Essential Live Albums

[wease]

Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day

Perhaps no reunion was more hotly discussed and anticipated for decades than Led Zeppelin. Seemed like rumors swirled forever, and even once this show was done, the hope was they’d finally do it. This show demonstrated, to the excitement of those who got in and to the frustration of those who didn’t get into this one time only event, is that they could still do it. Especially as the show wears on, Plant can still deliver his lines, Page can still play, John Paul Jones belongs with these guys, and Jason Bonham a more than capable stand in. The opening blast of Good Times Bad Times is a fantastic moment. Like canons going off. In My Time of Dying is phenomenal and right in their range here. The closing 5 songs though make it seem like no time had passed from the late 70s as they banged through The Song Remains the Same, Misty Mountain Hop, Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love, and Rock & Roll in near perfect form. Still wish they’d tour.

The Essential Performance: Kashmir

Up Next: Dave Matthews Band - Live at Folsom Field

This thing was just bombastic. For Your Life and Trampled Underfoot are my MVPs but the whole thing is simply brilliant. It sounds so fucking HUGE.

[VinylGuy]

i would have killed for a tour but also respected a lot when they didnt.

[liebzz]

i would have killed for a tour but also respected a lot when they didnt.

I mean they is Robert Plant, everyone else was ready to go.

[VinylGuy]

yeah Plant. I then saw John Paul Jones with Them Crooked Vultures and it was massive.

Then like 10 years pass and i saw Plant live , awesome show. He later played Lemon Song with Jack White.

[Buby]

yeah Plant. I then saw John Paul Jones with Them Crooked Vultures and it was massive.
Then like 10 years pass and i saw Plant live , awesome show. He later played Lemon Song with Jack White.

Now THAT is an awesome flex.

[liebzz]

yeah Plant. I then saw John Paul Jones with Them Crooked Vultures and it was massive.
Then like 10 years pass and i saw Plant live , awesome show. He later played Lemon Song with Jack White.

Now THAT is an awesome flex.

Ha.

I saw Page & Plant in ‘98 at MSG, they were great. Never got to see TCV though I wish I did. I have no interest in seeing The Lemon Song live - what if the juice starts running down his leg!?

[tommy]

To this day I still can't believe that I didn't see TCV. If I could I'd punch my past self in the mouth. What a ridiculous decision.

[wease]

yeah Plant. I then saw John Paul Jones with Them Crooked Vultures and it was massive.
Then like 10 years pass and i saw Plant live , awesome show. He later played Lemon Song with Jack White.

Now THAT is an awesome flex.

Ha.

I saw Page & Plant in ‘98 at MSG, they were great. Never got to see TCV though I wish I did. I have no interest in seeing The Lemon Song live - what if the juice starts running down his leg!?

I saw P&P in Knoxville. That fucking Immigrant Song tease into Wanton Song absolutely killed us.

[liebzz]

yeah Plant. I then saw John Paul Jones with Them Crooked Vultures and it was massive.
Then like 10 years pass and i saw Plant live , awesome show. He later played Lemon Song with Jack White.

Now THAT is an awesome flex.

Ha.

I saw Page & Plant in ‘98 at MSG, they were great. Never got to see TCV though I wish I did. I have no interest in seeing The Lemon Song live - what if the juice starts running down his leg!?

I saw P&P in Knoxville. That fucking Immigrant Song tease into Wanton Song absolutely killed us.

They teased Stairway at the Garden. Place nearly blew up.

[wease]

yeah Plant. I then saw John Paul Jones with Them Crooked Vultures and it was massive.
Then like 10 years pass and i saw Plant live , awesome show. He later played Lemon Song with Jack White.

Now THAT is an awesome flex.

Ha.

I saw Page & Plant in ‘98 at MSG, they were great. Never got to see TCV though I wish I did. I have no interest in seeing The Lemon Song live - what if the juice starts running down his leg!?

I saw P&P in Knoxville. That fucking Immigrant Song tease into Wanton Song absolutely killed us.

They teased Stairway at the Garden. Place nearly blew up.

Haha! I bet!
I just noticed you said ‘98. We saw them in ‘95.

[liebzz]

Yeah, the Walking Into Clarksdale tour. I remember the album being pretty decent but it seems they have deleted all traces of the thing. No digital streaming or anything. I have the CD somewhere.

[liebzz]

Dave Matthews Band - Live at Piedmont Park

The last time I listened to this, I was very distracted by the sound quality, which to me sounded a little hollow, like some instrument called in sick. I didn’t really notice that this time, and actually there’s some pretty incredible stretches on this. In particular, You Might Die Trying and Grey Street, What Would You Say w/ Warren Haynes, Melissa w/ Gregg Allman, and then Louisiana Bayou is phenomenal. The Dreaming Tree sounded great, particularly Rashawn Ross’s solo, So Much to Say > Anyone Seen the Bridge > Too Much is great with some change ups, and Warehouse here is slammin’. It’s actually quite tough to pick a favorite here.

The Essential Performances: What Would You Say, Melissa, Warehouse

Up Next: Michael Franti & Spearhead - Yell Fire! Live

[VinylGuy]

Yeah, the Walking Into Clarksdale tour. I remember the album being pretty decent but it seems they have deleted all traces of the thing. No digital streaming or anything. I have the CD somewhere.

