On February 4th, 1973, the black community of Los Angeles turned it out for one of the premier black music labels, Stax-Volt Records from Memphis, Tennessee, on the seventh anniversary of the riots that consumed the Watts neighborhood. The location was the Los Angeles Coliseum, the stage was 20 feet off the ground (erected in the middle of the night), tickets for the benefit event were just $1, and an estimated 112,000 people showed up to dance and celebrate black music. Jesse Jackson gave a rousing benediction, Kim Weston raised a sea of fists to the Black National Anthem (otherwise known as "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing"), and the day and evening were brought to life with a wide range of musical styles & performances from Richard Pryor's comedy to the Soul Children's gospel to Carla Thomas' soul to Albert King's blues to the Bar-Kays' outright funk. The Staples Singers. David Porter. On top of the pile was Mr. Black Moses himself, Isaac Hayes, looking even more massive than usual in his vest made of golden chains.* Stax-Volt was all the way live that night. Black America was shown to be loud, proud, and vocal. This festival of truly gargantuan proportions went off without a hitch or violence (this is 4 years after Altamont revealed the ugly side of the white counterculture).**
Highlights from the concert were featured on the documentary Wattstax (link to full version on YouTube, subtitled in French) and two double-LP recordings (aka The Living Word) display the glorious variety of the entertainment that sunny February.
* That shit was floor-length too, but Hayes didn't even win best outfit onstage though. That honor goes to Mr. Rufus Thomas, charging out for his set in a bright pink cape with a matching suit, shorts and shirt underneath, white boots, and big-ass medallion. That's the CLOWN Prince of Dance to you, ladies & gentlemen!
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