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Audience 9.4 - Before you write off the late 80’s Eric Clapton, you REALLY need to look deeper for a minute. This performance, and this recording, clearly demonstrates the reason why one should examine the totality of an artist’s career, particularly if said artist was as prolific and talented as Mr. Clapton. The edgy, electrified sound of Clapton’s Cream days is gone and that is ok so long as you still get the TALENT, and many of Clapton’s performances (at least on tape) sometimes lacked the elements that you would have hoped for, despite his undeniable songwriting prowess…it was the PLAYING of the guitar, and the sound of said guitar, that we craved. Here, along with his pal Mark Knopfler, all of that is delivered and the audio quality does the whole thing justice because it is excellent. I think playing with Mark elevated Eric’s game. Hearing them do “Money For Nothing” together was cool, and Mark decided to sing in his own “bluesy” way in deference to Eric. Sweet! Eric Clapton feat. Mark Knopfler Irvine Meadows Laguna Hills, CA September 23, 1988 Disc 1 01 Crossroads 02 White Room 03 I Shot The Sheriff 04 Lay Down Sally 05 Wonderful Tonight 06 Tearing Us Apart 07 After Midnight 08 Can’t Find My Way Home Disc 2 09 Badge 10 Same Old Blues 11 Band Introductions 12 Cocaine 13 Layla 14 Money For Nothing 15 Sunshine Of Your Love Eric Clapton – guitar Mark Knopfler – guitar Alan Clark – keyboards Nathan East – bass Steve Ferrone – drums Jody Linscott – percussion Katie Kissoon – backing vocals Tessa Niles – backing vocals -
Studio Quality 9.5 - I am thankful for this because it has further taught me to appreciate and respect Clapton’s musicality, and his desire to remain true to himself first and foremost. If you listen to this music without preconditions you realize it’s pretty good and if the man’s name was not Eric Clapton, you’d be thinking this guy should be much bigger. Eric Clapton No Reason To Cry Sessions Shangri-la Studios Malibu, CA, March 1976 Disc 1 01. Sign Language 02. All Our Past Time 03. Country Jail 04. Carnival 05. Tried To Make The Devil Mad 06. Won’t Somebody Tell Me 07. Big River 08. Right Now 09. Right Now 10. It’s Eric’s Birthday 11. Adios Mi Corazon 12. The Water Is Wide 13. Idiot Wind 14. Carnival To Rio Disc 2 01. Who Do You Love? 02. Stormy Monday 03. What Would I Do #1 04. What Would I Do #2 05. What Would I Do #3 06. Hard Times 07. Tenho Sede 08. Steppin’ Out 09. Jam #1 10. Jam #2 -
Audience 8.7 - This recording is better than it has a right to be, after all it is in a big stadium, early 70’s so the gear, if it doesn’t weigh 80 pounds, has to be cheap crap…but, dang it this sounds cool! Granted, instrument separation isn’t great (it is good enough), and it isn’t super close up, but all that still does not detract from how stompin’ this is. Great fun! Humble Pie Orlando Sports Stadium Orlando, FL. 12-16-1972 1. -Tuning Up - Intro 2. -Up Your Sleeve 3. -C'mon Everybody 4. -Honky Tonk Women 5. -I Wonder 6. -Hallelujah I Love Her So 7. -I Don't Need No Doctor 8. -Hot 'N Nasty 9. -Roadrunner -
Truly somewhat of an oddball release, this album stems from a long lost rehearsal session by a bunch of stoned South African teenagers in the late 60's. Not much was even known about them, not even at the time as the band never gigged or recorded a legitimate album. Still, the music reverberates with manic acid rock intensity. You've been warned! -
Soundboard 9.2 - Again we find Lou and company blazing his way across Europe and leaning on some old, and some new…but mostly older tunes which always work well because there is so much room for the band to stretch out. Good stuff here. Lou Reed Saint-Etienne, France April 16, 1977 Disc 1 01 -Sweet Jane 02 -I'm Waiting For The Man 03 -Rock 'n Roll Heart 04 -Heroin 05 -Rock n Roll 06 -Walk On The Wild Side 07 -How do You Think It Feels 08 -Lisa Says 09 -Vicious Disc 2 10 -Coney Island Baby 11 -Berlin 12 -White Light White Heat 13 -Lady Day 14 -Oh Jim 15 -Satellite Of Love 16 -Kicks Disc 3 Vienna, AUSTRIA April 20, 1977 01 - Sweet Jane 02 - I'm Waiting For My Man 03 - Rock'n'Roll Heart 04 - Heroin 05 - Rock'n'Roll 06 - Walk On The Wild Side 07 - How Do You Think It Feels DISC Four 01 - Banging On My Drum 02 - Lisa Says 03 - Vicious 04 - Coney Island Baby 05 - Berlin 06 - White Light/White Heat 07 - Sister Ray THE BAND: LOU REED, vocals & guitar JEFFREY ROSS, guitar MICHAEL FONFARA, keyboards BRUCE YAW, bass MARTY FOGEL, sax MICHAEL SUCHORSKY, drums -
