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What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

#1
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2/12/09 at 7:20pm
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For me it is The Doors, Absolutely Live. This was the third record that I ever bought in my life and it was in 1970, the year of it's original release. I was living abroad in the south pacific and I recall as I was picking it up (mostly because the album cover looked so effing cool with Jim Morrison in his leather pants and the crazy lighting) a teenage boy (I was 11 at the time) came up and advised me not to buy it as it "wasn't as good as the studio albums". Luckily I was stubborn and bought it anyway - what a crazy trip into the late 60s / early 70s. I remember listening to this on my crappy "stacking" turntable over and over.

Anyway - I listened to the first half tonight and it is every bit as great as I recall, from Robbie Krieger's awesome guitar solos, to Ray Manzarek's otherwordly organ playing, John Densmore's faithful backbeat and of course Jim's one of a kind vocals. It's like walking into a time machine.

So, what's your favorite live album?

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#2
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2/12/09 at 8:13pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

First off, I'd like to say that I do like the Doors a lot. You're spot on with some of those descriptions. I have appreciated Manzarek's keyboard work for many years.

I'm not really a fan of too many live albums, because often they are atrocious compared to the studio recordings. But one that stands out for me is Fleetwood Mac's The Dance. On the downside, I am as huge a fan of The Floyd as anyone on this Board, and was very disappointed with a couple of their live albums.

It sounds like this Doors album is a keeper, though.
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#3
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2/12/09 at 9:42pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

My favorite is Frampton Comes Alive. I never gave live music much of a chance before hearing it. I think I was too young and couldn't appreciate what live music had to offer. Frampton, due to it's popularity, allowed me to hear live music at it's finest.

Don't know if concert dvd's qualify, but Boz Skaggs Greatest Hits Live is outstanding. I'm sure it's available on cd (even though I only have the dvd) so it should count.
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#4
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2/13/09 at 4:55am
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

I'd have to say it's the Alman Brothers at the Filmore East. I think the whole thing just has as much energy as you could possibly cram into two albums. Highlights are the 22 minute Whipping Post which is drifts between melancholy and riveting, and my favorite song period, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.

Second place goes to Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus
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#5
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2/13/09 at 5:36am
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Some good choices here, all around. Scott, I highly recommend The Doors live album, it includes some great stage banter as well.

Live at Fillmore East, The Dance and Frampton Comes Alive are definitely classic examples of great live performances.

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#6
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2/13/09 at 6:16am
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Easy. Neil Young's Live Rust. Accoustic set at first, then Crazy Horse comes out and rips the roof off.

"When I get big, I'm gonna get me an electric guitar."

Buy it for the live versions of Powderfinger and Cortez The Killer alone.
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#7
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2/13/09 at 7:12am
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

I have to jump in and drop Peter Gabriel, Growing Up Live DVD. Truly a magical performance by a great concert artist.

Every child has many wishes. Some include a wallet, two chicks, and a cigar, but that's another story.
 
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#8
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2/13/09 at 9:23am
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

UFO - Strangers in the Night

A band that never got the respect they deserved at the top of their game. I dunno...to me, it's just...perfect..
When she embraces, your heart turns to stone
She comes at night, when you're all alone
And when she whispers, your blood shall run cold
You'd better hide before she finds you...
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#9
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2/13/09 at 10:20am
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

I'll agree with the Doors recommend, as it's the album that made me go from liking to loving the Doors. LIVE RUST is amazing too, though buy the DVD of the movie for the full experience.

My current fave is WEEN - Live In Toronto. Weens known for being a bit weird, to hear them live being backed by The Shitcreek Boys full of country music studio legends is epic! The playing is amazingly compatible, and it ends with an epic jam on Fluffy. Well worth checking out if you can find a copy, it might be OOP.

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#10
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2/13/09 at 10:54am
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Russell,

Ween is definitely an acquired taste (i like them). I have the 12 Golden Country Greats CD and am now interested in hearing the Live version of Fluffy. I think you are right about it being OOP - the only ones available on amazon are $75.

