T. Rex (September 28, 1973) – “Bang A Gong (Get It On)” Live Performance - The Midnight Special
This episode of The Midnight Special featured T. Rex performing both "Hot Love" and "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" for American television audiences. Hosted by Seals & Crofts, the programme showcased a diverse range of artists, with Marc Bolan and T. Rex delivering one of the night's most memorable rock performances.
The Midnight Special (NBC Television)
Date: September 28, 1973
Country: United States
T. Rex appeared as special guests on Season 2, Episode 3 of The Midnight Special, a late-night music television programme broadcast on NBC. Hosted by Seals & Crofts and announced by Wolfman Jack, the episode also featured performances by Paul Butterfield's Better Days, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Arlo Guthrie, Leo Kottke and Uriah Heep.
Marc Bolan led T. Rex through a performance of "Hot Love" before delivering "Bang A Gong (Get It On)", the song that had become the group's biggest hit in the United States. Originally released in Britain as "Get It On", the title had been altered for the American market to avoid confusion with another song of the same name. By the time of this appearance, the track had become closely identified with T. Rex's American breakthrough.
The performances captured Bolan's charismatic stage presence and demonstrated the visual style that had helped establish T. Rex as one of the leading acts of the glam rock era. Broadcast before a live studio audience, the appearance introduced the group to a nationwide television audience and remains one of the best-known surviving American television performances by T. Rex.
The programme provided American viewers with a rare opportunity to see T. Rex performing live on national television. Bolan's flamboyant image, distinctive vocals and engaging stage manner translated effectively to the television format, helping reinforce the group's growing reputation beyond the concert stage.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The Midnight Special was one of the most important American music television programmes of the 1970s, presenting major rock, pop and folk artists to national audiences. T. Rex's appearance came during a period when the band was continuing efforts to build on the American success achieved with "Bang A Gong (Get It On)".
The performances of both "Hot Love" and "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" showcased different aspects of the group's appeal, from the earlier UK hit that helped launch Bolan's stardom to the song that became synonymous with T. Rex's breakthrough in America.
The appearance remains an important visual record of Marc Bolan and T. Rex during their international peak, preserving the band's television presence for future generations of fans and researchers.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: T. Rex performs "Hot Love" and "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" on The Midnight Special
Era: 1973 T. Rex American television era
Tone: Energetic and performance-focused
Photography: Live television performance footage featuring Marc Bolan and T. Rex
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• T. Rex appearing as guests on The Midnight Special
• Live performances of "Hot Love" and "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
• Marc Bolan performing before a live American television audience
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