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Audience 8.8-9.2 - All seem to be recorded with the same gear but the Marseille show seems maybe slightly upgraded due to either taper position or just better acoustics. Over all this is a highly rated set of shows for the quality of the recordings. The stage mix does vary just a bit as to who is more present, but you hear all the stuff going on as it was live-mixed for the performance (meaning I don’t think taper error caused any lack of presence of, say, synthesizer or guitar on any given performance). The taper used the first song, and in some cases part of the second song to dial in the levels (an indication of really good gear being used) and as such you may notice a volume change, albeit relatively smooth, and once he’s dialed in it is smooth sailing. The performances are sometimes a little hesitant but do gel during instrumental segments much more. I will say this: Mick Taylor is a fantastic player, but I would not call him “progressive” and this music wants to be more prog but it is constrained and maybe that is why it did not blossom much. Jack Bruce Band Tour Of Europe 1975 Volume One Salle Vallier Marseille, FR 1975-04-29 Disc 1 01 -You Burned The Tables On Me 02 -Morning Story 03 -Pieces of Mind 04 -Keep It Down 05 -One 06 -Spirit Disc 2 07 -Without A Word 08 -Tickets To Waterfalls 09 -Weird Of Hermiston 10 -Post War Band: Jack Bruce - Vocals, Bass, Piano Mick Taylor - Guitar Carla Bley - Organ, Synthesizer, Clavinet, Mellotron, Electric Piano Ronnie Leahy - Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer Bruce Gary - Drums Jack Bruce, Carla Bley & Mick Taylor -
Studio 9.0-9.4 - Varies as far as the overall sound and mix but does not stray much below a solid 9.0…but man what you are getting here is bona fide Aerosmith and NOT the dressed up, slicked out, packaged presentation of Aerosmith that the record company needed in order to make vast profits. This is down and dirty, raw, primal, and above all – fantastic! To hear unadulterated guitars, guttural, almost fuzz style bass, and howling, tortured Steven, and this is 1987 mind you! How can it be? I don’t know but this set rocks! Aerosmith Permanent Vacation Outtakes 1987 Disc 1 1. Heart's Done Time (early studio rehearsals AKA Right Key, Wrong Key Hole) 2. Magic Touch (early demo version) 3. Magic Touch (final pre-production with different lyrics) 4. Rag Doll (final pre-production with different lyrics and solo) 5. Simoriah (final pre-production) 6. Simoriah early demo version) 7. Dude (looks like a lady) (final pre-production without intro) 8. Dude (looks like a lady) (early demo version with different lyrics) 9. Dude (looks like a lady) (early studio rehearsals) 10. Dude (looks like a lady) (original working demo version) 11. St. John (final pre-production) 12. St. John (early demo version) 13. St. John (early studio rehearsals) Disc 2 1. Hangman Jury (early studio rehearsals) 2. Girl Keeps Coming Apart (final pre-production) 3. Girl keeps coming apart (early studio sessions without vocals) 4. Girl keeps coming apart (early studio rehearsals without vocals) 5. Angel (original working demo version) 6. Permanent vacation (final pre-production) 7. Permanent vacation (early demo version) 8. I'm Down (final pre-production) 9. Got To Find A Way (original working demo version including "The movie") 10. Got To Find A Way (early studio rehearsals) Disc 3 1. Walking On Danger Street (original working demo version) 2. Walking On Danger Street (early studio rehearsals) 3. Feel The Pain (original working demo version AKA Sleeping Sickness and Scream In Pain) 4. Feel The Pain (final complete demo version) 5. Hollywood (early studio rehearsals) 6. Hollywood (original working demo version) 7. Funky Thing (original working demo version) 8. Funky Thing (Joe's Funky early demo version) 9. Once Is Enough (original working demo version) 10. Love Me Like A Bird Dog (original working demo version) 11. Love Me Like A Bird Dog (early studio rehearsals) 12. Take It Easy (early studio rehearsals) 13. Is Anybody Out There? (early studio rehearsals) -
