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Sale!FM Broadcast 9.0 - Not sure what the master source is for this one, it could either be a cassette tape or an LP, either way the sound is very good but there’s a little bit of that typical kind of compression you got off FM broadcasts. Not a problem here, just that I notice it.
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Sale!Soundboard 9.5 - Infinitely enjoyable!
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Sale!Audience 9.4 - What a fantastic recording! Seriously, the louder you crank it, the better it sounds. Beautiful, full round bass, punchy and clear drums and guitar that is not washed out by P.A. and hall dynamics. Good show atmosphere, appreciative home crowd, and a band inspired and having loads of fun. Hot damn!
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Sale!Soundboard 8.8 - This tape does not feature the greatest mix ever, but it’s functional and is a good full show. Question: Was Lou Reed really well known in Australia? A guy from the barrio of New York City, but well known in Australia somehow?!?! I think that is strange, haha!
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Sale!Soundboard 9.7 - A pre FM master was used and it clearly magnitudes better than what you’d get recording off the radio!
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Sale!Early and Late Shows - Soundboard 9.1 and Soundboard 8.6 - The late show board tape is slightly problematic in that vocals and to some extent the drums are really prominent in the mix but the rest is pushed back. Acoustic songs come through nicely, they bring up piano and acoustic guitar so you get everything more even. At times it gets a little better, it’s not bad it’s just not as good a mix as the early show.
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Sale!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.
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Sale!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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CD 1 - Audience 8.8 - Direct into face, a driving and persistent intensity, very clean, very clear. CD 2 - Audience 8.3 - A more open spaced recording where you lose some of the dynamics, and vocals tend to get muffled and placed further back but guitar and drums are prominent and clear…bass is present but not as articulate or deep. A good tape and collectors will be happy to hear it since it is not widely circulated.
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Soundboard 9.5 - The evening before this show in Kansas City, the band had just played a stadium with a stacked line-up, so they were probably pretty amped up for this show. They got to showcase some of the Marathon LP material in front of an appreciative, but much smaller crowd than the night before. A great one!
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Audience 8.5 - Slightly low recording levels meaning go ahead and turn up the volume on this one, and thankfully there’s no distortion. Recording is clear, not overly dynamic (it is metal after all) but you’ll probably enjoy this immensely if you understand that it’s really about the lyrics and the stage banter. Always fun, and it’s two discs so you get a lot of songs!