The Best Live album


What are some good live albums/cds you own? Good sound is a nice bonus.

You may put down whatever you want such as "Get your ya ya's out", but are there some maybe we haven't all heard about yet?

The best I have bought lately is Delbert McClinton, "Live", a 2 CD set of a concert in Norway. Just excellent blues big band. I mean this album just smokes, Oh yeaahh, with excellent sound to boot.
wildoats
The "Delicate Sound of Thunder" There is a studio version and a live version. Both on cd.--Get "live"!! -- This is minus Roger but they sound great alone or together. This was available on lazer disc back in 91 I think. It went out of print soon thereafter.I've been looking for this for as a dvd release. I'd buy the LD versian if anyone had it-- Or mybe they could burn a dvd for me. I'd be glad to pay. ---One more that hasn't gotten its due. "James Taylor Live at the Beacon" (DVD)
I have to throw in Lou Reed "Rock n Roll Animal" Intro/Sweet Jane and Heroin are some of the best rock jams! The recording is not bad either.

Wildoats,

Most of the Village Vanguard recordings that I have heard are of excellent quality, particularly the Coltrane and Evans sessions, which are not to be missed. The complete Vanguard sessions with Coltrane were released in a 4-CD box set a few years ago. Great stuff.
Many great suggestions, especially Lou Reed's Rock and Roll Animal. Some of my favorites:

Allman Brothers, Live at the Fillmore East
Humble Pie, Rockin The Filmore
Bonnie Raitt, Road Tested
Eric Clapton , Crossroads 2
SRV, box set
ACDC, Live and If you want Blood.

Rock On

Tom
I checked out Dick's Pick and was wowed. Any, recommendations from our Dead friends? Also, does anyone know of any other sites or bands that offer this kind of live recordings? I would love to find some old JJ Cale, Allman Bros, Van Morrison, etc...
I need to add 4 more great live albums.
1) 'California Concert' with George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Hank Crawford, Johnny Hammond, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham and Airto. CTI records, double album, 1971.
2) 'Live AT The Apollo' by James Brown. King records, 1963.
3) 'Live at the Monterey jazz Festival-John Handy'. Columbia records, 1965.
4) 'Stop Making Sense' by Talking Heads (a great concert movie as well),Sire records, 1984.
It's the the Big Suit and the music that keeps me together!
Weather Report "8:30" Live album. C'mon folks Jaco was the man on bass. There has never been a cat who could play like that. He was the Hendrix, Davis, Coltrane of electric bass. Too bad about what happened to him though. So very sad.
Some that I didn't see that I think should be considered:

•War - Live
•Earth, Wind and Fire - Gratitude
•Modern Jazz Quartet - The Last Concert
•Ella Fitzgerald - In Rome, The 40th Birthday Concert
I would recommend Keith Jarrett "The Koln Concert" ECM (German label), 1975.
Heard it about 2 weeks ago at a fellow audiophile's house on a electrostatic hybrid speaker. Mind blowing!!
Rush and Pink Floyd. Rush is always good live but their latest (Live in Rio) is the best yet. Song selection and recording is top notch. I have to give the nod to Pink Floyd's "Delicate Sound of Thunder" as one of their best live performances captured on disc - but their other's are excellent as well. Obviously you have to like these bands to like their live stuff!
Hi Lokie,
100 Year Hall
Europe 72
The Fillmore East. Show from 4/26/71 (don't remember the name of these discs, but it is a commercial release.) I wasn't a big fan of the Dead after 1975 so someone else can take over from 75 on. 5/8/77 is a rare exception. You should really check out the early stuff with Pig Pen. Europe 72 and 4/26/71 are some great examples.
Thanks waltersalas, Tek, I also dig Crossroads 2. I've listened to A lot of Clapton and I think this is some of the best guitar he has recorded. It will convince the doubters that when Eric is into it, he may be the best.
Ian Hunter (of Mott the Hoople fame) Welcome to the Club.

This is a double album recorded at the Roxy in LA back in 1979. It is a small intimate setting where Ian does some great ballads and also rocks out. Does all the Mott the Hoople hits and a great version of Cleveland Rocks. (The song on the Drew Cary show)

At one point during an excellent song called "Irene Wilde" An overexuberient female fan lets out a blood curdling scream that, even when I've ready for it, freaks me out.
If you like Mott, this is worth a listen.
Joni Mitchell - "Miles of Aisles" w/ Tom Scott and the LA Express

Grateful Dead - "Nightful of Diamonds", ANY of the "Dick's Picks", "Live Dead"

Allman Brothers Band - "Live at Fillmore East", "Mountain Jam" (same night as the Fillmore recording, released on "Eat A Peach"

