Superb Live Recordings, post your favorites.

Posted by: Peet on 21 March 2015

  1. "There is a special magic, an intimate vibrancy in a live performance which is impossible to recreate in the studio. I have often been asked to record live - a prospect which I have aspired to and dreaded at the same time - and I am delighted to finally have had the chance to do so. Here is some food for thought without any additives, sugar or preservatives. Enjoy." 
  2. The room was filled to the brim with audio enthusiasts, the closest listener being just a few feet from the musicians and the microphones.
    When the audience is so close to the musicians, a synergy occurs. The audience becomes part of the music making and help spur the musicians on to great heights.
    The musicians feeling the empathy from the audience dare to take chances that one rarely hears in a studio recording.
    Tony and Bert had not performed together as a duo before, and no rehearsal had taken place prior to the Rhapsody concert, but the music these two masters of improvisation created that sunny afternoon in Rhapsody, is simply breathtaking.
  3. This trio is still widely regarded as his finest, largely because of the symbiotic interplay between its members. Tragically, LaFaro was killed in an automobile accident ten days after this session was recorded, and Evans assembled the two packages a few months afterward. While "Waltz for Debby" -- in retrospect -- is seemingly a showcase for Evans' brilliant, subtle, and wide-ranging pianism, this volume becomes an homage, largely, to the genius and contribution of LaFaro. That said, however, this were never the point. According to Motian, when Evans built this trio based on live gigs at the Basin Street East, the intention was always to develop a complete interactive trio experience.
Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Big Bill
Originally Posted by Kevin-W:

The 1988/95 post-Waters live albums Delicate Sound of Thunder and PULSE are Floyd-by-numbers, tedious and utterly lacking in atmosphere.

 

The live album of the Ummagumma double-LP, recorded on 27th April and 2nd May 1969, absolutely crackles with intensity and atmosphere. Four amazing performances captured on four-track. Personally, I think it's by far and away the best official live album ever made by anyone, anywhere.

 

I saw Floyd not long after this was released and of course I have a vinyl copy of it from that time.

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Kevin-W

You lucky sod Bill. 69-70 is definitely my favourite Floyd live era, and I wish I'd seen them back then. I take it they were awaesome?

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by sjbabbey

Not a live album but this boot might be of interest to Kevin.

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Nick Lees

Saw them at Brum Town Hall 1969. Wonderful (including their surround sound azimuth gizmo). My other memory of that concert was a straight guy (in a suit! At a Pink Floyd concert! In 1969!) standing up and bellowing "Saucerful!" at the end of every piece that wasn't Saucerful. And the sight of them sawing and hammering on stage (well I was quite young).


Set list:

 

The Man

  1. Grantchester Meadows 

(Daybreak, Pt. I)

  1. Work 
  2. Teatime 
  3. Biding My Time 

(Afternoon)

  1. The Grand Vizier's Garden Party (Entertainment) 

(Doing It!)

  1. Quicksilver 

(Sleep)

  1. Cymbaline 

(Nightmare)

  1. Grantchester Meadows (reprise) 

(Daybreak, Pt. II)

 

The Journey

  1. Green Is the Colour 

(The Beginning)

  1. Careful with That Axe, Eugene 

(Beset By Creatures of the Deep)

  1. The Narrow Way: Part 3 
  2. Pow R. Toc H. 

(The Pink Jungle)

  1. Interstellar Overdrive 

(The Labyrinths of Auximines)

  1. Behold the Temple of Light 
  2. A Saucerful of Secrets 

(The End of the Beginning)

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Kevin-W
Originally Posted by sjbabbey:

Not a live album but this boot might be of interest to Kevin.

I have that and yes, I love it!

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Kevin-W

The best-sounding (and probably the best) 69 Floyd boot is Amsterdam 69, recorded at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam in September by Dutch radio. The Harvested label used the pre-FM tapes to create the CD, and it's a full Man-Journey show in stunning stereo. You can get it free from the interwebs on torrent sites (do NOT pay that **** on Bandcamp for a copy!)

