Wish I Was There - 20 Classic Live AlbumsMar 10 '05 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line If you love live music, this is a list of shows you don't want to miss. I'm a huge live music fan, although I don't attend nearly as many shows as I once did. It started in middle school catching the heavy metal bands like Dio and Metallica, evolved through college to everything from Blues Traveler to local bands to The Grateful Dead, and reached a crescendo when I was living in Colorado - there is NO PLACE to see a show like Red Rocks where I was lucky enough to see bands like Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Sarah McLachlan and, of course, Widespread Panic. One problem with live music, however, is that when you leave you want to recapture that feeling, the soul that you saw live. Sure, there are always bootlegs floating around, but the quality is usually degraded because of the equipment limitations, and always a crap shoot regarding the actual sound of the final product. So, we relay on bands giving us their 'official releases'. But these usually come out over-produced and lack the spontaneity that live shows are known for (and one of the chief reasons why live shows rule). So, what makes a live album one of the best in my eyes, then? I've got a simple list of rules. [ • the RULES • ] 1) Good Sound with No Overproduction - Some "live" CDs come out sounding like studio disc with crowd noise dubbed in; they're too produced and remove that raw edge that makes bootlegs so popular. So, we want better-than-bootleg sound, but leave the flaws that live shows have in - to preserve that 'raw' feel. 2) Uniqueness of Songs - The live environment is supposed to give the artist flexibility, and some bands just do it better. I don't want to hear a greatest hits album with crowd noise added - I want to hear the songs evolve in the live environment, exploring new and different paths, songs not on any album and even entirely new tracks. Live shows are special - the live CD's need to capture that magic - in other words, don't just reproduce the album on stage. 3) Get the Crowd Involved - But Too Much - Another element that makes a live show so good is crowd interaction. Hearing the fans go nuts for a song, sing along or even help can be a great add-on for any live show. However, there is a limit - songs that have 3 minutes of crowd interaction are annoying. Get them involved but don't waste time with crowd noise. 4) No skips - This is a live show (or combination of shows), so it should at least give the illusion of being a start-to-finish performance. Fade ins and outs for the sets or the space between the end of the show and the encore are fine, but if there is a fade after every song, it loses the feeling of a live performance. [ • the SHOWS • ] These are the CDs that I personally think come the closest to perfection in capturing what the live show is about. Some are classics, some are more recent, and some you might shake your head at. But this is my review, so suck it up and keep reading. 1. Widespread Panic - Light Fuse, Get Away » Widespread Panic is one of the best live bands of all time, and they did a fantastic job of capturing that spirit with this disc. Widespread Panic has created a number of excellent live albums, but this one is perhaps their crowning achievement. Covering a great number of the crowd favorites, they also delve into some of their 'rare' tracks that only show themselves live, and top it off with an amazing percussion/drum solo. But what makes this disc is that you feel like you are there. The production is good enough to make it more than a bootleg, but never overrides the inherent spirit of the shows themselves. A classic production through and through. 2. Grateful Dead - Europe '72 » One of the classic live sets on this list, like Widespread Panic, it was hard to pick just one from this group. Arguably, some of the myriad of other live Dead recordings have better moments, but Europe '72 presents the best overall package in the Dead repertoire. The mixtures of classic songs and a noticeable groove made this an essential recording for many a fan - since then, it has become one of the required discs in almost any music fan's collection. 3. U2 - Live at Red Rocks » I struggled with whether to include this disc or the nearly equally good Rattle and Hum. In the end, however, I think that U2's essence came through more on this disc. Raw with emotion and their talent less polished, U2 creates a masterpiece that put Red Rocks on the map for the masses. Unlike the later Rattle and Hum, the production is sparser, the crowd interaction more prevalent and the emotion more evident. A classic disc of rock that helped propel the band to the top of the charts. 4. Kiss - Alive » No list of live albums would be complete without the kings of the rock performance. Kiss set a new standard when they joined the fray in the 1970's, not only producing excellent songs but giving a stage act that was second to none. Although one can't see the fire breathing, or see the make-up, the fire that they fueled are plainly heard in every note. This album cemented their popularity but also turned other 'live' rock albums on their head in much the same way that Live Evil did for the heavy metal set. Classic songs gained new life live and Alive still remains one of my favorite discs overall, as well as one of the top live discs. 