Soundboard 9.0 - Many people who collect this band’s live recorded works would probably all agree that the 80-81 period is the least favorite, but maybe that is because they never heard this one. This is new to circulation, and it is not without flaws (a few songs fade in, and it is a touch on the “hot” side) but I think it delivers where it counts. I particularly found the drums to be emphasized in a good way, you can feel them, and therefore it lends a heavier feel to the songs, including the seldom played songs they were showcasing from the latest album.

Allman Brothers Band Bell Auditorium Augusta, GA 11/18/1981 Disc 1 1. Jessica 2. Can't Take It With You 3. Straight From The Heart 4. Blue Sky 5. Leavin' 6. Crazy Love 7. Things You Used To Do 8. Midnight Rider 9. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed 10. Need Your Love So Bad 11. Melissa Disc 2 12. Never Knew How Much (I Needed You) 13. One Way Out 14. Southbound 15. The Judgement 16. Statesboro Blues 17. Whipping Post

Audience 8,7 - A distant recording with that unmistakable large stadium natural reverb that makes you sort of imagine where you are as you listen and squint your eyes to see what Lou Reed is doing on stage.  The good news is that everything pretty much is audible, and reasonably clear too. The recording does lack some low end, but is not overly tinny, and drums/vocals are favored in the mix with guitars sort of chiming in just behind. If this wasn’t a clean/clear recording I would say there’s not much use for it but it has redeeming qualities and some charming renditions of some of his most beloved tunes.

LOU REED Stadio Partenio Avellino, Italy 16 June 1980 Disc 1 1. -Sweet Jane 2. -Real Good Time Together 3. -I'm Waiting For My Man 4. -Coney Island Baby 5. -So Alone 6. -Vicious 7. -Walk On The Wild Side 8. -Standing On The Ceremony 9. -Heroin 10. -Growing Up In Public 11. -The Kids 12. -Caroline Says II 13. -The Bed 14. -Sad Song Disc 2 15. -The Power Of Positive Drinking 16. -How Do You Speak To An Angel 17. -My Old Man 18. -Keep Away 19. -Street Hassle (with band intros) 20. -Rock and Roll 21. -Sister Ray The band: Lou Reed - vocals & guitar Stuart Heinrich - guitar Chuck Hammer - guitar Ellard "Moose" Boles - bass Michael Fonfara - keyboards Michael Suchorsky - drums

Audience 8.8 - Two sources exist for this show, this being Source #1 and a good step up from the other source. This one sounds fuller, with a rich, deep bass response (at the expense maybe of the mid/high of guitar) and also seems maybe a touch closer to the stage, so less of the boominess which is not detracting at all here even though it is obviously a large stadium.

Pink Floyd The Arms Of Vancouver Pacific National Exhibition Park Vancouver, Canada April 8th, 1975 source #1 Disc 1 1.Raving And Drooling 2. You Gotta Be Crazy 3. Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 1-5 4. Have A Cigar, Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 6-9 Disc 2 5. Speak To Me 6. Breathe 7. On The Run 8. Time 9. Breathe (Reprise) 10. The Great Gig In The Sky 11. Money 12. Us And Them 13. Any Colour You Like 14. Brain Damage 15. Eclipse Disc 3 16. audience 17. Echoes

Audience 8.8 - This is a “power” show, meaning the sound coming at you when you play this (hopefully on a decent system) is very forceful, like you really get a sense of the massive volume and power of a band in their prime. That being said, it is a different power than, say, a heavy metal band in that the sound itself is balanced to the degree you get good instrument separation. The other thing I like about this tape is the stereo pan, it’s nice when you are able to get a sense of the event in a more tangible way and this tape does deliver that effect. So, while not as clear as maybe the Radio City Music Hall show (for another example of a ’73 Aud), this recording delivers the goods and should be acquired.

