-
Soundboard 9.0 - Aside from a weird high frequency buzz that lasts for a few minutes at the beginning, and one or two minor tape faults this is a crisp, airy recording that EVERYONE is going to LOVE! Good bite on the guitar which seems to have a lot more “space” in the recording, yet maintains definition when it isn't too buried. Keyboards are really pronounced which helps this tape. Several cuts exist here and there, but it’s still a very interesting tape!
-
Stage Recording 8.7 - These kind of recordings are in a unique category – they are technically “audience” type recordings but the signal is sent straight to the recording deck or into a sub-mixer under the control of an engineer. A “professional audience recording” I suppose. So, you do not always have absolute control over the sound mix but this can be a good thing if you get lucky enough with ideal mic placement and ambience, and other things like that. In this case, well, it’s a fine recording limited perhaps by the mic and tape deck quality or ability to capture in high fidelity. It’s a great reference, a decent recording, and there’s plenty of interesting stuff here to make you want to find out what Zappa does next.
-
Audience 8.6 - Talk about being in the crowd, this recording is total immersion if ever there was immersion! But, here’s the good news – it’s a BLAST! The crowd is really an integral part of this performance, the band senses they have a great audience and they really play to them. It’s rather fun and gives you a tremendous feeling of nostalgia. A great ride!