70s Pink Floyd Live Boots

[Rael]

I'm partial to the first Floyd boots I ever heard back in the late 80s/early 90s:

Pepperland 1970-the sound quality isn't all that hot, but it's not too bad for 1970. Floyd have to restart Astronomy Domine three times due to power failures and get heckled by the crowd. After that, it's all smooth sailing with exemplary versions of Fat Old Sun, Cymbaline, etc. Love that show.

Oakland 1977: can't add much else. It sounds utterly fantastic even though there are a few bum notes throughout. But it beats the overtly clean stuff from Floyd/Roger Waters in the 80s/90s and beyond.

Nassau Coliseum 1975: a great performance and a really solid show too.

Since then, I've discovered dozens of Floyd boots, mostly audience recordings. Maybe it's a testament to Floyd's sound system, but so many of them sound really, really good for 70s AUD recordings. I really enjoy the Montreux 1970 shows, especially the Harvested versions. Then there's Boston 75, Chicago and Hollywood 72, MSG 77 and the San Diego '71 show as well as Berlin '71. Just too many great sounding shows out there.

[JJ88]

^I don't really listen to the 80s/90s 'stadium Floyd' live. I suppose Pulse is good for what it is- a 'live greatest hits'. But it's all too slick for my taste. I think they would have been amazing to see in terms of spectacle, but not to listen to repeatedly. I do like Gilmour's 2006 tour stuff though, where he did a few early 70s tracks and the emphasis was more on the music than the show.

I listened to the Hollywood Bowl one again today, which has become one of my favourite shows by any band, especially 'Saucerful' and 'Set The Controls...'. There are several versions of the latter where the interplay in the breakdown between Gilmour/Wright just takes my breath away, and this is one. Both were doing some really experimental stuff in this period.

The Oakland recording is one of those which I think gets to the heart of just what made the rock music of this period so special. And there's a real blast from the past with the last ever 'Eugene'.

[Rael]

^I don't really listen to the 80s/90s 'stadium Floyd' live. I suppose Pulse is good for what it is- a 'live greatest hits'. But it's all too slick for my taste. I think they would have been amazing to see in terms of spectacle, but not to listen to repeatedly. I do like Gilmour's 2006 tour stuff though, where he did a few early 70s tracks and the emphasis was more on the music than the show.

I listened to the Hollywood Bowl one again today, which has become one of my favourite shows by any band, especially 'Saucerful' and 'Set The Controls...'. There are several versions of the latter where the interplay in the breakdown between Gilmour/Wright just takes my breath away, and this is one. Both were doing some really experimental stuff in this period.

The Oakland recording is one of those which I think gets to the heart of just what made the rock music of this period so special. And there's a real blast from the past with the last ever 'Eugene'.

There is about 15 minutes worth of super 8 footage out there of the Hollywood Bowl gig. It's not great quality but it gives a good sense of what it looked like and there is a pretty cool fireworks display at the end, IIRC. But yeah, I agree this is a classic show.

As for the 80s/90s stuff, I saw Floyd in 88 and 94 and the spectacle was indeed awesome. As for audio, I have a couple of soundboards as well as audience tapes of the shows I went to-and a poor but complete audience vid of the 88 show I saw. It's all the latter day Floyd I really need.

[peterpyser]

Go to Yeeshkul! register and download

[Jerjo]

Listening to the Maple Leaf/Yeeshkul show right now.

[happytheman]

One of the best Floyd ROIO I have would have to be Tree full of Secrets

[Udi Koomran]

Ommayad !

[JJ88]

Listened to Mike Millard's LA Sports Arena 1975 show again a few times lately, and that's a contender for the best sounding audience recording I've ever heard. Truly extraordinary sound. What's particularly remarkable is that during 'Echoes' the 'seagull guitar' stays almost entirely audible. This tends to disappear in other recordings I've heard (I'm assuming because it was sent around the venue's other speakers, away from the taper!).

[Phlakaton]

Listened to Mike Millard's LA Sports Arena 1975 show again a few times lately, and that's a contender for the best sounding audience recording I've ever heard. Truly extraordinary sound. What's particularly remarkable is that during 'Echoes' the 'seagull guitar' stays almost entirely audible. This tends to disappear in other recordings I've heard (I'm assuming because it was sent around the venue's other speakers, away from the taper!).

Agreed! That for me - is the best of that tour. I tend to enjoy audience recordings more just because I like to hear how instruments sound across different venues etc... sometimes the snare is badass - and sometimes the bass is - or the next show might have some other element that is cool sounding. The recording device making a difference - range from stacks . ... I just love bootlegs. Crap or not.