BTW: Anyone know if any of the Allman's or Deads's efforts at Watkins Glen (7/73 Summer Jam) ever make it out? Other than the Dead's soundcheck tapes from the day before.
Try Tom Waits - "Nighthawks at the Diner". You can practically smell the cigarettes and booze.
John Prine - "Live" is well worth seeking out. As is the Cowboy Junkies - "The Trinity Sesssions" - no audience but recorded live in Trinity Church, Toronto - fabulous sonics.
I also like Ricki Lee Jones - "Naked Songs".
Enjoy.
Lokie,

wall of sound was 74 dead. That said, the majority of 77 is excellent. I would suggest you listen to the dick's picks with the Lakeland show.
Two performances in the original Woodstock album and now DVD are Goin' Home by Ten Years After and Soul Sacrifice by Santana. Two "live" albums that I played alot years ago are Roadwork by Edgar Winter and the White Trash and The James Gang Rides Again.
Sonny
If you like "Goin' Home" from Woodstock, I recommend you check out the album Undead by Ten Years After. Not sure if it's available on CD. Side one features two songs, "I May be Wrong But I Won't Be Wrong Always" and "Woodchopper's Ball", both of which are an absolute tour de force of Alvin Lee's particular style of playing. This is live and was recorded before Woostock and before the band headed in the completely different direction of Stonehenge and whatnot. I was fortunate enough to see them at Fillmore West just a few weeks before Woodstock. Great stuff!!
For Sonics I like the Pretenders "Aisle of View". For recreating the live experience, I'd have to go with Live at Leeds or J. Geils band "Full House". Wamba Jamba!
Joe Zawinul Syndicate - World Tour

Take about wild energy and great sound... This one cooks!
I like live performances so this is a great thread. I don't see Simon & Garfunkel " The Concert in Central Park, Sept. 19, 1981" Great performance and crowd!
by dire straits. as soon as the open the mic, it crackles with life. youre in the crowd and its all good. another live one i like is the wattstax concert from the 70s. got it on doulble LP. tate used it to demo his sq decoder at the 78 ces in vegas.
David Live - Bowie, Live at the Tower Philadelphia 1974, that is. Not super sonics, but a great performance recorded w/o overdubs, etc. Probably not THE best, but a great record, nonetheless...Cheers,
Spencer
The Mission UK - 'No Snow, No Show' For The Eskimo (BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert)

Fields Of The Nephilim - 'Earth Inferno'

Steve Hackett - 'Tokyo Tapes' (DVD)
Treyhoss,

I totally disagree about "Rush in Rio". I do like the song selection, but I think sonically it sounds like one big, continuous crowd roar. Personally, I wish they had mik'd it differently and gotten more of Rush and less of the crowd.

I'm a huge Rush fan since the 70's and I listened to R-i-R once and promptly sold it.

Now, "All the worlds a stage" is another story! Still listen to it after all these years.......

Of course, "to each his own..." applies here!

Enjoy,

TIC
Nine Inch Nails - All That Could Have Been. Not everybody's cup of tea, and not something to necessarily and listen closely to end-to-end, but excellent recording and pretty awesome for what it is. The DVD is excellent as well.
1) Harry Belafonte - Live at Carnegie Hall is the best live record I have ever heard. His rapport with the audience is wonderful, he is in great voice, and the song selection is perfect. But make sure you get the two cd set otherwise this wonderful recording is butchered by edits.

2) Cannonball Adderley - in Sanfrancisco at the Jazz Workshop. The playing on this set of tunes is fantastic. These brothers personified the sound at the time and they were fantastic.

3) Bob Seger - Live Bullet, yes the sound does suck but the energy and the performance is out of this world. I know what you're thinking, you are thinking SH_ _ I've known that for ten years.
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Here are a couple of favorites:
LOVE-"The Forever Changes Concert"
Steeleye Span-"Tonight's the Night"
No doubt that the best live performance is the Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore. It is timeless and Duane at his best.
If yer into Soul, "Donny Hathaway: Live" is a good one, believe it or not.
Luther Allison -- Live in Chicago (excellent blues)
Dee Dee Bridgewater -- Live at Yoshis (proves why she's still one of the best singers in modern jazz, and you can tell she had fun making it)
Keith Jarrett -- Live at the Blue Note
Allison Moorer -- Show (some of the songs on this one will knock your socks off)
Allison Krauss and Union Station -- Live
and if you liked that one try Rhonda Vincent and the Rage -- Ragin' Live (award-winning bluegrass singer with one hell of a voice)
Tower Of Power "Live And In Living Color" - absolutely rocks on vinyl, though I have never heard it on CD.
I second Swingman with his suggestion of Luther Allison Live in Chicago. Best bang for the buck blues album out there and some of Luthers best stuff. For sound quality I must go with alice in chains unplujgged
Keith Jarrett at the Blue Note, John Mayall (with Room to Move - can't remember if that's the title), and The Allman Bros. at the Fillmore.
WOULD HAVE SAID LITTLE FEAT" WAITING FOR COLUMBUS" BUT THE AMOUNT OF ROCK AND ROLL "DOCTORING" AFTER THE FACT LEAVES ME WITH A STRONG VOTE FOR THE ALLMAN BROS. "LIVE AT THE FILLMORE"...WAS THERE AND BELIEVE ME ,I'M STILL CATCHING MY BREATH!
AZ JAKE
Bob Seger. Performed for years in the Detroit Metro Area before making it big.
Even after making it big, his Live performences were better than his Album stuff.
IMHO
I just got the CD of the 1978 recording of The Tubes-What do you want from Live! I'm listening to it right now on my iPod and it is truely incredible. This band was good! Unfortunately there musicianship my have been overshadowed by their over the top stage show.

I saw the 1978 Tubes World Tour and it was really an incredible show. However, my memory of the show from 25+ years ago did not prepare me for how musically satisfying this record is. I had the 8-track back in the day and wore it out. Good thing the CD is "perfect sound forever"! Oh, and it sounds fabulous on the low-mid fi iPod and stock earbuds! Can't comment on the audiophile sound qualities and I haven't played it on the big rig yet.

Enjoy,

TIC
"Stop Making Sense". Prefer the live versions on this CD to their studio counterparts. Most of the time this is not the case.