It’s always amazing to see footage from legendary performers—especially when they’re as talented as Jethro Tull.
In this performance from 1976, the uberly gifted band shows us exactly why they were so famous while playing a show in Tampa, Florida for a packed crowd.
Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson plays a remarkable solo on the flute that leaves people in awe.
For those who don’t know, Jethro Tull is a famous British rock band out of Blackpool, Lancashire who had a unique style that mixed several genres of music together. In this rare footage from 1976, they play “Thick As A Brick” for a packed crowd at Tampa Stadium.
At the beginning of the video, Anderson cracks a joke to the crowd who’s already going wild at the very sound of his voice.
When he starts to sing you immediately know who it is. His voice is so unique and are one of the reasons he’s so great.
Jethro Tull is so good live, and the amount of sounds they produce is unbelievable.
Not only do they sound phenomenal, but Anderson’s showmanship is also something that only comes around every so often. Around 3:30 into the over 13-minute long video, Anderson ditches his guitar and begins thrashing around the stage.
Just when you thought they couldn’t get any better, Anderson pulls out another instrument and the real show begins.
When he starts playing the flute it’s unreal!
The way he keeps up with the other instruments is baffling. He makes the flute sound so rock and roll, and it’s hard to imagine how he comes up with these terrific melodies! The entire audience is completely captivated by Jethro Tull, as Anderson grabs the mic to begin singing again.
Being a good singer is hard enough, so when you add in multiple instruments, it just makes it that much more impressive.
The way that he’s able to switch from one instrument to singing then back to a different instrument is something that only the most musically inclined musicians can do.
The first flute solo was only a taste—when he comes back in with it he totally steals the show.
Anderson starts playing the flute again at 6:45, and this time he really means business. He’s completely taken over by the music he’s playing, hypnotized by the instrument that he’s pumping brilliant sounds out of.
Bass guitarist John Glascock also puts on an outstanding show, and anytime Anderson lets up to catch his breath you can hear the roaring chords of the bass streaming out.
Jethro Tull doesn’t skip a beat the entire performance, especially at the end— they really ramp it up.
At the very end of the show, Anderson lets the crowd sing the last words for him and they all scream right on cue.
Even all these years later, a band like Jethro Tull is still being spread around the world thanks to technology and social media.
This video has been viewed almost 1.5 million times on YouTube, with more than 10,000 people liking it.
Music like this is timeless.
Anyone who appreciates a great live performance needs to see these guys perform live. In 2020, music has changed a lot, but bands like Jethro Tull still remain relevant through performances like this one.
To see the electric live performance for yourself, watch the video below!
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