The Roxy Performances gathers all four shows Zappa played on Dec. 9 and 10, 1973, as well as rehearsals for the Dec. 10 concerts, a sound check and film shoot done on Dec. 8 and a Dec. 12 recording session.
Zappa and the Mothers played the recently opened Sunset Strip club in December 1973 in support of Over-Nite Sensation. Many fans consider it one of his best runs during one of his best periods. Some of the songs that were recorded ended up on 1974's Roxy & Elsewhere LP, and later on Roxy by Proxy and Roxy the Movie, but The Roxy Performances marks the first time many of these shows have been collected in their entirety.
Two nights before Zappa and his band played the Roxy, he invited some friends and other guests to a private show that was recorded and filmed. Two nights after the Roxy concerts, they headed to Ike Turner’s Bolic Sound in nearby Inglewood, Calif., for a recording session that was also filmed.
All of the performances from these five days are documented on The Roxy Performances. The tracks were recently remastered for the box, which also includes new liner notes, photos and first-hand recollections of the shows.
More than eight hours of material make up the album, including Zappa favorites like "Cosmik Debris," "Montana," "I'm the Slime" and "Dupree's Paradise."
“This is one of my favorite FZ lineups ever," Ahmet Zappa, who co-produced the set, notes in a press release announcing the album. "This box contains some of the best nights of music Los Angeles has ever seen with their ears at an historic venue. Hold on to your hot dogs, people. This box is the be-all-end-all. This is it. This is all of it. It’s time to get your rocks off for the Roxy.”
DISC 1
12-9-73: Show 1
"Sunday Show 1 Start"
"Cosmik Debris"
"'We’re Makin’ a Movie'"
"Pygmy Twylyte"
"The Idiot Bastard Son"
"Cheepnis"
"Hollywood Perverts"
"Penguin in Bondage"
"T’Mershi Duween"
"The Dog Breath Variations"
"Uncle Meat"
"RDNZL"
"Montana"
"Dupree’s Paradise"
DISC 2
"Dickie’s Such an A--hole"
12-9-73: Show 2
"Sunday Show 2 Start"
"Inca Roads"
"Village of the Sun"
"Echidna’s Arf (of You)"
"Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?"
"Slime Intro"
"I’m the Slime"
"Big Swifty"
DISC 3
"Tango #1 Intro"
"Be-Bop Tango (of the Old Jazzmen’s Church)"
Medley:
"King Kong"
"Chunga’s Revenge"
"Son of Mr. Green Genes"
12-10-73: Show 1
"Monday Show 1 Start"
"Montana"
"Dupree’s Paradise"
"Cosmik Intro"
"Cosmik Debris"
DISC 4
"Bondage Intro"
"Penguin in Bondage"
"T’Mershi Duween"
"The Dog Breath Variations"
"Uncle Meat"
"RDNZL"
"Audience Participation - RDNZL"
"Pygmy Twylyte"
"The Idiot Bastard Son"
"Cheepnis"
"Dickie’s Such an A--hole"
12-10-73: Show 2
"Monday Show 2 Start"
"Penguin in Bondage"
"T’Mershi Duween"
"The Dog Breath Variations"
"Uncle Meat"
"RDNZL"
DISC 5
"Village of the Sun"
"Echidna’s Arf (of You)"
"Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?"
"Cheepnis - Percussion"
"'I Love Monster Movies'"
"Cheepnis"
"'Turn the Light Off'/Pamela’s Intro"
"Pygmy Twylyte"
"The Idiot Bastard Son"
"Tango #2 Intro"
Be-Bop Tango (of the Old Jazzmen’s Church)"
DISC 6
"Dickie’s Such an A--hole"
Bonus Section: 12-10-73 Roxy Rehearsal
"Big Swifty - In Rehearsal"
"Village of the Sun"
"Farther O’Blivion - In Rehearsal"
"Pygmy Twylyte"
Unreleased Track:
"That Arrogant Dick Nixon"
12-12-73: Bolic Studios Recording Session
"Kung Fu - In Session"
"Kung Fu - with guitar overdub"
"Tuning and Studio Chatter"
"Echidna’s Arf (of You) - In Session"
"Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow - In Session"
"Nanook Rubs It - In Session"
"St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast - In Session"
"Father O’Blivion - In Session"
"Rollo (Be-Bop Version)"
DISC 7
12-8-73: Sound Check/Film Shoot
"Saturday Show Start"
"Pygmy Twylyte/Dummy Up"
"Pygmy Twylyte - Part II"
"Echidna’s Arf (of You)"
"Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?"
"Orgy, Orgy"
"Penguin in Bondage"
"T’Mershi Duween"
"The Dog Breath Variations"
"Uncle Meat/Show End"
