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Thread: Latter-day Caravan Live Releases

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    Latter-day Caravan Live Releases

    I'm taking a break from digitally transferring my '77-'82 Caravan LPs to ask: anyone have recommendations for more recent Caravan live recordings/DVDs? Looks like there are two or three live things available from 1990 onwards. Any favorites? I can probably only afford one purchase at the moment...
    Thanks

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by mx20 View Post
    I'm taking a break from digitally transferring my '77-'82 Caravan LPs to ask: anyone have recommendations for more recent Caravan live recordings/DVDs? Looks like there are two or three live things available from 1990 onwards. Any favorites? I can probably only afford one purchase at the moment...
    Thanks
    The "Knight in London" and "Knight in the USA" DVD's are disowned by Caravan because they were ripped off/not paid. But both are very enjoyable and can probably be had for cheap. It's a similar setlist played respectively with Schelhaas and Sinclair on keys.

  3. #3
    The 1990 Bedrock TV show is the only one featuring the original line-up with Hastings, Coughlan and both Sinclairs, plus Jimmy Hastings on sax/flute. This comes with the highest recommendation as it has most of the band's early classics.

    The others feature the post-1995 line-up of Hastings, Coughlan, Richardson, Doug Boyle on guitar, Jim Leverton on bass/vox and either Dave Sinclair or Jan Schelhaas on keyboards, performing a mixture of old and newer material. The most recent one (Metropolis Studios) has the current line-up of Hastings, Richardson, Schelhaas, Leverton and new drummer Mark Walker.
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    I agree the 1990 DVD is amazing. Short of a full concert on film being unearthed from the 1970s, this is as good as it's gonna get. All the DVDs are enjoyable though, so you won't go wrong with any of them. I would proceed forward chronologically and stop if you don't like one.

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    Thanks, guys. I'll track down that 1990 concert!

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    I was not impressed with the Shepherd's Bush 2011 live album, despite the excellent set list. When you say "Latter day", does that mean the music itself has to be from the latter period, or just the title? I only ask because I always recommend the album Live At Fairfield Halls 1974. It wasn't released until the 2000s but is probably the best live release in the entire Caravan catalogue, and belongs on every fan's shelf.

    You mention also transferring your 1977-1982 LPs to digital... it's funny, in all these years of loving the band, I've actually never listened to Caravan - The Album or Back To Front. I've been warned many times that they are pretty lousy (and if Better By Far is any indication of the direction they were headed, I'm glad to pass - sorry Pye Hastings!).. but if you are taking the time to digitize yours, perhaps there is something of worth on them?
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    I was not impressed with the Shepherd's Bush 2011 live album, despite the excellent set list. When you say "Latter day", does that mean the music itself has to be from the latter period, or just the title? I only ask because I always recommend the album Live At Fairfield Halls 1974. It wasn't released until the 2000s but is probably the best live release in the entire Caravan catalogue, and belongs on every fan's shelf.

    You mention also transferring your 1977-1982 LPs to digital... it's funny, in all these years of loving the band, I've actually never listened to Caravan - The Album or Back To Front. I've been warned many times that they are pretty lousy (and if Better By Far is any indication of the direction they were headed, I'm glad to pass - sorry Pye Hastings!).. but if you are taking the time to digitize yours, perhaps there is something of worth on them?

    I have all of the essential 70s live material, but I'm just seeking the best single live output of the "reunion years."

    I do enjoy the 77-82 albums, although to a lesser extent than the early years & earlier the post-Richard Sinclair years.

    Here are my picks from these LPs that I'm digitizing:
    Better By Far (1977):
    Silver Strings
    The Last Unicorn
    Man In A Car
    Let It Shine
    Nightmare

    Cool Water (recorded 1977, not an LP but from iTunes):
    Cool Water
    Just The Way You Are
    The Crack Of The Willow

    The Album (1980):
    Heartbreaker
    Watcha Gonna Tell Me
    Piano Player
    Keepin' Up De Fences

    Back To Front (1982):
    Back To Herne Bay Front
    Videos Of Hollywood
    Proper Job/Back To Front

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