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#11
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2/13/09 at 12:01pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug_H
I have to jump in and drop Peter Gabriel, Growing Up Live DVD. Truly a magical performance by a great concert artist.
Wow, great topic, and truly hard to choose...
As far as PG goes, I'd go with Secret World live, which for me is as good as Peter Gabriel ever got. That show is aboslutely amazing.
But the again, best live album probably has to have the best live act at least as a contender, so The Song Remains The Same must be taken into consideration...
(I presume y'all understand we're talking Led Zeppelin here )
That got me thinking about Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out, which led me to Made In Japan, but as great as the Stones and Deep Purple were, did they really produce the best live albums? What about Zappa? Much of his stuff was at least partially live, ie Shiek Yerbouti, and Roxy and Elsewhere was all live.
ZZ Top's Fandango was only half live, but a great half...

My own fav, Bowie, did some great live albums as well, and so did many other less known but no less good acts (Japan for example), so I'll just end by saying I can't choose just one, there are so many great live albums out there, I really need to do some listening now

/Mikael

- "Do you indulge in any form of worship?"
-"Life. I love life, very much indeed."
David Bowie interviewed by Russell Harty, 1973

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#12
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2/13/09 at 12:11pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Queen - Live Killers

Why? Because it was the first time I realized Queen could really rock and I should give them a chance. Up to that point all I heard was the top 40 crap on the radio. I've been a fan ever since (including the new Paul Rogers version).

Also, the Brian May solo on side 3 (I think) just blew me away. It motivated me to learn to play guitar.
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#13
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2/13/09 at 12:17pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Giro
UFO - Strangers in the Night

A band that never got the respect they deserved at the top of their game. I dunno...to me, it's just...perfect..

Indeed... great album and they were great live. What you hear on the album is what you hear in concert. Their guitarist Michael Schaenker was (is?) fantastic (his brother, Rudolf, plays for the Scorpions). I saw them 7th row from the stage in '78. The lead in band for them was AC/DC. GREAT show.

Two other great live albums are J Geils Live and Some Enchanted Evening by BOC. These albums capture the talent and jam of these bands that I felt their studio recordings never quite did.
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#14
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2/13/09 at 12:19pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al.Anderson

Second place goes to Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus

Yes... another live album that showcased their talent in a way that their studio recordings never quite did.
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#15
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2/13/09 at 12:27pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikael Soderholm
What about Zappa? Much of his stuff was at least partially live, ie Shiek Yerbouti, and Roxy and Elsewhere was all live.

I like Zappa too, my fave of his live is "THE BEST BAND YOU NEVER HEARD IN YOUR LIFE" which is just fantastic with no overdubs. He doesn't seem to have many that showcase a single concert though. YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON STAGE ANYMORE are great compilations, with only Vol 2 being an entire concert (a deadly good one too with the George Duke version of the band playing top of their game and FAST) but some of the songs have dodgy edits from different era's that throw you right out of the songs.

Iggy Pop's TV EYE is pretty good too if your a fan. He's in weird form, but the energy from it makes it worth while.

I tend to prefer live albums from studio ones really.
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#16
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2/13/09 at 12:49pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Iron Maiden's Live After Death will always be special for me. It was the first album that I REALLY REALLY HAD TO HAVE.

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#17
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2/13/09 at 2:03pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Peter Gabriel--Secret World Tour (I concur that it is Gabriel at his finest).

Genesis--When In Rome (personal connection in that, for a variety of reasons, this tour was the first time I got to see my all-time favourite band--a host of circumstances always interfered with my ability to see them any earlier and I've been a fan since Duke). I have the concert DVD as well as the "official bootleg" taken from the soundboard at the show I attended at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

(honourable mention to all other live Gabriel and Genesis albums)

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#18
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2/13/09 at 3:02pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G
Iggy Pop's TV EYE is pretty good too if your a fan. He's in weird form, but the energy from it makes it worth while.
How could I forget Iggy *he said, hanging his head in shame*
There is an artist who knew how to work an audience (and himself )

/Mikael

- "Do you indulge in any form of worship?"
-"Life. I love life, very much indeed."
David Bowie interviewed by Russell Harty, 1973

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#19
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2/13/09 at 3:12pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary Seven
Indeed... great album and they were great live. What you hear on the album is what you hear in concert. Their guitarist Michael Schaenker was (is?) fantastic (his brother, Rudolf, plays for the Scorpions). I saw them 7th row from the stage in '78. The lead in band for them was AC/DC. GREAT show.

