Essential Live Albums

[liebzz]

I am sure I could take this to the eating thread…vanilla is a flavor that I feel can be crucial to enhancing taste when paired with other flavors. On its own, it’s fine but not something I would reach for or look forward to. It doesn’t excite my palette but if it was my only choice I’d be okay with it. To that end, I am surely insulting vanilla in my comparison.

“I hate the f&@$!in’ Eagles, man.” - Lebowski

[Kevin Davis]

Pink Floyd - Pulse

This second Waters-less live album was taken during the Division Bell tour, and the first half of this one is focused on weaving those songs with A Momentary Lapse of Reason and some older songs. This first half is decidedly pure fire. Rather than some sort of obligatory tip of the cap before diving into what the fans really want, they lean right into these with several of the biggest highlights hanging out here: What Do You Want From Me, Keep Talking, Sorrow and High Hopes are all killer, mixed in with Astronomy Domine, Hey You, and Another Brick in the Wall. The second half has a full rendition of Dark Side of the Moon, but of course any deviation from the detail that went into that one is readily apparent - this is simply a document that stands as is. Afterwards, the sort of encore of a stunning Wish You Were Here, a massive solo at the end of Comfortably Numb, and Run Like Hell bring this live album home. This is much better than I expected, simply because I didn’t think it could catch the re-jiggered Delicate Sound of Thunder, but even surpasses it.

The Essential Performance: Wish You Were Here

Up Next: The Eagles - Hell Freezes Over

This one was huge when it came out. What a rare moment for Floyd. I remember really trying with Divison Bell, but i think with time you can feel how bland it was.

Though What Do You Want From Me is a great song.

I was a big apologist for the band’s post-Waters work for a long while, but goddamn the Division Bell and Pulse sure are Floyd as sleepy adult comfort food.

The musicianship is good, and the sound engineering is the literal star of the show. But the songs are just brutally toothless and dull. What Do You Want From Me sounds like what it is: a placid mind trying to recreate Roger’s open, conflicted, and obsessive psychoanalysis of his own need for acceptance. Lovely sound, great playing, lifeless songwriting. Beautiful and pathetic.

My first Pink Floyd album was A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It's not much in the way of songwriting -- it's hamfisted, preachy, self-consciously flowery -- but it does have an icy, claustrophobic vibe that feels somewhat cohesive and intentional (part of this might just be the fact that it was a Pink Floyd album that came out in 1987). I think I'll always find "Learning to Fly" to be a beautifully naive, hopeful song -- I've read that it's about Gilmour taking pilot lessons, or about Gilmour "breaking free" from Roger to learn to "fly" as the leader of Pink Floyd, etc., but for years I just heard it as an actual description of a person learning to fly, like a bird, and it's really a lovely, fantastical piece of writing through that lens, especially when coupled with the reverb-drenched production (I really like the little guitar line Glimour plays after the lyric "ice is forming on the tips of my wings").

The Division Bell has less of an identity, IMO, but I do enjoy "A Great Day For Freedom," "Lost for Words," and "High Hopes."

[liebzz]

Mad Season - Live at the Moore

Most of us are quite familiar with the genesis of this supergroup. The natural musical chemistry these guys had was really amazing for a supergroup of any kind, and the album Above is a testament to that. But even more so is this show at the Moore in Seattle in 1995. This is chock full of the immediate realization that Pearl Jam has always kept a lid on Mike McCready, who never sounded better. Layne handling vocals largely on his own, with a mid set assist from the legendary Mark Lanegan is really phenomenal. All of these performances are fantastic, but the ones that most blow me away are the John Lennon cover of I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier, done heavy, Long Gone Day, I Don’t Know Anything, and the massive set closing November Hotel, which despite my wish to highlight Layne’s vocals in this review, is the clear winner, and one of my favorite officially released live jams from anyone.

The Essential Performance: November Hotel

Up Next: Pearl Jam - Vault 7: Live at Solider Field, Chicago, IL 7/11/95

[Ello Sailor]

I think I'll always find "Learning to Fly" to be a beautifully naive, hopeful song.

I adore this song. I can't help it.

[Happy Trees]

I remember "Get Over It" getting significant airplay here in Central IL circa 1995 or so. I feel like this song is just waiting in the wings to become a MAGA anthem.

An ironic MAGA anthem.

"I Won't Back Down" will be next.

[VinylGuy]

Mad Season - Live at the Moore

Most of us are quite familiar with the genesis of this supergroup. The natural musical chemistry these guys had was really amazing for a supergroup of any kind, and the album Above is a testament to that. But even more so is this show at the Moore in Seattle in 1995. This is chock full of the immediate realization that Pearl Jam has always kept a lid on Mike McCready, who never sounded better. Layne handling vocals largely on his own, with a mid set assist from the legendary Mark Lanegan is really phenomenal. All of these performances are fantastic, but the ones that most blow me away are the John Lennon cover of I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier, done heavy, Long Gone Day, I Don’t Know Anything, and the massive set closing November Hotel, which despite my wish to highlight Layne’s vocals in this review, is the clear winner, and one of my favorite officially released live jams from anyone.

The Essential Performance: November Hotel

Up Next: Pearl Jam - Vault 7: Live at Solider Field, Chicago, IL 7/11/95

Im such a big fan of Mad Season. I love Above really, its one of my favorite from the 90s. And the Moore show is historic.

[liebzz]

Pearl Jam - Vault #7: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL 7/11/95

This is another legendary show in the vast live Pearl Jam catalogue. If the Spring 1994 tour was the first reverberations of tumult, Summer 1995 is Pearl Jam on the very edge of collapse. Despite a few huge shows that are forever etched in Pearl Jam lore: Red Rocks, Milwaukee, and this one in particular, the band at this point was at a vicious crossroads. Eddie had taken the pressure pretty hard, so locked into his ideal that he traveled around in a van, extolled about bands no one ever heard of (save Fugazi which many folks did know), and seemed to push on in spite of the band’s success rather than with it. The tour was a mess. Cancellations, food poisoning and all sorts of problems logistically working outside Ticketmaster. Despite all their efforts, fans felt alienated and the band seemed largely inaccessible.

This is that tour’s finale, in the largest venue they’d played to that point. The raw energy matches the tumult of the times, and yet this still is one of the greatest performances of their career. Immortality has botched lyrics, but the band is pure perfection behind it, a really intense Habit, and the set highlight Blood, which is as intense as the band may ever sound. The band would largely find some inner peace moving forward in their shows, but this was a special albeit challenging time for the band and its fans.

The Essential Performance: Blood

Up Next: Allman Brothers Band - An Evening With…First Set

[liebzz]

Allman Brothers Band - An Evening With the Allman Brothers Band: First Set

This is the first in a two-part set released in 1992 and 1995 respectively that we cover consecutively. The first set was recorded in late 91/early 92, and is a mix of classics with newer songs. This is still one of the great live bands on earth, but for some reason it just sounds in parts like there’s a missing element to it that wasn’t at all an issue with the other late period live Allman releases we’ve covered. That said, this is the best version of Melissa so far. Really quite stunning. As is the epic Nobody Knows, Dreams, and the set closing Revival. The second half of the “First Set” is really quite stronger than the first here.

The Essential Performance: Melissa

Up Next: Allman Brothers Band - An Evening With…2nd Set

[warehouse]

Pearl Jam - Vault #7: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL 7/11/95

This is another legendary show in the vast live Pearl Jam catalogue. If the Spring 1994 tour was the first reverberations of tumult, Summer 1995 is Pearl Jam on the very edge of collapse. Despite a few huge shows that are forever etched in Pearl Jam lore: Red Rocks, Milwaukee, and this one in particular, the band at this point was at a vicious crossroads. Eddie had taken the pressure pretty hard, so locked into his ideal that he traveled around in a van, extolled about bands no one ever heard of (save Fugazi which many folks did know), and seemed to push on in spite of the band’s success rather than with it. The tour was a mess. Cancellations, food poisoning and all sorts of problems logistically working outside Ticketmaster. Despite all their efforts, fans felt alienated and the band seemed largely inaccessible.

