Setlists don't matter with bands that improvise, or " jam " like the Brothers, or Gov't Mule, or any of the other bands. They don't conciously play a song the same way every time. Hell, Derek and Warren switch up on their parts all the time.
As an avid Allman Brothers fan, I am aware of that. I own many of their live recordings & their setlists really didn't vary all that much from 1969 through to about 1973 or so. I just finished reading the book "Midnight Riders" (an excellent read, by the way) & there is a telling quote from Duane that reads (approximately) "If it was good last year, it's still good this year, and it will still be good next year". As a musician myself, personally I would get tired of playing the same songs over & over, year after year. But they apparently didn't tire of it, and the fact that they did improvise extensively probably did help out a lot in that respect. What I am really asking is ......... performance-wise ............. which is the better show in your opinion? 5/1/73 at Nassau Colliseum, or the 9/26/73 show at Winterland? I have never heard the 9/26/73 show, apart from the first 4 tracks on the "Wipe The Windows .... " album & "One Way Out" from the "Dreams" box set. In 1973, the Allmans had some great nights and some that weren't quite as good.
I think they are very close. The Nassau gig is very good. Frankly, if one is an Allman Brothers fan, both are essential.
Thanks. Exactly the kind of helpful answer/opinion I was looking for. From what I've been reading on this thread though, it sounds as if the sound quality of the 9/26/73 show on the "Brothers & Sisters" Super Deluxe set is probably much better than the sound quality of the "Nassau Colliseum 5/1/73" 2 CD set though, correct? I really like the "Nassau" 2 CD set, but the sound quality is sketchy at times.
Owner of both and for me the Winterland set shades it for me both sound dand performance both are indespensible though
One is a soundboard recording, the other is professionally recorded. Forum member and Producer behind the project Bill Levenson only does high quality work, so there's no question as to his results, SQ-wise. The Nassau show should be viewed as all other archival releases are...an historic document. Real ABB fans don't give two sh**s about waveforms and such, they love the music that comes from their favorite band.
I consider myself to be a "real" ABB fan. But I also care about the SQ of their releases. I have a few live performance CDs that I find do not sound very good. I tend to avoid listening to these CDs as I have so much other ABB live performances that sound better. So please don't claim that all "real" ABB fans don't care about the SQ of the recordings they listen to. Bill
You're right, a very small minority do care about such things. I'd just love to see someone try to engage Gregg, or Warren in a mastering discussion backstage, and see their reaction.
Guys, I think a distinction needs to be made. When I say that the "Nassau 5/1/73" CD set has sketchy sound quality at times, I am referring to the quality of the recording, or source tapes. How well something was recorded & how well something was mastered are two entirely different things.
Those archival CDs have warnings on them, at least the original issues did, I don't know about these recent reissues. The Ludlow's Garage sounds like crap, but again, it's about historical significance. Duane recorded on a portable cassette player is better than no Duane at all. Yes, I know we're talking post-Duane here, but I'm trying to make a point.
Well, I have the more recent (2005, I believe) reissue of "Nassau", & it does have the sound quality warning, but isn't it so convenient for the record company to place the warning on the inside of the rear insert, so that you can only read it after you've bought it & taken the cellophane off? I am not complaining one bit. I love the "Nassau" set and personally, the occasional artifacts on the original tape do not ruin the listening experience for me by any stretch of the imagination, but for those that DO care, it should at least be stated on the outside of the rear insert, where one can actually read it before purchasing.
I'm another that cannot listen to bootlegs or even soundboard stuff....by anyone, even the ABB who I worship. It doesn't matter if it's the greatest set ever performed. If I don't like the sound, I can't do it..... Oddly enough, I'm not even a serious audiophile! At least not like a lot of folks here!
If it's so bad it makes you squirm, then I can get that. Those Shout Factory reissues of The Marshall Tucker Band catalog piss me off, thank God I have the original vinyl.
I hear you there....and that "Live on Long Island" set is quite good, but I look at my speakers thinking "is this mono or something? what gives?"
Yeah, but my beef is the loudness is like the car radio turned all the way up (back in the 60s)...it's SO distorted !!!
Yup. Something is just not right about those damn things. You'd think in this day and age everything would sound better than before. There's just no excuse for it!
I love all of the archive material, because of their historic significance. However, I too, tend to "not" reach for something like Stonybrook, because of the sound quality. I love Nassau and Winterland equally. Listening to Winterland more recently. My personal favorite archive release is Macon. I just can't begin to imagine what The Brothers were feeling when they went on stage that night. Some of the soundboards of the ABB Instant Lives are better quality, depending on the year. 2003 sound seems better than 2004.
Les Brers is good, but Elizabeth Reed ftw Downloaded from hdtracks, and I am happy with the sound and the price, though I noticed the original album could use replaygain, as Ramblin' Man is noticeably louder than Come and Go Blues. Having said that, the original album sounds terrific, the rehearsals are fun and sound good, and the live recording is quite solid: a great performance that plays with very good sound quality... And like I said, IMO, Elizabeth Reed ftw.
I know man. I have enough trouble understanding my teenage (and even adult) kids special language. I come on here.....same thing
