Dan the List Guy: Best Live Albums
The List Guy is Dan Reed, Music Director for WXPN. Three times a week, Dan gives his spin on Top 10 musical moments in pop culture.
You put the record on your turntable – or the cd in your player (or… OK… you press play on your iPod), the crowd noise slowly fades in, the goose bumps rise on your arms… yep – yer getting ready for a live album! It’s certainly one of the most enduring recorded rock traditions, and live albums have sold millions and millions of copies and held a beloved place in many a rock geek’s collections over the years. What are your faves? Here’s a dozen stellar live efforts, in no particular order:
1. The Rolling Stones – Get Your Ya-Ya’s Out
2. The Grateful Dead – Europe ‘72
3. The Allman Brothers Band – At Fillmore East
4. Nirvana – Unplugged In New York
5. Johnny Cash – At Folsom Prison
6. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Live Rust
7. The Ramones – It’s Alive
8. Jeff Buckley – Live At Sin-E
9. James Brown – Live At The Apollo, 1962
10. The Who – Live At Leeds
11. U2 – Under A Blood Red Sky
12. The Band – The Last Waltz
What? No Little Feat’s Waiting For Columbus or Bob Marley Live? Jeff Buckley’s Live At Sin-E is better than Frampton Comes Alive?
August 13th, 2007 at 6:11 amBruce Springsteen’s “Live in New York City” captures all the excitement of Bruce and E Street in concert, and is never fall from rotation.
August 13th, 2007 at 9:22 amMy favorite “live” albums:
August 13th, 2007 at 12:42 pm1. Yes - Yessongs
2. Genesis - Seconds Out
3. Rolling Stones - Get Your Ya-Ya’s Out
4. Tower Of Power - Live
5. Rennaissance - Live At Carnegie Hall
6. Allman Brothers Band - Live At Fillmore East
7. Chicago - Liva At Carnegie Hall
8. Earth, WInd & Fire - Gratitude
9. Chuck Mangione - Live At The Hollywood Bowl
10. James Taylor - Live
11. Woodstock
12. Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same
13. Billy Joel - Songs In The Attic
14. Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive
15. Santana - Moonflower
16. Deep Purple - Made In Japan
17. Alanis Morrisette - Unplugged
Joni Mitchell - Shadows and Light
August 13th, 2007 at 1:42 pmJimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsies
MC5’s Kick Out The Jams is the definitive disc for live performance. Number one after all these years.
It captures and epitomizes the era of the political and cultural revolution of 1969.
The album comes alive opening with a very vociferous audience stomping their feet and clapping their hands, coaxing the band to take the stage. ….Brothers, it’s time to testify! … Are you ready to testify? I give you a testimonial–the MC5!
This album leaves you breathless and sweating…
August 13th, 2007 at 4:00 pmJerry Lee Live at The Star Club!!!!! - completely over the top rockabilly madness. How did the piano survive?
Jeff Beck - Live at B.B. King’s NYC - no effects, just a Strat, Marshall and fingers. Brutally loud, but tender at times. The crowd is electrified the entire time.
Good call on the MC5! Was lucky enough to see them back in the day! proto-punk!
August 13th, 2007 at 4:59 pmThe up-in-the-mix, front row experience crowd noise was pioneered by Kiss Alive (IIRC) and was instrumental in Frampton’s appeal -
August 13th, 2007 at 6:58 pmI bought my first live album in 1972. It opened up with the the stage announcer proclaiming… “Here’s the group you’ve been waiting to see….. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD!!!” Grand Funk Live may not make too many top 10 lists, but it was a hell of an introduction for me.
Other live albums well worth their weight in vinyl:
Lou Reed - Rock & Rool Animal
August 14th, 2007 at 10:50 pmC,S,N&Y - 4 Way Street
The Doors - Live at the Whiskey
George Harrison - The Concert For Bangla Desh
Bob Marley - Live
Bob Dylan & The Band - Before The Flood
The Greatful Dead - Europe ‘72
Yes - Yessongs
Allman Brothers Band - At Filmore East
Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus
Joni Mitchell - Miles of Aisles
Bruce Springsteen - Live 75-85
Loggins & Messina - On Stage
Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out
Jackson Browne - Running On Empty
The No Nukes Concert
The Band - The Last Waltz
Counting Crows - Across The Wire (So this one never came out on vinyl; a great “album” anyway.)
And the list goes on……
two of my favorites back in high school
todd rundgren - back to the bars
thin lizzy - live and dangerous
but not to be topped by
August 15th, 2007 at 1:28 amfrank zappa - you can’t do that on stage….
i would dare to challenge that there was never a tighter live band than a band lead by frank zappa..anyone who saw them perform can testify …if you know anything about having “chops”
Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Volunteered Slavery
August 15th, 2007 at 6:10 amRahsaan Roland Kirk - Brotherman in the Fatherland