Live albums
Live albums get a bad press from music critics, but many live albums rank among my overall favourites - for instance, my favourite Stones album is 'Get Your Ya Yas Out', possibly because it was the first one I bought (I liked the title).
Other live albums I love:
Allman Brothers - Live at the Filmore East
James Brown - At the Apollo
Iggy and The Stooges - Metallic KO
Happy Mondays - Live (even most of their fans hate this but I love it)
Johnny Cash - San Quentin
Oasis - Familiar To Millions
The Clash - From Here To Eternity
Supersuckers - Live at the Magic Bag
Guns N' Roses - Live Era
The Kinks - Give The People What They Want
Nirvana - From The Muddy Banks Of The River Wishkah
Not to mention countless bootlegs that I have grown to love...
So - live albums. Contractual filler or a window into the heart and soul of a band?
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It's Too Late To Stop Now
Probably the finest live album ever made. With the possible exception of Bob Marley's Live album.
Both a long, long way from being contractual fillers, and both providing a clear view of their creators' visions.
Van The Man, just what I was going to say....
I'd go one better and say Too Late To Stop Now is Van's best album, never mind talking about 'live'. Certainly the version of Caravan on there is my favourite Van performance from any album. The bit just after the sweet string interlude and the introduction of the band, where Van just lays back into the song like he's had a nice little rest and wants to take it to the end so he can get to the bar(!). It blew me away when I first heard it many years ago, and it still does now!
Can't agree more
"It's Too Late To Stop Now" album is out of this world. I also have a soft spot for Live At The Grand Opera House Belfast especially the version of "Rave On John Donne".
Can I go a bit left field for Word and suggest "Maxwell Unplugged" ? His version of "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush has to be heard to be believed.
And one of the consolations of my old age...
...is being able to point out I was there when they recorded both of them.
i'm the complete opposite...
not saying that they're the finest of their genres or anything but
a) Oasis played 2 gigs at Wembley Stadium in 2000 and released a live album based on the recording of one. I was at the other.
b) U2 played 2 gigs at Slane Castle in 2001 and released a DVD of the recording of one show. I was at the other.
c) Same with the stones at Twickenham in 2003. It's odd. In each case there were 2 shows performed and I managed to pick the one NOT being recorded for posterity...
Which Stones...
...show was recorded, Ivan?
i believe it was the August one...
there was two intended shows for August, and the Saturday show was postponed to September. The Sunday show was recorded. Not for a live album, but for the 'Four Flicks' DVD box set... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Flicks - aye - it's there!
on the other hand, in the later show, we got some of AC/DC out performing with them. AND they did Salt of the Earth...
Thanks Ivan...
...I was there on the August Sunday and we got Starsailor in support. I mean, they did a manful job and all that...
Sounds familiar
Pulp's Feeling Called Live video was taped on the second of 2 nights they played at the Brixton Academy in December 1995. Guess which one I was right at the front of?
And of that I will be forever jealous....
Damn my younger bones!
Oops
Intended for response to the Van Morrison live...
Van Live
This is aimed at D Hepworth's post on It's Too Late to Stop Now.
I dimly recall a Van Morrison live TV show on BBC Sight & Sound, with the Caledonia Soul Orchestra and recorded, I think, on the same tour that gave us It's Too Late.... Shame it's never turned up on DVD, as it was as magnificent as the audio version. Suppose you were there, too!
Wasn't that the next tour?
The one featuring the slightly smaller Caledonia Soul Express?
Caledonia Soul Orchestra/Express
Could well be. Said my recollection was dim! Still, a cracking show and a pity it's not available to Mr & Mrs Public.
Thin Lizzy
Live and Dangerous is my favourite album. And not my favourite live album, my favourite album full stop. It leaves me shellshocked me every single time I hear it.
Notoriously
Notoriously retouched in the studio to the point where apparently even some of the applause isn't genuine. Still a good album though.
By and large I dont like them
but there are exceptions.
Any live cd by String Cheese Incident and there are several of them is well worth a punt. They are exceptional musicians and do some very unusual interpretations of some classic songs.Check them out, you wont be disappointed.
Best live cd I have is Nils Lofgren Acoustic live. Awesome.
