i'm glad it sounds good......i did their live sound on this tour and these are live board tapes from my mixes. quite exciting memories of an amazing time.
Hey Robin, so cool that you were engineering this tour! Quick question: I am seeing a Linn/Forat 9000 in the film, I can identify many synths pretty well by ear, but off hand do you remember any of the boards / drum machines they had brought along? I know they were attempting to recreate their music live as closely as possible to what they did in the studio. Thanks! Cheers. -Alec
@Robin Danar Robin, thanks so much for getting back to me. You're speaking my language. I'm an engineer and producer at a modern fully analog studio. You guys used an omni for Paul B, live?-Can't even imagine trying to do that. I worked with internal programming and triggering the Linn drum externally on my most recent project, not an easy thing to do, haha. Still scouring the video to see about the synths and samplers they were using on tour... I know Paul Moore was really into the JP8... Do you remember any synthesizers/samplers they were using on this tour or even earlier on A Walk Across the Rooftops/I Love This Life? Or do you by chance know someone who would know? I know Paul Moore shattered the critical consensus that they'd been using a Fairlight on those two records in an interview a few years ago, so I'm just trying to get a better idea of some of the tools they DID use to create their sound. If you remember anything else about this stuff, that would be incredible, otherwise, no worries! Thanks again! -Alec
@Robin Danar We met briefly in 2006 at the Glasgow Royal Hall. My wife and I traveled from Brooklyn NY to Glasgow to catch the gig, our one and only chance to see them live. Paul had invited us backstage after I had met him at the ASCAP lounge show part of the Tribeca film festival. Were you on the soundboard by any chance when Paul with Larry Saltzman performed at the ASCAP music lounge in 2005 ? I have searched for years for the recording of Paul singing "On the Street Where you Live" (yes, the song from "My Fair Lady") that he performed that day. It was amazing and I hope somewhere that tape has preserved and not lost for all time. When I spoke to Paul in Glasgow in 2018 he said that he remembered performing that once, and that Larry had done the arrangement. I'd love to track that recording down, as it was quite unique and absolutely gorgeous. Cheers -Keith
This is wonderful. I was lucky enough to see them at the Royal Concert Hall (second night) Almost like a religious experience rather than a gig. When Paul’s voice ‘takes off’ during ‘Let’s Go Out Tonight’ it still gives me goosebumps, even after all these years. ❤
I was so lucky to see them in London in 1990. It was mesmerising. When I think of the Downtown Lights, Tinseltown in the Rain and Headlights on the Parade ground I am transported to some of the greatest times of my life as a young guy starting out work in London. I wish I had a Time Machine to do it all over again.
I’m jealous! My late husband and I discovered them in 1990 when we read a concert review in the San Francisco Chronicle. They played The Fillmore (a sold out show naturally). The reviewer was so ecstatic and blown away by their performance that we went out and bought their 1st album, and after listening to that we bought everything else Blue Nile we could find. My husband is gone now but Blue Nile always reminds me of our time together. I’m so happy for you that you got to experience them live!❤
robert, PJ& paul......its been 30yrs since i recorded this on bbc1 scotland.....this always brings back the old feeling of majorca 91 and my life changing adolescent lesson in life....pleasedo a tour celebration of walk across & hats as u would have at least asell out hydro for a week least guaranteed....it be as big as stll game imo
The first 2 albums "A walk across the rooftops" and "Hats" should be re-released again just to remind this new generation of people how fantastic and awesome these 2 albums were. They should of been up there as one of the best band of eighties, so underrated.
I saw their show in Washington DC on this tour. Have loved TBN from the beginning, since AWATR came out. We Nile fans are a dedicated lot, aren't we? But there is no other music on Earth like theirs.
We are more like obsessed than fans, seen them a few times, always sat there stunned, still so underrated and a bit unknown to a wider audience, they are like a dirty secret which is fine by me. Still got all my old vinyl's of them, best Scottish band ever
The words and music strike at the fabric of the soul. I feel Glasgow in every note, in every lyric. Hopeful, sad, groping at at an expectant future then looking in the wing mirror of life wondering how did I get here?
