DCC Archive Live albums... Best and worst.

For me, it's Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac/Live at the Boston Tea Party. I don't normally like live albums because the recordings rarely capture the ambience and excitement of a live show. In my opinion, this one did. I also heard a live recording of Spirit at the same venue, that would have been incredible had it been recorded properly, but the sound quality was like a bad cheap transister radio at maximum volume if you get my drift.

 

Best is so subjective, I mean is Waylon Live better/worse/same as Live at Leeds? They are both great. I will say this, I have never never enjoyed a live album more than working my way through the Dylan box set 1966 Live Recordings. It was the same set-list 32 times over, and every disc was a joy. I am a huge Dylan fan so take that for what it's worth, but even I anticipated to be bored with the concept two-thirds of the way through.

Now some worsts:
Still Life, my first Stones tour souvenir, and such a disappointment.
Alive 2, proof that not all hits need a sequel.
Who's Last, ug.
Dylan and the Dead. At the time I made a cassette and entitled it, "Why Didn't They Choose These Songs?" Most Dylan fans could create a 45 minute record that would blow the official away. Call me Sony, let's create a re-do.

 

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

Rarely like live albums but this is just great. The nine songs sound better than studio equivalents.

 

A recent live album that I'd have to lump in with the bad category is Topographic Drama: Live Across America by Yes (who I see have been mentioned a few times already in this thread). Although each song's tempo is generally close to its original studio counterpart, there's just something about these performances - which were supposedly chosen as the best from several recordings - that makes them feel plodding and quite embarrassing for a band that used to be so tight across the board. However, the worst part of my overall listening experience happened when I first really noticed the looped audience response that's layered over the actual crowd at various intervals, supposedly often to hide musical deficiencies in Geoff Downes' keyboard work on the Tales From Topographic Oceans tracks especially. Trust me, you could quite easily invent a drinking game based around the repeated sample heard in the left channel of a fan shouting "Oh, yeah! Steve Howe!" without their voice ever giving out. Speaking of vocals, I can't even complain about Jon Davison being on vocal duty for once, since I don't think there's any realistic chance of Jon Anderson going anywhere near the Drama material, meaning this set is probably the best we can expect. Then again, who put such a thing together and passed it off as a good idea? I'd strongly recommend you avoid Topographic Drama like the plague, unless you like a good drink.

As for better examples, I've seen a lot of talk about a possible compilation from Radiohead's tour in support of A Moon Shaped Pool being released next year, and I can't believe they've still not issued an official full-length document of any show yet, despite being around for 25 years already...

 

Best



Worst

 

Yardbirds Live at the Anderson Theater, the remixed disc 1 of new release "Yardbirds '68"... stunning...

 

Performance/concert is great, the audio recording is what's terrible.

 

Best:
Page & Crowes Live at Greek - how can you go wrong with a 3-guitar attack of Zeppelin songs that includes Page?
(I'm partial though as I was there)

 

Colosseum Live - best live lp. Never heard the songs before except for Theme from an imaginary western which was the reason for purchasing the lp. I return to that lp quite often


30 years later same group surprising again

 

agreed. that one spent so little time on my turntable I could've resold it as "sealed"

 

I don't think the performance is all that great either, especially if you compare it to the live stuff on the box set.

 

UFO - Strangers In the Night. This album rocks so hard, so good. Schenker was a force.

Jethro Tull - Bursting Out. A personal favorite that doesn't seem to get much love, but I love this album.

Rush - All The World's A Stage. I think this is a classic live album from an era that sadly is long gone and unlikely to be seen again.

John Coltrane - Newport '63. These performances are probably my favorites in his catalog.

Neil Young - Live Rust. Another classic personal favorite.

Then there's a bunch of bootlegs, among them a favorite is Hot Tuna Live 9-11-76 Commack NY. A bunch of Stones boots, some Zeppelin boots, and a few Iron Maiden goodies too.

 

For fans of Brazilian music, an excellent (and recent) live release is: "Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil: Multishow Live".

 

I got it on vinyl when it came out and just recently listened all way thru, and for good reason ... throw Stones "Flashpoint" on the bad list

 

Got this last week. Pretty incredible.

 

Given your avatar, how’d you miss Hawkwind - Text of Festival for “Bad”?

 

Best:
1. "Live at Leeds" - The Who (just the best, flat out)
2. "1969: The Velvet Underground Live" - Velvet Underground (my fave VU album -- some great banter with the audience)
3. "Metallic KO" - The Stooges (as an historical document; 'The only rock album I know where you can actually hear hurled beer bottles breaking against guitar strings.' -- Lester Bangs)
4. "Take No Prisoners" - Lou Reed (audience banter cranked to 11; great binaural recording too)

Worst:
1. "Totale's Turns (It's Now or Never)" - The Fall (not bad gig material, just really crappy sound quality)

 

In terms of sonics ... I agree

In terms of performances: no way!

 

I read recently on Facebook that another live show is set for inclusion in the All Mod Cons super deluxe set.........can't remember the venue.........late '78.
I'm surprised they recorded so many shows yet never released one in their 6 year career.

 

Best
Joni-Miles of Aisles

Worst
Stones-Love U Live sides 1 ,2,4
Not club show side 3
So disappointing after L&G film and KBFH shows fall of 74
Shows I saw summer of 75 the band was so sludgy.
I do listen to LA75 release though

 

Best:
Queen - "Live Killers" (I know it's not popular but I loved it as a kid), "Rainbow '74"
Neil Young - "Live Rust"
The Who - "Live At Leeds"
Springsteen - "Main Point Night" boot
Motorpsycho - "Roadworks Vol IV - Intrepid Skronk"

Worst:
Queen - "Live Magic"

 

I'd like to add to the 'best ' list
Ian Hunter - Welcome To The Club

 

B.O.G for me

Worst. Anything by kiss if u can even consider them live albums

 

Spot on. And I would make a very similar comment in all likelihood should a Yes featuring ARW live set ever see the light of day, based on the clunking live show I saw. Jon was pretty good but Trevor was awful on the "older" Howe era material and Rick was unconvincing on the 80s material.

 

Prog or Electronic live albums sometimes are hard to listen because the lousy recording but here are my list considering the performance:
Good:
Yes-Yessongs
Tangerine Dream - Poland (The Warsaw Concert)
Van der Graaf Generator - Vital
Jean-Michel Jarre - Les Concerts En Chine
Jane - Jane Live
Jethro Tull - Live - Bursting Out
Caravan - Live At The Fairfield Halls, 1974
Genesis - Seconds Out
Soft Machine - Floating World Live
Hawkwind - Space Ritual
Marillion- The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)
Magma - Hhai / Live

Bad:
AWBH - An Evening Of Yes Music Plus... ( I don't like the electronic Drums sound on this and some songs sound too fast)
Amon Düül II ~ Live in London
Supetramp-Live88
Soft machine - Alive And Well Recorded In Paris ( this is not the soft machine i like)