Waiting for Columbus
....by Little Feat. Not their best live stuff but still excellent.
Electrif (sic) lycanthrope
is probably the best Little Feat live album. Allegedly released with cooperation from the band -it has a Neon Park cover - it's slick, concise, soulful and has a great groove. Unlike Columbus which tends to stretch things out too much.
It should be available somewhere on the internet as a torrent.
Oh and
"Johnny Winter And - Live!" - seriously unhinged rocking. Most of it is available on iTunes at 79p even though the tracks are quite long - everyone loving rock n roll should instantly download the "Rock n roll Medley" which is the best 79p you'll spend this week.
While we're on the subject of Les Freres Hiver, "Roadwork" by little brother Edgar's White Trash is also a brilliant live album. iTunes again - try "Back in the USA" featuring Rick Derringer - excellent.
Thanks Twangothan...
...I'm in for 79p.
Let me know what you think
No hint of post gig touching up for these boys! Seriously bonkers.
I'm going back...
...for the rest of it. Soon as I look up 'raucous' in the dictionary. I thought I knew what it meant, but it turns out I was wrong. Then I'm going to see what they say about 'unhinged'.
It's my own fault
The only track which isn't on iTunes is an 11 minute magnificent blues "it's my own fault" which is worth having too - you might, ahem, find it by other means.......
Steve Gibbons Band
Does anyone remember Caught In The Act?
I haven't heard this for maybe 20 years but used to think it was fabulous. But my mind may be playing tricks!
Rock Of Ages - The Band, 1971/2
Recorded on New Year's Eve, 1971 - I was 2 weeks old - at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, this video of the first song on the album surfaced a while back. It rocks.
Watch it, and I promise I won't post it in the 'singing drummers' thread and as a reason why The Rolling Stones rock but don't roll.
Levon's drumkit
Huge fan of this album. I've never seen this footage before though.
What strikes is the small kit that Levon is playing. Clearly no ego here, he swings beautifully without the necessity for a kit the size of a small alpine state.
Who started the huge drumkit fashion....Ginger?
That's extraordinary
Pound for pound, strong in every position, was there ever a more talented group of musicians playing in the rock idiom? Three brilliant singers, a genius on the drums and a brilliant songwriter who didn't bother to sing.
On top of which
You've got Garth Hudson, who could - and can - play anything. My favourite band, certainly.
Charlie Watts would agree with you
The Stones rocking but not rolling is surely why he has his jazz sideline. And where I differ with you, Lucas, is that what sets The Band apart is not that they rock but that they swing. Awesome clip, thanks.
Exactly what I wanted to say...
But who has ever heard of Rock 'n' Swing?
By the way, that clip is available on the DVD that comes with the box set A Musical History, if anyone's curious.
I would timidly suggest it's filed under:
Western Swing: check it out. 1970s Commander Cody or Asleep at the Wheel would be a good start.
Beat me daddy!
8 to the bar.
Ace.
I often pull out...
...the old vinyl copy of Dr Feelgood's Stupidity.
And before Archie pitches in, let's not forget Irish Tour and Live in Europe by the mighty Rory Gallagher.
Live In Europe
Goin to My Home Town. Phew!!!!
OK, I'll do another one then
Before Lucas pitches in, let's not forget Dylan's Before the Flood, which I know a lot of people dislike but I've always loved.
D'
oh.
Live
Live at Leeds-John Martyn, feels like you're right there
Live Stiffs-Various (a lovely snapshot of this historic label)
Van and Bob Marley-deffo
Sandy Denny-Golddust, has overdubs but a valuable rare live recording of the brilliant one. Also the track "Lowlands Of Holland' complete with radio frequencies, from the BBC recordings, not live in concert but live (in the Beeb's studio) nontheless.
Robert Wyatt-Live At Drury Lane
Woodstock-Country Joe, Hendrix "Star Spangled Banner", Arlo Guthrie, CSN & Y,Sly Stone,
Television's "Blow Up"- Dog rough recording, but what a band. Sizzling!!
Soupsongs (Various)- Julie Tippett and friends give Robert Wyatt's song book its deserved royal treatment.
Keith Jarrett-The Koln Concert-magical and expressive a moment forever captured.
TV
Outstanding - especially Little Johhny Jewel
Faulty air conditioning unit live!
Radiohead - I might be wrong. Different take on Kid A and Amnesiac material.
Neil Young - various albums. Live Rust is a goodie. Except dodgy reggae bit in Cortez the Killer
Sam Cooke & Bill Withers
I'll just keep banging on about these 2.....
Colosseum Live
In the early 70s my mate's brother, Dave, had an album collection which played a huge part in shaping my early tastes in rock music. Whenever I visited their house, my mate, Paul, would fish out one or two of Dave's albums, stick them on the radiogram in the back room, and blast open yet further musical horizons for me. Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma", Yes's "Fragile", VdGG's "The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other", Led Zeppelin's first two albums, and the big one: "Colosseum Live". I'd heard virtuoso stuff, I'd heard some heavy-duty jamming, but this was just a non-stop torrent of both invention and excitement, right from the moment Jon Hiseman's muttered introduction "Rope Ladder... To The Moon" leads to the jingling of Dave Greenslade's vibes, the pounding crescendo of drums and bass, then Dave Clempson's killer riffing and Chris Farlowe's whoops and growls. From there it gets even better - Dick Heckstall-Smith duetting with himself on multiple saxes, the middle section breakdown and re-build based around Greenslade's organ, leading to a magnificent ending. And that's just the first track! By the time we reached the epic wonder of "Lost Angeles", I knew it'd be a long time before I heard a better live album.
And I still haven't - to me it's the pinnacle of that all-too-often disappointing genre. There are far more dismal live albums than decent ones, and the great ones are even rarer.
I'll add honourable mentions for Hawkwind's "Space Ritual" and Siouxsie and The Banshees' "Nocturne", but most of all, draw your attention to an excellent article on the subject from The Guardian last year. Ten Rules - I think the theory works.
OK OK
You've sold it to me - just bought Rope Ladder from iTunes - nearly 10 mins of class music for 79p. Good job!
colosseum
Will be checking this out when I get home tonight. Thanks in advance!!!
Live at Leeds (again)
I'll be obvious and go with the other Live at Leeds album - The Who. What is it with Leeds that creates such good live albums ?
The Stones
There is a Stones boot out there called Get Yer Leeds Lungs Out which is another addition to the classic Leeds oeuvre. Anyone who had a copy of the original Brown Sugar 7" would have heard Let It Rock which was taken from this gig.
Three for you
All of a similar ilk, being solo and accoustic :
Live Alone in America: Graham Parker (better than the Parkerilla)
Learning to Flinch: Warren Zevon (better than Stand in the Fire)
and, of course,
Small Town Romance: Richard Thompson (different from any other of the many group live outings or with Danny T)
Did I forget to mention, forget to mention Talking Heads?
The Name Of This Band Is Called Talking Heads is one of the finest I know of (I refer to the recent updated version with extra tracks). It has the best of their stuff from the beginning ('77) up to Remain in Light period and is superior to Stop Making Sense. It also features some notable guitar work from Adrian Belew on the second, later CD.
Yes!
Love this!
Also, Stop Making Sense; surely the greatest concert film of all time?
MIKE HARDING
Uncle Joe's Mintballs (keep you all aglow)
and Miles Of Aisles-Joni
Live at the Electric Circus (The Fall, JCC, Joy Div etc)
oh and "Live at the Pageant Rooms"-Man (arguably Britains finest live band)
and "Hendrix In The West"
yikes and Aretha "Live at The Fillmore"
Fairports "House Full"
Richard and Linda "Live Concert 1974"
And Loudon "Alive One"
and Dylan's best live album "Hard Rain" (quiet at the back there)
and not forgetting "The Last Waltz"
I love live albums
It's Too Late To Stop Now is a great, great record as noted above, but not the only one. A Night In San Francisco (1994) is fantastic too, Van on top form with a killer band.
Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Warts & Audience - recorded at Brixton Academy when they got back together after the death of Charley Charles is fab.
Slade Alive 1
Not a particular fan of Live Albums but I love this one. I think it's the optimal way to record a live album. The key is to have a small but attentive audience. You can hear Noddy addressing individual members of the audience. The crowd are as much part of the listening experience as the band itself. They all seem to be enjoying themselves.
