Robert Callender – Rainbow: The Anniversary Concert
Nearly six decades after its release, Callender’s psychedelic masterpiece Rainbow comes to life on stage for the very first time — captured on CD/DVD & LP.
First-ever live performance of the psychedelic grail captured on CD/DVD & LP – out November 14, 2025.
Think Like A Key Music is proud to present Rainbow: The Anniversary Concert, a landmark release bringing Robert Callender’s 1968 psychedelic masterpiece Rainbow to the stage for the very first time. Performed in full with strings, sitar, tabla, and the rhythm section at the Timucua Arts Foundation in Orlando, this historic event was filmed and recorded in technicolor detail — now available worldwide as a 2CD/DVD set and as a vinyl LP.
From Enigma to Anniversary Spotlight
In the late ’60s, Robert Callender — then recording as Bobby Callender — was a young singer-songwriter with a vision that defied his era. On Rainbow (1968, MGM), he fused Eastern raga textures with Western psychedelic rock, crafting a concept-driven song cycle long before such albums became common. The sessions brought together some of New York’s finest: bassist Richard Davis (Astral Weeks), guitarists Eric Gale and Hugh McCracken, and sitarist Colin Walcott of Oregon.
The result was a raga-rock fusion that was too far ahead of its time. For decades, the album lingered in obscurity, known only to deep-digging collectors and DJs. But slowly, word spread. Its kaleidoscopic cover art drew the curious, and its cosmic, East-meets-West sound drew comparisons to the more adventurous works of the Beatles, Dylan, and early jazz-rock innovators.
A major feature in Shindig! magazine finally placed Callender’s story in the spotlight, debunking myths and allowing the artist to tell his journey in his own words. Interest surged — suddenly Rainbow was a cult grail, championed by crate diggers, modern psych bands, and reissue culture alike. And yet, despite its reputation, Rainbow had never been performed live. Until now.
The Anniversary Concert
With the encouragement of friend Benoit Glaser at the Timucua Arts Foundation, Callender agreed to stage the album in full. Backed by the jazz ensemble Golden Flower — Brandon Miller (music director, bass guitar), Chris Belt (guitar), Patrick Moreno (piano, keyboards, synthesizers), and Thad Anderson (drums, tracks) — together with Dr. Kanada Narahari (sitar), Pandit Nandkishor Muley (tabla), and the Fernwood String Quartet (Maria Del Rocio – flute; Julia M. Gessinger – violin; Tina Hunting Gant – violin; Charles Edouard Glazer – viola; Jean-Marie Glazer – cello), the concert became a once-in-a-lifetime reimagining of a lost classic.
The audience, stunned to hear an underground legend brought to life, gave the performance a rapturous reception.
“It was both exciting and exhilarating. To be appreciated by the audience is a wonderful thing.” – Robert Callender
Formats
2CD + DVD Edition
- Complete concert audio on CD
- Full-length concert film on DVD
- 16-page booklet with new notes by producer/archivist Chaim O’Brien-Blumenthal and reflections by Callender himself
- Deluxe digipak packaging with collectable 0bi-strip
Vinyl LP Edition
- Rainbow song cycle performed live, distilled to one LP
- Limited edition 340g black vinyl pressing
- Double-sided insert with full liner notes
A Living Legacy
Rainbow: The Anniversary Concert is more than a rediscovery — it’s a long-overdue validation of Robert Callender’s role in the psychedelic movement. Once whispered about only in collector circles, his music now takes center stage.
Looking ahead, Callender is planning additional anniversary shows in New York, across the U.S., and Europe in 2026, ensuring that this once-hidden masterpiece continues its second life on stage.
Rainbow: The Anniversary Concert is released worldwide on November 14, 2025.