Audience 8.7 - This slightly above average tape sounds like it has been re-mastered and life restored to it, but the mix favors percussion and keys. The rest of the band is a little behind them but thankfully Carlos’ solos rise up above much more in the mix. I did find it an interesting tape with an atmosphere that lets you kind of soak up the Italian vibe – between the chatter and the feel of the venue itself it is kind of strangely…renaissance. Let’s just say the recording captures a little more than just the rock band that evening and it adds a lot to the experience. That is why I can still recommend this to fans, and the fact that it is 1971 which is that interesting period with Neil Schon. Santana Palaido Milano, Italy April 27, 1971 1. -Waiting 2. -Incident At Neshabur 3. -Toussaint L'Overture 4. -Taboo 5. -Batuka 6. -Evil Ways 7. -Soul Sacrifice 8. -Samba Pa Ti 9. -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 10. -Oye Como Va 11. -Savor 12. -Jingo -
Audience 9.5 - Outstanding! Yes, it’s just another killer quality audience tape that seems to be the hallmark for the Zappa legacy. Probably because you have devoted fans keen on preserving the experience and doing it with care, and an artist who diligently worked hard to provide a high quality audio experience. ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA Sentrum Scene Oslo, Norway November 24, 2013 Disc 1 01. Intro 02. The gumbo variations 03. Dweezil's intro to "Roxy and elswhere" 04. Penguin in bondage 05. Pygmy twylyte 06. Dummy up 07. Village of the sun 08. Echidna's arf (of you) 09. Don't you ever wash that thing 10. Cheepnis 11. Son of orange county 12. More trouble every day Disc 2 13. Be bop tango 14. Florentine pogen 15. Teenage wind 16. Teenage prostitute 17. The black page # 1 (drum solo) 18. The black page # 2 19. Dweezil talks 20. I come from nowhere 21. Dweezil talks 22. The duke of prunes Disc 3 23. Peaches en regalia - Intro to... 24. The torture never stops - Audience ovations 25. Encore intro 26. Watermelon in easter hay 27. Dweezil talks 28. Zombie woof 29. Muffin man Dweezil Zappa: guitar, vocals Scheila Gonzalez: saxophone, flute, keyboards & vocals Ben Thomas: vocals, trumpet, trombone, percussion Chris Norton: keyboards, vocals Kurt Morgan: bass Ryan Brown: drums -
LA 1977 Soundboard 9.4 - THIS is what PUNK should sound like live…loud, brash, and totally in your face – that is exactly what this board tape delivers and I LOVE IT! Get it and you’ll see why. CBGB’s 1977 Audience 9.2 - A pretty clean recording, which is surprising to me as this is a punk band in a small club at full volume (presumably). So, either taper is affiliated with the club and set up somewhere with some good equipment or it’s a fan who just knew what he was doing and nailed it. I am going with the former. Ramones LIVE 1977 Disc 1 Whisky a Go Go Los Angeles, California October 21, 1977 01 -intro 02 -Loudmouth 03 -Beat On The Brat 04 -Blitzkrieg Bop 05 -I Remember You 06 -Glad To See You Go 07 -Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment 08 -You're Gonna Kill That Girl 09 -I Don't Care 10 -Sheena Is A Punk Rocker 11 -Rockaway Beach 12 -Commando 13 -Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 14 -Surfin' Bird 15 -Cretin Hop 16 -Listen To My Heart 17 -California Sun 18 -I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You 