What are some of your favorite "rockin" live recordings that sound GREAT with regards to mixing balances, dynamics, etc.?

Two that I've been digging lately have been:
Oingo Boingo - Boingo Alive
Calexico - China Theater, Stockholm


Mike

I have the China Theater one as well and agree it's a good one. I'm partial to Steve Wynn at The Double Door Chicago 21 Mar 06. Bonus points in that kirk swann (guitarist for dumptruck) is in the band and rick rizzo, the guitarist for eleventh dream day joins in on the encores

I'll have to check out that Steve Winn one. Thanks.

Oh, another that I can't seem to get enough of:

Tony Furtado Band - Ciscero's (St. Louis I believe) 1999, great picking on this one.

Wait, Calexico have a live album out? Must...get...

Oh, and that Oingo Boingo album is awesome.

I believe Peter Frampton's Come Alive double-LP is the best live album I've heard. I even have a couple of Frampton's studio albums that included most of the songs on Come Alive--and the live versions are just better than the studio versions.
I like live albums, too, so I have many favorites, but Comes Alive just had it all and it sold 25 million copies, one of the biggest albums of all time.

Hawkwind- "Space Ritual" hands down #1

Wait, Calexico have a live album out? Must...get...

yes, on archive.org. For mp3, it sounds pretty nice.

Nice suggestions guys!...I'll try to find those.

Bump....listening to Calexico again this morning....an addicting sound for sure!

Good bump, and as long as it's here, let's add:

Humble Pie - Rockin' The Fillmore
Deep Purple - Made In Japan
Bob Seger - Live Bullet

All three have excellent sound quality, and for the most part the contents are excellent. In the case of Humble Pie, the contents are superb.

Of course the Allman Brothers, Live at the Fillmore is a true classic

And if you want your ears to bleed, try Blue Oyster Cult, "On your Feet or on Your Knees". Patti Smith does an introduction after she howls like a mad dog. Pretty out of control.

There's only one: Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus. Terrific in every respect. Get the two-CD Rhino remaster if you're digital, but find the Mobile Fidelity half-speed mastered LPs if you're analog.

Bob Seger's Live Bullet and Nine Tonight aren't bad, either.

I have a tremendous-sounding CD of part of the Dead's legendary 8 May 1977 concert at Cornell University... but I don't know if it's a legitimate release (e.g., a Dick's Picks) or not.

There's only one: Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus. Terrific in every respect. Get the two-CD Rhino remaster if you're digital, but find the Mobile Fidelity half-speed mastered LPs if you're analog.


Seconded. If I could have only one live album, Feat's WFC would be it. And the remaster is a huge improvement, although the original didn't sound bad.

A few others:

Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya Ya's Out
A classic, although they apparently applied some overdubs after the fact; to "clean up the sound" according to Jagger.

Rolling Stones Headin for an Overload
Rolling Stones Brussels Affair
Boots of mostly the same material from concerts in the fall of 1973, when the Stones were at the peak of their powers after several months of touring and shortly before lead guitarist Mick Taylor left the band. Great, soundboard quality recordings and absolutely smokin, quintessential versions of most of their best songs up to that point. If you are a Stones fan and ever come across either of these, grab it without hesitation. HFAO is perhaps the best sounding, but a recent version Definitive Brussels is almost as clear, and perhaps a bit better balanced.

Bob Marley Live

Black Uhuru Live 1984
1981 actually.

Warren Zevon Stand in the Fire

Cannonball Adderley Live in San Francisco

How about 'Elvis On Stage February 1970'. Stunning.

And Brian Wilson 'Live at the Roxy'.

Stand in the Fire isn't particularly good sounding IMO, but it is a terrific document of Zevon at the top of his game, live. When it came out, Stereo Review music critic Steve Simels (one of my favorites) said of it, admiringly, "it'll kill your house plants."

What higher praise could there be?

EDIT: Zevon's much later, live solo (mostly) acoustic Learning to Flinch sounds fairly good, and is quite good although a bit spotty.

Lou Reed, Rock N Roll Animal
Wet Willie, Drippin wet
Hendrix, Band of Gypsies. Live at the Fillmore.

The Who - Live At Leeds. The remastered CD sounds pretty decent,and they added some tracks.What a great record.

In addition to some of the greats mentioned above:

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison
Otis Redding and Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival (one side per artist). Sound quality isn't so hot but Otis was quite good on this one.
Aretha Franklin - Live at the Fillmore West

Who-Live At Leeds
Stones-Git yer ya'-yas out!
KISS-ALIVE
Thin Lizzy-Live and Dangerous
J Geils Band-Blow Your Face Out!
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers-Live At Max's
Bobby Darin-At The Copa

Muddy Waters - Mississippi Muddy Waters Live - Deluxe Edition (2001) - One of those very rare live recordings that lets you feel as if you're front row center:thmbsp:

The Rockats-Live At The Ritz

The Cure - Paris

Forgot. Edgar Winter's, Roadwork.

