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Thread: Best "engagement" live albums?

  1. #1

    Best "engagement" live albums?

    For bands that were good live bands, I tend to like listening to their concerts better than the studio recordings. But rather than the "live album" treatment that many bands got in the '70s and '80s ("live" compilations with performances culled from numerous tour dates and meticulously scrubbed and tinkered with in the studio), I'd rather hear complete (or near-complete) shows from single dates.

    What are your favorites - prog or any rock-related genre? There's so many of them out there now that some guidance is helpful for those without unlimited funds! My only qualifiers are that they be official releases (not bootlegs) and that the sound be at least "adequate."

    Some of my favorites: Sly and the Family Stone - Woodstock; Soft Machine - Grides (most of the Soft Machine archival live stuff, actually) The Who - Live at Leeds (Expanded); Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 8; Frank Zappa - Wazoo; King Crimson - The Nightwatch

    Apologies in advance if there is already a thread about this.

  2. #2
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    No favorites off the top of my head, but I'm completely with you in preferring whole shows rather than compilations.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  3. #3
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    The recent Yugen release, Mirrors, recorded at RIO '11, is outstanding. I think I'm going to end up preferring it to the studio albums as they sound more lively and dynamic in this recording. It also includes an excellent cover of Henry Cow's Industry. The only down sound to my ears is the slightly over polite applause from the audience seems a bit subdued, probably due to them being one of the early bands up. I'm partly to blame as I was in the audience for that gig.
    Ian

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    Member davis's Avatar
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    Bob Dylan @ Brandeis University on May 10, '63. This would be a Lot easier w/bootlegs allowed, but that's okay

  5. #5
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    I ride for Grand Funk Railroad "live Album"

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    Boo! walt's Avatar
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    John Mayall-The Turning Point...a unique band, with unique instrumentation(no drummer,no heavy lead guitar),caught live at the height of their powers.
    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

  7. #7
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Bails View Post
    No favorites off the top of my head, but I'm completely with you in preferring whole shows rather than compilations.
    I obviously prefer the concept of a single concert album, but unless that night's set is really flawless, I don't mind if the band to choose of two or three nights of the same tour to take their better version of a given song...
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  8. #8
    ...Kraan Live 74'

  9. #9
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    801 Live recorded at Queen Elizabeth Hall is a wonderful live album, probably one of my favorites.

    Caravan Live at Fairfield is probably the definitive recording of the band.
    Ian

    Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on progrock.com
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    Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
    I blame Wynton, what was the question?
    There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.

  10. #10
    meimjustalawnmower
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    Humble Pie- Rockin' The Fillmore
    The Who - Live At Leeds
    James Gang Live (Carnegie Hall)
    Glass Harp Live! At Carnegie Hall
    Fleetwood Mac Boston Tea Party 1970
    Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East

  11. #11
    So far, it looks like I need to check out:

    The recent Yugen release, Mirrors,
    James Gang Live (Carnegie Hall)
    Glass Harp Live! At Carnegie Hall
    Fleetwood Mac Boston Tea Party 1970
    ...Kraan Live 74'
    Bob Dylan @ Brandeis University on May 10, '63.

    The rest I have (and love) except for the Grand Funk and Humble Pie, which I'm not really into.

  12. #12
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    Compilations that SOUND like single shows are the best in my opinion. Not every band can nail every song every time. Except for 1984 King Crimson I guess.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by JAMOOL View Post
    Compilations that SOUND like single shows are the best in my opinion. Not every band can nail every song every time.
    I guess if a band was to take a typical set from a particular tour but put together the best performances and edit them in such a way that the listener was under the impression that it was a single show, I'd go for it. But really, I'm more a fan of the "warts and all" aspect of good single live shows. It captures a moment in time in a way that the compliation approach misses.

    Again, I'm talking more about particularly good live bands, where each show is its own thing; for bands where most live performances on a given tour sound pretty much the same (Rush, for example), just going for the best performances scattered throughout the tour isn't as big a deal for me (although the "moment in time" thing is still absent).

  14. #14
    Member Brian Griffin's Avatar
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    The PFM Cook Esoteric has the whole show and is the best example I can think of

    The Crimso multi-tracks used for Penn State, Glasgow, Stanley Theater 73/74 are all great

    BG
    "When Yes appeared on stage, it was like, the gods appearing from the heavens, deigning to play in front of the people."

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    Member davis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jymbot View Post
    I ride for Grand Funk Railroad "live Album"
    I was gonna mention that, but it was recorded on 2 dates. I thought this was for live albums that are documents of 1 show.

  16. #16
    I personally prefer complete live shows, in some cases it's actually good to hear the band screw up, equipment fail, improvs that fizzle out or go in the wrong direction, etc. That's a big reason why I keep going back to dgmlive - how many live versions of Sailor's Tale does one need? There's no real answer, but the fact that there are so many to choose from is great, especially when there are versions where Fripp's guitar pedalboard dies and the band keeps playing. Ditto for the 73-74 lineup - one of the only reasons why I downloaded the April 18, 1974 show was to hear what the band did when Cross' violin craps out on him in the middle of The Night Watch

  17. #17
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Facelift View Post
    I'd rather hear complete (or near-complete) shows from single dates.
    Yes.

    Faves at which I was in attendance:

    Allman Bros. @ The Fillmore
    Humble Pie ~ Rockin' The Fillmore
    Johnny Winter And ~ "Live"
    FZ & Petit Wazoo ~ Imaginary Diseases
    Caravan ~ New Symphonia
    Genesis @ Rainbow Theatre, '73 [Archive box]
    Hendrix @ Woodstock
    The Who ~ Georgetown University, '69 (boot)

    Others:

    Hendrix ~ RAH, '69
    Magma ~ Live/Hhai
    Henry Cow ~ Concerts
    HP Lovecraft @ Fillmore West, '68
    Grobschnitt ~ Solar Music
    Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes

  18. #18
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
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    I always liked Rare Earth In Concert. Although it was recorded at several different concerts, it still sounds like the band at its peak. I've never seen the CD version and I suspect it may be hard to find. The vinyl still sounds great.
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  19. #19
    Estimated Prophet notallwhowander's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Facelift View Post
    I guess if a band was to take a typical set from a particular tour but put together the best performances and edit them in such a way that the listener was under the impression that it was a single show, I'd go for it.
    The multi-disc The Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack did this very well, IMO. The whole thing was mixed down from an extended residency at one venue in San Francisco, if I understood it correctly.
    Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world.

  20. #20
    LinkMan Chain's Avatar
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    Aztecs - Live At Sunbury

    “Pleasure and pain can be experienced simultaneously,” she said, gently massaging my back as we listened to her Coldplay CD.

  21. #21
    Member progholio's Avatar
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    Frampton Comes Alive

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by progholio View Post
    Frampton Comes Alive
    That was mostly Winterland if memory serves but I know there's at least one other show used, maybe as many as three.

  23. #23
    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    I would submit the latest entry would be Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day

    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

  24. #24
    meimjustalawnmower
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    Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More From The Road (Fox Theater, Atlanta)

  25. #25
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    Only one album pr band

    Kraan live 74
    Hendrix - band of gypsys
    Magma Hhai
    Lou Reed - rock'n roll animal
    Colosseum Live
    The Who - Live at Leeds
    Johnny Winter And - Live
    King Crimson - The Great Deceiver
    Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere
    Jan Hammer - Live in New York
    Area - Area(z)ione live
    PFM - Cook
    - And a lot of jazz/ fusion bands

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