This mammoth compilation of 10 LPs showcases Caravan at their best…. Live. The six concert appearances between 1976 and 2001 reveals their unique brand of prog rock, improvising and extending many of their studio recordings.

Release Date: 22nd August 2025

Label: Madfish

Format: 10 LP set

canterbury pioneers

Caravan crept quietly onto the music scene late in the 1960’s. They toured the country promoting the psychedelic jazzy rock flavoured debut album. When hearing they were playing Bolton Albert Hall it was unavoidable not to go. At the concert, ticketted at approximately 2/6d!!, the young musicians were unaware as we were that they would be pioneering what became known as the Canterbury Sound.

The relaxed members chatted casually with the audience who at that time could not have predicted their musical longevity. When talented and innovative musicians, who judging by their performance in these concerts were totally committed to maintaining the unique sound, were recruited to replace some of the original members it is not surprising that their early fans remained faithful over the years. A spot at Fairport’s Cropredy was a lovely surprise and a huge attraction for the more groggy Cropredy regulars.

the evolution

With the range of approximately 25 years the whole evolution of Caravan music is visited in this set, with of course the regular favourites Headless, Hoedown, Nine Feet Underground and their only single hit Golf Girl getting repeated visits. For those of us who were at the beginning material from debut album are sparse but delve in and you’ll find place of My Own and hidden in a medley an excerpt from Where But For Caravan Would I. The albums Land of Grey and Pink, the template to many a student’s college years is undoubtedly a Caravan favourite and receives much attention, as does Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night, through the 5 concerts with a smattering of their second album If I Could Do It Over Again.

In Caravan’s back catalogue there are a plethora of compilation and live albums which look back on their prolific career so this new compilation of live recordings is definitely for the avid Caravan collector or for those who now explore the world of vinyl this is a great way to discover or follow the history of Caravan in that way.

charm, warmth and versatility

A set from Keele in1976 kicks off the package, then a remastered version of the 1980 Paris concert previously available as a bootleg recording. Also restored after been hidden on CD box set is an Old Buckingham High School concert from 1990. Three albums are used to cover a concert in Diss from 1998 then concluding with the 2001 performance in Wavendon. So there is a wonderful spread over their career chronicling their evolution from the psychedelic quirky songs to their fusion of jazz, pop, rock and prog. But the charm, warmth and versatility remains throughout.

All this is accompanied by an informative booklet full of interesting opinion and facts about the history of the group by past and current members who are truly dedicated to maintaining the high quality of the Canterbury sound pioneers. So now I’ll fill a pipe with punkweed and listen to some more!!

If you are looking for highlights then head for the medleys in which music spanning the those first 25 years is seamlessly segued together with their musical progression blending splendidly together.

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