Hi
i like the Supertramp live at Paris DoLP...
Helge

I also forgot Ry Cooder's, Show time.

I gotta come back and say that I noticed a few mentions of The Rolling Stones-"Get Yer Ya Ya's Out" and The Who-"Live at Leeds" and I wanted to back them up. These are probably the two best Rock recordings of all time. The recording quality IS very good on both of these. Especially for the time period.

Really though I think it is more the band and the moment. These recordings capture these bands at perhaps the perfect point in their career. They simply kicked ASS and thats all there is to it. My friend has the extended "Live At Leeds" on CD. Great stuff even if its digital. Lets hope the Stones do the same thing to Ya Ya's.........

I gotta come back and say that I noticed a few mentions of The Rolling Stones-"Get Yer Ya Ya's Out" and The Who-"Live at Leeds" and I wanted to back them up. These are probably the two best Rock recordings of all time. The recording quality IS very good on both of these. Especially for the time period.

Really though I think it is more the band and the moment. These recordings capture these bands at perhaps the perfect point in their career. They simply kicked ASS and thats all there is to it. My friend has the extended "Live At Leeds" on CD. Great stuff even if its digital. Lets hope the Stones do the same thing to Ya Ya's.........
If you get the Criterion DVD of 'Gimme Shelter', there are some bonus clips of the same show at MSG, where the record was recorded. Including, 'Love In Vain', an acoustic version, with just Mick & Keith. And I think one or two other 'out-take' clips from the Nov. '69 show.

Which reminds me! I need to get the DVD of 'Rock 'N Roll Circus'!!

I forgot to add these to the list.
Graham Parker & The Rumor-Live Sparks
Elvis Costello & The Attractions-Live At The El Mocambo
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band-Hammersmith Odeon-London 1975

Neil Young and Crazy Horse-Live Rust

Oh yes! I can second, The Otis & Jimi at Monterey! One of the best live records I've ever heard, period!
Adding another, Oasis-Familiar To Millions!

Rush-A show of hands
Rush-R30

LOU REED - Rock 'N' Roll Animal

http://www.connollyco.com/discography/lou_reed/animal_hi.jpg

Neil Young and Crazy Horse-Live Rust

I was looking for this one before posting it,you beat me to it!This is the undisputed best live album ever!!!
Then David Bowie live after that.

Dramarama-Live at the China Club

...My friend has the extended "Live At Leeds" on CD...Lets hope the Stones do the same thing to Ya Ya's.........

See my earlier post RE some Stones boots, circa 1973.

I'm a huge Stones fan, and I have several bootleg live concerts from 1972-3, their peak period IMO. I couldn't agree more that it would be great to see more of their archived live stuff on official releases, including an expanded version of Ya Yas. Perhaps one reason they don't release some of it is that they are still touring, and releasing live shows from 30 years ago might just illuminate how far past their prime they are.

Personally, I gotta hand it to 'em for refusing to age gracefully. They have sure aged better than most of their peers and still put on great shows. But at some point they might want to just reflect back on their golden years and let us have some of the stuff they undoubtedly have in the can.

I'll repeat, if you like "Ya Yas", buy this: Brussels Affair Definitive (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000AMEW0M/ref=dp_olp_2/102-5458139-8003366)

If you are into and understand the bittorrent download thing (I don't) the entire concert is available here:
Brussels Affair Bittorrent (http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=27831)

It will blow you away.

Boingo Alive is good but they cheated, it's them in the studio playing live. When I'm in need of an Elfman fix I reach for the Farewell Live 2 disc set, disc 2 is awesome.

To balance the Reed plugs above, I'll say my favorite live album is John Cale's Circus Live. It's hard to believe a 63 year old man can rock like that.

Boingo Alive is good but they cheated, it's them in the studio playing live. When I'm in need of an Elfman fix I reach for the Farewell Live 2 disc set, disc 2 is awesome.

To balance the Reed plugs above, I'll say my favorite live album is John Cale's Circus Live. It's hard to believe a 63 year old man can rock like that.

Sadly, I would venture a guess that most mentioned here were "touched-up". It was SOP to use the live bass and drums and rerecord a lot of the rest.

See my earlier post RE some Stones boots, circa 1973.

I'm a huge Stones fan, and I have several bootleg live concerts from 1972-3, their peak period IMO. I couldn't agree more that it would be great to see more of their archived live stuff on official releases, including an expanded version of Ya Yas. Perhaps one reason they don't release some of it is that they are still touring, and releasing live shows from 30 years ago might just illuminate how far past their prime they are.

Personally, I gotta hand it to 'em for refusing to age gracefully. They have sure aged better than most of their peers and still put on great shows. But at some point they might want to just reflect back on their golden years and let us have some of the stuff they undoubtedly have in the can.

