• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Your List of the Greatest Live Albums of All-Time

GyroTuner

GyroTuner

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I've always liked live albums. I was recently discussing live albums with a friend and was told about the Rolling Stones list of the 50 greatest live albums of all-time:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/50-greatest-live-albums-of-all-time-173246/

Found that list interesting - all lists are subjective but make for good conversation. Have heard most, but not all of the RS Top 50. Decided to make my top 20 based on my personal favorites, the date in parentheses is the date of the recording, not necessarily the date of release. Probably am forgetting some great ones, and would like to see your lists.

1) Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! - Rolling Stones (1969)

2) Live Rust - Neil Young and Crazy Horse (1978)

3) Live Wire/Blues Power, Wednesday Night in San Francisco, Thursday Night in San Francisco - Albert King (1968) - Three separate albums, but all recorded during King's live performances at the Fillmore Auditorium in July 1968, it seems best to list them as one album.

4) Hammersmith Odeon/London 75 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (1975)

5) Live Bullet - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (1975)

6) Live in New York City - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (2000)

7) One More From the Road - Lynard Skynard (1976)

8) At Fillmore East - Allman Brothers (1971)

9) Time Fades Away - Neil Young and the Stray Gators (1973)

10) Running on Empty - Jackson Browne (1977)

11) Live in Cook County Jail - B. B. King (1970)

12) The Wildest Show at Tahoe - Louis Prima, Keely Smith, & Sam Butera and the Witnesses (1957)

13) Love You Live - Rolling Stones (1975 to 1977)

14) Live at the Regal - B. B. King (1964)

15) Live at the BBC - The Beatles (1963 to 1965) - Some might say it is not fair to include this, because it consists of songs for a BBC radio program and was recorded over several years, but it's outstanding.

16) Cheap Trick at Budokan - Cheap Trick (1978)

17) Jimi Plays Monterey - Jimi Hendrix (1967)

18) Live at Leeds - The Who (1970)

19) Live at Carnegie Hall - Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble (1984)

20) Alchemy: Dire Straits Live - Dire Straits (1983)
 
Register to hide this ad
Great thread @GyroTuner … And a very fine list you have there!

I'll encourage others to also comment on the recording production quality where there are standouts.... Which recordings best capture the “feel” of the venue and place the listener right up front?


“The Who - Live at Leeds” is a very fine example.

“The Rolling Stones - Love You Live” has four cuts on side 3 from the Stones' 1977 show at Toronto’s El Mocambo Club which put the listener just feet from the Stones in this small club. A terrific recording.

I also thought it was pretty cool that “Sympathy for the Devil” from opening night of the 1975 shows at the Los Angeles Forum made it to this collection. At 15, that Wednesday night in July was only the second concert I had attended -- with many hundreds since. I still have my personal recording from the show including the parking lot tour with jets screaming overhead and evangelists trying to guide us away from the Devil Incarnate -- "who was waiting for us through those doors". Check out "LA Friday" from Stones Archive for the Sunday show!

One of my favorite club recordings is the FM broadcast of Aerosmith’s performance at Paul’s Mall in Boston on March 20, 1973. Their covers of Jimmy Reed’s "I Ain't Got You" and James Brown’s "Mother Popcorn (You Got to Have a Mother for Me)" made it to Aerosmith’s 1978 “Live! Bootleg” (minus one verse) – and offer much the same "you are there" feel of the Stones’ El Mocambo recordings. Great stuff..."For All-Night Dwight..."

David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars – “Santa Monica” from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium October 20, 1972 performance is yet another fine FM broadcast which finally saw the light of day as an official release. Once KMET’s mix settles in about 3 songs into the set, the listener finds themselves in a very nice seat at the Civic.The best recording is the one on Geffen - which has the between-song banter intact and the recording is not brickwalled.

Funny thing about this recording is that while it is absolutely one of my Desert Island Discs -- certainly in my top five of all time -- I never really got excited about much of anything for entire rest of David Bowie’s career. My first concert was David Bowie with his new band Diamond Dogs when I was 14 -- and by then the magic was gone. Like Mick Taylor with The Stones, David Bowie was never the same without Mick Ronson. As I mature I've found a real appreciation for Mike Garson as a virtuoso pianist. Listen to him on "Alladin Sane".

