“Don’t hate the black/ Don’t hate the white/ If you get bit, just hate the bite” are the opening lyrics to Sly & The Family Stone’s “Are You Ready,” which was their show opener at the Fillmore East on Oct. 4, 1968—their first of two concerts that day. The line doesn’t carry the simplistic prowess of “different strokes for different folks” or “You can make it if you try,” but Sylvester Stewart (aka Sly Stone) was only months away from penning those everlasting truths. Sony Legacy’s new four-disc box set, Live at the Fillmore East October 4th & 5th 1968, exhibits one of the great geniuses of modern music on the brink of his creative breakthrough—one that would not only change the landscape of pop music but would also bring hope to a rapidly evolving socio-political atmosphere.

The Family Stone entered Bill Graham’s East Village auditorium in the fall of 1968 with the intention of cutting a live album, a plan thwarted by the success of their first No. 1 hit “Everyday People” several months later, which in turn would be followed by their first of several studio masterpieces, 1969’s Stand! For the Fillmore shows, the band was fresh off the release of Life, their third studio album, a commercial disappointment but a solid album that
continued the upbeat trend of the early Sly LPs—positive soul music infused with rock and funk beats, loud guitars, wailing organs, a blistering horn section and gospel vocals. Up to this point, they only had one song enter the charts, “Dance to the Music,” the title track off their second album, released five months prior to Life.

Live at the Fillmore East October 4th & 5th 1968 presents four shows from start to finish (an early show and a late show from each day), consisting primarily of songs from Dance to the Music and Life, as well as a couple of covers, such as “St. James Infirmary” and Otis Redding’s “I Can’t Turn You Loose.” It is startling to think that this is only the second official live album in the Sly catalog since the energy on these tapes is undeniable, displaying one of the most formidable bands ever assembled. The beauty in this set, aside from the preserved au naturel moments of Sly’s stage banter and the technical difficulties inherent in the early days of rock concerts, is hearing how the band extends or shortens certain songs from show to show. Whereas the “Are You Ready” opener clocks in at five minutes, the performance from the last show on October 5 is extended by three more, forecasting what’s to come with the euphoric psychedelic-soul jam “I Want to Take You Higher.” Ultimately, this box set is a must-own for any Sly aficionado and poses a strong argument that early Sly is truly underappreciated, almost as much as the latter part of his canon (e.g. Back on the Right Track). One can only hope that more live Sly gold resides in that amazing, and seemingly infinite, archive over at Sony Legacy.