I'll repeat, if you like "Ya Yas", buy this: Brussels Affair Definitive (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000AMEW0M/ref=dp_olp_2/102-5458139-8003366)

If you are into and understand the bittorrent download thing (I don't) the entire concert is available here:
Brussels Affair Bittorrent (http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=27831)

It will blow you away.

Just to add to the above.

What goes on behind the scenes, and who decides what gets released, and/or re-released or remastered, of their prior to 1971 back catalog, has a LOT if not everything, to do with what Allan Klein or he or his minions, decide. The Stones, as far as I remember, don't own, nor do they control, any of their back catalog prior to 1971. ABKCO controls it all.

You'd be surprised to learn what ABKCO controls and has hidden away, for decades, for god knows what reasons. The Sam Cooke back catalog. The Animals back catalog, Herman's Hermits back catalog, as well, IIRC. And the entire catalog of Parkway/Cameo records that has yet to see the light of day.
Rant over!

Sadly, I would venture a guess that most mentioned here were "touched-up". It was SOP to use the live bass and drums and rerecord a lot of the rest.
Sad, but true!
Stanley and Simmons of KISS, admitted it after years of denials.
So did Mick Jagger, as have many others.
Most 'live albums' really are not 100% live, IMO. I thought that was almost common knowledge at this point in time.

I'm pretty sure the Live Bootleg by Aerosmith was a true live recording. It sounds pretty terrible so it probably is.:yes:

...What goes on behind the scenes, and who decides what gets released, and/or re-released or remastered, of their prior to 1971 back catalog, has a LOT if not everything, to do with what Allan Klein or he or his minions, decide. The Stones, as far as I remember, don't own, nor do they control, any of their back catalog prior to 1971.

Good point. I actually saw a reference to this while searching for the links I provided. Someone pointed out that the soundboard recording of Brussels Affair is easily good enough for an official release, and the performance is as good as any the Stones ever did. But they can't release it because most of the songs predate their disengagement from Klein.

Another good sounding live album is Joe Cocker Mad Dogs and Englishmen double album

Sadly, I would venture a guess that most mentioned here were "touched-up". It was SOP to use the live bass and drums and rerecord a lot of the rest.

Yeah, but on Boingo Alive it really is just them in the studio, no pretense of a live show, just all of them in the studio playing at one time. In some respects this makes for a better live album because it's them without all the recording problems of a live concert venue.

I normally prefer live recordings that are faithful to the event not studio polished pieces. I like hearing the show warts and all. Best of all, that kind of recording doesn't usually cost much.

Yeah, but on Boingo Alive it really is just them in the studio, no pretense of a live show, just all of them in the studio playing at one time. In some respects this makes for a better live album because it's them without all the recording problems of a live concert venue.

I normally prefer live recordings that are faithful to the event not studio polished pieces. I like hearing the show warts and all. Best of all, that kind of recording doesn't usually cost much.

I agree.
Like the Boingo, sort of, is a Joe Jackson LP called "Big World". It is a live show, no overdubs. The audience was asked to hold applause after each song. It sounds like a studio LP.

Van Halen....Civic Pride (1977)....The first album and more, before it was released. It has a club feel and arena vibe to it, must have been nice to be in California back then....

+1 for Little Feat/Waiting for Columbus. I don't know about the MFSL, but my original WB sounds great. Is the MFSL worth picking up? A big improvement? I also love Allmans/Live at Fillmore East. Great 'Whipping Post'!!! I've been listening to Led Zeppelin/The Song Remains The Same lately and it sounds OK, has anybody picked up the recent reissue of this? It just came out a few days ago.
-Derek:music:

I was looking for this one before posting it,you beat me to it!This is the undisputed best live album ever!!!
Then David Bowie live after that.

The Bowie Live album is a great recording, really good sense of space.

Annual and shameless bump for this one as I once again spin the Tony Furtado Band, burned cd show of Cicero's 1999.....I love this show!

Mike

A couple of my favorite live songs include Talks To Angels - Black Crowes , Hotel California - Hell Freezes Over & Landslide - Fleetwood Mac. I love Marshall Tucker's Live at The Garden State and I'll also support Frampton Comes Alive. With this theme maybe we can start a Favorite Live Tunes list!

Mark

I'm going to have to say my all time fave live recording is the grateful dead at alpine valley in 1989, all three nights are great musically and the sound of the soundboard recordings is very nice too, there is actually a dvd called "down hill from here" that shows most of the first night and excerpts from the following two nights which is pretty good but unfortunatly leaves out some very good songs. on the down side you cant download these shows anymore:tears: but they are still available in hifi streaming format from archive.org

King Crimson - USA
Hawkwind - Space Ritual
Mahavishnu Orchestra - Between Nothingness and Eternity
Hendrix in the West
Pink Floyd - Ummagumma (first disc)
Wishbone Ash - Live Dates
The Billy Cobham & George Duke Band - Live in Europe