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Audience 8.7 - One of those tapes that you have to force yourself past the first song which gets mauled as the taper seemingly works to find his spot and get all his shit together…but then it just opens up to a much better experience. It kind of feels like going from the mud puddle to a waterfall, but in reality the tape is still only a little above average – but muddy it is not and that is great news to Van Halen collectors who seek every DLR recording in existence. Van Halen Rosemont Horizon Chicago, IL. 1984-03-13 Disc 1 01. -Unchained 02. -Hot For Teacher 03. -Drum Solo 04. -On Fire 05. -Running With The Devil 06. -Little Guitars 07. -Cathedral 08. -House Of Pain 09. -Bass Solo 10. -Jamie's Crying 11. -I'll Wait 12. -Keyboard Solo Disc 2 13. -Everybody Wants Some 14. -Girl Gone Bad 15. -1984 16. -Jump 17. -Guitar Solo 18. -Oh, Pretty Woman 19. -Panama 20. -You Really Got Me 21. -Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love -
FM Broadcast 9.4 - Brilliant quality, and that is great because this band was just reaching their zenith around this time with the release of their FM radio optimized masterpiece Lovedrive. The Scorpions ChicagoFest, Navy Pier Chicago, IL. June 8, 1979 1. Pictured Life 2. Backstage Queen 3. We'll Burn The Sky 4. Loving You Sunday Morning 5. Lovedrive 6. In Trance 7. Always Somewhere 8. Life's Like A River 9. Fly To The Rainbow 10. He's A Woman, She's A Man 11. Another Piece Of Meat 12. Top Of The Bill 13. Robot Man 14. Steamrock Fever -
Audience 8.8 – This is NOT the Monsters of Rock show, it’s actually the last DLR (classic era) show and it’s pretty good! It’s not super close up or terribly far from stage, seems to be in a nice spot and everything is clear with decent dynamics. Now, it’s a recording from a rowdy crowd but even with that I felt they did not ruin this or intrude unnecessarily – in fact it seemed they wanted to listen to the band and not hold conversations or stupid hooting and whistling during songs. Fantastic! Van Halen Stadion am Dutzendteich Nurnberg, Germany 1984-09-02 Disc 1 01. -Unchained 02. -Hot For Teacher 03. -Drum Solo 04. -On Fire 05. -Running With The Devil 06. -Little Guitars 07. -House Of Pain 08. -Bass Solo 09. -I’ll Wait 10. -Everybody Wants Some Disc 2 11. -Oh, Pretty Woman 12. -1984 13. -Jump 14. -Guitar Solo 15. -Panama 16. -You Really Got Me 17. -Happy Trails – You Really Got Me (reprise) Disc 3 Single cam (on stage) video w/sound. DVD -
Studio 8.8 - This is a band recorded project obviously. Like it was done on a boom box, but a good boom box because you can just tell it was loud in the room and it’s not ideal but it gets the job done. So, it’s a tad overdriven in a good way – raw, and loud, and VAN HALEN in about as real a way as it could be. Very fun to listen to and classic fly on the wall stuff. VAN HALEN 1979 Tour Rehearsals 1 -Running with the devil 2 -On Fire 3 -Bass 4 -Your No Good 5 -Talking 6 -Bass - Drums 7 -Bright lights Big City 8 -Somebody get Me a Doctor 9 -Light up the Sky 10 -Dave Talks 11 -Dance the Night Away 12 -Beautiful Girls 13 -Eddie Guitar Solo Jam - Sound Check 14 -Eddie Acoustic Jam Home Demo 15 -Bass and Drums 1 16 -Bass And Drums 2 17 -Bass And Drums 3 18 -Bass And Drums 4 19 -Bass And Drums 5 -
Audience 9.6 - After allowing the soundman to adjust during the first few minutes of the show, what you soon will discover is that this is one of the best ’77 shows ever. Not just for sound quality, but performance. Just amazing in every way…and an absolute must have.