19 -Pinhead 20 -break before encore 21 -Suzy Is A Headbanger 22 -Chain Saw 23 -Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World 24 -break before second encore 25 -Now I Want To Be A Good Boy 26 -Let's Dance Disc 2 CBGB's New York, NY 10-27-77 1. -Loudmouth 2. -Beat on the brat 3. -Blitzkrieg Bop 4. -I Remember You 5. -Glad To See You Go 6. -Teenage Lobotomy 7. -You're Gonna Kill That Girl 8. -53rd And 3rd 9. -Sheena Is A Punk Rocker 10. -Rockaway Beach 11. -Commando 12. -Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 13. -Surfin' Bird 14. -Cretin Hop 15. -Listen To My Heart 16. -California Sun 17. -I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You 18. -Pinhead 19. -Let's Dance 20. -Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World -
Soundboard 9.3 - This is a rough and tumble sort of board tape. Obviously never meant to be used in any official release, but it does certainly get the job done regardless. Very definitive instrument separation so you can concentrate on any instrument you want and you will get maximum information out of it – until you choose another one and then you will get stuck on that one. THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND - Fillmore West, San Francisco January 29, 1971 1. Statesboro Blues 2. Trouble No More 3. Don't Keep Me Wonderin' 4. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed 5. Midnight Rider 6. Dreams 7. You Don't Love Me 8. Whipping Post Greg Allman - organ, vocals; Duane Allman - guitar; Dicky Betts - guitar; Berry Oakley - bass; Butch Trucks - drums; Jai Johanny Johanson - percussion -
Stereo Soundboard 9.0 - While this show is also featured on another set here, we found an alternate version that seems to have a wider stereo separation, it does make it sound a tad brighter, but there are some trade-offs too, like a touch more hiss but it doesn’t bother so TURN IT UP! Black Sabbath Espace Balard Paris, France 30th September 1983 1. Children Of The Grave 2. Hot Line 3. War Pigs 4. Supernaut 5. Drum Solo 6. Rock ‘N’ Roll Doctor 7. Disturbing The Priest 8. Iron Man 9. Guitar Solo 10. Digital Bitch 11. Smoke On The Water 12. Paranoid/Heaven And Hell(reprise) Bonus Tracks Sporthalle, Boblingen, Germany 28th September 1983 13. Black Sabbath 14. Smoke On The Water 15. Paranoid/Heaven And Hell(reprise) Ian Gillan – Vocals Tony Iommi – Guitar Geezer Butler – Bass Bev Bevan – Drums Geoff Nicholls – Keyboards -
Pro Audience 9.2 - This rating may seem confusing and that is because I just don’t believe this to be a board feed recording, nor do I believe it to be a straight audience tape. I believe this may have been recorded for broadcast locally and the station probably hung mics or placed them somewhere in the hall because there’s too much ambience for a straight board tape. It’s very good, it’s got a critical element missing in every board tape and that’s some sense of the room, the audience, etc.
Black Sabbath Civic Center Hartford, CT 1980-08-10 Disc 1 101 Supertzar 102 War Pigs 103 Neon Knights 104 N.I.B. 105 Children Of The Sea 106 Sweet Leaf 107 Drum Solo 108 Sweet Leaf (Reprise) 109 Black Sabbath Disc 2 201 MC 202 Heaven And Hell 203 Iron Man 204 Guitar Solo 205 Die Young 206 Paranoid 207 children Of The Grave Bonus track Hammersmith Odeon London, UK 1980-05-08 208 Children Of The Sea -
Soundboard 9.2 - What I like most about this board tape is that it emphasizes Bill Wyman, and I mean where you can hear individual notes that he is playing, while also laying down a strong, sonically speaking, low end (so it’s not just bass notes being plucked out). This is a new, and good way to listen to another ’81 Tour board tape without being bored…’cause we all know the set list didn’t change at all.
