Essential Live Albums

[Happy Trees]

This put me in a much better place than the last one, though not sure I have the stomach to reach for too much more.

Way to have an open mind. At least you listened to it. And enjoyed it (I guess?).

[liebzz]

The best way to put it is I enjoyed the music a lot, appreciated the theatrics, but Zappa still cloys at me a bit.

[liebzz]

Grateful Dead - Ladies and Gentlemen…Live at Fillmore East 1971

I was enthralled the first time I heard this, as if in building to this in the Grateful Dead journey was a top point. Going back now a few years later, and after the ‘77 run, it’s lost a little luster but still a solid and long listen. 5.5 hours of live Dead. The 22 minute version of a Turn On Your Lovelight that gets pretty deep into the mind of Pigpen is certainly a big highlight, but In The Midnight Hour does the same thing more efficiently. Casey Jones and Wharf Rat are both killer here. Alligator > Drums > Jam > Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad is what the Dead is all about. Take your pick here.

The Essential Performance: Alligator > Drums > Jam > Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad

Up Next: The Flying Burrito Brothers - Live From Tokyo

[liebzz]

The Flying Burrito Brothers - Live From Tokyo

For this second live album, the Flying Burrito Brothers sort of split the country/bluegrass with electric rock. It’s a quick blast at 36 minutes, but they cross many genre boundaries in that short span of time. Six Days on the Road is again great. Rocky Top another highlight, though not sure it gets much better than Big Bayou that kicks this off.

The Essential Performance: Big Bayou

Up Next: Bob Dylan - At Budokan

[Happy Trees]

Grateful Dead - Ladies and Gentlemen…Live at Fillmore East 1971

I was enthralled the first time I heard this, as if in building to this in the Grateful Dead journey was a top point. Going back now a few years later, and after the ‘77 run, it’s lost a little luster but still a solid and long listen.

Never a big fan of this one. I think the two Europe 72 comps that I mentioned crush it. Fillmore East 70, Felt Forum 71, Wichita 72, Jersey City 72 and Philly 72 Dicks/Daves picks are also spun constantly.

[liebzz]

I am pretty sure I did a bunch of those in the journey. There is more to choose from with the Dead than one can possibly get through - which is really an embarrassment of riches with them - and ultimately you can almost never go totally wrong.

[liebzz]

Bob Dylan - At Budokan

Another wonderful Dylan live collection - this one again reimagining classics, turning them around with reggae, soul, gospel, rock, and any other combination of arrangements. Some may call it heresy, others breathing new life into old tales. Maggie’s Farm, One More Cup of Coffee, Like a Rolling Stone, I Shall Be Released, It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding, The Times They Are A-Changin’, and Just Like a Woman all great recreations, while Simple Twist of Fate and Forever Young beautifully lean closer to original renditions. The show stopper for me was All Along the Watchtower.

The Essential Performance: All Along the Watchtower

Up Next: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - The Legendary No Nukes Concerts

[liebzz]

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - The Legendary No Nukes Concerts

I really could not think of a better way to put a cap on the 70s than this. In the vein that Hendrix’s Woodstock concert epitomizes the 60s, Springsteen’s energy, passion, massive band, and even bigger performances lay claim as much as The Dead’s instrumental high wire act. And here, Springsteen and his band are magnificent. They plow through 4 hard chargers with Prove It All Night, Badlands, The Promised Land, and The River (the last maybe played for the first time?). All delivered with Springsteen’s signature grandeur and fire - but even then it turns up a notch once the party gets started with Sherry Darling, then Thunder Road, and then about as powerful a solo of any kind from Clarence Clemons in Jungleland. I mean, it may not be so different from the album solo, but you can fully hear his soul in the air pumping out of that sax. I get choked up even hearing it. Then we have a thrilling Rosie, and a set closing Born to Run.

The covers encore is even more killer, with Stay featuring a bunch of friends from the No Nukes shows, a crowd eating out of the palm of his hands Detroit Medley, and then Quarter to Three where I am pretty sure I have never heard or seen energy like that in my lifetime. Rave On closes this perfect release out with a quick burst. Tops on my list thus far for sure.

The Essential Performance(s): Jungleland, Quarter to Three

Up Next: Joni Mitchell - Sound and Light

[Strat]

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - The Legendary No Nukes Concerts

I really could not think of a better way to put a cap on the 70s than this. In the vein that Hendrix’s Woodstock concert epitomizes the 60s, Springsteen’s energy, passion, massive band, and even bigger performances lay claim as much as The Dead’s instrumental high wire act. And here, Springsteen and his band are magnificent. They plow through 4 hard chargers with Prove It All Night, Badlands, The Promised Land, and The River (the last maybe played for the first time?). All delivered with Springsteen’s signature grandeur and fire - but even then it turns up a notch once the party gets started with Sherry Darling, then Thunder Road, and then about as powerful a solo of any kind from Clarence Clemons in Jungleland. I mean, it may not be so different from the album solo, but you can fully hear his soul in the air pumping out of that sax. I get choked up even hearing it. Then we have a thrilling Rosie, and a set closing Born to Run.

The covers encore is even more killer, with Stay featuring a bunch of friends from the No Nukes shows, a crowd eating out of the palm of his hands Detroit Medley, and then Quarter to Three where I am pretty sure I have never heard or seen energy like that in my lifetime. Rave On closes this perfect release out with a quick burst. Tops on my list thus far for sure.

