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Roy Orbison Concert | Retro Projector Series- Vol 3

May 17, 2020
2 min read

Updated: May 16

Roy Orbison

In 1987, the legendary Roy Orbison stepped onto the stage of the iconic Coconut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel for a performance that would become one of the most unforgettable moments of his career.

Backed by Elvis Presley’s legendary TCB Band, Orbison delivered a hauntingly beautiful concert that reminded the world why his voice was unlike any other.

The black-and-white special captured Orbison at his most powerful — dressed in black, standing beneath the spotlight, and effortlessly moving between heartbreak ballads and rockabilly classics.

The night also featured appearances from an all-star lineup including Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and Bonnie Raitt — artists who deeply admired Orbison and the influence he had on generations of musicians.

The setlist was a journey through the golden years of rock and roll and heartbreak:

“Only the Lonely”
“Dream Baby”
“Blue Bayou” (later restored in anniversary editions)
“The Comedians”
“Ooby Dooby”
“Leah”
“Running Scared”
“Uptown”
“In Dreams”
“Crying”
“Candy Man”
“Go Go Go (Down the Line)”
“Mean Woman Blues”
“(All I Can Do Is) Dream You”
“Claudette”
“It’s Over”
“Oh, Pretty Woman”
“Blue Angel”

More than just a concert, the performance became a powerful late-career revival for Orbison. His unmistakable voice — soaring, emotional, and timeless — captivated both longtime fans and a new generation discovering him for the first time.

Following Orbison’s passing in 1988, his son Alex Orbison helped preserve the magic of the performance by re-editing and restoring the original footage.

In 2017, a newly remastered 30th anniversary edition was released, featuring enhanced audio and previously unseen bonus material, allowing audiences to experience the concert with fresh clarity while preserving its nostalgic black-and-white atmosphere.

Even decades later, the performance feels frozen in time — a final reminder that Roy Orbison’s music never really belonged to one era. It still echoes through every lonely jukebox song, every neon-lit memory, and every old soul who understands the beauty of heartbreak set to music.

https://vimeo.com/117692848