I remember when it came out; they seemed so old to me and I always thought after led zep both Plant or Page really didn’t make anything good.

[liebzz]

Yeah, the Walking Into Clarksdale tour. I remember the album being pretty decent but it seems they have deleted all traces of the thing. No digital streaming or anything. I have the CD somewhere.

I remember when it came out; they seemed so old to me and I always thought after led zep both Plant or Page really didn’t make anything good.

There’s apparently a cult or something out there that really loves the Coverdale/Page collab. And hey, “In the Mood” was a hit for Robert Plant in the 80s. All joking aside, Robert Plant has maintained a pretty relevant career since the Page & Plant thing so there’s that.

[wease]

Yeah, the Walking Into Clarksdale tour. I remember the album being pretty decent but it seems they have deleted all traces of the thing. No digital streaming or anything. I have the CD somewhere.

I remember when it came out; they seemed so old to me and I always thought after led zep both Plant or Page really didn’t make anything good.

There’s apparently a cult or something out there that really loves the Coverdale/Page collab. And hey, “In the Mood” was a hit for Robert Plant in the 80s. All joking aside, Robert Plant has maintained a pretty relevant career since the Page & Plant thing so there’s that.

P&P played that Coverdale/Page “hit” when I saw them.

And In the Mood is his best solo tune.

[VinylGuy]

Yeah, the Walking Into Clarksdale tour. I remember the album being pretty decent but it seems they have deleted all traces of the thing. No digital streaming or anything. I have the CD somewhere.

I remember when it came out; they seemed so old to me and I always thought after led zep both Plant or Page really didn’t make anything good.

There’s apparently a cult or something out there that really loves the Coverdale/Page collab. And hey, “In the Mood” was a hit for Robert Plant in the 80s. All joking aside, Robert Plant has maintained a pretty relevant career since the Page & Plant thing so there’s that.

yeah, i remember lots of people really loved that album. Never listened to it. And yes, i feel after their reunion all of them got into high profiles projects again.

[Happy Trees]

yeah Plant. I then saw John Paul Jones with Them Crooked Vultures and it was massive.
Then like 10 years pass and i saw Plant live , awesome show. He later played Lemon Song with Jack White.

Now THAT is an awesome flex.

Ha.

I saw Page & Plant in ‘98 at MSG, they were great. Never got to see TCV though I wish I did. I have no interest in seeing The Lemon Song live - what if the juice starts running down his leg!?

I was at the Philly show in '95. It was at the Spectrum so I couldn't hear too good but it was awesome to see them. I recently found out that it was supposedly the worst show of the tour with Page high out of his mind and he had a physical altercation with Plant backstage. So add it to the pile of bad luck I've had attending shows exceptional in their contextual awfulness.

There’s apparently a cult or something out there that really loves the Coverdale/Page collab. And hey, “In the Mood” was a hit for Robert Plant in the 80s. All joking aside, Robert Plant has maintained a pretty relevant career since the Page & Plant thing so there’s that.

I thought "29 Palms" was a great song. Why that has been forgotten, I don't understand.

[liebzz]

Michael Franti & Spearhead - Yell Fire! Live

Between 2003 and 2016 or so, I must have seen Franti and his band 6-8 times. They are a force live, though for some reason it never properly comes across when it’s recorded. Live in Alaska is pretty close, but that’s not available for streaming so I went with this one, a compilation on their Yell Fire! tour. The songs here are okay, it’s that the sound quality is mediocre. The band of course has it, blazing through the newest songs at the time and delivering a helluva throwdown on their classic Stay Human album with a due of Sometimes > Rock the Nation. These songs are still managing to stick in my head after finishing this one up.

The Essential Performance: Sometimes > Rock the Nation

Up Next: Umphree’s McGee - Live at the Murat

[liebzz]

Umphree’s McGee - Live at the Murat

I saw these guys as an opening band for the Big Summer Classic tour in 2006 maybe. I remember vaguely they could play pretty well and were a good band, it I admit I never really followed up with them. This live album is a sort of reintroduction, and I am not sure my impressions have changed much. I mean, these guys can really play, though nothing sort of screamed out at me. They sort of exist on a plane where they aren’t really psychedelic or tethered to a genre like southern blues rock or Americana traditions. They just sort of do everything well, but without demanding you listen more. That notwithstanding, the jams are quite excellent even if they don’t hook you in. Starting the show with an acoustic In the Kitchen, followed by an acoustic jam, followed by an electric jam, and then In the Kitchen electric was pretty cool, and The Fuzz > Nothing Too Fancy really shows off some chops, and then ending with a badass rock Padgett’s Profile are all highlights here. I will catch at least one more on this journey, which may pull everything together. That comes later though.

The Essential Performance: The Fuzz > Nothing Too Fancy

Up Next: Brothers of a Feather - Live at the Roxy

[wease]

I went thru a HM phase about 10-12 years ago. They just got to be too far out for me.

One of the best cover bands ever, tho. I haven’t heard them cover a single song that wasn’t absolutely fantastic.