This is that tour’s finale, in the largest venue they’d played to that point. The raw energy matches the tumult of the times, and yet this still is one of the greatest performances of their career. Immortality has botched lyrics, but the band is pure perfection behind it, a really intense Habit, and the set highlight Blood, which is as intense as the band may ever sound. The band would largely find some inner peace moving forward in their shows, but this was a special albeit challenging time for the band and its fans.

The Essential Performance: Blood

Up Next: Allman Brothers Band - An Evening With…First Set

not gonna hit on the encore covers at all? the first two songs are my essential performances

[liebzz]

Pearl Jam - Vault #7: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL 7/11/95

This is another legendary show in the vast live Pearl Jam catalogue. If the Spring 1994 tour was the first reverberations of tumult, Summer 1995 is Pearl Jam on the very edge of collapse. Despite a few huge shows that are forever etched in Pearl Jam lore: Red Rocks, Milwaukee, and this one in particular, the band at this point was at a vicious crossroads. Eddie had taken the pressure pretty hard, so locked into his ideal that he traveled around in a van, extolled about bands no one ever heard of (save Fugazi which many folks did know), and seemed to push on in spite of the band’s success rather than with it. The tour was a mess. Cancellations, food poisoning and all sorts of problems logistically working outside Ticketmaster. Despite all their efforts, fans felt alienated and the band seemed largely inaccessible.

This is that tour’s finale, in the largest venue they’d played to that point. The raw energy matches the tumult of the times, and yet this still is one of the greatest performances of their career. Immortality has botched lyrics, but the band is pure perfection behind it, a really intense Habit, and the set highlight Blood, which is as intense as the band may ever sound. The band would largely find some inner peace moving forward in their shows, but this was a special albeit challenging time for the band and its fans.

The Essential Performance: Blood

Up Next: Allman Brothers Band - An Evening With…First Set

not gonna hit on the encore covers at all? the first two songs are my essential performances

They are really fun covers, and I certainly thought about it, especially since it is the one moment in the show where they let the gas off the highly agitated energy, but I got swept up in that version of Blood and kind of forgot to note it. But yes, those 2 covers made my cassette tape compilations of Pearl Jam covers for decades so I should have talked about them.

[liebzz]

Allman Brothers Band - An Evening With the Allman Brothers Band: 2nd Set

This one kind of smokes the first. Not that the first was bad, but this is sort of more like it. Everything on here is a deserving highlight for this, though maybe Soulshine the least even though I do enjoy that song generally. What really stands out are Back Where It All Begins, which moves and twists through really nicely, The Same Thing, No One To Run With, and Jessica are all really good. The moment of pure genius here is once again acoustic in the form of In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, a repeat essential performance for these guys pretty regularly.

The Essential Performance: In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (acoustic)

Up Next: Dave Matthews Band - Live at Red Rocks

[wease]

Yeah. I fucking LOVE that acoustic Liz Reed.

[liebzz]

Dave Matthews Band - Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95

Dave Matthews Band seemed like that group that sort of sprouted up as a pop rock change up, along with a more pop punk with bands like Green Day and Weezer, after a few years of the heavy “grunge” rock movement sort of dominating the scene. It wasn’t as if Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and the like were fully swept away, but something in response was inevitable. Notwithstanding the pop punk craze and nu metal phases that would take over, there was a groundswell of jam bands filing the vacuum that would be left by the loss of Jerry Garcia just days before this show. Dave Matthews Band didn’t quite fit neatly into the pop or jam band worlds so neatly, but they were a band that exploded out with huge pop hits and drew in college students playing hacky sack and ultimate frisbee with their jammier live vibes.

