T.Rex - Wembley Empire Pool, 18th March 1972 (Matinee Concert)

On 18 March 1972 T.Rex performed two sell-out concerts at the Empire Pool, Wembley (capacity 10,000 per show). They were only the second group to play there – the first having been Led Zeppelin in November 1971 – other than for multi-artist NME awards and charity shows in the 1960s.

The Empire Pool was originally just that – a swimming pool built for the 1934 Empire Games.

Having had three number one singles (with two more at number two) and the Electric Warrior album at number one for eight weeks either side of Christmas 1971, T.Rex were the hottest group in the UK.

Both concerts featured 10 songs, mixing the hits (Jeepster, Telegram Sam, Hot Love, Get It On) with b-sides and album tracks performed by the band (Cadilac, Baby Strange) and as an acoustic interlude (Spaceball Ricochet, Girl and Cosmic Dancer). The encore was a version of Summertime Blues, originally by Eddie Cochran – an artist whose look and music greatly influenced Bolan as a young man.

Both concerts were filmed by an Apple Films crew of five, led by Marc’s big mate Ringo Starr. Meanwhile producer Tony Visconti was recording the sound in the Rolling Stones’ mobile recording facility parked outside.

The concerts shot that day are the only surviving professionally filmed complete T.Rex concerts, representing a unique moment in the history of rock music and revealing the extraordinary power and success of Marc Bolan and T.Rex.