The Essential Performance(s): Jungleland, Quarter to Three

Up Next: Joni Mitchell - Sound and Light

Part of me thinks Bruce was inspired by the energy of punk rock movement. The e street band is damn near ferocious for this show. Absolutely brilliant energy.

[liebzz]

From what I remember of the narrative, Bruce had been holed up with the bands in New York recording The River, which Bruce’s methods of recording albums in the 70s were famously tortured affairs (hell, he nearly fully scrapped Born to Run and needed an intervention to agree to release it). This was them getting that pent up energy out.

[liebzz]

Okay, I am not much in the mood for hunting so next will actually be Fleetwood Mac - Live. We’ll circle back.

[doug rr]

Okay, I am not much in the mood for hunting so next will actually be Fleetwood Mac - Live. We’ll circle back.

you won't find anything much better live than the dance

[wease]

Okay, I am not much in the mood for hunting so next will actually be Fleetwood Mac - Live. We’ll circle back.

you won't find anything much better live than the dance

Nashville ‘77 is pretty fucking good

However, The Dance does have Big Love on it.

[liebzz]

The Dance is on the list but not until the 90s.

[Happy Trees]

The Dance is on the list but not until the 90s.

"FM Live" is another notorious lame/disappointing live album a'la the Queen one.

[liebzz]

While I listen through the first live album for the 80s, here’s a descending list of my favorites on this journey from the 60s and 70s (sorry not sorry it’s very Dead heavy):

25. Grateful Dead - Live / Dead
24. Led Zeppelin - How the West Was Won
23. The Rolling Stones - Some Girls Live in Texas
22. The Rolling Stones - Live at the El Mocambo ‘77
21. Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus
20. The Who - Live at Hull
19. Grateful Dead - Europe ‘72 Vol. 13: Bickershaw Festival, Wigan, England 5/7/72
18. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Live at the Fillmore East 1970
17. Grateful Dead - The Closing of Winterland
16. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Live Rust
15. The Band - Rock of Ages
14. Grateful Dead - Veneta, OR 8/27/72: The Complete Sunshine Daydream Concert
13. The Rolling Stones - Ladies and Gentlemen…
12. The Rolling Stones - The Brussels Affair
11. Grateful Dead - Europe ‘72
10. Jimi Hendrix - Live at Woodstock
9. Grateful Dead - Dick’s Picks Vol. 8: Harpur College, Binghamton, NY 5/2/70
8. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live!
7. Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From the Road
6. The Band - The Last Waltz
5. Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East
4. Grateful Dead - Cornell 5/8/77
3. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Hammersmith Odeon ‘75
2. Grateful Dead - Dick’s Picks Vol. 3: Pembroke Pines, FL 5/22/77
1. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - The Legendary No Nukes Concerts

[liebzz]

Fleetwood Mac - Live (deluxe)

I listened to the standard version I think a few months ago during the Fleetwood Mac journey, and I remember being pretty sour on it. Here, as there, the track list of rotating from singer to singer creates a disjointed feeling; especially because they all seemed to operate in separate spaces sonically and in their personal musical voices, that it feels like separate bands hitting the stage from song to song. So as a cohesive unit, this does not work. There are, however, some thrilling performances on this thing that should have been reordered to fit a kind of continuity. It would have made all the difference on this. Among those performances are Dreams, Sara, Not That Funny, Rhiannon, I’m So Afraid, Second Hand News, the second half of The Chain, Gold Dust Woman, Tusk, and Sisters of the Moon. If this was the album, it would be phenomenal - there’s just too much other stuff in between. Stevie Nicks for the win on this one, as her voice is sultry and stunning when she’s on in this one.

The Essential Performance: Rhiannon

Next Up: Warren Zevon - Stand in the Fire

[liebzz]

Warren Zevon - Stand in the Fire

Another of the artists I have little to no background on, which makes things a bit exciting to start. All in all, I enjoyed this one, even if it won’t make one of my favorites. Everything here is very solid. Stand in the Fire, Jeannie Needs a Shooter, Excitable Boy and Mohammed’s Radio serve as a good introduction, a sort of quirky but ultimately straightforward rock and roll band,l. The intros give way to more essential material like Werewolves of London and Lawyers, Guns, and Money - the two I think are the winners here - take your pick. Poor Poor Pitiful Me and I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead round out my remaining favorites from this one. Good stuff.

The Essential Performance: Werewolves of London

Up Next: Creedence Clearwater Revival - The Concert

[wease]

I’ve never liked Werewolves, but totally dig Lawyers, Guns and Money.

[liebzz]

Credence Clearwater Revival - The Concert

Recorded a decade earlier, this release was originally called The Royal Albert Hall Concert, and abruptly retitled upon discovering that none of the songs were actually recorded at Royal Albert Hall. A good start. That notwithstanding, this is CCR at their height, banging through hits and deeper cuts in the vein of their 45 minutes and done mantra of the time (apparently John Fogerty’s refusal to play longer or play encores was a contributing factor to their ultimate dissolution). Everything here is top notch, though the jammed out finale, Keep On Chooglin’, is the clear winner here. Great release.

The Essential Performance: Keep On Chooglin’

Up Next: ZZ Top - Live in Germany: Rockaplast 1980