Essential Live Albums

[Ello Sailor]

[Strat]

Colorado people love ween

[Ello Sailor]

And so they should. One of the greatest bands of all time.

[Strat]

bold. as you do it. PUSH THE LITTLE DAISIES!!

[Anders]

Ween - Live in Chicago

This is a band I have no background in, though I had obviously heard of them for many years. They are quite good live, even jumping boundlessly from one sound to the next. Part hard rock, circus music, jammy but yet not, they sort of seem to exist on their own space and terms, and that’s quite enjoyable. A less extreme KGLW almost (I recognize Ween has been around much longer). The highlights here are the almost poppy opening number Take Me Away, Wven If You Don’t, the epic Voodoo Lady, Roses Are Free (loved this too!), Buckingham Green, I’ll Be Your Johnny on Th’Spot, and Ocean Man. I mean, nothing is weak here but those seemed to all raise up a level.

The Essential Performance: Voodoo Lady

Up Next: Nine Inch Nails - Live: And All That Could Have Been

[liebzz]

Nine Inch Nails - Live: And All That Could Have Been

Nine Inch Nails is one of those entities I have never been able to get. I see the songwriting and creativity and all that, but it never struck the chord with me that it does for so many other folks that frankly like the same music I do. Every few years I think, maybe like how taste buds change and evolve, that this time it will work out. I have to say my reaction has improved a bit. Hearing it in a live setting helps, though I still wouldn’t call myself a fan in any manner. I did like Wish, Head Like a Hole, and certainly familiarity reeds a certain appreciation in Hurt and Closer. And Terrible Lie was really good. But a natural fan I am not.

The Essential Performance: Wish

Up Next: My Morning Jacket - MMJ Live Vol. 3: Bonnaroo 2004

[liebzz]

My Morning Jacket - MMJ Live Vol. 3: Bonnaroo 2004

This is the first of a few we’ll cover on this journey, and one that I had not yet heard because of the distraction of this journey. Released just this year as part of the band’s archival live series, this is a young band powering through their brand of psychedelic country rock at the 2004 Bonnaroo music festival, their second year in a row at the festival. It’s a fascinating listen if only because being accustomed to their current live sets, or at least those sets over the past 10 years, the songs here seem almost out of order, largely because mainstays like Mahgeetah, and One Big Holiday start this thing off when they seem like late set or encore material now. This one really picks up where they find that perfect groove on Lowdown, and Dancefloors, but The Way That He Sings seems like the best version I can recall hearing. Phone Went West > Cobra > At Dawn is bonkers great, from near balladry to that funk bass over a simple guitar twang that punches you in the gut like Shine On You Crazy Diamond, and taking that rhythm on the closing jam straight into At Dawn is pretty magical stuff, even without drugs. Steam Engine is similarly great and closes things out on an epic note. Great show.

The Essential Performance: Phone Went West > Cobra > At Dawn

Up Next: Wilco - Kicking Television: Live in Chicago

[AndySlash]

that mmj bonnaroo show is why i became a fan. my buddy was the one that knew of them and pushed us to go. i don't remember much 20 years on, but the rain pouring down and the band playing on is unforgettable.

[liebzz]

that mmj bonnaroo show is why i became a fan. my buddy was the one that knew of them and pushed us to go. i don't remember much 20 years on, but the rain pouring down and the band playing on is unforgettable.

It’s them right in the perfect pocket before everything started to change - some for the better and some for the worse. I’d be hard pressed to find a more representative show of that era. You are fortunate to have made this show.

[liebzz]

Wilco - Kicking Television - Live in Chicago

This is another band I have been meaning to actually give its own journey but haven’t quite gotten to it. That said, I have never listened to this one until now and this is a really fabulous live album. These guys cover a lot of ground, from the “alt country” that they seemed to be described as to straight up rock music, a Beatles-like pop rock in the right moments almost melded with a Sonic Youth energy (Handshake Drugs is what reminded me of this), this is fantastic nearly front to back. I was sold from the massive opening build of Misunderstood, the dexterity of Company in My Back and blown away by Spiders (Kidsmoke). I just can’t pick one from this one, so I am taking the epic bookends here.

The Essential Performance(s): Misunderstood, Spiders (Kidsmoke)

Up Next: MF DOOM - Live from Planet X

[liebzz]

MF DOOM - Live from Planet X

There was a moment in time, not far from this, that I had my moment with rap and hip hop, though it wasn’t anything particularly cutting edge or anything. MF DOOM kinda kicked around here and there with what I was listening to, but never anything near a deep dive. This sort of harkens back to that time, though admittedly, without the assistance of a workable track list, I am lost in the shuffle of this one. I do enjoy and appreciate Doom’s cadence and delivery against a solid sonic backing, but I can’t say this is something I would immediately run back for. Don’t get me wrong though, this is a solid performance.

