This is a
website dedicated to the archival of Traffic tour dates from the April 1970
until December 1974. Over time we hope this archival collection will include setlists, photos, ticket stubs, posters, performance
reviews and of course details of each concert date, including location, venue,
headlining/support acts, number of shows, cancellations,etc. We will only achieve this with your help. So
that is why we have included links to the Traffic Tour Archive as it exists
today.
History
Traffic began in 1967 with
Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi,
Chris Wood and Dave Mason. The group was part of a wave of British psychedelic
pop bands and had a high-level of success in the U.K.
but was not as well known in the U.S. They recorded two albums
“Mr. Fantasy” (Dec 1967 in the UK and Apr 1968 in the US) and
“Traffic” (Oct 1968) and began touring the US in late
1968. However, egos clashed as Winwood and
Mason’s relationship was strained, with Mason leaving the band for good
in early 1969. Winwood would form the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith while Capaldi,
Wood and Mason would form the equally short-lived Wooden Frog. Following the
break up of Blind Faith in late 1969, Capaldi, Wood
and Winwood would reform Traffic as a three-piece and
recorded “John Barlycorn Must Die” which
was released in July 1970.
After the first of two tours
of the US
in 1970, the band added Rick Grech (Blind Faith) on
bass August 1970, and then added Jim Gordon (Derek & The Dominos) on drums
and RebopKwakuBaah on percussion in May 1971. Dave Mason joined again but
only lasted a few gigs and the live album “Welcome to the Canteen.”
He departed for good (except for some future guest appearances at live shows)
and the band went into the studio in July and August 1971 to record “The
Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys.” Following completion of the album they
played a handful of UK dates
and then embarked upon a short tour of the US. As preparation was underway for
a full-blown tour to support “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys”
album, both Grech and Gordon departed in early
December 1971. Muscle Shoals session men David Hood (bass) and Roger Hawkins
(drums) were recruited and the postponed US tour began on January 11, 1972 in
New Haven, Connecticut. Early on however, Steve Winwood
developed peritonitis and the tour was aborted.
In late 1972, the band
recorded “Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory” in Jamaica and then went on a tour of the US and Europe
to support the album. This incarnation of Traffic broke up in September 1973.
In late 1973, the three-piece Traffic (Capaldi, Wood
and Winwood) reformed with Rebop
and Rosko Gee on bass. They toured the UK and continental Europe
in early 1974 and recorded their final album (“When the Eagle
Flies”) during June and July 1974.Following the recording of the album they headlined the Reading Festival
on August 24, 1974 and then embarked on a final tour of the US.
In 1994, Capaldi
& Winwood (without Chris Wood who had died in
1983) reformed Traffic to support the Grateful Dead’s
summer tour.
This archive is just a beginning. If you have
additional tour dates, venues, support acts, set lists, scans of ads or
reviews, or more importantly corrections or modifications to any of the
information presented here, please email me at TourArchive@aol.com.
The following sites have valuable information
relating to Traffic concerts during 1970 – 1974: