The 1972 performance that proved Marc Bolan was glam rock’s greatest star
One guitar and one set of conga drums isn’t exactly the kind of set-up one expects when buying a ticket to see a show at Wembley. But, those who traipsed ot see Marc Bolan in 1972 got just that.
Well, not just that, they also got to see glam rock’s greatest star ascend into the night’s sky to become an everlastin gicon. Which, when you think about it, is probably worth the ticket, even if conga drums were involved.
Stick with us. We know the thought of an acoustic guitar and a set of drums is the stuff of Kumbaya nightmares but here, T Rex, and perhaps most notably their lead singer Marc Bolan, create a sensational performance and a riotous atmosphere. It’s truly impressive stuff.
Part of what makes the performance so captivating is its simplicity. Stripped of the electric swagger that often defined T Rex at their peak, the song is allowed to breathe, placing Bolan’s songwriting and natural charisma firmly at the centre of the experience.
The clip comes courtesy of Born to Boogie, a concert film built out of two evenings at Wembley Arena back in 1972. At the time, music was a particularly tribal place to be. Unlike today, where the youth are encouraged to pick and choose the songs and artists they like, in the 1970s, you had to be dead certain what music and musicians you liked because you were with them for life.
A lack of everyday contact with musicians and film stars, the likes of which we achieve almost every second via social media today, meant that kids across the country were allowed to become fanatics in their bedrooms and turn singers into idols overnight. The very treatment was given to Marc Bolan when he and his band T Rex burst onto the scene in the early seventies.
Their second album Electric Warrior would throw the band into the stratosphere alongside the growing glam rock movement. Featuring songs like ‘Get It On’ and ‘Jeepster’ the band grew devoted following much of which filled Wembley Arena back in 1972.
By then, Bolan had become one of Britain’s first true teen idols of the decade. ‘T. Rextasy’ had swept the country, with fans treating the singer in much the same way Beatlemania had elevated the Fab Four only a few years earlier.
The clip starts with Bolan addressing that very fandom. Sitting down on the stage cross-legged, almost eye to eye with his audience, he first asks the crowd to move back as he’s worried they’re being squashed. Later, saying if anyone is being hurt to give him “a little wave.” With that moment of connection and comfort, Bolan launches into a perfect rendition of ‘Cosmic Dancer’.
Bolan begins the track, aided by Mickey Finn on the aforementioned congas, as you might expect. A gentle lilt and the dazzling demeanour of a star-crossed lover does a great job of whipping a crowd into an intense staring match with the singer. It’s a touching moment of truly potent songwriting and, most importantly, performance.
As if to compound that point, Bolan, once completing the album version of the song, then begins a rhythmic acoustic solo. Removed from the gentle orchestral lullaby of the song on the record, here Bolan takes it to a brand new height of rock and roller, finding a charge of electricity even with being unplugged.
It’s a reminder that Bolan’s greatest strength was never simply his image or the glittering spectacle surrounding glam rock. Beneath the feathers and sequins was a gifted performer capable of holding thousands of people spellbound with little more than an acoustic guitar and his unmistakable stage presence.
It’s an absolute joy to behold and acts as a document of the huge influence and fame Bolan had before his tragic death just weeks before his 30th birthday. Of course, by that point, Bolan had risen to the top, fallen and started his rise once again, only to be cut short. For now, we look back at a moment where he is revelling in his success.
Watching the performance today, it’s easy to understand why Marc Bolan became such an influential figure. Long before arena rock became synonymous with elaborate productions, he demonstrated that genuine star power required very little embellishment. For a few unforgettable minutes, Cosmic Dancer becomes less a song than a shared moment between artist and audience, capturing Bolan at the height of his remarkable powers.