 

 

 

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Mr Underhill

Needle dropped this today, been sitting in the loft for a few decades ....I'd never listened to it. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Cbr600

A relatively new album and great live recording IMO is the Peter Gabriel album Live Blood.

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by sjbabbey
Originally Posted by Kevin-W:

The best-sounding (and probably the best) 69 Floyd boot is Amsterdam 69, recorded at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam in September by Dutch radio. The Harvested label used the pre-FM tapes to create the CD, and it's a full Man-Journey show in stunning stereo. You can get it free from the interwebs on torrent sites (do NOT pay that **** on Bandcamp for a copy!)

 

I must pay another visit to the Y! forum soon. It's been a while.

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by MDS
Originally Posted by Kevin-W:

The 1988/95 post-Waters live albums Delicate Sound of Thunder and PULSE are Floyd-by-numbers, tedious and utterly lacking in atmosphere.

 

The live album of the Ummagumma double-LP, recorded on 27th April and 2nd May 1969, absolutely crackles with intensity and atmosphere. Four amazing performances captured on four-track. Personally, I think it's by far and away the best official live album ever made by anyone, anywhere.

 

Must dig my one out and give it another listen

Posted on: 17 April 2015 by Steve J

On a different note. This is a well recorded live British Blues album.

 

Posted on: 18 April 2015 by Peet
Originally Posted by MDS:
Originally Posted by Kevin-W:

The 1988/95 post-Waters live albums Delicate Sound of Thunder and PULSE are Floyd-by-numbers, tedious and utterly lacking in atmosphere.

 

The live album of the Ummagumma double-LP, recorded on 27th April and 2nd May 1969, absolutely crackles with intensity and atmosphere. Four amazing performances captured on four-track. Personally, I think it's by far and away the best official live album ever made by anyone, anywhere.

 

Must dig my one out and give it another listen

Posted on: 18 April 2015 by The Fat Cat

Posted on: 19 April 2015 by Mr Underhill

Great stuff!

Posted on: 19 April 2015 by count.d

Surely now we're just listing every live album ever made?

Posted on: 19 April 2015 by Tony2011

Well, noboby mentioned this one. Probably the worst live album ever recorded!

 

Posted on: 19 April 2015 by GregU
Originally Posted by ewemon:

The Complete Live At The Plugged Nickel - 1965

Yup

Posted on: 19 April 2015 by GregU
Originally Posted by Tony2011:

Well, noboby mentioned this one. Probably the worst live album ever recorded!

 

Sound quality=bad.    Performance=supergreat 

Posted on: 19 April 2015 by GregU

On the Miles Davis Plugged Nickel issue.  I agree. I have no idea why it is so hard to find.  I bought the CDs New a number of Years ago for a reasonable price. Also picked up a mint vinyl set for $400 at Princeton record exchange. You can stream for free in the states from Amazon but it is MP3 quality.  May be a way to sample to see if you want to buy the used discs.  I see cd sets listed in excellent condition going for around 200 US. Highly worth it. The Rosetta Stone of jazz CDs according to Penguin

Posted on: 20 April 2015 by Kevin-W
Originally Posted by Peet:
 

Peet, the YouTube clip isn't from Ummagumma, but from Live at Pompeii, recorded three years later. It's a decent version of "Eugene" but not definitive, which the '69 one is.

Posted on: 20 April 2015 by sjbabbey

 

 

 

A couple of crackers from Bonnie. One early and one late.

Posted on: 20 April 2015 by MDS

Now that I've played a few times, I think the live tracks on this are up there with the best. 

M

Posted on: 20 April 2015 by sjbabbey

MDS you might want to track down this:

 

Not in the same class sonically but a great listen nonetheless with the flubs and the banter left in.

Posted on: 20 April 2015 by DrMark

As far as I am concerned, everything else is vying for second place...

 

Posted on: 21 April 2015 by MDS
Originally Posted by sjbabbey:

MDS you might want to track down this:

 

Not in the same class sonically but a great listen nonetheless with the flubs and the banter left in.

Thanks. Will do.

M