5. Dave Matthews Band - Live at Red Rocks » A relative newcomer to the list, the Dave Matthews Band created a phenomena with this disc. Yet another show recorded at Red Rocks (in fact, 3 of the top 5 were recorded there, at least in part), Dave Matthews had all the ingredients for a great show. A buzzing reputation, a great album to promote, an amazing venue, a fantastic stage presence and a willing crowd. The combination helped produce an album that in many ways stands as one of the bands best. By taking a new rendition of Dylan's All Along the Watchtower and showing it off, they showed that they could play the new and the old rock with equal aplomb and thrill a crowd while doing it. 6. Iron Maiden - Live After Death » One of the hardest working metal bands in the world, Iron Maiden toured for over a year solid in support of the Powerslave album. The result of that tour created a fantastic live album in Live After Death. Not content with just having their fans see them 1 time, they were able to capture the pain, sweat, anger and power of their immense stageshow on a disc for the fans to consume again and again. Extended versions of fan favorites, new renditions of classics and a non-stop barrage of music that obviously held as much passion for the band as it did the fans add up to a fantastic album. Two small things, however, keep it from being higher - one, the CD version is missing several critical songs that the double-album had, and two, the crowd singing parts are just a little too long and get a bit tedious. 7. Ella Fitzgerald - Live in Rome » Many would be surprised to see this album on this list (since the list is definitely slanted toward rock). But this album represents another form of live performance that in many ways is second to none. Ella Fitzgerald was an amazing performer, but she didn't need electric guitars or the ability to yell over the crowd to do it. Her voice was enough to captivate her audience and hold them enthralled until she decided to let them go by singing that last note. Supported by an expert band, she weaves a magical performance that changes pace, alternates between classic standards and her own interpretations of songs. But Ella was Ella - and her voice was the one instrument that we may never see the equal of again - but we can hear it, and the crowd's appreciation - over and over because of this wonderful disc. Considering when it was made, the production is remarkably good, and what artifacts of the lower fidelity recording equipment that exist only serve to heighten the charm and character of the album. 8. Led Zeppelin - Song Remains the Same » Led Zeppelin changed much about the music scene when they came around with their blues-inspired rock and roll. But one of the things that they also did was revive a stagnating live music scene by reintroducing much of the spectacle of a live rock show. In an era where a slow, comfortable replay of the album seemed most prevalent, they took a twisted journey through their songs, turning 5-minute tracks into winding 15-minute medleys that transformed them from music into masterpieces. One could argue that the band was never so alive as when they were on stage, and this disc captures much of that mystique for us. 9. Simon & Garfunkel - Live in Central Park » Simon and Garfunkel were MADE to be live performers. Their music was steeped in folk melodies and bluegrass elements, and that music is meant to be played in front of a crowd. Still, many of their songs had a delicate quality that wouldn't seem to translate well to a stage presentation. Live in Central Park took that assumption and turned it on its ear. Not only were they able to bring those songs to life on stage, but they were able to make them something more than they could have ever been in the studio. The recording captures perfectly the love of the music that both men had, even if they weren't necessarily all that happy with each other. And the massive crowd assembled were willing and able to join in on the love being played, giving an additional kick to this classic disc. 10. Black Sabbath - Live Evil » Although Black Sabbath was already a well-known name from the Ozzy Osbourne years, this album which summarized the Ronnie James Dio years was a classic. Focusing on Dio's own work as much as Sabbath's, they also tackled a few of the Sabbath classics with equal aplomb. To me, this disc epitomizes most of the things that I wanted to see - crowd interaction, adaptations of songs, great rock and roll presence and good sound. Most of our, Dio - whose own shows would be some of the best out there in the 80's - has a presence that rivaled or even surpassed Ozzy's and shines through on this recording. 11. Allman's - Live at Fillmore East » How can any list not include one of the oldest and best touring bands out there. The Allman Brothers were doing tours when tours were tours, men were ... well, pretty messed up and life was free. But even in the era that was dominated by such names as The Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix, the Allmans were known for their live shows. Even as time passed, that reputation never struggled, and they were always a great band to see. Their show at the Fillmore East - one of the penultimate venues in America - is evidence of where that reputation came from and why is was so deserved. 