Beatles Live at Hollywood Bowl...reviews?

[Matt Butler]

I saw this at a used record store yesterday and was thinking about picking it up. I left it behind but might go back and grab it. I was wondering though how good the sound quality is.

Im 30 so I never saw them live but have heard the stories about how loud the shows were and the music often was drowned out by screaming girls.

Is this the case of the Hollywood Bowl album?

 

[Jack Briggs]

The album is culled from the band's 1964 and 1965 shows at the Bowl. Sound quality is surprisingly good, considering the equipment the concerts were recorded on. The screaming can definitely be heard, but it doesn't drown out the band.

When I saw The Beatles play live, one could clearly hear them over the audience. But they could barely hear themselves. The stage monitors musicians take for granted today weren't even in existence when The Beatles were touring.

 

[Rachael B]

I have that record too. The crowd noise is tremendous but that reflects the reality at their shows, so maybe it's appropriate. It never kept me from enjoying the album.

 

[Marvin]

I believe George Martin and/or the Beatles originally didn't want to release it (during the '60s) due to the crowd noise but changed their mind during the 70s. I don't know if this was due to better technology for cleaning up the recording, or to compete with bootlegs of the show.

 

[AnthonyC]

It's not bad, but for great HB sound quality, check out "Baby's in Black" on the "Real Love" single.

 

[Rob Gardiner]

I give it two thumbs up.

I would love to give it a higher rating, if only I had more thumbs.

 

[Iver]

If you're a Beatles fan you'll love it. The screams just make it better.

It amazes me that this hasn't been released on CD.

 

[Sam Favate]

Same here. Can't imagine what they are waiting for. Hopefully, Apple will put it out on two discs, with all three H-Bowl shows in their entirety.

I thought the sound on the 1977 release was pretty good.

 

[Matt Butler]

Well I bought it last night and it is a really good album. And youre right Iver; the screams do make it better.

One reason why I wanted this was my mother grew up in So Cal and had seen the Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl in 65. Im having her check her ticket stub (she still has it) cause we think she was there when this was recorded. Also if you look in the gatefold of the LP on the right is a pic of a tour program (green cover) she bought at the show. She still has that as well. (The stub and program will be mine one day.)

 

[Grant B]

I have that record and one of the unofficial records that came out before that was released. They really did a wonderful job at cutting down the crowd noise levels.

I doubt if they will ever release that one on cd....just like the red & blue albums, Love Songs and Rock n Roll Music - all double albums. Then there was the rarities; the UK & the US releases were completely different. The US was a strange Hodge Podge of different versions.

I wonder if the Beatles Medley 45 will ever show up on anything? I think Capitol is still embarressed about that one....maybe not - I am sure it made money.

 

[Sam Favate]

The red and blue albums were released on CD years ago -- double CDs for both.

I think we will see H-wood Bowl on CD eventually. Apple has been issuing something at least every year since the Anthology.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

As already noted, "Red" and "Blue" have been available on CD for more than a decade.

And Hollywood Bowl is a single album, not a double...