It only goes for about 30 minutes. I wish they could dig out the rest of the tapes and whip them into some sort of shape and release them. I've also got the other Slade Live records but they don't hold a candle to the first.
Did nobody mention...
... the greatest concert album of them all?
Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series vol.4: Live 1966: The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert.
[Actually recorded at Manchester Free Trade Hall]
Dylan at the zenith of his powers; tension within the audience; "boos" and slow hand-claps; heckling & name calling; all the while blasting out a whole new noise with the Hawks.
Music was never really the same again.
Also like a lot of the stuff already mentioned above with another two great live recordings:
Dexys Midnight Runners: The Projected Passion Revue
David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars, the motion picture soundtrack.
Dylan
Sorry. Mentioned it in the 'loud' thread. But yes. It certainly warrants a mention here.
Agreed...
...on 'It's Too Late To Stop Now' and Bob Marley's 'Live' album. 'Babylon By Bus' gets a bad rap in comparison but I thoroughly enjoyed that one too when I played it last. 'Colosseum Live' is a real barnstormer too, yeah.
My favourites:
Thin Lizzy- Live And Dangerous (despite the retouching, which I never noticed until I read about it, really)
Deep Purple- Made In Japan
UFO- Strangers In The Night (better than any studio album they put out)
Yes- Yessongs
Genesis- Seconds Out
Frank Zappa- Roxy And Elsewhere, Zappa In New York (two great albums- by turns mindblowing and daft as a brush, sometimes in the same song!)
The Who- Live At Leeds
Humble Pie- Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore
Wings- Wings Over America (not that fussed on most of their albums but I love this one)
Pink Floyd- live disc of Ummagumma (hardly ever bother with the studio disc, to be honest, though)
Barclay James Harvest- Live (doubt there's any other fans around here but this is a personal favourite of mine)
I believe the first John McLaughlin with Shakti album was live, and that's brilliant too- some stunning musicianship and it's entirely acoustic to the best of my knowledge.
My favourite live Man moment was that 20 minute version of 'C'Mon' with the male voice choir on 'Back Into The Future'. Staggering.
Some of my favourite artists never quite managed a definitive live album; Led Zeppelin ('How The West Was Won' gets close but 'Moby Dick' is just sheer torture!), Queen and David Bowie spring to mind.
Stones
Am I alone in thinking that The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band In The World have yet to make a decent live album? The slipshod Get Yer Ya-Yas Out was only released as a contract filler (and to stem the flow of bootlegs) and that's the best of the bunch.
On a different note, I preferred The Who Live At Leeds when it was a six track album (and the crackling had not been corrected!) The expanded versions (especially the two-disc edition) should be filed under more-is-less. If I never hear another live version of Tommy, that will be too soon.
A personal favourite is Little Feat's Electrif Lycanthrope. Download the entire album here in CD quality (FLAC/Ogg Vorbis) or in Mp3. http://www.archive.org/details/lf1974-09-19.flac16
The Stones
Sorry kinky,
I'll refer you to Brussels Affair 1973 admittidly not official but certainly the best Rolling Stones Live product in my collection. I recommend you go and seek it out. And they even pull off a definitive version of Gimme Shelter without the female solo. Fantastic.
These are 2 tracks from it.
Agreed
There are stacks of great live Stones albums out there, only none of them are of the official variety - Get Your Leeds Lungs Out trounces anything that is available over the counter, for example. Surely someone within The Stones' organisation could have a trawl through the vaults and release something that is worthy of their reputation?
Brussels sounds excellent. I found the original (14 track) version here: - http://elmanzo.blogspot.com/2006/10/rolling-stones-brussels-affair-1973....
The full 30 track deluxe edition is at The Pirate Bay, but no-one seems to be seeding it...
Nice YouTube stuff, by the way...
Misty In Roots
Previously posted under the reggae thread, but Live at the Counter Eurovision is absolutely awesome so I'll post it here too.
Absolutely right sir
Lost my copy many years ago, but its still the bees knees.
Live reggae
Good call, and while we're at it how about Aswad Live and Direct and Burning Spear Live.