12. Dire Straits - Alchemy » This was a strange one for me, and probably the one that will get the most questions, but yes, this is a fantastic live album. Even after hearing their studio albums of Dire Straits and Love Over Gold, I was amazed by what they put out there with Alchemy. Although this 2-disc set only has 11 songs, they manage to create a fantastic voyage through all of them, taking songs and stretching them out into masterpieces. Fans of the later Dire Straits (the MTV years) may not recognize most of the music, but there in no mistaking the talent on display here. 13. Neil Young - Live Rust » There are very few classic rock fans out there who don't know and appreciate Young's classic live versions of My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) and Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black), from this album. Neil is never as good as he was in front of this crowd, and the interlude due to a thunderstorm is a classic moment that makes this live performance so special. 14. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense » An eclectic band to say the least, The Talking Heads nonetheless put on a heck of a show and captured that spirit on Stop Making Sense. Although some argue that deliberate production was used to actually mute the crowd, this soundtrack to the documentary of the same name helped define the band for a legion of new fans, taking odd studio songs and giving them new legs that would hang around for years. 15. Phish - The Bootleg Series » This was a tough one. I couldn't include a series of best live shows and not include Phish. But, in fact, their live albums have been a bit of a disappointment considering how incredible they are live. The Bootleg Series - a set of live performances (I think they are in the 20's by now) that capture different shows throughout their career. Some of fantastic, some are mediocre but as a whole, they are a great set of shows - particularly the Halloween shows (such as #13, where the second half was a start-to-finish cover of The Beatles White Album). 16. Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive! » Although not necessarily my favorite live album, I have to admit that I see the magic of this album. Frampton is known almost solely for this album by all generations but those who were enjoying his music at the time he was making it (go ahead, name another one - I dare you). The rendition of Baby, I Love Your Way (complete with whammy bar magic) is one of the classic live songs of all time, but there is much more to this album than just that song. Not a top ten choice for me, but one that is still a classic. 17. Elton John - Live In Australia » In 1986, Elton John set out on a remarkable journey - to do a live show with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The result was a masterpiece. Elton John's music was a natural fit for the orchestral accompaniment, but the result was something that was far greater than the sum of its parts. Not only did he focus on many of his lesser-known songs, but chose ones that played to the strengths of the combined might of he and the orchestra behind him, often creating magical new versions of already great songs. 18. Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison » Only the Man in Black could have pulled off this show (okay, maybe the Blues Brothers, too...). Johnny Cash went into what should have been a big danger zone, but in turn used the crowd's enthusiasm at his presence and song selection to provide what might be one of the best crowd effects of any live album. He knows the subject matter and the spirit that takes him through this set is a great match for the crowd. 19. Woodstock » How can any set be complete without this recording. Although not a single artist, Woodstock - both the actual show and what it stood for - both remain one of the greatest moments in musical history in America. The number of amazing artists that joined the list of performers is mind-boggling, and the variety and quality of their music is simply stunning. A must have for any collector of live music. 20. Van Morrison - A Night in San Francisco » Another strange album to include, but Van Morrison managed to surprise the heck out of me with this album. While his songs are catchy, and even fun to sing with a beer in hand, one would not expect the sheer energy that comes out of this performance from Morrison and right-hand man Georgie Fame. A wildly exuberant mixture of classics and great covers, Van Morrison gives a 2-disc set that remains one of my treasured discs. [ • honorable MENTIONS • ] Below are some other great live albums that I just thought fell just below the threshold for 'the best'. Bruce Springsteen - Live 1975 - 1985 Cheap Trick - Live at Buddakhan the Band - The Last Waltz U2 - Rattle and Hum Rolling Stones - Get Your Ya-Ya's Out Eagles - Greatest Hits Live Miles Davis - Live Evil Traffic - On The Road Bob Marley - Live Who - Live at Leeds Rush - Exit Stage Left/All the World's the Stage James Brown - Live at the Apollo AC-DC - If You Want Blood, You Got it Deep Purple - Live in Japan [ • did you FORGET? • ] No. Well, okay, I might have forgotten a few - but there are some others that I just couldn't see on this list. Everyone will have their own personal favorites, and I'm sure I'll hear a few that should have honestly been there in the comments. But I think that the 20 above have to be a majority for any fan of live music.  |
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