For me they are the best sounding live band I have ever heard. The sound was unbelievable. I have seen some names over the years from Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin and David Bowie to Bruce Springsteen but the Blue Nile crushes all of them for a live sound.
I've seen a lot of concerts since 1963 but never the Blue Nile. Life is not complete but thank goodness for their albums and live performances on UA-cam. Feels like I'm flying between mountains, the valley below, my arms are my wings and with the Blue Nile I soar the quiet sky...
A profoundly simple sound, with melt-in-your-mouth melodies, and harmonies that center the heart's deepest yearnings. Proud to be Scottish. A salute to fellow musicians.
This is so great to see. I am actually in this at the 24:29 mark. My friends and I drove from Kentucky to Tennessee to see them at Ella Guru's. Fantastic night, band and video. Hats is one of those "...stranded on an island with only 3 records forever..." records. The other 2 would be hard to pick but not this one.
I was deeply in Love around the late 80's for the first time and it has never waned now at 82 whenever I hear Blue Nile, Downtown lights every track. it takes me to a place I can't describe, being a pro musician born Brooklyn n.y, 1942 now for nearly 7 decades this is the best that so called pop can be I don't believe in genres just music when you listen with your soul you understand music always plays you ...
Hauntingly beautiful, is how I would describe the show I saw in Los Angeles 1990. Love them, my all time favorite band. I really enjoyed this documentary, their music is always a touchstone in my life.
I remember they pitched up in Dublin on this tour. I had Hats and the first album at this point and loved them. For some crazy reason I didn't go to the gig and heard later that they played a blinding show. They had run out of songs by the end and played Tinseltown twice. I ended up having to wait six years before they came to town again. Eventually I got to see them live three times the last minus PJ who had walked and never came back. I still miss them but at least they left us with some great music.
I remember watching this on the BBC in the early 90s, and at some point around I jumped up, realising that I should be recording it, so I stuck a tape in the VCR and caught the last song, Let's Go Out Tonight. I played that clip endlessly until sometime around 1996 when I accidentally recorded over it. I was heartbroken so you can imagine my joy to find it here, now. In my Amazon review of Hats about 12 years ago I bemoaned that I couldn't find this documentary again, and that I wished it was commercially available, but this is the next best thing! Brilliant! So thank you very much!
I have a copy of this on DVD (and I am scrolling down to see how many Nilers were at the recent Gathering in Glasgow (16-17 September 2016) and have been told one of our celebrated members of our Facebook Group is responsible. The BBC should screen it again.
@rdsquid i envy you above anybody on earth... im 23 years old, introduced to the blue nile by my bro 20 years older, the music is timeless... but so underappreciated... it hits you like no other music....
As so many others have said......thank you. As someone who has had the blue Nile as a soundtrack to my life I was amazed to find this here. I was lucky to see them here in Dublin years ago and it's the voice and honesty that stays with you. At the risk of being a bit touchy feely they speak to your soul(or something)it probably helps if you've had a broken heart too!
thanks for posting....was lucky enought to record it on the tv over 20 years ago!!! scary....replayed it to death and had to consign to the bin in the end as video tapes were never designed to cope with such use!!.....takes me back to a place 20 years ago............skool daze, italia 90 and first boys holiday!!!.....
Thanks for uploading, haven't seen this particular doc before. I saw Blue Nile twice in the 1990s live in London and Brussels, live shows like no other, grown men weeping. Stunning.
Interesting at @18:38 - Wendy Maharry is the support act. She was also on A&M and would have been a great fit for the Blue Nile. Wendy did two excellent albums for A&M in 1990 and 1991 but none of them "moved units" so she was let go. Unfortunately those albums are not available on streaming but can be found on CD and LP second-hand.
I remember seeing her open for the Blue Nile at the Living Room in Providence, RI. My friend and I bought copies of her CD and we talked with her as well. She was very nice, and I think we saw her in concert after that as well.
