HALLOWEEN 73

Zappa always liked to push the boat out at Halloween, and the Zappa Family Trust has lately been making sure we know it with these lavish live releases of his Halloween blowouts from different years. This 1973 set is of particular interest to anyone who's keen on the mid-1970s lineup of the Mothers that recorded Roxy and Elsewhere, since this comes from a couple of months before the Roxy residency which formed the backbone of that set and sees the group honing the material which would go on to make up that release.

You get two full sets here - an early show and a late show - and whilst Zappa does note that there's a bit of crossover with the setlists, the band do a good job of making each feel distinct. On top of the shows themselves, the collection also gives you audio from the rehearsals, which offers a fun insight into Frank and the gang cracking each other up as they workshop and hone the material.