Up Next: Cream - Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6 2005

[liebzz]

Cream - Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6 2005

Seems like a few 60s and 70s bands each decade make their long awaited reunion, and cash in on some nostalgia. Taken from their 2005 reunion tour, Cream seemed to do just that, and released this as a document of their good times. This is simply the worst stitched together live album thus far, with nary a decent transition. We’re so close to them introducing the wrong song at the back end of the track, which would have been perfectly exemplary. I mean, there’s certainly some good stuff here, Sleepy Time Time is really good, as is Sunshine of Your Love, Outside Woman Blues, and Politician, but it gets to the point of distraction that they keep introducing themselves after nearly every song, almost lending credence to my in the moment observation mentally comparing this Stormy Monday to Duane Allman’s - that Eric Clapton just may be the Kraft Mac and Cheese of guitarists: the notes seem to do the job and satisfy, but we know it somehow could never compare to the real deal homemade Mac (see Duane Allman).

The Essential Performance: Sunshine of Your Love

Up Next: The Black Crowes - Freak N Roll: Into the Fog - The Black Crowes All Join Hands

[VinylGuy]

Nine Inch Nails - Live: And All That Could Have Been

Nine Inch Nails is one of those entities I have never been able to get. I see the songwriting and creativity and all that, but it never struck the chord with me that it does for so many other folks that frankly like the same music I do. Every few years I think, maybe like how taste buds change and evolve, that this time it will work out. I have to say my reaction has improved a bit. Hearing it in a live setting helps, though I still wouldn’t call myself a fan in any manner. I did like Wish, Head Like a Hole, and certainly familiarity reeds a certain appreciation in Hurt and Closer. And Terrible Lie was really good. But a natural fan I am not.

The Essential Performance: Wish

Up Next: My Morning Jacket - MMJ Live Vol. 3: Bonnaroo 2004

Interesting. I can totally understand why someone who dont like NIN studio albums wont really get their live shows. And this one is not the best stuff to get new fans, i think their dvd for Beside You In Time is way better and translates better the feeling of being in a NIN live show.

Also, they have been changing lineups so much, every tour has a very different and wild vibe.

[liebzz]

The Black Crowes - Freak N’ Roll: Into the Fog - The Black Crowes All Join Hands

This has always been a personal favorite of mine - The Black Crowes on a more is more tour. Horn sections, backup singers, acoustic mini sets, this has all the classic rock indulgence you can ask for. Yet, every song is delivered expertly toeing the line between classic rock and jam band improvisation. Every listen reveals a new favorite performance here, and on this one, though tempted to take that incredible cover of The Band’s They Night They Deove Old Dixie Down, I am going to with the extended My Morning Song. They are so good.

The Essential Performance: My Morning Song

Up Next: Live 8

[McParadigm]

Eric Clapton just may be the Kraft Mac and Cheese of guitarists

Perfect

[Happy Trees]

Eric Clapton just may be the Kraft Mac and Cheese of guitarists

Perfect

More like a pile of wilted iceberg lettuce packaged as fresh collard greens.

[Jammer XCI]

I don't remember Kraft Mac and Cheese or lettuce getting on stage to do racist rants or letting their kid fall out of a window, unlike their bag of cocaine.

Nine Inch Nails is one of the greatest live bands ever, but I don't expect the guy who can sit through all 100,000 Pearl Jam live albums and all 900,000 Phish live albums to get it either. Didn't expect him to get that Slayer live record he trashed either though.

Ween is fucking amazing but I've yet to see them live.

I didn't even know MF DOOM had a live album, but in that case, who the fuck even knows if it was actually MF DOOM on the live album itself.

[liebzz]

I don't remember Kraft Mac and Cheese or lettuce getting on stage to do racist rants or letting their kid fall out of a window, unlike their bag of cocaine.

Nine Inch Nails is one of the greatest live bands ever, but I don't expect the guy who can sit through all 100,000 Pearl Jam live albums and all 900,000 Phish live albums to get it either. Didn't expect him to get that Slayer live record he trashed either though.

Ween is fucking amazing but I've yet to see them live.

I didn't even know MF DOOM had a live album, but in that case, who the fuck even knows if it was actually MF DOOM on the live album itself.

The last 9 months or so, in a single digest.

Also, you forgot about the 20 Grateful Dead live albums.

[Happy Trees]

Ween is fucking amazing but I've yet to see them live.

One of the grestest shows I've ever attended was my first Ween show. Some asshole seems to have gotten his hands on the soundboard and leaked it.

https://archive.org/details/Ween1998-01-30.matrix

I don't remember Kraft Mac and Cheese or lettuce getting on stage to do racist rants or letting their kid fall out of a window, unlike their bag of cocaine.

Consider my comment again under that premise.

[Higgs]

I don't remember Kraft Mac and Cheese or lettuce getting on stage to do racist rants or letting their kid fall out of a window, unlike their bag of cocaine.

Nine Inch Nails is one of the greatest live bands ever, but I don't expect the guy who can sit through all 100,000 Pearl Jam live albums and all 900,000 Phish live albums to get it either. Didn't expect him to get that Slayer live record he trashed either though.

Ween is fucking amazing but I've yet to see them live.

I didn't even know MF DOOM had a live album, but in that case, who the fuck even knows if it was actually MF DOOM on the live album itself.

You know that liebzz is just posting his opinion on the albums, yeah? It's OK that you like it if he doesn't. This isn't China.