Great stuff mate..seen clips from this before but not the full program..can never be enough blue nile..wish they would release some new stuff..thanks for posting.
Thank you so much! So sad that the video materials were not preserved in a better shape... But at this point - beggars not choosers. And any BN fans will appreciate this upload so much! Thank you!
Thanks so much for posting this - I've loved The Blue Nile for years but never had a chance to see them live. I've just read one of the two biographies of the band which have just come out and it transcribes some of the interviews seen here. I know footage is very rare - does anyone know if it's possible to buy this documentary or anything else featuring them? There's quite a bit of stuff posted on here, which is always welcome, but I'd love to have a quality copy. Thanks again.
@6666664r They actually did plenty of press , and TV shows , over the years . With album releases being few and far between it just seemed like there was none ! They'd pop up , do their thing , then disappear. As of right now , the band effectively no longer exists and no new releases are planned. Buy the back catalogue and enjoy it..................................
where did you find it !? this far better quality than the versions previously found on the web. a DVD would be welcome and a 2011 album would be fab, with a new documentary in HD of The Blue Nile: between the albums Come on BBC why do we pay a license fee ???
Anyone know what the synth patch, or sound, or noise, is playing at the very end of Easter Parade from around 12.10 for a few seconds until the applause?
Thanks for putting this up. I am just finishing the Allan Brown biog (which isn't very good) and came looking for this. Interested to know where you got it? Just one of those things you kept? You're right, a decent release would be good. Thanks again. Izod
My. Name. Is. David. Glasper. Was. Once. In. A. Band. Called. Breathe. Who. Some. Say. Were. An. Very. Underated. Band. Personally. I. Think. Blue. Nile. Were. The. Most. Underated. Of. The. Time. Buchanans. Voice. Is. So. Beautiful.
I've recently read the Nileism book. It had an interesting tale to tell but it was saddled with an attention-seeking author who kept getting in the way. But he did write that this documentary was widely available on the internet; that'll be UA-cam, then. A good watch, but already dated in a way that The Blue Nile themselves never will be. Thanks for uploading it, jackhavana.
i'm glad it sounds good......i did their live sound on this tour and these are live board tapes from my mixes. quite exciting memories of an amazing time.
Are the full tapes still somewhere? Could someone release them?
Hey Robin, so cool that you were engineering this tour! Quick question: I am seeing a Linn/Forat 9000 in the film, I can identify many synths pretty well by ear, but off hand do you remember any of the boards / drum machines they had brought along? I know they were attempting to recreate their music live as closely as possible to what they did in the studio. Thanks! Cheers. -Alec
@Robin Danar Robin, thanks so much for getting back to me. You're speaking my language. I'm an engineer and producer at a modern fully analog studio. You guys used an omni for Paul B, live?-Can't even imagine trying to do that. I worked with internal programming and triggering the Linn drum externally on my most recent project, not an easy thing to do, haha.
Still scouring the video to see about the synths and samplers they were using on tour... I know Paul Moore was really into the JP8... Do you remember any synthesizers/samplers they were using on this tour or even earlier on A Walk Across the Rooftops/I Love This Life? Or do you by chance know someone who would know? I know Paul Moore shattered the critical consensus that they'd been using a Fairlight on those two records in an interview a few years ago, so I'm just trying to get a better idea of some of the tools they DID use to create their sound. If you remember anything else about this stuff, that would be incredible, otherwise, no worries! Thanks again! -Alec
@Robin Danar We met briefly in 2006 at the Glasgow Royal Hall. My wife and I traveled from Brooklyn NY to Glasgow to catch the gig, our one and only chance to see them live. Paul had invited us backstage after I had met him at the ASCAP lounge show part of the Tribeca film festival. Were you on the soundboard by any chance when Paul with Larry Saltzman performed at the ASCAP music lounge in 2005 ? I have searched for years for the recording of Paul singing "On the Street Where you Live" (yes, the song from "My Fair Lady") that he performed that day. It was amazing and I hope somewhere that tape has preserved and not lost for all time. When I spoke to Paul in Glasgow in 2018 he said that he remembered performing that once, and that Larry had done the arrangement. I'd love to track that recording down, as it was quite unique and absolutely gorgeous. Cheers -Keith
It mattered, and you knew that. Thank you. Was Callum Malcolm with them/you?