Rolling Stones Rosemont Horizon Des Plaines, IL. 11-23-1981 Disc 1 1. -Take The A Train - Under My Thumb 2. -When The Whip Comes Down 3. -Let's Spend The Night Together 4. -Shattered 5. -Neighbours 6. -Black Limousine 7. -Just My Imagination 8. -Twenty Flight Rock 9. -Going To A Go Go 10. -Let Me Go 11. -Time Is On My Side 12. -Beast Of Burden 13. -Waiting On A Friend 14. -Let It Bleed Disc 2 1. -You Can't Always Get What You Want 2. -Band Intros 3. -Little T&A 4. -Tumbling Dice 5. -She's So Cold 6. -Hang Fire 7. -Miss You 8. -Honky Tonk Women 9. -Brown Sugar 10. -Start Me Up 11. -Jumping Jack Flash 12. -Satisfaction 13. -Star Spangled Banner - School Day -
A nice sounding collection (all audience source) of concerts all from 1976. None of this material falls below a solid 8.7 and rises to 9.1 in the sonic ratings, but taken as a whole this deserves a place in any collection even if no board tapes are included. The Who The Adventures of the Who 1976 Disc 1 Seattle Center Coliseum Seattle, WA 1976-03-25 01. -I Can't Explain 02. -Substitute 03. -My Wife 04. -Baba O'Riley 05. -Squeeze Box 06. -Behind Blue Eyes 07. -Dreaming From The Waist 08. -Magic Bus Disc 2 09. -Amazing Journey 10. -Sparks 11. -Acid Queen 12. -Fiddle About 13. -Pinball Wizard 14. -I'm Free 15. -Tommy's Holiday Camp 16. -We're Not Gonna Take It 17. -My Generation 18. -Won't Get Fooled Again Disc 3 The Capital Centre Largo, MD 1976-08-03 01. -Intro 02. -I Can't Explain 03. -Substitute 04. -My Wife 05. -Baba O'Riley 06. -Squeeze Box 07. -Behind Blue Eyes 08. -Dreaming From The Waist 09. -Magic Bus Disc 4 10. -Audience 11. -Amazing Journey 12. -Sparks 13. -Acid Queen 14. -Fiddle About 15. -Pinball Wizard 16. -I'm Free 17. -Tommy's Holiday Camp 18. -We're Not Gonna Take It 19. -Summertime Blues 20. -My Generation 21. -Won't Get Fooled Again Disc 5 The Capital Centre Largo, MD 1976-08-04 01. -Intro 02. -I Can't Explain 03. -Substitute 04. -My Wife 05. -Baba O'Riley 06. -Squeeze Box 07. -Behind Blue Eyes 08. -Dreaming From The Waist 09. -Magic Bus 10. -Audience Disc 6 11. -Amazing Journey 12. -Sparks 13. -Acid Queen 14. -Fiddle About 15. -Pinball Wizard 16. -I'm Free 17. -Tommy's Holiday Camp 18. -We're Not Gonna Take It 19. -Summertime Blues 20. -My Generation 21. -Won't Get Fooled Again Disc 7 Seattle Center Coliseum Seattle, WA 1976-10-14 01. -Intro 02. -I Can't Explain 03. -Substitute 04. -My Wife 05. -Baba O'Riley 06. -Squeeze Box 07. -Behind Blue Eyes 08. -Dreaming From The Waist 09. -Magic Bus Disc 8 10. -Amazing Journey 11. -Sparks 12. -Acid Queen 13. -Fiddle About 14. -Pinball Wizard 15. -I'm Free 16. -Tommy's Holiday Camp 17. -We're Not Gonna Take It 18. -Summertime Blues 19. -My Generation 20. -Won't Get Fooled Again Disc 9 Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Ontario October 21st, 1976 01. -I Can't Explain 02. -Substitute 03. -My Wife 04. -Baba O' Riley 05. -Squeeze Box 06. -Behind Blue Eyes 07. -Dreaming From The Waist 08. -Magic Bus Disc 10 09. -Amazing Journey 10. -Sparks 11. -Underture 12. -The Acid Queen 13. -Fiddle About 14. -Pinball Wizard 15. -I'm Free 16. -Tommy's Holiday Camp 17. -We're Not Gonna Take It 18. -See Me, Feel Me 19. -Summertime Blues 20. -My Generation 21. -Join Together 22. -My Generation Talking Blues 23. -Who Are You 24. -Won't Get Fooled Again -
