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Audience 8.4 - A weird sound mix on this show, the kick drum is up front, and then vocals, with an indistinct full band behind it all. A recording that lacks a lot of mid range kick, so an EQ boost in that range would help a lot. That all being said, it seems taper did eventually move to a better spot because it gets clearer as it goes, and Frank’s guitar does shine at many intervals as well. Note: Also features a pre show interview with Frank on WGRQ 97 Rock. -
Audience 8.8 - Someone did their homework on how to capture a great sound on their recording device. Guitar especially, very defined and crisp. Drums are somewhat behind the action but everything is still clearly heard. Good job! -
CD 1 - Audience 8.7 - A good and vibrant sound with maybe a touch of tape noise, but not enough of it to ruin the experience at all. CD 2 - Audience 9.1 - A much crisper and clearer tape than the first set, Both are highly enjoyable, the second set is really well done! -
CD 1 - Chicago 1973 - Audience 8.2 (10-31-73) ~ Halloween CD 2 - NYC 1973 - Audience 8.6 (11-4-73) -
Early Show Audience 8.8 - Not to be confused with another Chicago ’81, this is from the Uptown Theatre on November 27th, and it’s relatively new to circulation. The sound quality is very good, with especially nice meatiness on drums, and a close, warm guitar tone and presence which makes this one to have in the collection.
Late Show Audience 8.8 - Very similar to the early show, maybe just a touch less defined due to being in a different spot, but at times it’s also just a touch clearer – so this leads me to believe it’s just a matter of where the microphone is at any given time. Must have been a good recorder though, because the sound is good on the low end and the mids, and highs are not excessive but rather kind of toned down in a good way. It’s the kind of recording that you can turn up real loud.
Frank Zappa Chicago 1981
Disc 1 Uptown Theatre Chicago, IL. 11-27-1981 Early show 1. -Treacherous Cretins 2. -Cosmik Debris 3. -You Are What You Is 4. -Mudd Club 5. -The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing 6. -A Pound For A Brown 7. -The Dangerous Kitchen 8. -The Blue Light 9. -Sinister Footwear 10. -Stevie's Spanking 11. -Cocaine Decisions Disc 2 12. -Nig Biz 13. -Tinsel Town Rebellion 14. -Alien Orifice 15. -Teenage Prostitute 16. -Flakes 17. -Broken Hearts Are For Assholes 18. -Yo' Mama 19. -Joe's Garage 20. -Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? 21. -The Closer You Are 22. -City Of Tiny Lights Disc 3 Uptown Theatre Chicago, IL. 11-27-1981 Late show 1. -Zoot Allures 2. -Montana 3. -Easy Meat 4. -Fine Girl 5. -Teenage Wind 6. -Harder Than Your Husband 7. -Bamboozled By Love 8. -King Kong (q: Rite Of Spring) 9. -Sharleena (q: Little Drummer Boy) Disc 4 10. -Drowning Witch 11. -What's New In Baltimore? 12. -Moggio 13. -Dumb All Over 14. -Goblin Girl 15. -The Black Page (q: Fernando) 16. -Strictly Genteel
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Early Show - Audience 8.8 - Superb for an audience tape really, the only real flaws are some lack of low end depth and instrument separation but it’s not a deal breaker at all. Late Show - Soundboard 9.7 - So good, I mean it is as if they recorded it for official release. Great mix, great fidelity. -
Audience 9.0 - This is the first of 2 nights at the Auditorium in Chicago (3-3-88). Sting (The Police) does a song with Frank (Murder by Numbers) which makes for an added, rare surprise. -
Audience 9.3 - This is the second night at the Auditorium in Chicago (3-4-88). -
Audience 9.0 - Two songs from this show are included on the rare "As An Am" release. -
Audience 8.7 - A good, solid audience tape that has been remastered nicely to showcase what was already decent sound, bringing out the life and helping with some clarity. You can tell there was once some tape noise or background noise once but this sounds really good now. From what I understand, it is a very rare tape. -