Soundboard 9.3 - An interesting tape because it’s from soon after losing Duane, and I don’t think there’s many tapes from that period immediately after his death. THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Price Hall, Jackson, Alabama March 23, 1972 CD 1 1. Statesboro Blues 2. Done Somebody Wrong 3. Ain't Wastin' Time No More 4. One Way Out 5. Trouble No More 6. Stormy Monday 7. You Don't Love Me 8. Les Brers in A-Minor CD 2 1. Whipping Post Gregg Allman - keyboards, vocals Dickey Betts - guitar Berry Oakley - bass Butch Trucks - drums Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson - drums, percussion -
Audience 8.6 - Not a bad tape at all, and seeing how there’s now all of what, one known live tape of this band I would say that is kind of cool. The band? Well they are in their final incarnation here, and playing is very loose and experimental…but honestly they needed to ditch the flautist as he contributes not only nothing, but he’s in the way. Let the guitarist do his thing ‘cause he seems to be able to turn on the switch and lay down bursts of awesome psychedelic insanity. Dzyan Esslingen, Germany 1974-07-14 01 The Road Not Taken 02 For Earthly Thinking 03 Unknown Title 04 Unknown Title -
FM Radio Broadcasts 9.6 - Excellent as always – sound and performance. Prince Tracks 01-04 1985-03-30 Syracuse - Carrier Dome Tracks 05-10 1990-07-22 Madrid - Estadio Vicente Calderon 01. Let's Go Crazy 02. I Would Die For U 03. Computer Blue 04. Little Red Corvette 05. 1999 06. Kiss 07. Purple Rain 08. Take Me With You 09. When Doves Cry 10. Baby I'm A Star -
Soundboard 9.4 & Audience 8.6 - the first few discs are excellent soundboard which is cool because they are very early performances and there’s a lot to dive into there. The next couple of discs are good audience tapes, the first being a bit towards the back of a medium sized club, but it’s not bad. Overall it’s an interesting collection, really allows you to contemplate the artists changes over time, with band members, and compositions. Good stuff! JEAN LUC PONTY Touring History 1969-1978 Disc 1 Studio 2 WDR Cologne, Germany February 17th, 1969 LINEUP: Jean-Luc Ponty: violin Wolfgang Dauner: piano Eberhard Weber: bass Bernard Lubat: drums 1. -Eighty-one 2. -Starlight, Starbright 3. -Introduction 4. -California 5. -Pamukkale 6. -Introduction JLP in German 7. -Golden Green Disc 2 Die Glocke, Bremen, Germany November 9, 1972 1. -Circles - Open Strings 2. -How Would You Like To Have A Head Like That - JLP talks 3. -unknown Title 4. -Flipping LINEUP: Jean-Luc Ponty: electric violin Jasper van't Hof: keyboards Henry Texier: bass Aldo Romano: drums Disc 3 Evanston, Illinois April 11, 1975 1. -Waving Memories 2. -Band Intros 3. -Question With No Answer 4. -Bowing Bowing 5. -Fight For Life 6. -Announcer Outro Jean Luc Ponty: violin Daryl Stuermer: guitar Mike Wolf: keyboards Tom Fowler: bass, violin Norm Fearrington: drums McAlister Auditorium Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana, USA October 23, 1977 7. -Tarantula 8. -The Gardens Of Babylon Disc 4 1. -Overture of the Trans Love Express 2. -The Struggle of the Turtle To The Sea 3. -band introductions 4. -Nostalgic Lady 5. -Wandering On The Milky Way 6. -Mirage Jean-Luc Ponty: violin Allan Zavod: keyboards Daryl Stuermer: guitar Ralphe Armstrong: bass Steve Smith: drums Disc 5 New Orleans Cont'd 1. -Enigmatic Ocean 2. -New Country 3. -Polyfolk Dance Paramount Theater Austin, TX November 15, 1978 4. -Introduction 5. -The Art Of Happiness 6. -Don't Let The World Pass You By - I Only Feel Good With You 7. -Ethereal Mood - No Strings Attached 8. -Egocentric Molecules - Outro -
Radio Broadcast 8.8 - A most welcome discovery! Insanely cool hearing this band play live in the USA. The material is compelling, the band is tight and very convincing although they needed some work on their stage banter ha ha! Very cool indeed! Epitaph Agora Cleveland, OH (WMMS-FM) 1973-10 01 Introduction 02 Fresh Air 03 Outside the Law 04 Big City 05 Early Morning 06 Reflexion 07 Stop Look and Listen 08 Who Do You Love -
Audience 9.2 - Amazing atmosphere that the band completely catches and performs up to. The crowd is very responsive but does not intrude on the recording – even during clap-alongs which I normally hate but here is actually enhances the song! Fantastic all the way around, and there’s plenty of headroom left in the recording so if you increase frequency (if you have an EQ) or volume you won’t destroy the integrity of the sound. So blast away! Elton John Seattle Center Coliseum Seattle, WA October 12, 1974 Disc 1 01 Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding 02 Candle In The Wind 03 Grimsby 04 Rocket Man 05 Take Me To The Pilot 06 Bennie And The Jets 07 Daniel 08 Grey Seal 09 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 10 Burn Down The Mission Disc 2 11 You're So Static 12 Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 13 Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me 14 Honky Cat 15 All The Girls Love Alice 16 Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting 17 Crocodile Rock 18 The Bitch Is Back 19 Your Song Band Members: Elton John - vocals, piano Dee Murray - bass Davey Johnstone - guitar, mandolin, banjo Nigel Olsson - drums Muscle Schoals Horns: Harvey Thompson - saxophone Ronnie Eades - baritone saxophone Harrison Calloway - trumpet Charlie Rose - trombone -
