This weekend on Triple M we're playing some of the greatest live music ever recorded! Every hour will start with another cool live song. So, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of my favorite live albums of all time...
1) Cheap Trick...at Budokan. O.K., so Cheap Trick has been my favorite band since I was a kid, so this is no surprise. But it is a great album. I love Cheap Trick's studio albums, but they really shine live. I've probably seen them 40 times over the years- I didn't include any other live Cheap Trick albums on the list- but I do have to point out that I was in the audience for the recording of "Music For Hangovers" and in the audience for the video shoot for the song "Say Goodbye." Also, if you like what you hear here, you might want to search for "Bun E's Bootlegs" a series of live recordings from various parts of their career- there's some interesting cover songs and a few of their own songs that they no longer play live.
2) Marques Bovre & The Evil Twins...Live @ The Pres House. I can't remember if this is even an official release- I think so, but I'm not positive. It was recorded at the Pres House here in Madison- I believe the guys at Audio For The Arts did the recording and did a fantastic job. I don't remember the exact circumstanses here, but I think Marques was about to take some time off, maybe for surgery? Anyway, it was a great performance- again there were several songs that don't get played live too often and again I was in the audience for this show.
3) The Neville Brothers...Live On Planet Earth. I actually lost this CD on a flight to Jamaica several years ago. I was BUMMED! I know exactly where I left it- in the seat pocket, where they put the bad in-flight magazines. I was listening to it and then popped in another CD and left the Neville Bros in the pocket of the seat in front of me. I have since burned myself a new copy of the CD and I love it- from the very beginning where they are introduced as "The Mighty, Mighty Neville Brothers" all the way through the very end and their stellar version of "One Love/People Get Ready." Other highlights include "Voodoo," "Congo Square" and of course "Yellow Moon."
4) U2...Under A Blood Red Sky. Do I really have to say anything beyond "This is not a rebel song...this is 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday'?" O.K. I will. I remember walking down the hall of one of the dorms in Platteville several years back and hearing this blaring from one of the rooms. I stopped in to find out who was playing it...and I ended up marrying the girl who had it on her stereo. Not right then and there, but several years later.
5)Little Feat...Waiting For Columbus. Several years back I had the opportunity to introduce a Little Feat show at the Barrymore Theatre. I walked out on stage, stepped up to the mic and said "Please join me in welcoming...let's hear it...F...E...A..." and so on- just like on the record. Later that night while I was standing in line for a beer, somebody said that they knew I was going to do that- I asked how and he said "because that's exactly what I would have done." Oh, and then there was the night that I got drunk with Richie Hayward and about half of the New York Yankees. I won't bore you with the details- I'll just say we got kicked out of the bar and haven't been back since. On the record itself- I love "Dixie Chicken > Tripe Face Boogie" and "Time Loves A Hero."
6) The Allman Brothers...At Fillmore East. No idea how many times I've seen these guys over the years. One of my favorites was at Alpine Valley- Elijah Blue Allman was playing with the band at the time- the show was over and we were hanging out backstage when the phone rang. Someone on the crew answered and yelled for Elijah, as he walked away I joked that Cher was on the phone- and then as the crew guy handed the phone to Elijah, he said "It's your Mom." So yes- Cher was on the phone. As for the album- a 22 minute "Whipping Post" - gotta love that. I also love the live versions of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Stormy Monday."
7) The Who...Live @ Leeds. It wasn't until this album that I realized how much Cheap Trick was influenced by the Who. I know, it should have been obvious- but this is the album that made it obvious to me. I hosted a show on Public Television a few years back- it was a live performance from the Who and my cohost pointed out the similarities- I wasn't going to argue with her there on live TV, but I didn't really see it. So I went home that night and dug out "Live At Leeds" and listened. Oh, now I get it. The Who really did influence Cheap Trick. She was right. I was wrong. That happens (more often than I'd like to admit).
8) Bob Marley...Babylon By Bus. I know, the "LIVE" album from Bob Marley is the classic one. But I became obsessed with this album when I realized that the tour that the recordings came from came through Madison. I can't remember now where it played- possibly the old Capitol Theater or the Orpheum? I wasn't there, I just always thought that it was cool that the tour came through Madison. A few years ago a did a little research on it, actually making calls to Jamaica and some museum that tracks all of that stuff and found out that none of it was actually recorded in Madison. But it's still cool. Musically- I love the way the album opens with "Positive Vibration" and from there- it just keeps up a great vibe through the entire recording.
9) Talking Heads...Stop Making Sense. No great stories to go with this one. I just love Talking Heads and I never had the opportunity to see them live. I really hoped that when they played for their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony that they would have a ball and decide to tour again. I could see from the first note they played that night that it wouldn't happen. I'll have to be happy with the live album.
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