What's Your Favorite Live Album and Why? (1 Viewer)

[Philip Hamm]

The greatest live album ever released.

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

 

[AnthonyC]

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.

 

[ChristopherG]

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

 

[didi-5]

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'.

 

[rockinricky]

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!

 

[Carl Miller]

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 Miller]

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

 

[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.

 

[rockinricky]

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.

 

[JohnRice]

Mine would be...

Genesis - Seconds Out.

Alternates would be..
Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus
Metallica - S&M
PG - Growing Up Live
Pink Floyd - Delicate Sound of Thunder (actually just a video, where is a DVD?)
Within Temptation - Silent Force Tour and Black Symphony
Fairground Attraction - Live in Japan
Dave Brubeck - Late Night Brubeck - of course bringing jazz in adds a load of titles.

 

[Marty M]

I have a couple of favorite live albums. My first is The Association, Live. I always thought this group did a great job of recreating their vocals in concert. Although I have read that some instrumentation was added afterward. My next favorite is Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall.

 

[bradleybruns]

I really enjoy good live albums. I actually prefer them to studio albums in many cases. After hearing a really good live track, the studio counterpart sometimes sounds a bit vanilla to me.
I wish bands would make more of their concerts available. Think of all the great shows of the past that exist only in vaults or on bootlegs.



Here are my favorites:


Queen: Live at Wembly 86
Great energy, great song selection, Freddy sounds like he can barely contain his excitement.

Rush: Different Stages: Again, great songs and energy.

Pink Floyd: Delicate Sound of Thunder / Pulse
DSOT was my introduction to Pink Floyd, and Pulse is basically the same album with more songs and better sound.

Phish: A Live One
I don't know of any other band that offers as much live material (over 25 concert CDs and over 100 to download.

Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison
A perfect document of a unique show and venue. Love the banter between Johnny Cash and June Carter, and the PA "announcements".

Live: Live at the Paradiso Amsterdam
Great interaction with the audience

U2: The double live album that I hope they will release someday

 

[Michael Allred]

"Live at Wembley Stadium" (as it's now known) does have overall better and cleaner sound but the band themselves are nowhere near as tight as they were on "Live Killers." A nice middleground would be their "On Fire: Live at the Bowl" album.

 

[Kirk Gunn]

These albums frequently get into my rotation:

1) Deep Purple: Made in Japan - All members of the band in their prime and smoking ! Probably over-dubbed, but Ritchie Blackmore's Highway Star solo still sends shivers down my spine....

2) Lynyrd Skynyrd: One more from the Road - Stevie Gaines just joining the band and proving his stuff.

3) Joe Jackson: Live from 80/86 - Prior to hearing this CD, my only exposure to J Jackson were his semi-lameTop 40 hits... the guy is extremely diverse and ROCKS !

4) J. Geils Band: Full House - Best party album ever made. Played the LP version hours on end as I accompanied on the drums during my high-school days. I owe my parents HUGE for their patience....

5) Neville Brothers: Live on Planet Earth - saw them back up Joe Cocker and they blew the place away. Cool combo of Rock/Funk

 

[Philip Hamm]

I hope you're familiar with this: Free Streaming Live Music, Vintage Tees, retro t-shirts, concert posters, live concert, vintage rock tshirts, concert vault, Posters, rock photos and more

 

[ChristopherG]

Philip,

Wow - great site, thanks for the pointer.

 

[Jack Gilvey]

Is it the best, or even a good recording? Nope. My favorite, though. Still have my LP.

 

[Ockeghem]

Jack,

I like the recording too. I own three copies of the album (LP) above. I also have it on cassette and CD. But I prefer a few others, like their Sweden concert (I have this on LP, CD, and DVD), the Five Nights In a Judo Arena (Budokan Hall) concert (LP), and The Beatles Live At Sam Houston 1965 (LP). Shea Stadium cleaned up is not all that bad, but I still can't hear the boys singing all that well on that recording. The screaming during that concert was deafening.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Wolfgang's Vault is awesome. I think there are a lot of free concerts at archive.org as well, but mostly more obscure stuff.

 

[Jack Gilvey]

You win.

I didn't even know it came out on cd, import yeah? This was one of the first LPs I went and bought myself, and cranked on my $5 flea-market (literally) record player. Pure joy.