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Soundboard 9.6 - This guy literally can play Happy Birthday and make it sound sexy and groovy (proof is available). Too bad I was so hard-headed and never went and saw him live. I could have on many occasions, but I just never saw myself as one of the “beautiful people” I guess. What a shame I would have loved it. (Soundchecks, Rehearsals and Jams) -
Soundboard 9.7 - Sparkling, and I mean all facets – the sound quality, the performances, the musicianship, everything! Get it now, you won’t regret it. -
Audience 8.6 - A gem of a show, and a recording that thankfully is pretty decent although it does highlight Halford at the expense of the rest of the band. That actually works well here because Rob is just killing it, hitting every high note and wowing the audience. The musicianship is as always a cut above the rest, hence the reason this band lives on to this day. A keeper! -
FM Broadcast 9.2 - A professionally recorded and mixed production that does not seem to have much in the way of compression so it has a good spaciousness to it, it is crankable. -
Audience 8.6 - A “crisp” sounding tape, emphasis on drummer and vocals in the mix but you also can really hear the background keys which is nice. Not saying Joe is buried, just that this house mix seems very democratic in allowing all players to have a presence. I appreciate hearing how much the piano and keys helped shape this material. The audience is very respectful, and they love their Joe, that’s for sure. -
Audience 8.5 - A real surprise this old tape, it sounds pretty darn good! The sound is warm, rounded, and has great atmosphere without losing the immediate punch of the music. Even at full tilt volume, the tape manages to hang together and not get overly saturated. Good job early tapers! -
Audience 8.4 - Not super dynamic but pretty clear, a decent ’74 tape where you can hear and enjoy everything (including the crowd) quite clearly but without a wide palate of audio spectrum. Not saying it is thin, not saying it is one-dimensional either, just that from highs to lows you aren’t going to have much depth although you can EQ and probably adjust to your specific needs. A good tape. -
Audience 8.8 - Another great tape made by someone obviously knowing what they were doing. There are a couple of cuts here and there, not deal breakers by any means but full disclosure. Anyway, a solid, in the pocket recording of a sizzling gig with great interplay between Jobson and Beck. -
CD 1 - Audience 8.4 - A lively, jumping tape that is a fun listen but the limitations include some minor over-saturation which surprisingly does not ruin anything, but keeps the rating in the mid 80’s technically speaking. I like this recording personally, I find it exhilarating! CD CD 2 - Audience 8.8 - A very well made recording with a great balance to it, a warmth and tone that is pleasing to the ears. Lovely! CD 3 - Audience 8.2 - A tape with a preponderance of low end, to the point where you can’t ignore it, not that it is particularly muddy, just that it is bass heavy. I do get the other instruments thankfully, but like I said…bass. CD 4 - Same as disc 3, but I will say this much, on songs where the bass work is minimized, it sounds excellent. -
Audience 8.5 - Tape is a little hissy, but it is still a clear recording where you hear a lot of separation between instruments and “air” or “headroom” which allows music a chance to unfold and show peaks and valleys. Very good, not great, but very good. -
Audience 8.6 - A great job by taper to get center mic placement and not too distant from the stage. Good presence, good atmosphere, good tight show. -
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Audience 8.7 - This is a radio broadcast that sounds very good with some minor signs of age and occasionally a dodgy mix in spots that get corrected quickly, at least. The band play pretty much every song that you remember most by them, the set list is thrilling. -
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Audience 9.3 - This recording effectively conveys the power and volume of the gig, with pretty much a direct blunt force to your brain. There’s not a helluva a lot of headroom in the recording meaning the levels are at peak (no clipping or distortion) so if you plan to crank it loud, just be prepared for a lot of neighborhood complaints. -
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Audience 9.5 - When you listen to this, just keep in mind it is taped by someone in the audience…you won’t believe it. Great balance, superb low end, sweet middle band tone, lush and warm with the perfect amount of high end (no sizzle or annoying squeal or cymbal wash). Just terrific, and the band sounds great! -
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Audience 8.9 - Just the right amount of sonic clarity and separation of instruments with “live atmosphere” to make for a realistic listening experience. Sounds much like what you could have expected having been there. This was also the last show of the tour. Excellent! -
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Audience 8.9 - A really good, solid, and clear tape, showcases the considerable talent of Zappa and the always excellent cast of characters he assembles each tour. This show features a lot of solid horn work, and Zappa plays very nicely with a good tone. There were a couple songs I was unfamiliar with and enjoyed quite a bit. I rather like the song Rollo! Fun stuff.