The greatest Scottish Band of all time.
This is wonderful. I was lucky enough to see them at the Royal Concert Hall (second night) Almost like a religious experience rather than a gig.
When Paul’s voice ‘takes off’ during ‘Let’s Go Out Tonight’ it still gives me goosebumps, even after all these years. ❤
Unfortunately I have not been able to see them but your description, 'like a religious experience ' rings true to friends I have who were there
Scotland's greatest secret. This documentary perfectly captures the enigma of The Blue Nile.
I was so lucky to see them in London in 1990. It was mesmerising. When I think of the Downtown Lights, Tinseltown in the Rain and Headlights on the Parade ground I am transported to some of the greatest times of my life as a young guy starting out work in London. I wish I had a Time Machine to do it all over again.
I’m jealous!
My late husband and I discovered them in 1990 when we read a concert review in the San Francisco Chronicle. They played The Fillmore (a sold out show naturally). The reviewer was so ecstatic and blown away by their performance that we went out and bought their 1st album, and after listening to that we bought everything else Blue Nile we could find. My husband is gone now but Blue Nile always reminds me of our time together.
I’m so happy for you that you got to experience them live!❤
robert, PJ& paul......its been 30yrs since i recorded this on bbc1 scotland.....this always brings back the old feeling of majorca 91 and my life changing adolescent lesson in life....pleasedo a tour celebration of walk across & hats as u would have at least asell out hydro for a week least guaranteed....it be as big as stll game imo
It's like they paint with sounds... Texture on texture.. Layering sounds and creating atmosphere... Brilliant band
The first 2 albums "A walk across the rooftops" and "Hats" should be re-released again just to remind this new generation of people how fantastic and awesome these 2 albums were. They should of been up there as one of the best band of eighties, so underrated.
They have been.
I saw their show in Washington DC on this tour. Have loved TBN from the beginning, since AWATR came out. We Nile fans are a dedicated lot, aren't we? But there is no other music on Earth like theirs.
Yes we are!😃
I agree Adrienne, they are something beyond special
We are more like obsessed than fans, seen them a few times, always sat there stunned, still so underrated and a bit unknown to a wider audience, they are like a dirty secret which is fine by me. Still got all my old vinyl's of them, best Scottish band ever
Saw them in San Francisco during this your and it still haunts me
It's just incredible how similar Paul Buchanan is singing live and singing on recordings. The mark of a truly great singer.
Mark Hollis was the same.
The words and music strike at the fabric of the soul. I feel Glasgow in every note, in every lyric. Hopeful, sad, groping at at an expectant future then looking in the wing mirror of life wondering how did I get here?
For me they are the best sounding live band I have ever heard. The sound was unbelievable. I have seen some names over the years from Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin and David Bowie to Bruce Springsteen but the Blue Nile crushes all of them for a live sound.
And check out just Paul Buchanan stuff as well without whole band. I love it all.
I've seen a lot of concerts since 1963 but never the Blue Nile. Life is not complete but thank goodness for their albums and live performances on UA-cam. Feels like I'm flying between mountains, the valley below, my arms are my wings and with the Blue Nile I soar the quiet sky...
A profoundly simple sound, with melt-in-your-mouth melodies, and harmonies that center the heart's deepest yearnings. Proud to be Scottish. A salute to fellow musicians.
What a gorgeous document of a time and a place... in our minds
This is so great to see. I am actually in this at the 24:29 mark. My friends and I drove from Kentucky to Tennessee to see them at Ella Guru's. Fantastic night, band and video. Hats is one of those "...stranded on an island with only 3 records forever..." records. The other 2 would be hard to pick but not this one.
