Essential Live Albums

[liebzz]

The MC5 - Kick Out the Jams

This one in particular is new ground for me. I have sort of always known about MC5, but just never really dove in. My first immediate reaction to it was that this is loud as hell for even the late 60s. Kick Out the Jams the song is an instant classic of course, but that elixir of punk rock meets The Who meets Jimi Hendrix really comes out on Motor City is Burning. At times, this reads a little too chaotic for me, but there are lots of moments where cathartic rock music is really happening.

The Essential Performance: Motor City is Burning

Next up: Woodstock week!

[liebzz]

Alright folks, it’s Woodstock week! Probably the most famous concert ever put on, I figured to do some research and grab a selection of sets that you can find on Spotify. I am listening in the order the sets happened, but not all the sets since that would just take too long. I’ll post here the order of the sets we’re covering and we’ll get to each in order:

Joan Baez
Santana
Mountain
Credence Clearwater Revival
The Who
Jefferson Airplane
Joe Cocker
Janis Joplin
The Band
Sly and the Family Stone
Jimi Hendrix

[liebzz]

Joan Baez - Live at Woodstock

Joan Baez’s set closed out the first day of Woodstock, played at 1:00am. Her set was largely solo, with assistance in the second half from Jeffrey Shurtleff. Baez’s stunning voice soared on this night, with a mix of covers and originals that encompassed much of the spirit of Woodstock - from soulful to political. Her set closed with just her voice on Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, and then she came back for an encore on a stirring We Shall Overcome that she leads the audience through beautifully. My favorite moment here, though, is her cover of I Shall Be Released.

The Essential Performance: I Shall Be Released

Next Up: Santana

[wease]

You should add CSNY as that was only their second live appearance.

[liebzz]

You should add CSNY as that was only their second live appearance.

I don’t believe this is available on Spotify?

[wease]

Oh. Looks like it’s on YouTube.

[liebzz]

Santana - The Woodstock Experience

Skip straight to the show - not sure why they have both studio and live tracks here. Anyway, the set itself is absolute fire from the start. The band sounds really great and Carlos Santana is in fine form here, particularly as the set winds down with Soul Sacrifice and Fried Neckbones and Some Home Fries. A must from this festival.

The Essential Performance: Soul Sacrifice

Next Up: Mountain

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[oasisfan35]

This Woodstock revisit is definitely bringing back some memories of Gov't Mule's performing a majority of the Woodstock album for NYE 2009... helluva gig

So on that note recommendations I'll add:

Gov't Mule - Live... With a Little Help from Our Friends
Phish - A Live One

[wease]

I've never listened to Santana outside of Smooth feat. Rob Thomas.

You’ve surely heard Black Magic Woman

[oasisfan35]

I've never listened to Santana outside of Smooth feat. Rob Thomas.

You’ve surely heard Black Magic Woman

Please STOP!

[liebzz]

This Woodstock revisit is definitely bringing back some memories of Gov't Mule's performing a majority of the Woodstock album for NYE 2009... helluva gig

So on that note recommendations I'll add:

Gov't Mule - Live... With a Little Help from Our Friends
Phish - A Live One

Govt Mule added - I had put Dark Side on, but this seems cool too.

Phish is on the list. That one in particular.

[liebzz]

I've never listened to Santana outside of Smooth feat. Rob Thomas.

You’ve surely heard Black Magic Woman

Please STOP!

Santana, Abraxas, and Santana III are all great albums. After that, well…

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[oasisfan35]

This Woodstock revisit is definitely bringing back some memories of Gov't Mule's performing a majority of the Woodstock album for NYE 2009... helluva gig

So on that note recommendations I'll add:

Gov't Mule - Live... With a Little Help from Our Friends
Phish - A Live One

Govt Mule added - I had put Dark Side on, but this seems cool too.

Phish is on the list. That one in particular.

[liebzz]

Mountain - Live at Woodstock

Well, this is a little off expectations - in a festival billed as 3 days of peace, love and music, and filled with folkies, classic bands, and girls with flowers in their hair - we have this band that more or less seems to embody the sort of brand of rock music that would soon follow - greasy, brawny, big chunky guitars. The blues rock stomp of Stormy Monday is quite good here, but the set’s real highlight is Dreams or Milk and Honey, one of those 10 minute expositions on 70s crunch complete with killer guitar solos that’s worth the wait. The encore of Southbound Train is pretty awesome as well.

The Essential Performance: Dreams of Milk and Honey

Next Up: Credence Clearwater Revival

[liebzz]

Credence Clearwater Revival - Live at Woodstock

Granted, I love me some CCR, but this is a particularly fantastic set. Not a bombarding of hits that perhaps you’d expect from them, this set sort of works through blues, that swamp rock they are famous for, excellent covers, the biggest hits, and then closes with a one-two punch of Keep On Chooglin’ and the encore of Suzie Q that is just bonkers. Absolutely killer set.

The Essential Performance: Suzie Q

Next Up: The Who

[liebzz]

The Who - Woodstock 1969: Live & Remastered

This recording is sadly pretty rough, especially compared to the other sets we’ve gone through so far, which is unfortunate because you can feel the energy coming off their instruments - an intensity unlike any of the other performances thus far. The selections from Tommy are the collective highlight here. They don’t do the whole thing cover to cover like another show we’ll cover on this journey, but they do an energetic, even if a bit sloppy, performance here.

The Essential Performance: We’re Not Gonna Take It

Next Up: Jefferson Airplane

[wease]

Hopefully Jefferson Airplane will be knee deep in the hoopla during their set.

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem