Soundcheck from the 1970s

Rare soundcheck footage of famous musicians from the 1970s. Browse 22 clips below.

All Soundcheck All 1970s

About Soundcheck Footage

Soundcheck footage is uniquely intimate — it’s often the only time an artist plays in a venue without an audience, and the atmosphere is completely different from the show that follows. Musicians use soundchecks to warm up, try out new material, revisit deep cuts, or just jam. Some of the best unreleased performances were captured during soundchecks.

The 1970s in Music

The 1970s was the golden age of the album and the arena tour. Prog rock, punk, disco, funk, reggae, and singer-songwriters all flourished simultaneously. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, and The Ramones were pushing music in radically different directions. The decade also saw the rise of music television and concert filming — meaning more behind-the-scenes footage survives from the 70s than any previous decade. Studio sessions, rehearsal tapes, and tour documentaries from this era are some of the most sought-after footage in music history.