The follow up release to the much lauded Decades Vol.1, this second volume contains all soundboard or superb audience (mostly SDBRD) recordings spanning the ten years between 1968 and 1978. Santana - Decades II 1968-1978 Disc 1 The Matrix, San Francisco CA November 13, 1968 1. -Fried Neckbones 2. -As The Years Go Passing By 3. -Soul Sacrifice 4. -Waiting Berkeley Community Center Berkeley, CA February 6, 1970 5. -Treat 6. -Hope You're Feeling Better 7. -Soul Sacrifice 8. -Incident At Neshabur 9. -Savor 10. -Jingo Disc 2 Fillmore East New York City, N.Y. U.S.A. April 12, 1970 1. -tuning 2. -Se A Cabo 3. -Black Magic Woman 4. -Gypsy Queen 5. -Savor 6. -Jingo 7. -Oye Como Va 8. -Hope You're Feeling Better 9. -Toussaint L'Overture 10. -Evil Ways 11. -Persuasion 12. -Soul Sacrifice 13. -Treat Disc 3 MEMORIAL COLISEUM COLUMBUS, GA 1973-03-30 1. -Going Home - A-1 Funk - Every Step Of The Way 2. -Samba Pa Ti 3. -Look Up (To See What’s Coming Down) 4. -Just In Time To See The Sun 5. -Incident At Neshabur 6. -Bambele 7. -Stone Flower 8. -Batucada 9. -Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba) 10. -Waiting - Castillos De Arena, Part 1 (Sand Castle) 11. -Free Angela 12. -Castillos De Arena, Part 2 (Sand Castle) 13. -Earth 14. -Se A Cabo Disc 4 Garden State Summer Music Fair Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey August 12, 1973 1. -Opening Words 2. -Going Home 3. -A-1 Funk 4. -Every Step Of The Way 5. -Black Magic Woman 6. -Gypsy Queen 7. -Oye Como Va 8. -Japan - Bambele - Um Um Um - Yours Is The Light 9. -Batucada 10. -Xibiba (she-ba-ba) 11. -Stone Flower Disc 5 12. -Waiting 13. -Castillos De Arena (Sand Castle) 14. -Free Angela 15. -Samba De Sausalito 16. -Light Of Life 17. -Se A Cabo 18. -Mr Udo 19. -The Creator Has A Master Plan 20. -Savor 21. -Toussant L'Overture 22. -Europa 23. -Incident At Neshabur - My Favorite Things Disc 6 Winterland San Francisco, CA. December 31, 1973 1. -Going Home 2. -A-1 Funk 3. -Every Step Of The Way 4. -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 5. -Oye Como Va 6. -Just In Time To See The Sun 7. -Um-um-um Disc 7 7. -Batucada 8. -Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba) 9. -Stone Flower 10. -Castillos De Arena (Sand Castle) 11. -Watch Your Step Jam 12. -Incident At Neshabur 13. -When I Look Into Your Eyes 14. -Se A Cabo Disc 8 Playhouse Edinburgh November 14, 1976 01. -Carnaval - Let The Children Play - Jugando 02. -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 03. -Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana) 04. -Let The Music Set You Free 05. -Samba Pa Ti 06. -Savor - Toussaint L’Overture 07. -Let Me 08. -Just In Time To See The Sun 09. -Song Of The Wind 10. -Taboo Disc 9 11. -Soul Sacrifice 12. -Europa 13. -Maria Caracoles Bottom Line New York City, NY October 16th, 1978 2nd show 14. -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 15. -Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana) 16. -Europa 17. -Open Invitation Disc 10 Capitol Center Landover, Maryland March 19, 1977 1. -Carnaval - Let The Children Play - Jugando 2. -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 3. -Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana) 4. -Europa 5. -Oye Como Va 6. -Let Me 7. -Give Me Love 8. -Savor 9. -Toussaint L'overture 10. -Soul Sacrifice (with Roy Ayers) 11. -Transcendance with band intros -
Soundboard 9.0 - Nothing particularly wrong with this one, but a did feel as though the mix was a little bit overcrowded at time (especially when the band was cooking), but at the same time I loved how the organ sounded and the sheer power of this band came across very convincingly.
