Essential Live Albums

[liebzz]

ZZ Top - Live in Germany: Rockaplast 1980

Time for some southern boogie rock. This is pre-Eliminator, so none of the 80s hits, though worry not, the first 40 minutes sound like one long southern rock song. Things get interesting here and there, particularly on Lowdown in the Street, Cheap Sunglasses, and the closing songs starting with La Grange, Dust My Broom, Jailhouse Rock, and Tush.

The Essential Performance: La Grange/Sloppy Drunk/Bar-B-Q

Up Next: Toots and the Maytals - Live 1980

[wease]

How did you skip Fandango? That’s essential ZZ Top.

[Happy Trees]

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.

I thought they killed it at Woodstock - you should check out that one. Though some folks do complain about the sound quality and performance (can't imagine why).

[liebzz]

We did the Woodstock performance near the beginning during Woodstock week. I still recall the epic Susie Q to close that set.

[liebzz]

How did you skip Fandango? That’s essential ZZ Top.

Y’all are as essential to this list as me! We’ll have to go back at some point.

[wease]

How did you skip Fandango? That’s essential ZZ Top.

Y’all are as essential to this list as me! We’ll have to go back at some point.

It’ll only take you about 30 minutes. The first side is live and the second is studio (and the best side of ANY of their studio work. Period.).

[liebzz]

Okay then. We’ll listen to both. Toots and the last Bob come first. Ha.

[liebzz]

Toots and the Maytals - Live

Toots Herbert is among the most charismatically unintelligible singers I can think of. A projection of pure joy and energy, he is an infectious guide through his dance/reggae - but I don’t have a clue what he’s actually singing outside of the choruses. That said, the band is excellent, the vibes are there, and he sticks here to the hits, making this a purely easy listen front to back.

The Essential Performance: Funky Kingston

Up Next: Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live Forever: Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA 9/23/1980

[liebzz]

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live Forever: Stanley Theatre 9/23/1980

This was Marley’s final concert before he died soon thereafter from what I recall was a mysterious infection. Sometimes when we listen to these final shows from passed icons, we look for clues - but here there’s generally none. This is otherwise a mostly unremarkable show where the Wailers really rely too heavily on synths where songs were more organically rooted. There’s some good stuff here as any Marley show, but the tea leaves aren’t written and no one’s going out with a big finale.

The Essential Performance: Could You Be Loved

Up Next: ZZ Top - Fandango!

[oasisfan35]

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live Forever: Stanley Theatre 9/23/1980

This was Marley’s final concert before he died soon thereafter from what I recall was a mysterious infection. Sometimes when we listen to these final shows from passed icons, we look for clues - but here there’s generally none. This is otherwise a mostly unremarkable show where the Wailers really rely too heavily on synths where songs were more organically rooted. There’s some good stuff here as any Marley show, but the tea leaves aren’t written and no one’s going out with a big finale.

The Essential Performance: Could You Be Loved

Up Next: ZZ Top - Fandango!

It was cancer.

[wease]

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live Forever: Stanley Theatre 9/23/1980

This was Marley’s final concert before he died soon thereafter from what I recall was a mysterious infection. Sometimes when we listen to these final shows from passed icons, we look for clues - but here there’s generally none. This is otherwise a mostly unremarkable show where the Wailers really rely too heavily on synths where songs were more organically rooted. There’s some good stuff here as any Marley show, but the tea leaves aren’t written and no one’s going out with a big finale.

The Essential Performance: Could You Be Loved

Up Next: ZZ Top - Fandango!

I’ll hit this on the way home, too. It’s been a while.

[liebzz]

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live Forever: Stanley Theatre 9/23/1980

This was Marley’s final concert before he died soon thereafter from what I recall was a mysterious infection. Sometimes when we listen to these final shows from passed icons, we look for clues - but here there’s generally none. This is otherwise a mostly unremarkable show where the Wailers really rely too heavily on synths where songs were more organically rooted. There’s some good stuff here as any Marley show, but the tea leaves aren’t written and no one’s going out with a big finale.

