Best "LIVE" albums/recordings ?

[DavidF]

Woodstock is not often thought of as a good Live recording (either movie or soundtrack) but I love it for what it brings in terms of experiencing the abundance of talent gathered together and spirit (of the times). Santana, Suite Judy Blue Eyes (this is only the second time we've performed in front of people, man...We're scared SHITLESS), late night with Family Stone, just to name a few. Also, Richie Havens whom I have enjoyed ever since being introduced to his voice and musical style on that first day.

Better still is the recording of Duke Ellington's All Stars at the Newport in 1956. The recording is scant in terms of what we are used to today as far as sound quality, even from live recordings. But the performance can bring the hairs on the back of your neck up, sensing the excitement of the evening. You can feel the audience's enthusiasm rise in concert with the driving rhythm and break out solos. A stellar moment in the organic American music experience.

Something a little more current... Fleetwood Mac's the Dance. Great performance, great recording.

[SEAWOLF97]

Also, Richie Havens whom I have enjoyed ever since being introduced to his voice and musical style on that first day.

I saw him LIVE at Sandy Eggo State. Put on a very good show. He's the only performer that I can still remember from that afternoon.

[gferrell]

Don't forget Eagles! Hell Freezes Over was recorded live with the purpose of recording and they did a very good job.

[ListeningEar]

Dead Can Dance - In Concert vinyl version
http://www.discogs.com/Dead-Can-Danc...elease/4484267

[chris21]

Lots of good suggestions here for music I don't have yet. I really like live recordings for jazz and rock especially. The interplay and magic that can happen more than offsets whatever degrees of separation from optimal sound capturing may exist. When you find a well engineered live recording of an excellent performance then all the better. I still listen to a cassette tape I made from a Hi-Fi VHS tape of the movie "Stop Making Sense" because when the CD came out it had been massaged in post production. The special issue CD which was remastered years later still doesn't capture the performance as well as the mix for the movie. Just a preference I guess.

Anyway, here are some favorites of mine, I cheated and added a couple which were live but without a paying audience:

- Diana Krall - Live in Paris - I have this in the highest quality you can get from iTunes - On my list for vinyl

- Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette did numerous live recordings in the 90's, I love the all. CD's.

- Michael Hedges on Windham Hill records recorded live in the studio direct to digital. Amazing vinyl issues. Aerial Boundaries etc. No overdubs or punch-ins to fix stuff. Incredible performances.

- Neil Young's Weld is a fun two disc live CD

- Stephane Grapelli/David Grisman - Live - I have this on vinyl.

- Pat Metheny/Charlie Haden - Beyond the Missouri Sky - This was primarily live in the studio with few added tracks.

- Kenny Drew/NHOP - DUO - like the one above essentially a live recording.

- King Sunny Ade - Live Juju - vinyl

- I don't care what Lowell George did or didn't do, Waiting for Columbus is a great live album! They tried to get studio quality recording in a live environment. Would love to know how they did it.

- Rikki Lee Jones - Girl at Her Volcano - vinly EP - three live tracks on it are well done.

- The Eric Clapton Crossroads concerts on CD or DVD all seem to have outstanding production.


Anyway, I will think of more and add them. Here's are some of my favorites where the engineering was excellent IMO:

- Steely Dan - Two Against Nature - best engineered CD issue I have ever heard.

- Donald Fagen - The Night Fly - Have this on both but prefer the vinyl.

- Waylon Jennings - Honky Tonk Heroes - I know its country but the original vinyl issue is a great recording. Picked it up used because a good friend died and he was a huge Waylon fan. I was blown away and play it often.

-

[SEAWOLF97]

last year I picked up Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night LIVE on LP and was transfixed. Played it repeatedly .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Orb...nd_White_Night

I wanted to put it on the Pod, but my transfers were not up to the quality that I wanted. So I found a copy of the CD and was quite happy.

Last Wednesday I was shopping in the cheap DVD store and the clerk asked if I'd found everything ? Remembered that I'd really like the DVD of the show (only caught the end when it was on PBS and everywhere I check online, it's out of stock) ..and asked. He checked the database ..YES, they had a copy in another store ... it was kinda expensive ..$6. Did I still want it ? well, darned, tootin' right.
It came in yesterday , watched last night. WOW. It's really nice to see who is playing what since he's backed with mostly prime players (see below) ...Springsteen was a jerk , hanging over Roy's shoulder often and looking dejected when he wasn't in on a particular tune.
An outstanding guitar contributor was James Burton, who I didn't know by name. BS almost redeemed himself on guitar , if he could stop with the ham routine.

