When Stax Records took its roster on the road in 1965, it wasn’t just a concert; it was a showcase of soon-to-be legends. Stax Revue: Live in ’65 captures two such moments from that year: a charged two-night stand at Los Angeles’ 5-4 Ballroom and a looser, homegrown showcase at Memphis’ Club Paradise. Together, they offer a rare front-row seat to a label that was still climbing but already loaded with future legends. The 5-4 Ballroom performances arrived at a tense time in Los Angeles, just days before the Watts Rebellion. The newly expanded Stax Revue: Live in ’65 is a snapshot of a label in its prime, caught in very different moods. For its 60th anniversary, Craft Recordings is releasing these shows for the first time on streaming, CD and 2-LP vinyl.
The Memphis set opens with the unmistakable organ riff of “Green Onions,” as Booker T. & The M.G.’s slide into their most famous groove with effortless cool. They follow with “Boot-Leg,” lean and snappy, and the high-energy “You Can’t Sit Down,” a showcase for the band’s tight interplay. Their take on “Summertime” is a smoky, late-night standout—Booker T. stretching the melody while Steve Cropper threads delicate guitar lines underneath. “Soul Twist” keeps the party moving before David Porter steps up to the mic. His “Just Be True” is smooth and pleading, while “Can’t See You When I Want To” carries a hint of grit that makes the heartbreak land harder. The Astors’ “What Can It Be” slows the pace, their harmonies gliding over a soft shuffle, and Wendy Rene closes the Memphis portion with “Bar-B-Q,” playful and full of neighborhood-party charm, her voice dancing over the beat.
The mood shifts when the 5-4 Ballroom set begins. The Mar-Keys blast in with “Last Night,” horns sharp and insistent, before The Mad Lads bring their nimble harmonies to “Don’t Have to Shop Around.” The Astors return with “Candy,” a breezier moment before William Bell takes the spotlight. “Any Other Way” brims with controlled defiance, while “You Don’t Miss Your Water” is all slow-burning ache, each note hanging in the air. Carla Thomas charges through “Every Ounce of Strength” with clarity and punch, feeding off the band’s crisp backbeat. Then Wilson Pickett storms in with “In the Midnight Hour,” his voice commanding and urgent. Rufus Thomas closes the night with “Walking the Dog,” stretching it into a lively, crowd-teasing workout, his banter as much a part of the performance as the groove itself. The streaming and CD versions include 20 minutes of Rufus performing “The Dog” in which he also plays the part of comedian and dance instructor, giving those in the crowd a welcome reprieve from the building tension in their community.
Rounding out the physical formats are insightful new liner notes from Grammy-winning author and journalist Lynell George and the compilation’s Grammy-nominated producer, Alec Palao. Their notes give a lot of insight into the concerts and their legacy. The remastering gives both nights a welcome clarity while keeping the raw, club-floor immediacy intact. Heard back-to-back, these shows tell the story of a label that could bring the heat whether at home or under the bright lights of a major city. In Memphis, the players are loose and in their element; in Los Angeles, they’re charged with the excitement and pressure of breaking new ground. Sixty years later, both still sound like nights you wish you’d been there for.