3 more
We've got a live one for you/Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen (Better than Live Deep from the Heart of Texas)
Last of the Red Hot Burritos/Flying Burrito Bros (Much better than the later(!) Live from Amsterdam)
Unplugged/10k Maniacs.
And I'm going to sneak in a 4th, especially as Emmo is getting some slight re-acreditation on another strand, the 2nd LP I ever bought, Pictures at an Exhibition/ELP. Even the cheer following the shouted intro of "We'e gonna give you Pictures at an Exhibition" can make me smile. And The Old Castle/Blues variation has yet to be topped as a blistering moog then hammond led boogie. (Yes, I am afraid I do mean boogie!)
Finally
The rehabilitation of one of the great live albums of the 1970s. Pictures At An Exhibition, yes indeed! Prog heaven.
Has anyone got a copy of the film that they made of the concert?
You might try looking
for that little gem on certain, er, torrential sites. It's not hard to find in avi format!
Pictures at an Exhibition
One of my earliest LPs, too, bought after rapturous talk among classmates lucky enough to have been at the Newcastle City Hall gig where it was recorded. And still enjoyable today, as is the much-maligned-at-the-time triple LP monster Welcome Back My Friends...
Mr Hathaway, Amy’s tutor
Donny Hathaway’s “Live” album is great. Should have a warning sticker though: “Contains Bass Solo”
I have...
...various versions of ELP's Pictures. One of the only one of those classical rock crossovers I can handle, plus it got the rock AND classical purists' backs up something rotten.
By far the best version is the Newcastle City Hall one that was released on vinyl. The film version is very much a period piece- easily available on DVD- with some awful psychedelic effects and out-of-tune Moogs (I believe Emerson may well have been the first person to take the Moog on tour) and a bit in 'The Great Gates Of Kiev' where they lose it entirely. But I still enjoy it!
There's also an awful version with an orchestra from 1977 or so which has some really grotesque synthesiser sounds. They did a studio version in the 90s which showed Greg Lake's voice was clearly not what it used to be (and it got worse, but it's not so bad these days), but it was an interesting version.
Depeche Mode/Duran Duran
Having racked my brains, I realise that I actually own very few live albums, but I have to speak out for the Mode's 101 double set.
Huge energy throughout, crystal clear production, and the constant screams from 70,000 fans which must have been such a rush for the band.
On similar lines, Duran Duran's Arena, which has a terrific version of Save A Prayer (their best song by a long way), although the album does tail off towards the end. A reminder of the days when they played enormodomes, before the split and some very disappointing albums with Warren Unpronounceablename.
While on the subject, isn't about time we had:
* A new live album from U2 (preferably a retrospective double, with performances from across the years)
* A DVD/CD of Kate Bush's live shows (or in fact, any official Kate Bush DVD at all)
...two which might have been mis-filed under "New Wave"...
Am not a fan of live albums, in fact I don't think I own any at all, nope not even "Live at Last", but two recent music DVDs come highly recommended:
Dr Feelgood "Going Back Home"
A 25-minute record of the Wilko-era band at their peak, this is essential viewing. Filmed around the same time as the "Stupidity" tour, in late 1975, at the soon-to-be-demolished Kursaal Ballroom in Sunny Southend On Sea. What a band. Marvel at Lee Brilleaux's amphetamined stare, and grubby white suit!
Ian Dury & The Blockheads "BBC Sight and Sound In Concert 1977"
From back in the days when stereo TV was still a novelty, watch Ian & The Blocks rip through the best six tracks from their first album. Special kudos to the dynamite rhythm section of Watt-Roy and Charles. Just fantastic.
Both of these shows epitomise "no frills" presentation, with just a few coloured stage lights - no wacky camera angles, no pyrotechnics, no hydraulic stages here!
Rory Rory Rory Rory
Yup... Live in Europe. It howls from start to finish and is one of the great live performances. This from a little later but it does show what a stand out talent he was.
Weld
Neil Young's 1991 album is his best live CD, I think.
Live!
Haven't we debated this sometime previously? Anyway, big seconds for Humble Pie Rockin' The Filmore; Rory Gallagher Live In Europe; Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at The Lyceum; Thin Lizzy Live & Dangerous (especially I'm Still In Love With You). Also (and he might have a place on the Cool/Uncool thread) John Denver Live and The Commodores Live.
Live albums by bands who could've done better: 4-way Street by CSNY. Boring, long-drawn out versions of Southern Man and Carry On. Time Fades Away Neil Young, save for Don't Be Denied.
Live!
Haven't we debated this sometime previously? Anyway, big seconds for Humble Pie Rockin' The Filmore; Rory Gallagher Live In Europe; Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at The Lyceum; Thin Lizzy Live & Dangerous (especially I'm Still In Love With You). Also (and he might have a place on the Cool/Uncool thread) John Denver Live and The Commodores Live.
Live albums by bands who could've done better: 4-way Street by CSNY. Boring, long-drawn out versions of Southern Man and Carry On. Time Fades Away Neil Young, save for Don't Be Denied.
Yup
Either just above or just below your last post.
Good one Retropath2
Good one Retropath2
Live! PS
Not forgetting Woodstock with top-notch performances by Richie Havens, The Who, Ten Years After, CSNY, John Sebastian and of course, Jimi Hendrix. I just picked up the remastered DVD director's cut for just £2.99 at HMV!
And Sha Na Na!
Never forget the Kings of DooWop. Make Showaddywaddy look like, well, Showaddywaddy.
I once bought a dble best of Shanana on Buddah, 2 discs in 1 sleeve, just like the Clash. When did I last listen to it? About 1976........
Just remembered
I have got a 10" vinyl Green on Red live at the Town and Country album somewhere that I recall was bloody good. Thing is I havent got a record player anymore and I didnt bloody well win the Word competition that was giving one away.
I have it on tape
If you ever want a copy etc.....
I have it
and I was at the gig. Unfortunately I don't have one of those turntables with the UBS connection.
I have a soft spot for ...
... Frampton Comes Alive. Maybe a bit cheesy by today's standards, but it was brilliant at the time.
Oh no it wasn't!
It was dreadful then, at the time, too! Tremendously popular, to be sure, but horribly twee to the ears of we unbelievers. Not that I'm saying you're "wrong" and I'm "right" - well, I am, but, no, that's bollocks. I'm just saying people who dismiss it now aren't necessarily fibbing revisionists who loved it at the time but feel obscurely guilty now. Some of us detested it all along.
What?
You mean, baby, you've opted not to feel his way?
I was pressured into seeing him live around that time (subtle pressure it was too: "No Frampton tickets? No sex," I think it ran) and it was truly grim. I imagine a James Blunt concert today might have a rather similar audience vibe, but without the amusement of watching a man trying to sing down a snorkel.
Snork, indeed
Thanks, Archie - you just gave me a "coffee down nose" moment.
He's still at it!
Another reason to disbelieve in addition to all the above: he invented Daft Punk.
Time for the Indie Kid to come out and play....
Rank - The Smiths....Kilburn National Ballroom and I was there. Terrific sleeve too. Morrissey's polka dot shirt being torn to shreds by the twisted, passionate faces on the G-Mex youth.
Kicking Television by Wilco is a great album. Could've "pro-tooled" out some of the annoying home audience whoops and whelps.
Surely too, a vote somwhere for "No Sleep til Hammersmith" and of course the recent issue of Brooooooooce's Live at Hammersmith Odeon in 1975.
Best Live Album ever though? Toughie but the honour IMO goes to Dylan's Live 1975 Bootleg Series on the Rolling Thunder tour.
Dylan Live 1975
Have you heard the bootleg Knight Of The Hurricane (see what they did there)? It's even better. Recorded right at the end of the first Rolling Thunder leg, in New York in December 1975. Dylan's voice is gloriously ragged, and Robbie Robertson pops by. It's really really good.
http://www.bobsboots.com/CDs/cd-k04.html
kicking The Smiths
have to agree that Kicking Television is fantastic but i'm afraid 'Rank' just lives up to its name. Ansd to pan another indie icon, there's some pretty duff live Joy Division stuff out there as well.
You had to be there!
One of The Smiths better produced records too....