Straddling those worlds, Dave Matthews Band hits Red Rocks here with a ton offer, and really a very real reflection of their live sound. Seek Up is constantly compelling, drawing you into their musical world as it builds - really a perfect show opener for them. In the middle section that comprises most of the show, the band is locked in, and banging through what would become a laundry list of live staples for them: Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Tripping Billies, and Drive In Drive Out. Two Step makes a strong showing here too. Ants Marching is the clear hit here as the fans respond accordingly, and Watchtower shows their ability to nail a cover song without losing their powers. I had a really hard time picking a winner here between Seek Up, Dancing Nancies, and Warehouse, but I think I gotta go with Seek Up in the end. This has some really great highs, but admittedly also has a few lulls that in it too.

The Essential Performance: Seek Up

Up Next: Phish - New Year’s Eve 1995

[oasisfan35]

Dave Matthews Band - Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95

Dave Matthews Band seemed like that group that sort of sprouted up as a pop rock change up, along with a more pop punk with bands like Green Day and Weezer, after a few years of the heavy “grunge” rock movement sort of dominating the scene. It wasn’t as if Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and the like were fully swept away, but something in response was inevitable. Notwithstanding the pop punk craze and nu metal phases that would take over, there was a groundswell of jam bands filing the vacuum that would be left by the loss of Jerry Garcia just days before this show. Dave Matthews Band didn’t quite fit neatly into the pop or jam band worlds so neatly, but they were a band that exploded out with huge pop hits and drew in college students playing hacky sack and ultimate frisbee with their jammier live vibes.

Straddling those worlds, Dave Matthews Band hits Red Rocks here with a ton offer, and really a very real reflection of their live sound. Seek Up is constantly compelling, drawing you into their musical world as it builds - really a perfect show opener for them. In the middle section that comprises most of the show, the band is locked in, and banging through what would become a laundry list of live staples for them: Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Tripping Billies, and Drive In Drive Out. Two Step makes a strong showing here too. Ants Marching is the clear hit here as the fans respond accordingly, and Watchtower shows their ability to nail a cover song without losing their powers. I had a really hard time picking a winner here between Seek Up, Dancing Nancies, and Warehouse, but I think I gotta go with Seek Up in the end. This has some really great highs, but admittedly also has a few lulls that in it too.

The Essential Performance: Seek Up

Up Next: Phish - New Year’s Eve 1995

I've been rolling through the summer '95 tour the last few weeks and have this one queued up for Monday morning. Going with the truck tape, a loose SBD/AUD mix before the L@RR post-production touch-ups.

Tim Reynolds only guested on one other show that tour, so that has always made the Red Rocks release a bit special. David Ryan Harris guested a bunch since the tour had Dionne Farris as support, two of those shows got releases through the LiveTrax series.

[warehouse]

Dave Matthews Band - Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95

Dave Matthews Band seemed like that group that sort of sprouted up as a pop rock change up, along with a more pop punk with bands like Green Day and Weezer, after a few years of the heavy “grunge” rock movement sort of dominating the scene. It wasn’t as if Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and the like were fully swept away, but something in response was inevitable. Notwithstanding the pop punk craze and nu metal phases that would take over, there was a groundswell of jam bands filing the vacuum that would be left by the loss of Jerry Garcia just days before this show. Dave Matthews Band didn’t quite fit neatly into the pop or jam band worlds so neatly, but they were a band that exploded out with huge pop hits and drew in college students playing hacky sack and ultimate frisbee with their jammier live vibes.

Straddling those worlds, Dave Matthews Band hits Red Rocks here with a ton offer, and really a very real reflection of their live sound. Seek Up is constantly compelling, drawing you into their musical world as it builds - really a perfect show opener for them. In the middle section that comprises most of the show, the band is locked in, and banging through what would become a laundry list of live staples for them: Dancing Nancies, Warehouse, Tripping Billies, and Drive In Drive Out. Two Step makes a strong showing here too. Ants Marching is the clear hit here as the fans respond accordingly, and Watchtower shows their ability to nail a cover song without losing their powers. I had a really hard time picking a winner here between Seek Up, Dancing Nancies, and Warehouse, but I think I gotta go with Seek Up in the end. This has some really great highs, but admittedly also has a few lulls that in it too.

