Essential Live Albums

[liebzz]

Live 8

There’s one point to this show: Make Poverty History! Okay, well there’s one point to re-listening to a 2005 show where they pulled up the hottest ticket of 1999 artists to all play together to make 8.5 hours of Smooth feat. Rob Thomas’s - the actual one time and one time only reunion of peak Pink Floyd…except they couldn’t even do that on this playlist - it’s left off! Even then, the highlights here come from the old fogies in the bunch: U2, Sting, The Who, and Paul McCartney all deliver solid sets here. The two that stuck out for me were Won’t Get Fooled Again (proving once again that nobody rock like The Who), and Helter Skelter (that grandpa lead in makes you wonder and then he delivers big).

The Essential Performance(s): The Who - Won’t Get Fooled Again: Paul McCartney - Helter Skelter

Up Next: Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama - Live at the Apollo

[wease]

Blind Boys of Alabama are cool. Their version of Amazing Grace is a favorite.

[liebzz]

Yes and yes. They have a few really good moments on this I will surely note. One of the lurching stylistic changes that fit Ben Harper really well.

[Ms Harmless]

have you done VOLA yet?

[Ello Sailor]

He has not.

[liebzz]

Is VOLA an acronym for something?

[Ello Sailor]

It is not.

[liebzz]

Well no one suggested it to me until now.

[liebzz]

Actually that’s a lie. It’s already on the list near the end.

[Ms Harmless]

Actually that’s a lie. It’s already on the list near the end.

I suggested it!!! honestly

[oasisfan35]

Actually that’s a lie. It’s already on the list near the end.

I suggested it!!! honestly

VOLA, Live From The Pool

Added

September 7th 2023
That feedback and reverb is gettin' to your noggin liebzz

[liebzz]

Too much clapping.

More like 313 down and 97 to go.

[oasisfan35]

Too much clapping.

More like 313 down and 97 to go.

Ooohh double digits

[liebzz]

Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama - Live at the Apollo

If Ben Harper’s biggest strength is his songwriting and bravery to attempt to bring it authentically to all of his musical musings, it very well is his weakness too, in feeling like a jack of all trades but master of none. The aughts were a particularly exploratory period for Harper, and while his music often had elements of gospel, here he went the distance with the Blind Boys of Alabama working with him. And yet, this might be one of the best things Harper pulled off in his now long and varied career. Ben Harper’s voice has a youthful and soulfulness that bridges the Blind Boys’ aged gravitas. Like Ben is raising their game, and they in turn raise his. Everything here is quite beautifully presented, but there’s no denying their collective getting carried away on Satisfied Mind is the clear winner here.

The Essential Performance: Satisfied Mind

Up Next: Pearl Jam - Vault #8: Missoula, MT 8/29/05

[Captain Termite]

Is VOLA an acronym for something?

Very Ossential Live Albums

[Ms Harmless]

yes

[liebzz]

Fun!

[liebzz]

Pearl Jam - Vault #8: Missoula, MT 8/29/2005

This first show of the 2005 tour in North America was a benefit concert for John Tester, a seemingly traditional thing it seems like now. This show, in Jeff Ament’s home state, is often preceded by a lot of hype. This one, whether it’s the sound quality of the recording or the performance itself, does not live up to the hype. The band and Eddie were quite sloppy and almost unrehearsed in the main set, where maybe only Sad, Half Full, and Rearviewmirror don’t have glaring miscues. The encores pick it up a little, but the sound is almost tinny or artificial. The exception here was Black, Red, Yellow which sounded really good. They could have picked any number of stronger recordings for their vault - apologies to anyone here who attended the show and had the time of their life.

The Essential Performance: Black, Red, Yellow

Up Next: Pearl Jam - Live at Easy Street

[Ello Sailor]

hecan'tkeepgettingawaywiththis.gif

[AndySlash]

it's fine that they released that show. it's ridiculous it was chosen as a vault release. i can't recall a worse played show from that time period, if not from any era.