Silver Paper at Canadian Festival Express 1970 A Rare Live Document of Mountain at Full Power
The live performance of Silver Paper by Mountain at the Canadian Festival Express in 1970 stands as one of the most compelling surviving documents of the band at its creative and physical peak. Featuring Leslie West on guitar and vocals, Felix Pappalardi on bass and vocals, Corky Laing on drums, and Steve Knight on keyboards, the recording captures Mountain during a brief but explosive period when they were redefining the sound of heavy blues rock.
The Canadian Festival Express tour itself has become legendary. Traveling across Canada by train, the festival brought together some of the most important rock acts of the era, with musicians performing both on stage and informally along the journey. Mountain entered the tour with strong momentum, following the success of their debut album Climbing. Silver Paper was one of their most recognizable songs at the time, built on a driving riff and a sense of controlled aggression that reflected the band’s identity.
In this live performance, Silver Paper is delivered with raw intensity. Leslie West’s guitar tone is thick and commanding, cutting through the mix with clarity and weight. His phrasing is direct and expressive, rooted in blues but amplified by volume and sustain. Corky Laing’s drumming provides relentless forward motion, while Felix Pappalardi anchors the performance with a bass line that balances power and musicality. Steve Knight’s keyboard work, often subtle in earlier recordings, adds depth and texture to the overall sound.
What makes this particular version especially notable is the recent remastering work applied to the recording. Earlier circulating versions suffered from imbalance, with vocals and keyboard elements buried in the mix. The remastered edition opens up the sound significantly, bringing greater presence to the guitar, drums, and audience response, while also revealing Steve Knight’s contributions more clearly than before. Although some elements remain limited by the original recording conditions, the improvement in clarity offers a far more engaging listening experience.
This performance does not present Mountain as a polished or restrained act. Instead, it reflects the band’s strength as a live unit, driven by volume, groove, and interaction. The audience reaction, now more audible, reinforces the sense of immediacy and excitement surrounding the performance.
Silver Paper from the Canadian Festival Express stands as more than a historical curiosity. It is a vivid snapshot of Mountain at a moment when their sound felt urgent and uncompromising. Decades later, this remastered version allows listeners to hear the band with renewed impact, preserving an essential chapter in the story of early heavy rock.