Audience 8.4 - Using a master tape source, this show has been remastered to reveal what is a very decent recording with flaws. There are occasional hiccups throughout mainly the 1st half then it evens out, but even those have been carefully edited for a smoother flow. Overall this is a great find, a band that seems to be enjoying every performance and especially when it is time to improvise. -
Audience 8.7 - Every audience tape has a certain unique “timbre” to it, a quality hard to define – it encompasses distance from source, surrounding ambience, equalization, harmonics, and more. So, this recording is what I would call “very good” but different than other 88 Euro Zappa tapes in timbre. I find this one leaning too far in upper mid band and treble, not irritatingly, but wanted more bottom end. My ears were telling me that is what it wanted…yours may not it is all very subjective. It’s a good recording though. Frank Zappa 19880425 Copenhagen, Denmark Falkoner Theater Set 1: 01. Heavy Duty Judy 03:49 02. band introductions 02:04 03. Packard Goose > 07:41 04. Alien Orifice > 04:19 05. When The Lie's So Big > 03:42 06. Planet Of The Baritone Women > 02:45 07. Any Kind Of Pain > 06:13 08. Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk > 07:30 09. Texas Motel Medley > 09:10 10. Sofa 02:57 01. Torture Never Stops Medley > 19:49 Set 2: 02. Find Her Finer > 02:44 03. Big Swifty > 16:23 04. Bamboozled By Love 06:23 05. Bolero 05:28 06. Peaches En Regalia > 02:58 07. Stairway To Heaven 09:07 Encore: 08. Mr. Green Genes > 03:58 09. Florentine Pogen > 06:40 10. Andy 05:38 11. Inca Roads 09:32 ________ 02:18:49 -
CD 1 - Studio 8.8 - Some tape hiss present and the music can get a little bunched up when at full blast but this is a good and lively recording nonetheless. CD 2 - Studio 8.6 - Some tape hiss and mildly compressed but overall should make for a fun listen as the material is certainly more fleshed out here as opposed to disc one where songs are being dissected and worked on. * Bonus: The live bonus tracks sound great! -
Audience 8.8 - A tape that showcases a great guitar tone that soars above the audience with a nice biting attack. The rest of the music is slightly behind it and not as clear but whoa when the guitar is jamming this one RULES! Get it! -
Soundboard 9.5 - A great addition to anyone's collection. It features Steve Vai on guitar, who was part of Franks "Rockin' Teenage Combo" from approx 1980 - 82. -
Audience 8.7 - Hard to believe recordings keep turning up so many decades after the fact. Here’s one from Pirates World in Dania, FL. And it sounds pretty good! Frank Zappa 1973 03 03 Pirates World, Dania FL Lineup: FZ, Jean-Luc Ponty, Ian Underwood, Bruce Fowler, Ruth Underwood, George Duke, Tom Fowler, Ralph Humphrey Disc 1 01 intros 02 RDNZL 03 preamble 04 Exercise Four Dog Meat 05 Fifty Fifty 06 Inca Roads 07 Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus 08 preamble 09 Cosmik Debris 10 preamble 11 Be Bop Tango Disc 2 12 preamble 13 Montana 14 Dupree’s Paradise 15 I’m The Slime 16 Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing 17 Mr. Green Genes King Kong Chunga’s Revenge -
CD 1 - Detroit 1968 / CD 2 - Denver 1968 ..... Both Audience 9.0 -
Soundboard 9.7 - GREAT mix here, very bright and lively recording that will please everyone. -
Audience 9.4 - I love these tapes that make you feel you are in very small area with the band, like sitting at a little table having a cocktail as the band plays just feet in front of you. That is what this tape feels like, and the separation of instruments is delicious, with your ear hearing this show as if you were right there (meaning there is a stereo separation going on, a real one). So buckle up, because you are going to feel as though your actually at this show, it’s that good.