The Rolling Stones – “Brussel’s Affair” (Brussels, 1973) is a must listen for those who appreciate “Get Your Ya-Ya’s Out” -- the Stones' document of their November 1969 New York (and Baltimore) shows that, at 11, got me hooked on live music for a lifetime. Listening to Mick Taylor play is always great for some goosebumps. Bob Clearmountain's mix on the Brussell's shows lets you hear Mick play at the apex of their live performances.

I will have to spend some time with the recordings listed on the Rolling Stone Magazine's "Top 50" -- and report back.

I've long thought about starting this thread --- thanks for getting it off the ground!
 
Last edited:
Since Tom Petty died, his wife and estate have released a substantial number of live tracks.

I find the audience engagement and recording quality on the live tracks to be superb and very enjoyable to listen to.

These include:

Tom Petty, An American Treasure

Tom Petty, Wildflowers and All the Rest (just released Oct, 2020)​

Both highly recommended.

Snade
 
CoastinHome said:
Great thread @GyroTuner … And a very fine list you have there!

“The Rolling Stones - Love You Live” has four cuts on side 3 from the Stones' 1977 show at Toronto’s El Mocambo Club which put the listener just feet from the Stones in this small club. A terrific recording.

The Rolling Stones – “Brussel’s Affair” (Brussels, 1973) is a must listen for those who appreciate “Get Your Ya-Ya’s Out” -- the Stones' document of their November 1969 New York (and Baltimore) shows that, at 11, got me hooked on live music for a lifetime. Listening to Mick Taylor play is always great for some goosebumps. Bob Clearmountain's mix on the Brussell's shows lets you hear Mick play at the apex of their live performances.
Click to expand...

"Love You Live" is a record I've had since shortly after it was released. I think it was panned by some (originally and today) who thought the Stones were playing kind of sloppy across the board (the songs don't sound like they did on their studio albums) - but It has a rawness and immediacy to it that makes it a great live album, and it has held up well over the years. I agree with you about how good side 3 is - that's the famous blues side highlighted by "Mannish Boy" and "Little Red Rooster".

I have not heard "Brussel's Affair", will have to check that out.

noisefreq said:
"Frampton Comes Alive!" was a big one in my youth.
Click to expand...

No doubt, mine too. Maybe the most famous of all live albums for anyone who was in high school or college when it was released in 1976. Everyone I knew had it in their car on 8-track tape. I couldn't fit it into my top 20, but it is #41 on the RS list. It's interesting that Frampton never did much afterwards.

Snade said:
I find the audience engagement and recording quality on the live tracks to be superb and very enjoyable to listen to.

These include:

Tom Petty, An American Treasure

Tom Petty, Wildflowers and All the Rest (just released Oct, 2020)​

Both highly recommended.

Snade
Click to expand...

I'm a long time Petty fan, and have heard a lot of great live stuff on the Sirius XM channel. I've had "Pack Up the Plantation" since its release, but have never considered it one of the great live albums. I need to check out your recommendations, thanks.
 
Last edited:
The WHO Live at Leeds, The Rolling Stones Get Yer YaYas Out and WOODSTOCK are probably the pinnacle examples of recorded live performances of their era. Another one of my faves is Mott The Hoople Live recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon and Uris theaters. Then there's the Greatfull Dead live recordings, but that's another thread in and of itself. OPG.
 
Just going through my playlist and these are regular spins for me. Greatest of all time? I'm not sure..... but I like them.

BB King- Live at the Regal

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky

Nirvana - From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah

Keith Jarret - The Koln Concert

Midnight Oil - Scream in Blue

Miles Davis - Live around the World

Jimi Hendrix - Radio One (Live at the BBC)

Pink Floyd - The Delicate Sound of Thunder
 
Genesis Seconds Out. Even if you don't like the music, the production is first rate. Sounds better than a lot of studio albums.

 
Acdc_If_You_Want_Blood_You%27ve_Got_It.JPG

AC/DC: If You Want Blood, (You've Got It!) Favoritest of all time live recording.
George Thorogood; Live
Nirvana: Unplugged
Peter Frampton: Frampton Comes Alive
Steely Dan: Alive in America
Paul McCartney and Wings: Wings Over America

...have to think on it a little more.
 
Someone’s going to mention Rush, so I’ll bite the bullet and suggest Clockwork Angels Tour. I’m sure many would gravitate to the other end of the repertoire with All The World’s A Stage and that’s good too.
Marillion - Misplaced Childhood (Utrecht)
Dream Theater - Live At Luna Park
Metallica - S&M
Procul Harum - Live With the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Transatlantic - KaLIVEoscope
Rick Wakeman - Journey to the Centre of the Earth
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom