Author Topic: Best Live Rock Recordings? (Read 5108 times)

gunug · « **on:** August 12, 2007, 03:40:55 PM »

I'm listening right now to the Band's Rock of Ages set and went to google to read more about it and found that this website had it on a list of the 10 best "live" recordings (69-79):

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=14757

I agree with them that this is one of the best but I'm not sure about the others:

1) The Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East - I'll have to track it down, I once owned it but it got away!

2) Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus - Oh, yes!

3) The Band's Rock of Ages - definitely

4) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Four Way Street - Yes!

5) Bob Dylan and the Bands Before the Flood - I think Dylan can "sometimes" lower the over quality of a recording! Some of this is the same music as on Rock of Ages where it's better with the horns and the improved recording quality!

6) Neil Young's Live Rust - Yes, if memory serves

7) The Rolling Stone's Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out - I think I left my Ya-Ya's in my other pants!

Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen - Early Cocker is much much better than later Cocker! This is very good!

9) J Geils Band Full House - Not sure I remember well enough!

10) Derek and the Dominos Live at the Fillmore - Yes, very nice and well recorded for the Fillmore!

I think C. Michael Bailey has some definite bias shown but he's correct for the most part in what he's chosen; of course I don't know what all he didn't pick. Anyone else have any opinions, make sure they're for this time period!

kbeartx · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2007, 05:23:50 PM »

Not having followed the link to the orig article, my first questions are:

what are the criteria?

are these supposed to be the best recordings or the best performances, or both?

Paddy · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2007, 07:32:33 PM »

A somewhat limited timeframe/taste too - time and live recordings did not stop in 1978 as far as I can tell!

This is a far better, much more comprehensive list, IMHO. Of course, it's 100 albums, not 10, but even it's top 10 is a little more varied!

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_livealb.html

bil207 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2007, 10:09:02 PM »

I few that I would have added are:

The Blues Project - Live at Town Hall

David Live - David Bowie At The Tower Philadelphia

John Lennon - Live In New York City

How about "Woodstock"

Mayo · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2007, 11:20:04 PM »

Hmmm... I'm getting some ideas for additions to my music collection! I generally prefer live recordings even when the sound/performances are uneven. Years ago I had a lot of bootleg recordings of concerts, some of which have been officially released on CD in recent years. Now I just have a few classic bootlegs like "Neil Young at the L.A. Music Center 2/1/71'" (I wonder how much that would be worth on eBay?)

I think that the main criteria for inclusion on the list is that the recording Rocked Your World and/or you would have done just about anything to have been there in person.

I suggest adding "Live Dead" to the list. The HDCD version released a few years back is really surprising if all a person knows is the original LP or first CD. There are instruments in the HDCD mix that I never heard before and I listened to that record A LOT with a Very Expanded Consciousness way back when... "Live Dead" is the quintessential recording of a Grateful Dead psychedelic-era show.

chriskleeman · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2007, 11:26:42 PM »

How about B.B. King, "Live at the Regal'?

Gosh, there are so many great live recordings it's hard to know where to start!

Personally, IAW with Mayo, it's really subjective and quite tied to your overall taste in music, maybe you were there!!! And I yeah, it definitely should have Rocked Your World and continue to do so!

A case in point: I rediscovered Little Feat's "Waiting For Columbus" a month or so ago... played it loud and long in the truck back and forth to work for about a week!

It's all good!

Chris K

gunug · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2007, 03:38:34 PM »

I heard Little Feat and Bonnie Raitt in D.C. back in the mid-70's! Small venue, lots of energy; Lowell George was very much present! I listen to the Dixie Chicken CD a lot, and I'm sure that I wore out the LP before the turntable died!

dboh · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2007, 05:43:07 PM »

I'm sorry you don't seem to think "Get Your Ya-Yas Out!" belongs on that list. Back in their prime, the Stones were the ultimate live band, and this album captured that excitement. In fact, I'd say this album was their best overall.

There's also a live Small Faces album that belongs on that list, but I can't remember the title.

gunug · « **Reply #8 on:** August 13, 2007, 09:04:31 PM »

QUOTE

I'm sorry you don't seem to think "Get Your Ya-Yas Out!" belongs on that list.

I suspect the failure is with me and not the Stones; I like old Stones music a lot but that particular
album wasn't for me!

Paddy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 13, 2007, 10:48:41 PM »

Well, dboh, it's #6 on the list that I posted, so obviously some people agree with you!

BTW - the Wolfgang's Vault site is interesting - there are over 100 live shows you can download (paid) and some 576 which you can listen to free if you join.

http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/

It's great - you can create your own playlist from the live shows, track by track and then (presumably) have hours of listening.

Info here: http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/Static....out/aboutCV.htm

sandbox · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2007, 12:57:51 AM »

As I remember it, J Geils was a local band, who partied & played around town, doing concert on the common in Worcester and Boston. They had their flash of fame but I doubt they should be found on the same page with many that are posted here or not posted here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Geils_Band
Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, ELO, Doors, Chicago, Zeppelin, Santana, Who, Blind faith, Steely Dan, Stevie Nicks, Police, Logins & Massena, Band.... and a hundred others I’ve seen from the Hat Shell in Boston through Red Rocks to the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

QUOTE

How about "Woodstock"

bil207, I was there in 1969, the music quality wasn’t that good. But in the same year at the Newport Festival in Rhode Island the performances were outstanding, after the riot was over.

Fat Man In The Bathtub works for metoo.

Wow Paddy the King Biscuit Flower Hour

Paddy · « **Reply #11 on:** August 14, 2007, 06:50:34 AM »

I know...takes you back, doesn't it!!!

Hey - I read in the paper yesterday that the people who currently own Yasgur's Farm have it up for sale for $8M!

Somehow, I don't think they're going to get quite that much...despite what the real estate agent says in the listing about "local property values"!!! Other properties with that sort of acreage can be had for anywhere from $600K to a million. $7M for the nostalgia/history?? Well, there is a sucker born every minute, so who knows.

They've just got 100 acres of the original farm, including the house and barns - the field that Woodstock actually used was sold off many years ago and now has the Bethel Woods Performance Center, opened last year.

Gregg · « **Reply #12 on:** August 14, 2007, 07:31:23 AM »

QUOTE(kbeartx @ Aug 12 2007, 05:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not having followed the link to the orig article, my first questions are:

what are the criteria?

are these supposed to be the best recordings or the best performances, or both?

Yeah.

The best ones I own probably don't meet the criteria:
Harry Chapin (only one live album)
Neil Diamond Hot August Night

sandbox · « **Reply #13 on:** August 14, 2007, 03:00:25 PM »

QUOTE(Paddy @ Aug 14 2007, 07:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know...takes you back, doesn't it!!!

Hey - I read in the paper yesterday that the people who currently own Yasgur's Farm have it up for sale for $8M!

Somehow, I don't think they're going to get quite that much...despite what the real estate agent says in the listing about "local property values"!!! Other properties with that sort of acreage can be had for anywhere from $600K to a million. $7M for the nostalgia/history?? Well, there is a sucker born every minute, so who knows.

They've just got 100 acres of the original farm, including the house and barns - the field that Woodstock actually used was sold off many years ago and now has the Bethel Woods Performance Center, opened last year.

They can ask what they want for the farm, what they get is entirely different. If the county is open to creative zoning ordinances a lot could be done with the remaining land. Using the Performing Art Center as a key, a new community could be erected around it. This would give added value to the land, how much value is hard to say. The push is still on to demonized the 60’s culture so how much support such a community would get would depend on how it was packaged. The location is within driving distance to a large population which would give it some edge, but with Indian reservation based entertainment popping up where ever permitted there is a disadvantage in building an entertainment communities that does not include a gambling option. Since they built the casino here in Tampa entertainment dollars have left Bush Gardens and Disney, not to mention smaller venues in the region. These casino operation come with self contained entertainment facilities that can equal anything that can be found elsewhere.

bil207 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 14, 2007, 04:53:03 PM »

QUOTE(sandbox @ Aug 14 2007, 01:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

bil207, I was there in 1969, the music quality wasn’t that good. But in the same year at the Newport Festival in Rhode Island the performances were outstanding, after the riot was over.

I made it about 3/4 of the way there from NYC ( Exit 16 on the NYS Thruway), saw the traffic on route 17, heard the weather forcast and headed up to a friends' place in Saugerties, NY for the weekend instead.

News:

Author Topic: Best Live Rock Recordings? (Read 5108 times)