A few day ago, I was searching for something to listen to in the car ... doing one of those "scroll through everything in the iPod and still can't really figure out what I want to hear" things. I ended up putting on the Foo Fighter's live album, Skin and Bones. I've always loved the renditions of the tunes, and the sing-a-long-ness of the live recording. While listening - I got into a discussion with my wife about live recordings in general. Her take was that she just preferred to hear the studio recording, that while listening to a live album, most of the time, it just spurred her desire to go listen to the album instead. Understandable in some ways. Nine times out of ten, I'd probably prefer to just put on the studio album. There are, however, some live albums (and bootleg performances) that blow me away. So, in a moment of marital-rebellion, that's what this week's "Thursday Discussion" topic is about. My top 10 favorite live albums (and I'm including bootleg sets for two very apparent reasons).
Feel free to join in and include your own favorite live performances/albums. And if you want to get into the whole debate about if you even like or listen to recorded live performances in the first place ... I'm all about having the discussion with someone that won't make me sleep on the couch if I disagree too stringently. Ummm ... kidding.
1) Jesse Lacey - Live at The Downtown (Bootleg)
2) Blink 182 - The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (Live Album)
3) MxPx - At the Show (Live Album)
4) Thrice - Live at the House of Blues (Live Album)
5) Foo Fighters - Skin and Bones (Live Album)
6) Butch Walker - Leavin' The Game on Luckie St. (Live Album)
7) The Format - Live at the Mayan Theatre (Live DVD)
8) Dustin Kensrue - Ursus Veritas (Bootleg)
9) Acceptance - Sessions at AOL (Live Sessions)
10) Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive (Live Album)
Never been a big fan of live albums...except the Mark Tom and Travis show...maybe because back when I was 15 my mom wouldn't have approved of all the cussing and sex/gay jokes.
In general I don't care for them, with two exceptions: NOFX - I heard they Suck Live and the Phoenix - Live 30 Days Ago. That NOFX one was a soundtrack to my formative years and the Phoenix one was just so impressive in how incredible the band sounds.
I'm not totally opposed to live albums, but there should be something that makes them special.
Live albums are never an essential listen for me. If it's somebody I really like, then I'll buy them, but 99% of the time I prefer the studio versions of the songs. That said, here are some of my favourite live albums;
The Who - Live At Leeds
MC5 - Back In The USA
James Brow - Live At the Apollo, 1962
Sam Cooke - Live At the Harlem Square Club
Bob Dylan - I like a lot of the many Bootleg Series that he's put out, I'll go for number 4 as my favourite overall
Bruce Springsteen - Live 1975 - 85
And more recent ones:
Green Day - Bullet In A Bible
Thrice - Live At The House Of Blues
Tegan and Sara - Get Along
NOFX - I Heard They Suck Live / They've Gotten Even Worse Live!
Bad Religion - 30 Years Live
Rage Against The Machine - Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium.
Rush - Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland
Bruce Springsteen - whatever, really
the Weakerthans - Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre
In general I don't care for them, with two exceptions: NOFX - I heard they Suck Live and the Phoenix - Live 30 Days Ago. That NOFX one was a soundtrack to my formative years and the Phoenix one was just so impressive in how incredible the band sounds.
I'm not totally opposed to live albums, but there should be something that makes them special.
That NOFX one is hilarious.
I have never heard the Pheonix one. I'll check it out.
I only like live albums if something has changed in the music: IE Enter Shikari - Mothership/Motherstep.
If a band modifies a song for the better, or even covers a song they didn't write themselves I love to hear the song, and the bands never go in and re-record the songs/record covers most of the times. In those cases I like getting copies of the live music but I prefer the studio sessions any day. That or if a band tends to scream more live then on album I like that.
Never been a big fan of live albums...except the Mark Tom and Travis show...maybe because back when I was 15 my mom wouldn't have approved of all the cussing and sex/gay jokes.
It's gotta be on everyone's list ... even if they don't generally like live albums.
I will admit, the whole live/bootleg thing is definitely for more of the die-hard fans. I doubt I'd go listen to a live set from someone I don't listen to all that often. But for my favorite, favorites ... it's just more material to get into. Kinda explains this list.
View Similar News Articles
View Profile Picture
View Signature
Posts: 85
Currently Playing
View Blog
Follow This Article