Two other great live albums are J Geils Live and Some Enchanted Evening by BOC. These albums capture the talent and jam of these bands that I felt their studio recordings never quite did.
I also really like "On Your Feet Or On Your Knees" for live BOC.

As for Zappa, one can not exclude the wacky greatness that is Live at The Fillmore East June 1971 - Flo and Eddie in the Mothers doing the Mudshark!

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#20
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2/13/09 at 3:19pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Dylan's LIVE 1966

Many critics and rock historians call it the most important concert ever and to me it's also the best I've heard.
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#21
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2/13/09 at 4:23pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

The greatest live album ever released.



I'm talking about the six song original release, not any of the subsequent noise-reduced expanded remasters.

Philip Hamm
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#22
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2/13/09 at 6:41pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

I'm not a big fan of live albums but my favorite--and also my favorite Wings release--is Wings Over America. Unfortunately it's been quite sweetened in the studio but that's easily Wings' strongest lineup and since they were about the biggest band in the world at the time it was recorded, it's pretty epic.

Blind Melon's Live at the Palace is a fantastic performance. Nirvana's Unplugged is a classic.
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#23
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2/13/09 at 7:58pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Willow
Queen - Live Killers

Great choice......although I think I prefer Queen - Live At Wembley '86 over it because of the better sound quality. They were definitely on a high for a time after their Live-Aid performance. Freddie was in fine form there......God, how I miss him.

Another live album worthy of this thread is Supertramp - Paris.....one of the first 2 live albums that I ever purchased(by coincidence, the other was Queen - Live Killers ). They absolutely blew me away......before then, I never knew a live performance could sound so damn good.
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#24
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2/14/09 at 12:32pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

I have heard really good things before regarding that Supertramp - Paris recording - may have to check that one out soon....

It takes 52 pounds of pressure to rupture an eyeball...

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#25
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2/14/09 at 3:18pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Mine are Deep Purple's 'Made in Japan' and Rainbow's 'On Stage'. MIJ because of the sparring between Gillan's vocals and Blackmore's guitar on Strange Kind of Woman; OS because of Ronnie Dio's singing of Mistreated.

Both are fabulous. I'd also put in a vote for Elvis Presley's 'Live in Memphis', one of his final albums, mainly because of a fabulous version of 'Hurt'.

Current DVD collection: large and growing! Lots of classic TV, musicals, silents, and cartoons ...

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#26
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2/14/09 at 8:56pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Queensryche - Operation LIVEcrime.

I went to one of the shows on this tour, and this album (and video) brings back some great memories. The video gives me a better view of the performance than being there because our seats were in row PP and McNichols Arena only went up to row QQ. That's right, we were one row down from the top!
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#27
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2/15/09 at 9:10pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Van Morrison - It's Too Late to Stop Now. If you're a VM fan, this is a must.

Have to second, or third or fourth the Live Killers recommendation.

Classics Live 2 from Aerosmith

Depeche Mode - 101

Carl

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#28
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2/15/09 at 9:20pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Philip Hamm
The greatest live album ever released.



I'm talking about the six song original release, not any of the subsequent noise-reduced expanded remasters.

Oooh, I forgot this one.....one of the very first vinyl to CD upgrades I ever made when CD's first came out.

Carl

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#29
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2/17/09 at 12:07pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Cheap Trick's Live at Budoken. I'm not a fan of the band -- I don't have any of their proper albums -- but Cheap Trick is the kind of band that everyone considers getting a best-of of.

In the case of Cheap Trick, people need a best-of and their Budoken disc.

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#30
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2/17/09 at 6:43pm
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Re: What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Will_B
Cheap Trick's Live at Budoken. I'm not a fan of the band -- I don't have any of their proper albums -- but Cheap Trick is the kind of band that everyone considers getting a best-of of.

In the case of Cheap Trick, people need a best-of and their Budoken disc.

The best version to get is the 2-disc "Cheap Trick at Budokan - The Complete Concert". It has all the songs they played, in the right order, plus a booklet that tells how the album was originally going to be a Japan-only release. I'm adding this to my favorites list alongside the previously-mentioned Queensryche album.
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