Amazing. If only someone had done a full concert film of this tour. If only we could get one more The Blue Nile album.
I was deeply in Love around the late 80's for the first time and it has never waned now at 82 whenever I hear Blue Nile, Downtown lights every track. it takes me to a place I can't describe, being a pro musician born Brooklyn n.y, 1942 now for nearly 7 decades this is the best that so called pop can be I don't believe in genres just music when you listen with your soul you understand music always plays you ...
The ending is so beautiful ❤️
Two words can describe TBN music and they are SHEER BEAUTY!
Hauntingly beautiful, is how I would describe the show I saw in Los Angeles 1990. Love them, my all time favorite band. I really enjoyed this documentary, their music is always a touchstone in my life.
One of the best bands ever without any doubt! I love this band and always will!!!
I remember they pitched up in Dublin on this tour. I had Hats and the first album at this point and loved them. For some crazy reason I didn't go to the gig and heard later that they played a blinding show. They had run out of songs by the end and played Tinseltown twice. I ended up having to wait six years before they came to town again. Eventually I got to see them live three times the last minus PJ who had walked and never came back. I still miss them but at least they left us with some great music.
Fantastic film, The Blue Nile have been the soundtrack of my life since 1983, thanks for posting this !!!
Love the live footage. These guys were special.
Saw them at The Show Bar on Washington in Houston TX in 1990. To this day it is still my favorite live show.
Mi grupo favorito de siempre ❤
Does anyone listen to the amazing bass on these tracks?? I hope so!
I remember watching this on the BBC in the early 90s, and at some point around I jumped up, realising that I should be recording it, so I stuck a tape in the VCR and caught the last song, Let's Go Out Tonight. I played that clip endlessly until sometime around 1996 when I accidentally recorded over it. I was heartbroken so you can imagine my joy to find it here, now.
In my Amazon review of Hats about 12 years ago I bemoaned that I couldn't find this documentary again, and that I wished it was commercially available, but this is the next best thing! Brilliant! So thank you very much!
I as you seen this on TV and did record it on VHS but for long enough now have had no VHS player so amazing to see this again
I have a copy of this on DVD (and I am scrolling down to see how many Nilers were at the recent Gathering in Glasgow (16-17 September 2016) and have been told one of our celebrated members of our Facebook Group is responsible. The BBC should screen it again.
My bucket list band to see live
.... caught up in this big rhythm....
@rdsquid
i envy you above anybody on earth... im 23 years old, introduced to the blue nile by my bro 20 years older, the music is timeless... but so underappreciated... it hits you like no other music....
As so many others have said......thank you. As someone who has had the blue Nile as a soundtrack to my life I was amazed to find this here. I was lucky to see them here in Dublin years ago and it's the voice and honesty that stays with you. At the risk of being a bit touchy feely they speak to your soul(or something)it probably helps if you've had a broken heart too!
Extraordinarily brilliant
So awesome! I saw them on this tour at U.C.L.A. Such a great venue in an auditorium on stage. 👍😉
Saw them in Northampton Massachusetts. Chris Botti was in the small crowd as well.
I saw these guys in the bottom line in July 1990-magical gig. great to see this video.
Eamobaby-dublin
thanks for posting....was lucky enought to record it on the tv over 20 years ago!!! scary....replayed it to death and had to consign to the bin in the end as video tapes were never designed to cope with such use!!.....takes me back to a place 20 years ago............skool daze, italia 90 and first boys holiday!!!.....
the best band on the planet and if you ever get to see them as i did two years ago its a magical night never to forget
Noticed the Coney Island Boardwalk 10.50 Visited it 2019 ..like stepping back in time ,loved it Warriors come out to play 😉
Thank you for making this truly beautiful little gem of a film.
Thanks for uploading, haven't seen this particular doc before. I saw Blue Nile twice in the 1990s live in London and Brussels, live shows like no other, grown men weeping. Stunning.
❤️ from Boston
Just fabulous-so special
thank you so much for this...