A few I'm surprised haven't
A few I'm surprised haven't been given a guernsey thus far -
Blue Oyster Cult: On Your Feet Or On Your Knees. From '75, the band at their rifftastic peak...Hot Rails To Hell, The Subhuman, Harvester Of Eyes, ME 262, plus a killer version of Born To Be Wild...one of THE great hard rock live LPs of all time...packaged in a very attractive gatefold sleeve, but of course.
J. Geils Band: Full House. The term balls out is appropriate here. Worth it for First I Look At The Purse and Whammerjammer alone.
Lastly, the elephant in the room...The MC5: Kick Out The Jams.
Santana - Lotus
Santana - lotus - triple album from 1974, definately worth a mention.
Dire Straits - Alchemy - still waiting for a DVD release.
Steve Miller Band - Live!
Sting - Bring on the night + Acoustic live in Newcastle.
Sheryl Crow - Live at Budokan - great cover!
Eric Clapton - Crossroads2 - corking box set.
and lastly Kate Bush - Live at Hammersmith - rare!
The Who - Live at Leeds The
The Who - Live at Leeds
The original is excellent on vinyl, concise, powerful, astonishing and a great package what with all the inserts. I also love the 14 track 1995 reissue, the mix was done well and the bonus tracks are excellent.
Isle of Wight 1970 is great too, sloppy in places but also full of rock power, the jam on Water cooks and it's got one of their best live performances of Tommy. There's some good Who live boots around too, I especially like Amsterdam 1969, Philadelphia 1973, Swansea 1976 and bootleg footage shot at Tanglewood 1970 and Houston 1975.
The Doors - Detroit 1970 and Pittsburgh 1970. For my money the best releases in their Bright Midnight archive series. Jim is having especially good nights at these shows. I think Pittsburgh is the better of the two, Detroit's first disc is high energy but the second disc loses momentum fast after Light My Fire ends. There's a really good boot of the Doors in Stockholm in 1968 as well.
AC/DC - If You Want Blood You've Got it. Some of the best material from their first few albums in a live setting.
Pink Floyd - Umagumma live album. During the '69 - '72 period they did some amazing live improvisations. Amsterdam 1969 is a great FM radio recording of their Massed Gadgets/ Man and the Journey concept show of the time.
Tommy Live
Normally I avoid "deluxe" editions of albums, but the deluxe edition of Live At Leeds added a second disk that contains the whole of Tommy, performed at the same concert (apparently in between "A Quick One, While He's Away" and "Summertime Blues"). Much as I love the original album, I prefer this live version - just awesome.
Live and Let Live
Genesis ~ Live
Uriah Heep ~ Live
The Sisters Of Mercy ~ Wake (video, but I transfered it to cassete and use to paly it all the time, it counts, Ok?)
Yes ~ Yessongs
Utopia ~ Another Live
The Revolting Cocks ~ You Godamned Son of a Bitch!
Ministry ~ In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up
Suede ~ Love and Poison (see the video post above)
Anthrax ~ Oidivnikufesin (see above)
Thin Lizzy ~ Live(ish) and Dangerous
that's 10, that'll do
Can't believe I've not yet added to this...
Top live albums, in no particular order
Live on Fire - Queen (Live at Milton Keynes 1982)
5 Man Acoustical Jam - Tesla
Strangers in the Night - UFO
Live and Dangerous - Thin Lizzy
Bullet in a Bible - Green Day
Live - REM
Alive (I, II and III) - Kiss
And all that could have been - Nine Inch Nails
Live at the NEC - Status Quo
Yessongs is indeed a great
Yessongs is indeed a great album, I also love Yes live boots from the 1977 - 1979 period.
I didn't mention it before, Ramones It's Alive is another excellent live album and the recent It's Alive Ramones live footage collection 2 DVD is also top notch.
Best live album ever...
Hey folk - don't laugh, but listen to it: Spin Doctors - Homebelly Groove... Live is the best live album I've ever heard. It's brilliant. Seriously.
Didn't the Spin Doctors morph....
into Hootie and the Blowfish???
I actually BOUGHT the Spin Doctors second album (Turn it Upside Down - complete with "wacky" sleeve. What was I thinking!
I remember Steve Gibbons too
Caught in the Act, mentioned much earlier in this chain, by The Steve Gibbons Band is a great live album. There's a cracking version of 'Tulane' on there. Where are they now?