Audience 7.7 - Distant and hissy, but Plant somehow can still be the loudest instrument in the building. Should you get this? It’s not essential but it’s got its got its moments (such as What Is And What Should Never Be). Led Zeppelin Sports Arena, San Diego, CA September 3, 1970 Disc 1 01. Introduction 02. Immigrant Song 03. Heartbreaker 04. Dazed And Confused 05. Bring It On Home 06. That's The Way 07. Since I've Been Loving You 08. Organ Solo 09. Thank You Disc 2 01. What Is And What Should Never Be 02. Moby Dick 03. Whole Lotta Love 04. Communication Breakdown 05. Communication Breakdown (1970-09-02 Oakland Mono Source) 06. The Train Kept A-Rollin' (1970-09-02 Oakland Mono Source) 07. Blueberry Hill (1970-09-02 Oakland Mono Source) 08. Long Tall Sally (1970-09-02 Oakland Mono Source) -
Audience 7.5 A famous show, billed as “Electric Magic”, the band put on a marathon concert which is contained on these three discs…in average quality. That’s it. Legendary gig, great performance, average recording. Listen to Since I’ve Been Loving You, it will give you chills. Collectors will need this…historically huge. Led Zeppelin Empire Pool, Wembley, London, UK November 20, 1971 Disc 1 01. Introduction 02. Immigrant Song 03. Heartbreaker 04. Black Dog 05. Since I've Been Loving You 06. Rock And Roll 07. Stairway To Heaven Disc 2 01. MC 02. Going To California 03. That's The Way 04. Tangerine 05. Dazed And Confused 06. What Is And What Should Never Be 07. Celebration Day Disc 3 01. MC 02. Moby Dick 03. Whole Lotta Love -
Audience 8.4 - Not a high fidelity recording, sounding almost like an AM radio broadcast, but it gets a good sound review because it’s got clear guitar and bass (some tape hiss) and vocals are very clear. When a new tape pops up from such an early vintage you always immediately suspect it will be muddy crap so it’s a pleasant surprise to hear that it is decent. I like this show too, it’s a regular tour stop but the band is out to prove a point – and that point is that Led Zeppelin is not the only great English heavy rock band touring the States. JETHRO TULL Delaware, Selby Stadium Delaware, Ohio, USA 28-May-1970 Disc One 101 -Stage Announcement - Tune Up 102 -Nothing Is Easy 103 -My God 104 -To Cry You A Song 105 -With You There To Help Me - By Kind Permission Of 106 -Sossity, You're A Woman - Reasons For Waiting Disc Two 201 -Dharma For One -Drum Solo 202 -We Used To Know - Guitar Solo 203 -For A Thousand Mothers Line-up: Ian Anderson: voice, guitar and flute Martin Barre: guitar Glenn Cornick: bass John Evan: keyboards Clive Bunker: drums -
Audience 9.3 - A brilliant, dynamic, and exciting recording that anyone could enjoy. I mean, this sounds like it could be officially released…not 100% perfect but I would not be as thrilled about it if it was perfect. I don’t need perfection, I need a good blend of excellent audio and nice atmosphere and this tape has that. Jethro Tull Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim, CA April 6, 1977 Disc 1 01 Wondr'ing Aloud 02 Skating Away On the Thin Ice of the New Day 03 Jack-In-The-Green 04 Thick As A Brick 05 Songs From The Wood 06 Conundrum (Tour Instrumental) 07 To Cry You A Song Disc 2 08 A New Day Yesterday (incl. Bourée, Living In The Past) 09 Velvet Green 10 Hunting Girl 11 Too Old To Rock'N'Roll, Too Young To Die 12 Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Ode To Joy) 13 Minstrel In The Gallery 14 Cross-Eyed Mary 15 Aqualung 16 Guitar Solo 17 Wind-Up > Back Door Angels 19 Locomotive Breath > Dambusters March > Back-Door Angels (reprise) -
Audience 8.8 - At first my thought was that this was a recording for a broadcast because even though it sounds like an audience recording, that may just mean that the station used room mics to capture the concert. What tipped me off to the fact that this is indeed just a really good audience tape is the clapping near the mic after the songs. AC/DC Palladium, New York, NY August 24th 1977 1. -Live Wire 2. -Shes Got Balls 3. -Problem Child 4. -The Jack 5. -High Voltage 6. -Whole Lotta Rosie 7. -Baby Please Don't Go THE BAND Bon Scott lead vocals Angus Young lead guitar Malcolm Young rhythm guitar backing vocals Cliff Williams bass backing vocals Phil Rudd drums