Wonderful- thank you.
love every minute of it, such beautiful images and songs make a perfect combination
Thanks very much for posting this video-
thanks for posting, beautiful.
Thanks for posting brings back great memories of a true great band never sold out most underated band singer song writers long live The Blue Nile
Brilliant been looking for this again- thanks so much for posting!
wonderful! thank you so so much!
best god damn band ever...........
Interesting at @18:38 - Wendy Maharry is the support act. She was also on A&M and would have been a great fit for the Blue Nile. Wendy did two excellent albums for A&M in 1990 and 1991 but none of them "moved units" so she was let go. Unfortunately those albums are not available on streaming but can be found on CD and LP second-hand.
I remember seeing her open for the Blue Nile at the Living Room in Providence, RI. My friend and I bought copies of her CD and we talked with her as well. She was very nice, and I think we saw her in concert after that as well.
Once again another one of the greats. great music ,great band, thumbs way up!!!
Thank you for sharing it. Learned about this documentary reading Nileism, the band's bio :-)
Thanks for sharing this with us jackhavana. Truly wonderful film of (for me) by far the greatest band of all time :0)
Great stuff mate..seen clips from this before but not the full program..can never be enough blue nile..wish they would release some new stuff..thanks for posting.
Thank you thank you thank you so much!
Thank you so much! So sad that the video materials were not preserved in a better shape... But at this point - beggars not choosers. And any BN fans will appreciate this upload so much! Thank you!
What a great performance that was.
Acabo de descubrir esta banda y no lo puedo creer
Just finished reading "nileism"...pretty good and coincidentally just caught Paul Buchanan on Jools Holland doing Mid Air......
Just wonderful. The styles and reverence of all things American may be dated, but the music certainly isn't.
wow!!!
Lovely.
Thanks so much for posting this - I've loved The Blue Nile for years but never had a chance to see them live. I've just read one of the two biographies of the band which have just come out and it transcribes some of the interviews seen here.
I know footage is very rare - does anyone know if it's possible to buy this documentary or anything else featuring them? There's quite a bit of stuff posted on here, which is always welcome, but I'd love to have a quality copy. Thanks again.
Only a Glasgow band could write a soundtrack for America
I am pleased.
@6666664r They actually did plenty of press , and TV shows , over the years . With album releases being few and far between it just seemed like there was none ! They'd pop up , do their thing , then disappear.
As of right now , the band effectively no longer exists and no new releases are planned. Buy the back catalogue and enjoy it..................................
where did you find it !? this far better quality than the versions previously found on the web. a DVD would be welcome and a 2011 album would be fab, with a new documentary in HD of The Blue Nile: between the albums Come on BBC why do we pay a license fee ???
Does this video open with live performance from the Bottom Line in NYC? I was there!
Neil forever
@jackhavana
thank you for this.. thats all i can say..
Anyone know what the synth patch, or sound, or noise, is playing at the very end of Easter Parade from around 12.10 for a few seconds until the applause?
Thanks for putting this up. I am just finishing the Allan Brown biog (which isn't very good) and came looking for this. Interested to know where you got it? Just one of those things you kept? You're right, a decent release would be good. Thanks again. Izod
My. Name. Is. David. Glasper. Was. Once. In. A. Band. Called. Breathe. Who. Some. Say. Were. An. Very. Underated. Band. Personally. I. Think. Blue. Nile. Were. The. Most. Underated. Of. The. Time. Buchanans. Voice. Is. So. Beautiful.
I've recently read the Nileism book. It had an interesting tale to tell but it was saddled with an attention-seeking author who kept getting in the way. But he did write that this documentary was widely available on the internet; that'll be UA-cam, then.
A good watch, but already dated in a way that The Blue Nile themselves never will be. Thanks for uploading it, jackhavana.
Are not Buchanon and Peter Capaldi twins separated at birth . . ?
At last!
hah.....i think you can do better, but yes i was amazingly lucky. i hope you've thanked your brother!
"shut up and kiss us" - bit of #metoo there at 13m, but it was the '80s