[ronmac]

I just love bootlegs. Crap or not.

Same here. I couldn't care less about the sound quality as long as I can make out the performance.

Some people can't seem to get over a lack of fidelity and, IMO, that's their loss, because there's a multitude of historic performances that we would otherwise never hear if it wasn't for that guy with the microphone. That also includes those who captured The Beatles very first (pre-Ringo) performances on the BBC in 1962.

[Phlakaton]

Same here. I couldn't care less about the sound quality as long as I can make out the performance.

Some people can't seem to get over a lack of fidelity and, IMO, that's their loss, because there's a multitude of historic performances that we would otherwise never hear if it wasn't for that guy with the microphone. That also includes those who captured The Beatles very first (pre-Ringo) performances on the BBC in 1962.

Exactly. Some very ugly sounding shows are my favorites. I think you tend to get acclimated as time goes by. When I read about someone complaining about sound on a professional recording I find it amusing - sometimes things sound TOO good. I cant take super nice sound that has an almost plastic quality - really clean bass - drums - etc... I need some grime!

[JJ88]

Same here. I couldn't care less about the sound quality as long as I can make out the performance.

Some people can't seem to get over a lack of fidelity and, IMO, that's their loss, because there's a multitude of historic performances that we would otherwise never hear if it wasn't for that guy with the microphone. That also includes those who captured The Beatles very first (pre-Ringo) performances on the BBC in 1962.

It does depend on the circumstances for me. When it's a badly recorded show on a tour already documented in better quality elsewhere, I don't need to hear it. (Why I've never really bothered with many Genesis audience recordings, for example.) But something like this example, the historical importance far overrides any sonic deficiencies. And that example is pretty good quality considering how old it is and The Beatles didn't even have a record of their own out at the time (so not counting 'My Bonnie'). Quite amazing that tape exists.

An audience recording like that Floyd LA Sports Arena show is better than soundboard quality, because you have the ambience of the venue too.

There's the Boston Garden show on the same tour but whilst it's another strong recording, the quality isn't quite of the same standard IMHO. And 'Echoes' again has that problem with the guitar!

[Phlakaton]

It does depend on the circumstances for me. When it's a badly recorded show on a tour already documented in better quality elsewhere, I don't need to hear it. (Why I've never really bothered with many Genesis audience recordings, for example.) But something like this example, the historical importance far overrides any sonic deficiencies. And that example is pretty good quality considering how old it is and The Beatles didn't even have a record of their own out at the time (so not counting 'My Bonnie'). Quite amazing that tape exists.

An audience recording like that Floyd LA Sports Arena show is better than soundboard quality, because you have the ambience of the venue too.

There's the Boston Garden show on the same tour but whilst it's another strong recording, the quality isn't quite of the same standard IMHO. And 'Echoes' again has that problem with the guitar!

Like the what? 3rd tweez on the 77 Animals show in Oakland - its realy damn good sounding and I agree - I'll take that audience ambiance anyday - Genesis and those OAM recordings to the board - fantastic sound.

[JJ88]

Yeah if I was to recommend two Floyd audience bootlegs of that period, it would be LA 1975 and Oakland 1977. The latter is particularly valuable because there is no multi-track documentation of that tour at all. At least Wembley 1974 has most of what they were playing in 1975.

Oakland has the novelty of the one-off '...Eugene' encore. Not the best version ever or anything- and that track is in lower fidelity than the rest of the show- but a fascinating listen.

[ca1ore]

Oakland is quite remarkable, but it’s the only Floyd boot I listen to anymore. Sound quality is important to me and I just cannot be bothered with crappy sounding recordings. Still amazing to me that the ‘77 tour had not a single professional recording. Almost hard to believe and a colossal oversight. Thank goodness Genesis (my favorite band) did not share that oversight. I don’t recall for Floyd specifically, but it’s no small irony that the only historical record of that ‘77 tour came from an illicit microphone that so many bands were actively trying to prevent.

[chalkpie]

Really enjoying this lovely boot from 1970.

[JJ88]

I had to look that up. Turns out to be the KQED TV special so there's videotape footage of this performance. The unbroadcast version of 'Astronomy Domine' was also found a few years ago.

[alucard]

Really enjoying this lovely boot from 1970.

From memory this is the first boot I ever bought together with a 3LP set of the Hollywood Bowl concert....nice cover too...