The Doors: Live in Bakersfield, August 21, 1970 — A Wild, Rare Live Release

The Doors’ newly issued Live in Bakersfield, August 21, 1970 is one of the most compelling live documents to surface from the band’s archives in years. Released on both CD and limited edition vinyl, the concert captures Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore in a unique and unpredictable setting.

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The show was recorded at the Bakersfield Civic Auditorium, just months after Morrison’s infamous obscenity trial in Miami. That looming legal battle and the pressures surrounding it gave the performance a sense of tension, danger, and raw energy. Unlike the polished studio recordings, Live in Bakersfield places listeners inside the chaos of a Doors show in 1970, with Morrison at once playful, confrontational, and deeply immersed in improvisation.

Reactions to the release have been a mix of fascination and admiration. Long-time Doors devotees celebrate it as one of the most adventurous shows officially released, with extended improvisations that blur the line between psychedelic rock, jazz, and blues. For some, the imperfect sound quality — complete with tape dropouts and technical blemishes — only adds to the atmosphere, as if the listener has stepped into a time capsule of that exact night.

On fan forums, highlights often cited include the sprawling medleys where the band segues through unexpected covers and Morrison’s spontaneous spoken-word passages. Collectors who had only heard bootlegs of the concert are welcoming the official release for bringing clarity and historical recognition to what had been an under-the-radar gem.

Track-by-Track Analysis
The two-disc set captures the concert in full, and each track reveals another side of the band’s adventurous spirit.

CD 1

Roadhouse Blues
The set opens with the hard-driving blues rocker. Though the recording cuts in partway through, Morrison is already in his element, growling vocals and scatting over the groove. The performance is raw, ragged, and electric, immediately setting the tone.

Medley: Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) → Back Door Man → Five to One
This sequence stretches across eras of the band’s catalogue. Morrison slips into theatrical delivery for “Alabama Song” before plunging into the Howlin’ Wolf classic “Back Door Man.” From there, the band shifts gears into the revolutionary chant of “Five to One.” The transitions are loose but inspired, with Morrison adding poetic tangents between verses.

Medley: Universal Mind → Afro Blue
A highlight of the show, this medley reveals the Doors at their most exploratory. “Universal Mind,” one of the group’s less-frequented tracks, glides into “Afro Blue,” a jazz standard associated with John Coltrane. The band stretches out into hypnotic rhythms, with Krieger and Manzarek trading off ideas as Morrison free-associates.

When the Music’s Over
A near-14-minute epic, the performance burns with intensity. Morrison howls the famous lines as the band follows him through peaks and valleys. The interplay between Manzarek’s swirling organ and Krieger’s guitar is particularly powerful, showcasing the Doors’ ability to build tension and release across long improvisations.

CD 2

Love Me Two Times
This version takes unexpected turns, morphing into blues standards “Baby, Please Don’t Go” and “St. James Infirmary” before returning to the familiar riff. It’s a wild, genre-hopping journey that demonstrates the band’s command of traditional forms as well as their desire to bend them.

Medley: Mystery Train → Away in India → Crossroads
The band dives into American roots music here, beginning with the Elvis Presley favorite “Mystery Train.” Morrison adds his own train-whistle effects while the group slides into the exotic instrumental “Away in India.” The medley concludes with a fiery version of “Crossroads,” cementing the Doors’ link to the blues tradition.

Ship of Fools
A more structured piece from the Morrison Hotel album, “Ship of Fools” provides a breather after the intensity of the medleys. Even so, the performance is loose and spirited, with Morrison in strong voice and Manzarek’s keyboard flourishes pushing the song into new territory.

The End
Clocking in at nearly 17 minutes, the show closes with the Doors’ most infamous piece. Morrison begins with a wry dedication to newlyweds in the audience, but soon the song unfurls into its apocalyptic narrative. Screaming crescendos, passages of near-silence, and walls of feedback all collide in a dramatic finale that leaves no doubt of the band’s power onstage.

Live in Bakersfield captures the Doors at a late stage in their journey, with Morrison less than a year away from his death in Paris. The band, however, sounds anything but weary. They are alive, restless, and determined to push themselves into new spaces.

This is not a greatest-hits show designed for casual listeners. Instead, it’s a raw document of improvisation, risk-taking, and the restless energy of four musicians feeding off one another and their audience. For fans, it’s a chance to hear the Doors breaking out of their own mythology, diving into blues standards, jazz-tinged explorations, and extended psychedelic odysseys.

While the imperfections in the recording might deter those looking for polish, the grit is part of the charm. It places the listener in the room, amid the electricity of 1970, with Morrison leading the charge.

Live in Bakersfield, August 21, 1970 is not just another live Doors release — it’s a window into the unpredictability that made them one of the most compelling bands of the era. The setlist, full of medleys and improvisations, highlights their adventurousness, while Morrison’s unrestrained performance captures the sense of danger that always hung around him.

For longtime fans, it’s a long-awaited treasure. For newcomers, it’s a reminder that The Doors were not only a studio band with hits, but a live force of nature — untamed, imperfect, and unforgettable.

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Tagged as: 60s, Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Live in Bakersfield, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, rock, The Doors, USA