I recently asked some music fanatics from many walks of life to pick "The Best Live Album of All Time" and tell me why they chose it. The following 10 albums are the responses I received. You can listen to 7 of the 10 albums in their entirety on Rhapsody here. 120 tracks/ 11 hours!
Please add your own selections to the comments.
Jeff Buckley - Live at Sin-é
Simply breathtaking. Will leave you speechless for sure. Just Jeff and his guitar which allows for 100% pure emotion and other-worldliness to exude out of every one of his pores. Jeff was in a class of his own. If his 2 studio albums didn't quite do it for you, (a. you're crazy, b...) listen to this one and learn exactly how horrible a loss his death was. The original EP version will always hold a special place in my heart, but the posthumously released extended version is just proof that he could own a space for as long as he liked. -Chris
Buckley always struck me as someone who was enamored with the
musicians who influenced him, and on this recording it seems more obvious than elsewhere. Recorded in 1993, before he released his first proper album, this lengthy set has Buckley splitting time between his original compositions and cover songs. His ability to make both of these into riveting solo performances, vocally and instrumentally, is what sets this album ahead of other, more overblown live releases. The tiny venue where it took place also means less crowd noise, and more Buckley. To me, two hours in a coffee house listening to a young talent lay down flawless Dylan covers is infinitely more interesting than the "filler release" live albums that come from most artists. Plus, anyone who can stretch "Dink's Song" to over 11 minutes certainly gets extra points. - Eric
Selected by Chris of worthyMUSIC.net and by Eric at FIQL.com
Bob Marley - Babylon by Bus
First off, Bob Marley has been mysteriously absent in many of the community playlists we have done. I am putting an end to that right now. Not only did he pretty much launch an entire genre of feel-good positivity, he was a man consumed by his music and philosophy and it was most obvious during his live performances. Although many would argue that Live! is his best live album, in my opinion it's Babylon by Bus. It's clean and heartfelt with not one low spot to be found. Marley captured forever at his peak.
Selected by Robert of the Radish
Joni Mitchell - Miles of Aisles
You realize Joni Mitchell is the impeccable real deal as soon as you realize that every time she does anything live, ever, is exactly as good if not better than any of the takes on any of her records. There’s an effervescence that exudes from this particular show—you can smell the stale, plastic cup beer, you can picture the audience of current parents during a brighter, more hopeful time. More than anything, you just sit on the floor in front of your record player and sing along to “Circle Game”, alone, and feel awesome.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Joel Elliott
Johnny Winter And Live from 1970 has got to be one of the best live albums, esp. for electric blues.
recorded in march, 1970, at the fillmore east.
2 - Rodney Welch
Nice list. I'm nostalgic for Babylon by Bus, which disappeared from my collection some years ago. I never listen to the Allman record. I know, I know, "Whipping Post" and all that. It just doesn't move me.
Three quick picks:
*Van Morrison, Too Late to Stop Now
*Cheap Trick, Live at Budokan
*Bob Dylan, Royal Albert Hall, 1966
3 - Mark Saleski
here's my list from a coupla years ago.
4 - Hazy Dave
Last Of The Red Hot Burritos
5 - DJRadiohead
This one comes to mind... more will later, I am sure: Muddy Waters - Muddy at Newport Jazz Festival 1960 (Chess). Great performance and the re-mastered version gives fabulous sound to a terrific performance.
ABB - Fillmore is a defenite keeper, too. I have bought nearly every incarnation of that set.
6 - Vern Halen
OK - my two cents' worth:
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Live! - Great sound, great performance.
Grand Funk Railroad - Live Album - Terrible sound, with bass, drums, guitar, vocals & audience rolled into one big distorted mush. So awful it's brilliant, expecially Side 4's 12 minute version of "Into the Sun," about halfway through when the feedback wraps all the assorted noises into itself and distills it down to rock 'n' roll at its most primal form. More fun than Metal Machine Music, with fewer machines to boot.
7 - MT
1) "Moondance" & "Astral Weeks" by Van Morrison
2) "Paris 1919" by John Cale
3) "Suicide" - Self titled
8 - MT
Just realized this was about "Live" albums -- sorry 'bout that -- but these were great albums that are vastly under-rated
9 - Rob
I would definitely add:
UFO - Strangers in The Night
Neil Young - Live Rust
Love these!