"The special consisted of a performance of many of Orbison's hits at the then Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles, filmed on September 30, 1987, approximately fourteen months before his death. Three songs, "Blue Bayou", "Claudette", and "Blue Angel", were filmed but not included in the original broadcast due to time constraints.

Other celebrity admirers of Orbison were in the audience, including Billy Idol, Patrick Swayze, Sandra Bernhard, and Kris Kristofferson.
The backing band was the TCB Band, which accompanied Elvis Presley from 1969 until his death in 1977: Glen D. Hardin on piano, James Burton on lead guitar, Jerry Scheff on bass, and Ronnie Tutt on drums. Male background vocalists, some of whom also joined in on guitar, were Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, and Steven Soles.
The female background vocalists were k.d. lang, Jennifer Warnes, and Bonnie Raitt. During the end credits, several of the band members are shown talking about how Orbison influenced them.

The audio from this special was released as an album by Virgin Records in 1989, titled
A Black & White Night Live."

a review snippet:
Overall, this DVD is a tremendously classy production that seems to fall into that "labor of love" category. A lot of work must have gone into editing the program back to its full length, and even more effort must have been exerted to create the fantastic 5.1 audio track. The producers easily could have simply reissued the existing video on DVD and left it at that, but they instead made sure that this DVD exists as a definitive document of the show, and it does so tremendously well. Hopefully this level of care will spark additional sales and other DVD producers will learn that quality sells; I, for one, wouldn't have bought it if it hadn't received the 5.1 makeover, and I'll bet a lot of others feel the same way.
Whatever the case, this DVD is a no-brainer. If you have any interest at all in Roy Orbison, you should add this DVD to your collection. If you're not interested in him, buy it anyway and you'll soon learn to appreciate him. Orbison's not now - and never will be - my favorite musical artist, but this is easily the best music DVD I currently own.

http://www.dvdmg.com/orbison.shtml

[ngccglp]

Humble pie remastered live at Fillmore box set for me.

[1audiohack]

The Dave Mathews Band, the Central Park Concert, CD and DVD.

I liked a couple of his tunes ok but never bought any of his music. I saw some of this concert while at Best Buy while looking for a TV and went right over and bought the DVD. It sounds so good and that whole band is so incredibly good and tight that every time I watch or listen I am just amazed. I'm now a big fan because of this disc.

James Taylor Live. Double disc 1993 I also like it a lot.

Barry.

[chris21]

The Dave Mathews Band, the Central Park Concert, CD and DVD.

I liked a couple of his tunes ok but never bought any of his music. I saw some of this concert while at Best Buy while looking for a TV and went right over and bought the DVD. It sounds so good and that whole band is so incredibly good and tight that every time I watch or listen I am just amazed. I'm now a big fan because of this disc.

James Taylor Live. Double disc 1993 I also like it a lot.

Barry.

That james taylor live cd is very good. Totally agree. Must steal it back from mydad.

[Allanvh5150]

Frampton Comes Alive is always a top contender. However, the Eagles "When Hell Freezes Over" Is very very good when played on a good 5.1 system.

Allan.

[richluvsound]

Portico Quartet Live/Remixed

[Radley]

Sylvester's "Living Proof"- 1979 live at the San Francisco Opera House with an all star band. You can just feel "being there". When the intro comes on everyone in the room is on their feet. Minimal recording equipment + Great Band = astonishing feeling.

Others mentioned Peter Frampton "Alive"- which most engineers I know regard as a studio album since almost everything was overdubed/ replaced.

Also mentioned was the Roy Orbinson. A great CD but there are 2 versions. The first one with the blueish/ green cover is the correct one. The second one has the drums much louder in the mix with way too much snare.

I enjoy the old live bootlegs: The Stones "Live-R", Little Feat at Wembly and the Sons "Minus Stems and Seeds".

Of course many of the old jazz records were live, just not in a concert hall (Miles, Monk, Duke).

[60cyclehumm]

Can't believe this one hasn't come up yet - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band "Live Bullet" at Cobo Hall 1975.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Bullet

[kawasakitech]

My choice is "Melanie at Carnegie Hall"
Absolutely a moving performance
I love the acoustic simplicity of it and it's very well recorded

[bubbleboy76]

Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall -71
This recording is a time machine on a nice JBL system, you are there!