ALIVE AT LAST
(aka LIVE CONCERT AT WHISKEY FLATS)
Company: Walrus Records
Matrix Number: TVC 1001A / TVC 1001B
Release Date: September, 1970
Country: USA
SIDE A
1. Intro TWIST AND SHOUT 1:20
2. YOU CAN'T DO THAT 2:32
3. Paul intro ALL MY LOVING 2:05
4. John intro SHE LOVES YOU 2:10
5. George intro THINGS WE SAID TODAY 2:13
6. ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN 2:10
SIDE B
7. Paul intro CAN'T BUY ME LOVE 2:04
8. John intro IF I FELL 2:13
9. I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND 2:23
10. Paul intro BOYS 2:01
11. John intro A HARD DAY'S NIGHT 2:19
12. Paul intro LONG TALL SALLY 1:57
​
Sound Quality: VG mono
Source: Philadelphia Convention Hall, September 2, 1964
COMMENTARY
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Needless to say, The Beatles never played at "Atlanta Whiskey Flat" – in fact, no one did, since this venue does not even exist. In more recent years, this show has been identified as Philadelphia – most likely because at the very start of the concert, Paul seems to say "Hello, Philly." One of the bootleggers is reported to have claimed that the tape was from the second Hollywood Bowl show, but that's impossible because there was only one 1964 show at the Hollywood Bowl, and we have it. Some tapes of "Atlanta'' were also traded as Atlantic City, but this is unlikely, too. Note that the American Federation of Musicians only gave The Beatles permission to be professionally recorded at the Hollywood Bowl, therefore this tape more likely originates from a radio broadcast.
The origin of the "Whiskey Flat" location has always been a mistery. It first appeared in the TMOQ release, released just one month after the Walrus record. Here the explanation as told us by Mr. Pigman:
"Originally Whiskey Flat was a joke on my part. My Grandmother lived in a small town in California which originally was named Whiskey Flat in the 19th century, probably during the California Gold Rush. When I produced the Beatles Whiskey Flat LP I didn't know the source of the recording of this concert or what city it occurred in. So I got a laugh thinking of the Beatles playing a concert on their US tour in a little town called Whiskey Flat! Later I must have thought it was Atlanta for some reason.".
RELEASES
Although this concert is mainly known from the TMOQ releases, it first appeared on Walrus Records. It had two releases:
1. September, 1970 (photo below the title). The title ALIVE AT LAST is rubber-stamped on the top left and the disc has a green label saying "The four Liverpudlians" and track index. In this first pressing there was no attribution given to the recording. Hence, the show was not yet misidentified as "Atlanta" (or anywhere else).
2. early, 1971. This record has the same labels as #1; the jacket with a green insert cover featuring part of the U.S. "Christmas Album" collage on the left and the title LIVE CONCERT AT WISKEY FLATS on the right, along with the track listing. The title was derived from the first version of the TMOQ release.
INTEREST. The first pressing is very rare and interesting, since it represents the first appearance of this recording. The reissue is slightly less interesting, but is still a rare and valuable item. *****/****
RECORDS DERIVED FROM THE WALRUS RELEASE
The Walrus release #2 was counterfeited by WCF and CBM. See its own entry for the TMOQ releases of this concert.
THE WCF RELEASES
The WCF company, operating as "Whiskey Records", copied the TMOQ version of this concert, in lesser quality. The insert counterfeited Walrus Records reissue #2. We saw the following releases:
1. Early, 1971. This has yellow labels stating "Whiskey Records", with a track listing.
2. 1972. Same insert as # 1, blue-green labels
2. 1973. Same insert as #1, blank labels.
3. 1974. This has a folder-type cover with a greenish monochrome Christmas collage of insert #1 on the front and printed Beatles pictures on the back. This is the version that was distributed as produced by "Amazon Etcetra"
INTEREST. As with most of this company's other releases, its interest is very limited, and, in any case, limited to the first issues with printed labels. **/*
THE CBM RELEASES
Matrix Number: RI-3552-A2 / RI-3552-B (RI scratched in the first releases)
Country: USA
Source of the recording: a copy of the Walrus release (see above)
Contra Band Music started releasing this concert in September 1972, lifting it from the Walrus release. The company used the insert of issue #2 from the Walrus record, editing the title to "LIVE CONCERT ATLANTA". The following issues were seen:
1. September, 1972. Brown or black printed insert copied from the TVC record, titled LIVE CONCERT ATLANTA, blue and green two-color labels with title, CBM "disc" logo and track index.
2. Late 1972. This has the same labels with a black printed insert on yellow paper with a big CBM "disc" logo added on the bottom right.
3. late 1972 to early 1973. This one has a black or blue printed insert on yellow paper, without the CBM logo, or with a small logo. It has generic labels of various types.
3. Spring / Summer, 1974. Yellowish insert, generic labels, J. Fish printed back cover.
4. 1975. These records were pressed from new stampers, produced from the original masters, but with the letters RI not scratched out. It has the same insert, without the logo and with the statement "what really is Hollywood Bowl second show" added below the title. It also had the catalogue number 3552 added at the bottom and the disc had a red label with the King Kong logo. Some of the copies with the King Kong label had an insert retitled LIVE IN ATLANTA, and the number 3552 placed below the title.
Other reissues very likely exist. An insert titled LIVE CONCERT ATLANTA GA., without a logo, also exists. No details about labels and release date are known.
INTEREST. The first releases, with custom labels, are quite interesting. The repressings are progressively less valuable.***/*
THE JAPANESE JL COUNTERFEIT OF THE CBM RECORD
JL RECORDS counterfeited the CBM version in 1975. The record has a printed cover reproducing the CBM insert with the number JL 521 on the bottom left. The CBM "pirate" labels were counterfeited too and printed in light blue/green. Matrix JL 521 A / JL 521 B.
INTEREST. As with the other JL records, this release is only interesting for completists. *
THE JAPANESE WHISKEY RELEASE
The first japanese edition appeared in 1971, by a company calling itself Whiskey records, with the title WHISKEY RECORDS 1. This had matrix WH-1 and was distributed with a plain white jacket, or a rubber-stamped cover with the title THE BEATLES, in a limited edition of 200 copies. It had pink or cream labels with the title and track listing.
INTEREST. An extremely rare record, of very high value for collectors. ****