Old Waldorf, San Francisco, 31 January 1978

The Ramones' first three albums are indispensable artifacts of the late '70s punk explosion, with their venomous fusion of Alice Cooper, The Lemon Pipers, and any other adolescent obsessions and college preoccupations. Ultimately, like their early live shows, these early albums are exhilarating formal triumphs. Their appearance at The Old Waldorf on January 31, 1978, enforced this with an abundance of energy and good vibes. Sweating American culture from every pore in 26 songs delivered with breakneck ferocity. Quite simply, it was a furor that challenged the pomp of prog and rock, drawing on three albums with Rocket to Russia being the most recent. Their Waldorf appearance displays a formidable force of nature in action. Armed with guitars, drums and with the trademark 1, 2, 3, 4 assault, the band rip through their 1978 set list, a near carbon copy of their more familiar January 7 NYC performance aired on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. Incidentally, Tommy Ramone would leave the band shortly after these shows to concentrate on producing, making way for ex-Voidoids drummer Marc Bell (aka Marky Ramone). Fortunately, the records remain, but importantly, so do a handful of live recordings that can at least allow an appreciation of an equally vital part of their legacy. Echoes proudly presents a rare opportunity to capture The Ramones at their explosive best and in their formative years when CBGB's was a minor backstreet haunt. Their appearance at The Old Waldorf, broadcast on KSAN-FM, is a testament to the energy and ferocity of the band as a live act. Complete broadcast on 180-gram vinyl in digitally remastered sound with background liners and rare photos.