Pink Floyd Maple Leaf Garden Toronto, Ontario, Canada March 11, 1973 Disc 1 01 -Echoes 02 -Obscured By Clouds 03 -When You're In 04 -Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun 05 -Cafeul With That Axe, Eugene Disc 2 01 -Speak To Me 02 -Breathe 03 -On The Run 04 -Time - Breathe (Reprise) 05 -The Great Gig In The Sky 06 -Money 07 -Us And Them 08 -Any Colour You Like 09 -Brain Damage 10 -Eclipse 11 -One Of These Days

Audience 8.7 - Brassy, loud, and guitar dominant recording that delivers where it counts and finds Rory sounding, to my ears, much more rock/metal/grunge even though he features plenty of raw, blues soaked numbers in his set. It’s just that the atmosphere and volume don’t suggest this is a “blues” band blowing through town…I just get the feeling Rory felt the times changing and adjusted accordingly. Either way you parse it, this is high-intensity music, and the recording here really manages to capture that pretty realistically.

Rory Gallagher The Stone Palo Alto, California May 17, 1985 Disc One 01 - intro - Double Vision 02 - Bad Penny 03 - band intros - Off The Handle 04 - Moonchild 05 - Hey Mama, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut 06 - I Wonder Who 07 - Tattoo'd Lady 08 - Mississippi Sheiks 09 - Big Guns Disc Two 01 - Out On The Western Plain 02 - Seven Days 03 - Philby 04 - Follow Me 05 - Shadow Play 06 - My Babe 07 - All Around Man - Bullfrog Blues - Roll Over Beethoven - Route 66 Rory Gallagher Group; May 1981 - 1991: Rory Gallagher - guitar, vocals Gerry McAvoy - bass Brendan O'Neill - drums Mark Feltham - harmonica

Soundboard/Audience matrix 8.8 - This recording is pretty clean but is just a touch…how would I say, maybe doesn’t highlight the upper high end so it almost sounds like the edges were trimmed on the rock bush. It still delivers a punch to the gut, particularly if you like your drums to rattle your insides a bit because they do here, in a good way.  Overall, this is a real fine set of tunes and is rather long and includes a pre-show interview at the end of the 3^rd disc.

Rory Gallagher Cardis Houston, Texas, U.S.A. May 26, 1985 Disc One 01 - Double Vision 02 - Moonchild 03 - I Wonder Who 04 - Shinkicker 05 - Mississippi Sheiks (with Rain) 06 - Tattoo'd Lady 07 - Off The Handle Disc Two 08 - Big Guns 09 - Failsafe Day 10 - Out On The Western Plain 11 - Seven Days 12 - Banker's Blues 13 - Philby Disc Three 14 - Bought And Sold 15 - Shadow Play 16 - Bullfrog Blues 17 - Sweet Little Sixteen 18 - Nadine (encore audience cheering) 19 - Messin' With The Kid 20 - All Around Man 21 - Interview by FG (Pre-Show)

Soundboard 9.7 - A fantastic live document! I especially love how it was mixed, it has a very classic feel and seems drenched in sleazy nightclub atmosphere that puts you, mentally, in the right place for Boz Scaggs music. Awesome!

Boz Scaggs Richards Cafe Atlanta, GA. 1973 Disc One 1. We Were Always Sweethearts 2. Sail On White Moon 3. Might Have to Cry 4. Runnin' Blue 5. Monkey Time 6. I'm Easy 7. Painted Bells 8. Downright Woman 9. Full Lock Powerslide 10. Dinah Flo Disc Two 11. Feel So Good 12. Mercury Blues 13. Slow Dancer 14. You're Mine 15. Hercules 16. Loan Me A Dime

Audience 8.9 - A recording that seems to “rise above” the din because literally it sounds like the mic was over the crowd. It makes for a more immersive experience, and the fact that the dynamics are good and the sound is clear…well it just goes to prove once again that a well made audience tape is more than welcome in any real live music collection.

David Gilmour Beacon Theatre New York City, NY May 23, 1984 Disc 1 01 Until We Sleep 02 All Lovers Are Deranged 03 Love On The Air 04 Mihalis 05 Cruise 06 Short And Sweet 07 Money 08 Out Of The Blue Disc 2 09 Let's Get Metaphysical 10 You Know I'm Right 11 Run Like Hell 12 Blue Light 13 Band Introduction 14 Murder 15 Near The End 16 Comfortably Numb