Frank Zappa Dortmund, Germany 5 May 1988 Disc 1 01. Instruments Check (1:07) 02. Intro (1:08) 03. The Black Page #2 (7:03) 04. Band Introductions (2:00) 05. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing (3:08) 06. Alien Orifice (4:23) 07. Who Needs The Peace Corps (2:47) 08. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (0:36) 09. Outside Now (7:10) 10. Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue (7:59) 11. Bamboozled By Love (5:26) 12. Zoot Allures (6:25) 13. Cosmik Debris (4:51) 14. Stolen Moments (10:10) 15. Stick Together (1:54) Disc 2 16. My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama (3:38) 17. Willie The Pimp (2:58) 18. Montana (4:05) 19. City Of Tiny Lights (10:07) 20. Pound For A Brown (11:30) 21. Cruising For Burgers (9:19) 22. Instruments Check (0:25) 23. Dancin' Fool (3:29) 24. Whippin' Post (5:47) 25. I Am The Walrus (3:46) 26. Strictly Genteel (6:25) 27. Watermelon In Easter Hay (5:43)
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Audience 8.5 - Despite being a clean recording (probably from a master), this is captured from possibly middle of venue meaning it does sound a little distant (vocals are the giveaway). At times, it sounds like the tapers try to adjust their position and the sound gets fuller, although the music is still kind of blended together and you don’t get distinct guitar notes, even though you get the overall impact of guitar – now solos are a different thing, because those seem to soar above it all and are actually much clearer and more present in the mix. Frank Zappa 19820508 Drammen, Norway Drammenshallen Disc 1 01. -Tuning 02:01 02. -Treacherous Cretins 04:47 03. -Band Introductions 00:56 04. -Society Pages 02:30 05. -I'm A Beautiful Guy 01:52 06. -Beauty Knows No Pain 02:48 07. -Charlie's Enormous Mouth 03:34 08. -Fine Girl 03:11 09. -City Of Tiny Lites 09:22 10. -Harder Than Your Husband 02:35 11. -Bamboozled By Love 06:24 12. -Let's Move To Cleveland 05:58 13. -Tinsel Town Rebellion 04:19 14. -Sinister Footwear 07:53 Disc 2 15. -Stevie's Spanking 07:18 16. -Cocaine Decisions 04:00 17. -Nig Biz 05:24 18. -Disco Boy 03:08 19. -Teenage Wind 02:34 20. -Truck Driver Divorce 05:32 21. -Tell Me You Love Me 01:37 22. -crowd noise 01:50 23. -banter 00:47 24. -Strictly Genteel 06:16 25. -crowd noise 01:43 26. -banter 00:36 27. -No No Cherry 01:55 28. -The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou 03:33 29. -crowd noise 01:12 30. -banter 00:39 31. -Bobby Brown 02:41 32. -Zomby Woof 04:58 ________ 01:53:53 -
Audience 8.8 -
Soundboard 9.0 -
Soundboard 8.9 - Includes Mystery Tracks -
Soundboard 9.6 -
Audience 8.2 - I’m probably being overly critical, I find this tape on the “harsh” side, meaning it is strong in the higher end, almost brittle. The good news is that having all your highs intact you can add filters and EQ and season to taste without losing anything in the process. -
This set contains both shows recorded on Halloween night at the Felt Forum in NYC back in 1974. Early Show - Audience 8.5 - Right in the middle of the road, its good, not great. Late Show - Audience 8.9 - The only way I can explain this tape is that it starts off similar to the early show and at some point the taper moves to a hotter spot and the tape explodes with Frank’s amazing guitar right in your face. Even Frank himself makes a comment about his incendiary guitar work, I won’t spoil it though. -
Audience 8.8 - Another great Halloween show at the Felt Forum in NYC. This was Franks favorite Holiday and so I think he always enjoyed playing at his best and with the help of whatever line up he chose to have, the performance was always top notch. -
Audience 8.2 (both shows) -
Audience/Soundboard 8.5-9.0 - A composite of shows from different locations, all from 1984; NYC, Kansas City, and Seattle (see back cover). -
Audience 8.7 - 9.2 - Compilation of 5 shows, all from 1988 (see back cover) -
Audience 8.6 -