Rory Gallagher, again, and his 'Stagestruck' release in the early 80's was an album I bought on cassette and played to ribbons on my first Walkman. 'You are my Moonchild, and pretty soon, child...' They don't write them like that any more.
Stevie Ray Vaughan released a pretty muddy live set, 'Live Alive' while still alive (?) in 1986. But this was knocked sideways by a vastly superior effort, 'In The Beginning', a show recorded in a small Texas club long before he ever had a proper deal and released after his death.
Nine Below Zero Live at the Marquee anyone? They were on the South Bank Show once, you know
Steve Gibbons is still going strong
And is gigging around the West Midlands, both solo and with a number of different backing bands, drawn from a pool of old band memebers. He is also the leader, I suppose, of Fairport offshoot, the Dylan Project, putting his effortless Dylan sneer to good effect.I note he is also about to go on a strange looking tour, as Sounds of the 60s, with other ageing Brumbeaters, Trevor Burton and Bev Bevan, amongst others, both ex of the Move (and a current Roy Wood disowned version thereof.) Ex right hand man, guitarist PJ Wright is arguably better known these days as solo performer, with Dave Pegg, or with the seemingly resting Little Johnny England. Another ex guitarist, Bob Wilson, pops up from time to time with the ever excellent and never famous Prussian Blue, a topnotch female vocals and bluesy/rocky/folky guitar based band. (Hi, Kate and Dave)
The fact that Steve Gibbons is fondly remembered on a live LP underlines that most of his studio recordings are pretty naff, sadly also his own material. Live, however, you can seldom get a better night out, as he drawls, strums, upward with his thumb, and smiles broadly to his audience, living the life as only a rake thin sexagenarian with backcombed gray bouffant locks is able.
As a strange coincidence, I yesterday made one o my forays into charity shop land, and picked up a solo Steve Gibbons CD from 1996 for a quid. Usual apallingly cheap graphics and artwork, execrable original songs, but 50% a cracker thru his versions of Long Black Coat, Heart of Saturday Night and such like. I cn forgive the dross for his live performances, but I just think he could have been much huger with a decent push behind him. Maybe he just prefers to do it for fun after his brush with the charts all those Tulane years ago.
I wasn't expecting that answer!
Thanks Retropath2. Genuinely useful gear there. I know the West Mids reasonably well seeing as my wife was born there. I'd love to catch him live. What a great thread this is turning out to be!
Lots of comment on Fairport live here too. I saw them play in Maidenhead last winter. Or rather 2 of them. Only Simon Nicol and Chris Leslie actually showed up. Charmingly, I thought, they were both on the front door greeting everyone personally and apologising for the diary error. Anyway they got up and played a full show along with the help of their support act and it was a fine night. I'd never been apologised to by a founder member of a genre-defining group before.
This looks fun - lists
I love a lot of the albums that have already been mentioned but that these are worthy to be included into the list
Shadows and Lights - Joni Mitchell
Live In Dublin - Bruce Springsteen and the Sessions Band
Wings Over America - Wings
Live Killers - Queen
Caught In The Act - Lindisfarne
Bursting Out - Jethro Tull
If bootlegs were allowed Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Live at the Bottom Line Club would walk away with it.
I'm new...please be gentle...
I've never been a fan of live albums either. HOWEVER, some are just absolutely perfect. My top 5 for what it's worth:
1. Morrissey Live at Earls Court (particularly where he says "I'm sorry, but it's this or prison)
2. Depeche Mode 101 (Dave Gahan is like Jesus when he's performing live in my opinion)
3. Nirvana Unplugged In New York (a master at work)
4. Daft Punk Alive 2007 (having seen them live for the first time at the O2 Wireless Festival last year I know this album completely captures the energy of the audience in the presence of these two geniuses)
5. Dire Straits Alchemy (in agreement with previous post - I refuse to regard Dire Straits as a guilty pleasure)
Live albums
A second for No Sleep til Hammersmith - all live Motorhead albums are better than their studio counterparts.
Also these 3 all bring something fantastic to the songs:
Carole King - Carnegie Hall
John Cale - Fragments of a rainy season
Mark Eitzel - Songs of Love