10 - Mark Saleski
how does Miles of Aisles compare to Shadows and Light? (love that one)
11 - jim
While we're talkin' Fillmore East, ya can't forget The Mothers of Invention Fillmore East June 1971, nor Humble Pie's Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore, which I believe was recorded the same week, just before the legendary hall closed down. And what about Bob Dylan and The Band, After The Flood (1974)? Ferocious!
12 - jim
oops, i meant BEFORE the flood. sorry
13 - Michael J. West
James Brown Live at the Apollo is the greatest live recording of all time. Period.
14 - JR
Art Blakey - A Night at Birdland, Vols. 1 & 2
Blue Oyster Cult - On Your Feet Or On Your Knees
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz at the College of the Pacific
Deep Purple - Made In Europe
Al DiMeola/Paco de Lucia/John McLaughlin - Friday Night In San Francisco
Bill Evans - The Last Waltz/Consecration
Ben Folds - Ben Folds Live
Elton John - 11/17/70
Pink Floyd - Ummagumma (1st disk)
Rainbow - On Stage
Scorpions - Tokyo Tapes
Jimmy Smith - Paris Jazz Concert
Thin Lizzy - Live and Dangerous
Pat Travers Band - Go For What You Know
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Live At Montreux
Yes - Yessongs
Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2: The Helsinki Concert
15 - steve
KISS - Alive and Alive 2
16 - Robert
Kiss only deseve to be included on one list: Best Gimmick
17 - Douglas Mays
re: comment #11, I do give a thumbs up for The Mothers of Invention. "Willie the Pimp" is a great track for instance. And Humble Pie, "4 Day Creep" is a fun track...
18 - The Proprietor
"Get Yer Ya-Yas Out" - Rolling Stones
"Live At The Regal" - BB King
19 - Dave
In no particular order:
Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert;
Frank Zappa - Make A Jazz Noise Here;
King Crimson - The Night Watch;
Oregon - Live at Yoshi's;
Tangerine Dream - Logos;
John Coltrane - 1961 Village Vanguard;
Cream - Royal Albert Hall;
Gov't Mule - Deepest End;
Bruford/Levin Upper Extremities - Blue Nights;
UK - Concert Classics Vol IV.
20 - DJRadiohead
I am a huge Stones fan and "Ya-Ya's" is the best of their live albums but there was too much post-production done on it for me to really consider it an all-time great.
I also love Hendrix's "Live at the Fillmore East" (which is basically an expanded "Band of Gypsies"). I wish it were all from one show rather than a compilation of 4 but it is still very good.
21 - drake
Right on Michael!
I don't listen to a lot of live albums multiple times... really, the only one I go back to over and over is James Brown's Live at the Apollo (1962.) Even the second volume is great.
22 - JR
Dave: UK - Concert Classics Vol IV.
Hey, that sounds interesting; who's on it? I heard Holdsworth didn't tour with them.
23 - zingzing
live at the apollo. how did this not make the list? i guess it's not racism. maybe ignorance? forgetfulness? drugged-up-edness? the fact that frampton comes alive made the list (i can only hope that's a joke)?
24 - Dyrkness
James Brown, "Live at Studio 54"- hyperspeed FUNK
Tom Waits, "Nighthawks At The Diner"-Live in the studio at least
Cream, Wheels of Fire- the first live album I ever owned
Jefferson Airplane,Bless It's Pointed Little Head-includes songs not on any other JA albums and you get to hear their folk-jazz inspired instrumental interplay
Mahavishnu Orchestra,Between Nothingness & Eternity-Jazz fusion before "soft jazz" gave it a dirty name.Equal parts Jazz and Rock.
Parliament,P-Funk Earth Tour-Actually Parliament and Funkadelic together on one stage.The sound quality is not the best,but,what the funk?
Jimi Hendrix,The last concert at the Isle of Wight. I think this is a bootleg. I have it on cassette and there is no info but the cover packaging
25 - Dave
JR:
This is a Bruford/Holdsworth/Jobson/Wetton show from July, 1978 in Boston. Unfortunately, Jobson had the CD taken off the market shortly after it was released (or so I've heard).