The Essential Performance: Seek Up

Up Next: Phish - New Year’s Eve 1995

Nancies is my favorite from this show, but it's a staple show. i probably listen to tracks from this show every week. it's a legendary release

[liebzz]

Yeah I didn’t end up choosing between the three until I typed it, and mostly ended up with Seek Up because over the years that is the performance from this live album I most remember and go back to. Dancing Nancies’ jam at the end is huge and segues into Warehouse perfectly. Killer moment there.

[liebzz]

Phish - Live at Madison Square Garden, New Year’s Eve 1995

Listening to this one maybe for the second time, it both expands my appreciation for this band while also playing on the frustrations that keep me from really getting into them in a more extensive way. There’s lots of lulls in the middle or end of jams that just drag on a bit too long, but some genius playing, massive throw downs, and otherwise wild uninhibited Phish in its glory delivering much of the Gamehenge story. The first set delivers a solid Punch You in the Eye, The Sloth, Reba, The Squirming Coil, and Maze that all show the band is here is both let loose and take its time. Fly Famous Mockingbird begins the spoken word narration of the Gamehenge story, complete with a hilarious yet spot on play on Collective Soul’s Shine (the song playing if everything got stuck in 1994). Chalk Dust Torture is always great and closes out the set nicely.

Set two begins with the band conceding in its tour long chess match with the crowd (you’d have to google this), then launching into one of set two’s big highlights: a cover of The Who’s Drowned. The Lizards, and Auxilla Pt. 2 keep things moving as they make their way to epic set closer Mike’s Song.

The third set really features the ridiculously great You Enjoy Myself only hampered by a drone for the last 5 minutes that they could have done without, especially given that they were so well locked in for the first 20 minutes. Epic covers of Frankenstein and Johnny B. Goode close out the encore on a great show.

The Essential Performance: You Enjoy Myself

Up Next: Blues Traveler - Live From the Fall

[liebzz]

Blues Traveler - Live From the Fall

Like the rest of the mainstream world, I have the CD of Four sitting somewhere in my attic. A band otherwise forgotten for me, a sort of assumption that they were relative lightweights of the 90s “jam” scene. Descent enough songs for sure, but it seemed they just disappeared.

That makes this live album a nearly fully open experience, and my expectations were immediately shattered. This band is legitimately bad ass. I mean, they shred and not just harmonica. Guitars, bass, all of it is pretty full throttle, at least compared to say Hook. Love and Greed, Mulling It Over, and Closing Down the Park are enough to make a whole live album of highlights, add NY Prophesie, Gina, and the Go Outside and Drive / Low Rider (and medley), and this thing is pretty amazing. Who knew?!

The Essential Performance: Go Outside and Drive/Low Rider

Up Next: Gov’t Mule - The Georgia Bootleg Box

[liebzz]

FYI, the Georgia Bootleg Box is 3 shows from ‘96 in Athens, GA. It’s 6.5 hours long so this might take a few days.

[wease]

Blues Traveler - Live From the Fall

Like the rest of the mainstream world, I have the CD of Four sitting somewhere in my attic. A band otherwise forgotten for me, a sort of assumption that they were relative lightweights of the 90s “jam” scene. Descent enough songs for sure, but it seemed they just disappeared.

That makes this live album a nearly fully open experience, and my expectations were immediately shattered. This band is legitimately bad ass. I mean, they shred and not just harmonica. Guitars, bass, all of it is pretty full throttle, at least compared to say Hook. Love and Greed, Mulling It Over, and Closing Down the Park are enough to make a whole live album of highlights, add NY Prophesie, Gina, and the Go Outside and Drive / Low Rider (and medley), and this thing is pretty amazing. Who knew?!

The Essential Performance: Go Outside and Drive/Low Rider

Up Next: Gov’t Mule - The Georgia Bootleg Box

Popper is certainly in his own league on harmonica, but I get to the point where it’s all just like a bee buzzing around my ears and I want it to go away.

Have you ever listened to Frogwings? Popper, Derek, Oteil, Kofi, Jimmy Herring, Butch Trucks. Live album- Croakin’ At Toads. It’s right around the timeframe you’re getting into as well.

Can’t believe I didn’t mention that one before.