Patti Smith Group The Place Eugene, Oregon, USA May 4, 1978 Disc One 01 -Land 02 -Rock And Roll Nigger 03 -Privilege 04 -Free Money 05 -Pissing In A River 06 -Pumping 07 -You Really Got Me 08 -Time Is on My Side 09 -Ghost Dance 10 -Because the Night Disc Two 01 -Easter 02 -Radio Ethiopia 03 -Gloria 04 -Jailhouse Rock 05 -My Generation Civic Center Santa Monica, California May 12, 1978 06 -Land 07 -Rock And Roll Nigger 08 -Privilege 09 -Kimberly 10 -Till Victory 11 -Redondo Beach
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Radio Broadcast 9.4 - Slightly dated sounding it’s still very strong, clear (sounds like someone did some work on it) and pretty much everything you want. Patti Smith Group "Joan Of Arc At The Burning River" Rock Around The World broadcast Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH April 18, 1978 01 -Interview - Redondo Beach 02 -Interview - Ain't It Strange 03 -Interview - Privilege (Set Me Free) 04 -Interview - Easter 05 -Radio Ethiopia 06 -Gloria 07 -Interview -
Soundboard 9.0 - This is most definitely off the radio, it has all the tell-tale signs of a radio broadcast including the FM compression (not horrible) but I also think, if not radio, it may have come from a TV broadcast. Michael Schenker Group 1981-06-08 Pinkpop Festival Burgemeester Damen Sportpark Geleen, Holland FM broadcast recording 01 Cry For The Nations 02 Victim Of Illusion 03 Natural Thing 04 Feels Like A Good Thing 05 Rock Bottom 06 Lost Horizons 07 Doctor Doctor -
Audience 8.3/8.5 - Despite the low approval ratings of these audio tapes, I have to say I still think they are important to the Megadeth collector for several reasons. There’s just not a lot of recordings from these early periods for some unknown reason, and these shows, having been cleaned up and re-mastered as well as could be done, represent listenable time capsules of perhaps one of the all-time greatest metal band. Megadeth do not get the same accolades as some of the other big metal bands (do I have to mention them?) but I always loved their complexity and sarcasm. I did listen to both of these shows and once my ears adjusted I stuck with it and wrote this review without bias. Average tapes that deserve a place in any collection because of the significance of this band.
Megadeth The Windy City Gigs Disc 1 Metro, Chicago, IL (USA) June 30, 1985 01. -Last Rites - Loved To Death 02. -Killing Is My Business 03. -Skull Beneath The Skin 04. -These Boots 05. -My Last Words 06. -Looking Down The Cross 07. -Chosen Ones 08. -Mechanix 09. -Bad Omen 10. -Encore break 11. -Good Mourning - Black Friday 12. -Rattlehead Disc 2 (U.I.C) Pavilion University of Illinois Chicago, IL 1987-02-12 1. -Intro 2. -Wake Up Dead 3. -The Conjuring 4. -My Last Words 5. -Bad Omen 6. -Rattlehead - Dave's talking about Chicago 7. -Peace Sells 8. -Devil's Island 9. -The Mechanix
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Audience 9.1 - A very well done audience tape is the source, and the atmospherics are nice and immersive. Sound quality is right in the pocket! Show was unfortunately cut short due to severe weather, but there’s enough music here to satisfy regardless. Santana Estadio Universitario Caracas, Venezuela October 7, 1973 01 Introduction 02 Going Home - A-1 Funk - Every Step Of The Way (including Boogie Woogie Waltz) 03 Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen (including Third Stone From The Sun) 04 Oye Como Va 05 Bambele 06 Um-Um-Um 07 Yours Is The Light 08 Batucada 09 Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba) 10 Stone Flower - Waiting