On the turntable this Sunday...Waiting For Columbus

Waiting for Columbus is the first live album by the Southern roots-rock band, Little Feat. The album was recorded during seven performances in 1977. The first four shows were held at the Rainbow Theatre in London on August 1–4, 1977. The final three shows were recorded in George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium on August 8–10 that same summer in Washington, D.C.. Local Washington radio personality Don "Cerphe" Colwell can be heard leading the audience in a "F-E-A-T" spellout in between the first (Join the Band) and second (Fat Man in the Bathtub)tracks.

The band were backed by the Tower of Power horn section with whom they had recorded in previous studio sessions. The result was one of their biggest selling albums and is considered one of the most acclaimed live rock albums in the same vein as The Band's Rock of Ages and The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East.

Many of their more well-known songs were either re-worked or extended. For instance, one of their signature songs, "Dixie Chicken", was heavily extended to include a lengthy piano solo by keyboardist Bill Payne, a Dixieland horn arrangement and finally a dual guitar jam between the band's two guitarists, Lowell George and Paul Barrere. In some cases, songs such as "Rocket In My Pocket" and "Mercenary Territory" were re-worked to include the horn section, and Little Feat additionally covered such tunes as "Don't Bogart That Joint" and "On Your Way Down" as well.

The band recorded and mixed enough material from these performances for a triple LP, but for marketing reasons kept it to a double album. Three of the unused tracks were included on their 1981 album Hoy-Hoy!. All were eventually released on the 2002 "Deluxe edition" CD.

Side one

"Join The Band" (Traditional) – 1:50

"Fat Man in the Bathtub" (George) – 4:50

"All That You Dream" (Barrère, Payne) – 4:25

"Oh Atlanta" (Payne) – 4:09

"Old Folks' Boogie" (Barrère, G. Barrère) – 4:22

Side two

"Time Loves a Hero" (Barrère, Gradney, Payne) – 4:20

"Day or Night" (Payne, F. Tate) – 5:23

"Mercenary Territory" (George, E. George, Hayward) – 4:27

"Spanish Moon" (George) – 4:49

Side three

"Dixie Chicken" (George, Kibbee) – 9:00

"Tripe Face Boogie" (Hayward, Payne) – 7:02

"Rocket in My Pocket" (George) – 3:42

Side four

"Willin'" (George) – 4:42

"Don't Bogart That Joint" (E. Ingber, L. Wagner) – 0:57

"A Apolitical Blues" (George) – 3:41

"Sailin' Shoes" (George) – 6:18

"Feats Don't Fail Me Now" (Barrère, George, Kibbee) – 5:17

Personnel

Paul Barrère - guitar, vocals

Sam Clayton - congas, vocals

Lowell George - lead vocals, guitar

Kenny Gradney - bass guitar

Richard Hayward - drums, vocals

Bill Payne - keyboards, synthesizer, vocals

Mick Taylor - slide guitar ("A Apolitical Blues")

Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons - backing vocals ("Red Streamliner")

With the Tower of Power horn section:

Emilio Castillo - tenor saxophone

Greg Adams - trumpet

Lenny Pickett - alto saxophone and tenor saxophone

Stephen "Doc" Kupka - baritone saxophone

Mic Gillette - trombone, trumpet

On 31 October 2010, American rock band Phish covered Waiting for Columbus in its entirety as their "musical costume" for their Halloween show at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.