 Mins

Let’s get this out of the way first: Blind Faith’s debut concert on DVD starts with 10 minutes that cover the backgrounds of the supergroup’s members, guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Rick Grech, drummer Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood on organ and vocals. Skip it. There’s nothing new here, and the paths each took towards Blind Faith from Traffic, Cream and Family are familiar. The bonus features are by-the-numbers (photo gallery, video snippets, suggested discographies), but the meat of “Blind Faith: London Hyde Park 1969” is forty-five minutes of footage that never saw the light of day until now – the band’s first concert from June 7, 1969 during their sole year of existence.

The repetitious volume of hippie shots leave a sense that it’s filler for poor or unusable performance footage, but the cameras provide great views on the makeshift stage during a breezy day in Britain, including shots of Winwood through Baker’s drumkit. From the first shot from stage left, Baker is seen slapping his kit before Winwood leans in from behind a speaker to sing Buddy Holly’s “Well All Right” while Clapton stands behind him, proving Blind Faith exists on film…and looks good, but they start off sounding rough. A tentative “Sea Of Joy” is cause for doubting the band’s choice to play/film material two months away from release until a run through Sam Myers’ “Sleeping In The Ground.” Clapton guides the blues cover that the band would never release, making this the first great performance during a memorable month of free Hyde Park concerts (The Rolling Stones would be there a few weeks later for their first gig with guitarist Mick Taylor, and Mick Jagger is seen here in the crowd).

Winwood’s organ enhances Blind Faith’s cover of The Stones’ “Under My Thumb” and the day’s theme “Can’t Find My Way Home” features great work from all, especially Clapton and his killer solo. “Do What You Like” is significantly abbreviated; running only five minutes instead of the album’s fifteen. “Presence Of The Lord” finds all in sync during the song’s instrumental section, and this is where Grech rises above the “who’s that guy” status - his bass is everywhere here and on a fun romp through “Means To An End,” where he and Clapton playfully curl their notes around each other’s in smooth unison. Winwood’s driving work complements everyone’s grooves by the time they wrap the chugging “Had To Cry Today.” Anyone not on bad acid in the crowd of 100,000 cheers a relieved but happy quartet, who walk away satisfied at overcoming the hurdle of the first gig.

The band would only exist for a few more months. After a US tour, Clapton would bolt for a solo career and Winwood’s latest incarnation of Traffic would become his new focus, while Blind Faith would become a brief but memorable chapter in the members’ careers. However, this film dropped out of the sky. Sanctuary Group has scored with a release so unexpected that after four months of technical delays since a May release date, who cares? It’s clean, clear and unbelievably alive in vivid color, but song title graphics are not needed anymore. Regardless, it’s the DVD equivalent of being introduced to a new co-worker or classmate so drop-dead gorgeous you’re speechless. “Blind Faith: London Hyde Park 1969” is just so cool, grins will widen. This is something to see.

Reviewer’s Opinion:RENT IT!!