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Audience 8.9 - A fine recording that seems to originate from John’s side of the stage because guitar, while there, is kind of behind the action which allows you to pay attention to the bass work, and really will surprise you just how much of a second guitar that bass was at times. I also like the slight change of "Can’t Explain" they do here – this is a great show. This is also a very good recording so get it!
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Audience 8.8 - It’s hard to express exactly what makes a particular recording or gig special, mainly because it is all very subjective. But, I have been collecting music since 1982, so I feel I have earned some credibility ha ha! So let me tell you why this one is special. Placed right in front of the main P.A. speakers, this sound is brutal. Sure, the first 45 seconds are a mess, but it gets better, and man, is this a rocking good time! The sound is ferocious, threatening at any moment to destroy the tape completely, but it doesn’t. It’s hot, it’s loud, but it’s also very real, as if happening at the very moment you are hearing it. The Who in 1970, in Detroit (Rock City!), playing Tommy (and other great tracks) in front of an appreciative audience (without incident!). Everyone sounds great here, and you have a front row seat. MAGIC! The Who Cobo Arena Detroit, MI. 1970-07-05 Disc 1 01. Intro 02. Heaven & Hell 03. I Can't Explain 04. Water 05. I Don't Even Know Myself 06. Young Man Blues 07. Overture 08. It's a Boy 09. 1921 10. Amazing Journey 11. Underture 12. Sparks 13. Eyesight to the Blind Disc 2 14. Christmas 15. The Acid Queen 16. Pinball Wizard 17. Do You Think it's Alright 18. Fiddle About 19. Tommy Can You Hear Me 20. There's a Doctor 21. Go to the Mirror 22. Smash the Mirror 23. Miracle Cure 24. I'm Free 25. Tommy's Holiday Camp 26. We're Not Gonna Take It 27. Summertime Blues 28. Shakin' All Over 29. My Generation
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Audience 8.5 - If you call yourself a fan of The Who and you do not have this yet, just put down the sandwich and get this one right now. Holy guacamole Batman this friggin’ RULES! Is it perfect? Nope. Is it crystal clear? No, but it is RIGHT smack dab in your face with LOADS of electric atmosphere. Even the excited shrieks of the girls will give your spine a little tingle. This is what collecting live music is all about. Soundboard purists will be missing something amazing if they never give this rough, not so perfect audience recording a listen. This is The Who raw, live, intense, and exciting and it simply will fry your brain!
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CD 1-2 - Audience 8.7 - Most Who collectors may already be familiar with this set, sounds like a good tape source is used and it is complete (hence the title) . But wait a minute – we have the second show now too – how is it? CD 3-4 - Audience 8.2 - Somebody tried heroically to remaster this and I have to say, knowing what it used to sound like, they did a great job. Still some noise artifacts present, but man they did bring out a LOT from this unappreciated recording. Kudos to the sound guy! Worth having this set now.
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Sale!Audience 7.9 - The only thing that stops this recording from shining bright is the low end. It’s a thunderous low end, a roaring train, but it’s probably what the gig sounded like too. So, it’s not that it’s ruined, but that you should roll off the bass a little if you have an EQ, and then you’ll have something much better to listen to. A good recording – with loads of bass!
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Audience 8.8 - This is a significant recording mainly from a historical sense, but for all the wrong reasons too. Yes it is the infamous gig where 11 people died outside the venue waiting to get in. The band were not informed until after the show, so they play their set oblivious, and it is a fine set. It’s eerie now to hear this knowing what transpired earlier, thankfully it is actually a very fine recording. This is one of those things I have to encourage everyone to check out for all the RIGHT reasons though…but yeah there’s that.
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Soundboard 9.6 - This rating reflects what I feel about this recording in the way that the guitar and bass come across in the mix. So, what you get is a well rounded, brassy bass sound that is articulate and not lost in the low end wastelands or overshadowed by Pete. It sounds like two guitar players playing in perfect harmony, and a lot of Who recordings you do not get that effect so much as just a wall of power and volume. This one is just so good in that sense and deserves a special acknowledgement.
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Audience 7.1 - Another upper mid band to high range tape in a one dimensional spectrum, guitars kind of low, Roger is up front followed by The Ox, and Keith brings up the back. Not horrible, not great. If you turn up the volume and add some mid boost it would help a lot, because the instruments are all there, as is Roger. It is not a goopy mess.