The Essential Performance: Could You Be Loved

Up Next: ZZ Top - Fandango!

It was cancer.

Maybe I saw a documentary that was a conspiracy theory thing, but I thought it was an infection in his big toe that had somehow spread?

[oasisfan35]

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live Forever: Stanley Theatre 9/23/1980

This was Marley’s final concert before he died soon thereafter from what I recall was a mysterious infection. Sometimes when we listen to these final shows from passed icons, we look for clues - but here there’s generally none. This is otherwise a mostly unremarkable show where the Wailers really rely too heavily on synths where songs were more organically rooted. There’s some good stuff here as any Marley show, but the tea leaves aren’t written and no one’s going out with a big finale.

The Essential Performance: Could You Be Loved

Up Next: ZZ Top - Fandango!

It was cancer.

Maybe I saw a documentary that was a conspiracy theory thing, but I thought it was an infection in his big toe that had somehow spread?

Melanoma.

[Happy Trees]

Maybe I saw a documentary that was a conspiracy theory thing, but I thought it was an infection in his big toe that had somehow spread?

It was a melanoma on his toe, but he refused to have his toe amputated, so it spread to his bones and he died. Brilliant.

[liebzz]

Maybe I saw a documentary that was a conspiracy theory thing, but I thought it was an infection in his big toe that had somehow spread?

It was a melanoma on his toe, but he refused to have his toe amputated, so it spread to his bones and he died. Brilliant.

That’s just what “they” want you to believe.

[wease]

Poor Bob Marley

[liebzz]

ZZ Top - Fandango!

As noted, half live and half studio, and a couple of live songs thrown into the 2006 version. This is actually much better than the 1980 Rockaplast show, though it is shorter. It seems to have a bit more oomph, which I think is the descriptive term I would say needs to be maximized for ZZ Top. Thunderbird and Jailhouse Rock are really good, though my pick has to be the bonus hit Tush. Good times.

The Essential Performance: Tush

Up Next: Muddy Waters - Live at the Checkerboard Lounge

[wease]

ZZ Top - Fandango!

As noted, half live and half studio, and a couple of live songs thrown into the 2006 version. This is actually much better than the 1980 Rockaplast show, though it is shorter. It seems to have a bit more oomph, which I think is the descriptive term I would say needs to be maximized for ZZ Top. Thunderbird and Jailhouse Rock are really good, though my pick has to be the bonus hit Tush. Good times.

The Essential Performance: Tush

Up Next: Muddy Waters - Live at the Checkerboard Lounge

As well known and classic as Tush is, Heard It On The X is my all-time favorite ZZ tune.

[liebzz]

Muddy Waters - Live at the Checkerboard Lounge

Alone, it was likely a huge thrill to get to see Muddy Waters more than 20 years in and as a living legend is the blues. The first 30 minutes or so of this release have him powering through blues standards with his band in fine form. It becomes another experience altogether having a nice evening in a blues club, to suddenly see some famous guest hit the stage to play the remainder of a fiery set, including Buddy Guy, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood. The show then takes on a whole other dimension as these guys all play extended jams off each other for the next hour plus. I can’t imagine being a fly on the wall or a regular Joe in the audience for that experience.

The Essential Performance: Mannish Boy (w/ Buddy Guy and The Rolling Stones)

Up Next: Grateful Dead - Reckoning

[liebzz]

Grateful Dead - Reckoning

A refreshing change of pace - an all acoustic live album! In this one, the Dead are relaxed, easy going, strolling through traditional songs, Dead songs, and seemingly in good spirits. Many highlights, with favorites including the always great Dire Wolf, It Must Have Been the Roses, Monkey and the Engineer, Jack-A-Roe, Deep Elem Blues, To Lay Me Down, On the Road Again, the most jammy of the songs in Bird Song, and of course the absolutely gorgeous Ripple. Always loved this one.

The Essential Performance: Ripple

Up Next: Grateful Dead - Dead Set (the sorta side B to this)