Soundboard 9.2 - Super clean if just a tiny little bit of over-driving happening in the extreme lows, which will probably be cool if you are playing through a very high end system that can filter that out a little. It’s not a real “spacious” board but 90% of the time board feeds are not going to be very atmospheric. -
Soundboard 8.6 -
Audience 8.5 - A legendary vinyl boot back in the day, this comes from a tape source and features a good recording capturing all the action in reasonable clarity and fidelity. A really fine set too! -
Audience 8.8 -
Audience 9.3 - This recording has excellent timbre, it’s pleasing to the ears with a great balance of low and high, the highs are very articulate, impressively so. It’s a very very good recording and will be enjoyed immensely. Frank Zappa 6-May 1988, Congress Centrum Hamburg, Hamburg, West Germany Frank Zappa's Band: Paul Carman - alto saxophone Bruce Fowler - trombone Walt Fowler - trumpet Mike Keneally - guitar, keyboards, vocals Ed Mann - percussion Robert Martin - keyboards, vocals Kurt McGettrick - baritone saxophone Scott Thunes - bass Chad Wackerman - drums Ike Willis - guitar, vocals Albert Wing - tenor saxophone Frank Zappa - guitar, vocals Setlist: Disc 1 00 Taper Intro [0:24] 01 Black Page #2 [9:24] 02 Mr. Green Genes [3:46] 03 Florentine Pogen [7:18] 04 Andy [5:53] 05 Inca Roads [9:17] 06 Eat That Question [1:53] 07 Black Napkins [7:50] 08 Sharleena [8:09] 09 Dupree's Paradise [4:14] 10 Let's Move To Cleveland [9:36] 11 Ain't Got No Heart [1:59] 12 Find Her Finer [2:43] Disc 2 13 Big Swifty [14:21] 14 Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up [3:14] 15 Orange County Lumber Truck Medley [10:25] 16 Stairway To Heaven [10:02] 17 The Torture Never Stops Medley [20:01] 18 I Am The Walrus [3:51] 19 The Illinois Enema Bandit [9:40] 20 Bolero [6:21] Total time 150.21 min -
Audience 9.4 - This to me is what keeps me in the game. When I thought I had every 79 show (my favorite period) and this comes along…and….it…smokes…everything! Maybe not a perfect score in the audio dept. which by the way it is excellent (a little pegging of the meters when the band is in full on rage but it’s minor, a minor issue) but it delivers in just about every possible way. Frank’s playing is off the charts and his tone is evil. He sounds relaxed, and satisfied – all is going well. Maybe he forgot about this gig a day or two later, but I can’t get the CD out of my player (and not because it is stuck!). This just rules. Period. Frank Zappa 1979-03-26 Hannover, Germany Eilenriedhalle Disc 1 01. Persona Non Grata 09:37 02. Dead Girls Of London 02:27 03. I Ain't Got No Heart 02:05 04. Brown Shoes Don't Make It 06:57 05. Cosmik Debris 03:56 06. Tryin' To Grow A Chin 03:21 07. City Of Tiny Lites 10:07 08. Dancin' Fool 03:15 09. Easy Meat 04:25 10. Jumbo Go Away 04:57 Disc 2 11. Andy 05:18 12. Inca Roads 09:23 13. Florentine Pogen 05:08 14. Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me? 04:20 15. Keep It Greasey 03:23 16. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing 03:21 17. King Kong 17:08 Encore: 18. Montana 05:10 19. Dirty Love 04:14 ________ 01:48:32 -
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! -
Audience 9.1 - Both shows are excellent, Zappa seemed to be in a very good mood, even extending the first night’s show length to accommodate late arrivals. Very cool. I think these are some of the best of the US leg of the ’88 tour. Frank Zappa Bushnell Memorial Hall Hartford, CT. February 16, 1988 Disc 1 1. The Black Page 2. Band Intro 3. Frank Speaks Out 4. Dickie's Such an Asshole 5. When the Lie's So Big 6. Planet of the Baritone Women 7. Any Kind of Pain 8. Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk 9. Trouble Every Day 10. Penguin in Bondage 11. Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel 12. The Orange County Lumber Truck Medley Disc 2 1. Frank Talks 2. What's New in Baltimore 3. Packard Goose Medley 4. Inca Roads 5. Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up 6. Happy Birthday to You 7. Who Needs the Peace Corps 8. King Kong 9. Stairway to Heaven 10. I Am the Walrus 11. Sofa 12. Cruising for Burgers Frank Zappa Bushnell Memorial Hall Hartford, CT. February 17, 1988 Disc 3 1. Frank Speaks 2. Stink-Foot 3. Band Intro 4. We're Turning Again 5. Alien Orifice 6. Why Don't You Like Me - Bacon Fat - Stolen Moments 7. Montana 8. City of Tiny Lites 9. A Pound for a Brown on the Bus 10. Cosmik Debris Disc 4 1. Packard Goose Medley 2. I Ain't Got No Heart 3. Love of My Life 4. Any Kind of Pain 5. The Torture Never Stops 6. Joe's Garage 7. Why Does it Hurt When I Pee 8. Watermelon in Easter Hay 9. Peaches en Regalia 10. Eat That Question 11. Black Napkins -
Audience 9.1 - This recording is very very clean, and there is a ton of headroom where literally you can turn the volume all the way up and still get a very clean sound. There almost needs to be more mid punch, and at times, probably in sections that have been patched with a different source, there is a noticeable increase in volume/mid band. This could also be something with the taper, I do not know. Either way this recording is pretty damn good. Frank Zappa 1988-04-29 Helsinki, Finland Jäähalli Set 1: 01. tuning 00:50 02. The Black Page #2 > 07:05 03. band introductions 01:08 04. More Trouble Every Day > 04:57 05. Penguin In Bondage > 05:05 06. Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel > 07:03 07. What's New In Baltimore? > 04:20 08. Sinister Footwear > 07:00 09. Packard Goose 07:31 10. Big Swifty > 09:58 11. Who Needs The Peace Corps? > 03:11 12. Orange County Lumber Truck Medley > 11:10 13. Find Her Finer > 02:49 14. Mr. Green Genes > 03:52 15. Florentine Pogen > 07:14 16. Andy > 05:42 17. Inca Roads > 09:48 18. Sofa 04:27 19. Dancin' Fool > 03:49 20. Whipping Post > 05:33 21. I Am The Walrus > 03:43 22. The Illinois Enema Bandit 09:38 23. Bolero 07:10 24. Stairway To Heaven 09:23 ________ 02:22:26 Bonus Disc 1. Interview 2. Press Conference -
Audience 8.2 -
Sale!
Audio - Excellent! - Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany (April 14, 1988) This is the first of 4 shows recorded in Germany during the 1988 Tour. The sought after, complete set (all 4 shows) as well as each individual show is extremely rare and a must have. You can also purchase all 4 shows together as a complete set for a slight savings. -
Sale!
Audio - Excellent! * Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany (April 14, 1988) * Carl-Diem-Halle, Wurzburg, Germany (April 22, 1988) * Rudi-Sedimayer-Halle, Munchen, Germany (May 9, 1988) * Mozartsaal, Mannheim, Germany (May 25, 1988) This sought after, complete set (all 4 shows) is extremely rare and a must have. You can also purchase each show individually.
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Sale!
Audio - Excellent! - Mozartsaal, Mannheim, Germany (May 25, 1988) This is the fourth of 4 shows recorded in Germany during the 1988 Tour. The sought after, complete set (all 4 shows) as well as each individual show is extremely rare and a must have. You can also purchase all 4 shows together as a complete set for a slight savings. -
Sale!
Audio - Excellent! - Rudi-Diem-Halle, Munchen, Germany (May 9, 1988) This is the third of 4 shows recorded in Germany during the 1988 Tour. The sought after, complete set (all 4 shows) as well as each individual show is extremely rare and a must have. You can also purchase all 4 shows together as a complete set for a slight savings. -
Sale!
Audio - Excellent! - Carl-Diem Halle, Wurzburg, Germany (April 22, 1988) This is the second of 4 shows recorded in Germany during the 1988 Tour. The sought after, complete set (all 4 shows) as well as each individual show is extremely rare and a must have. You can also purchase all 4 shows together as a complete set for a slight savings. -
Audience 8.9 -
Audience 8.3