Published on August 3, 2026 by

This filmed live concert captures Frank Zappa at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey, on October 13, 1978, during his world tour. The recording documents one of the most formidable bands of his career: alongside the guitarist-bandleader stand Ike Willis and Denny Walley on guitars and vocals, keyboardists Tommy Mars and Peter Wolf, Ed Mann on percussion, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, and Arthur Barrow on bass. A legendary 1970s rock room, the Capitol Theatre in Passaic is renowned for its storied radio and TV broadcasts, which sent many of its shows far beyond the venue itself. All the Zappa hallmarks are here: collective virtuosity, biting humor, intricate arrangements, and extended guitar improvisation. From “Dancin’ Fool” to “Muffin Man,” by way of “City of Tiny Lites” and “Black Napkins,” this full concert is a valuable document of one of the most technically demanding live ensembles of the late 1970s. Keywords: Frank Zappa, Capitol Theatre, Passaic, 1978, live, full concert.

Setlist

  1. Persona Non Grata
  2. Dancin' Fool
  3. Easy Meat
  4. Bamboozled by Love
  5. Sy Borg
  6. Suicide Chump
  7. The Little House I Used to Live In
  8. Village of the Sun
  9. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
  10. City of Tiny Lites
  11. A Pound for a Brown on the Bus
  12. Yo' Mama
  13. Magic Fingers
  14. Black Napkins
  15. Camarillo Brillo
  16. Muffin Man
  17. Strictly Genteel

Personnel & credits

  • Frank Zappa — guitare, chant, direction
  • Ike Willis — guitare, chant
  • Denny Walley — guitare slide, chant
  • Tommy Mars — claviers
  • Peter Wolf — claviers
  • Arthur Barrow — basse
  • Ed Mann — percussions
  • Vinnie Colaiuta — batterie
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