Hot Tuna was scheduled to play The Palladium after the release of their double live album and I believed that the band was about to break huge. The late 1970’s was the time of the great live LP propelling artists to arena acts and beyond but unexpectedly it was announced that Hot Tuna had broken up as a band. Hot Tuna no longer existed as an entity but Jorma Kaukonan would perform as a solo act in its stead. When Jorma hit the stage it was a bit of a shock because the long hair was gone and instead he sported a short slicked back orange hairstyle. Years later I read somewhere where Jorma said he had taken a swig of champagne before the Palladium gig and that unbeknownst to him it was laced with LSD resulting in him playing the same note for twenty minutes. To be honest, I do not think anyone in attendance took notice.

Watch the North Wind Rise

Rock on!

GQ