Yes The Forum Inglewood, CA September 24, 1977 Disc 1 01 Firebird Suite 02 Parallels 03 I've Seen All Good People 04 Close To The Edge 05 Wonderous Stories 06 Colours Of The Rainbow 07 Turn Of The Century 08 Tour Song Disc 2 09 And You And I 10 Going For The One 11 Flight Jam 12 Awaken 13 Starship Trooper 14 Roundabout -
Soundboard 9.7 - I give this a stellar and glowing review and consider it an absolute must have for any self-respecting ACDC….no, wait, any self-respecting rock music fan. Why? Because, even though the old tape has an occasional drop out (rarely), it is so fucking electrifying, exciting, and pure that you can’t help but bang your head to it…the entire show! The combination of the superb live mix that maintains 100% live energy, there’s no mixing the life out of this bad boy, and the amazing performance all contribute to must have status. I love how I can hear Malcolm so distinctly, and even the bass notes come through…but the drums, that insistent rat a tat snare just makes this tape a winner bar-none. The bonus concert on disc two is also a board tape, and it has a different feel to it but it is also amazing. Get it man!
ACDC Austin, Texas, USA Erwin Centre October 11, 1985 *Bonus Tracks: Dallas, Texas, USA Reunion Arena October 12, 1985 Disc 1 01 Fly On The Wall 02 Back In Black 03 Shake Your Foundations 04 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap 05 You Shook Me All Night Long 06 Sin City 07 Jailbreak 08 The Jack 09 Shoot To Thrill 10 Highway To Hell 11 Sink The Pink 12 Whole Lotta Rosie Disc 2 01 Let There Be Rock 02 Hells Bells 03 T.N.T. 04 For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) 05 Back In Black * 06 Shake Your Foundations * 07 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap * 08 You Shook me All Night Long * 09 The Jack * 10 Shoot To Thrill * 11 Sink The Pink * 12 Let There Be Rock * 13 T.N.T. *
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Soundboard 9.5 - Wow! Man, this is totally unexpected and will brighten your day (week, or month even!) like nothing else. A brand new discovery and it's a one/two punch with back to back soundboard recordings of Diver Down tour Van Halen, a tour that previously featured a measley two board tapes in existence. Well, it's not a perfect score, but the imperfections are a tiny price to pay for the glorious sounds present here! Each tape in slightly incomplete, but in places that the other show fills in so you end up hearing the music that makes up a complete Diver Down tour setlist. Basically, the sound engineer most likely had to stop rolling in certain spots in order to make tape changes, but all you have to do is look at each nights set list to see how it shakes out, and, thankfully some good editing has smoothed over some of the stops. As I listened, if I hadn't known there were cuts, I probably would not have been the wiser, basically unless you know where the cuts are you won't notice. But, the SOUND man! The sound is great, I really get to hear Michael Anthony's articulate bass playing, and he's all over the place with fills and runs! You kind of lose that detail in most Van Halen recordings. Eddie is just lighting it up as always, but it sounds especially amazing on these two tapes. The interplay is magic, I don't care if the band had their shortcomings personally, with each other, with whoever, it doesn't show on stage. Somebody get me a doctor, I just got double dosed with prime era Van halen soundboards I've never heard before! What an unbelievable find.
Van Halen The Centrum Worcester, Massachusetts 22 October 1982 Disc 1 01 Intro 02 Romeo Delight 03 Unchained 04 Drum Solo 05 The Full Bug 06 Runnin' With The Devil 07 Jamie's Cryin' 08 Little Guitars 09 Where Have All The Good Times Gone! 10 Bass Solo 11 Hang 'Em High 12 Cathedral 13 Secrets Disc 2 14 Drum Solo II 15 Everybody Wants Some!! - Dave Talks 16 Everybody Wants Some!! (Reprise) 17 Dance The Night Away 18 Somebody Get Me A Doctor - I'm So Glad 19 Dave Acoustic Solo 20 Pretty Woman 21 Guitar Solo 22 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love 23 You Really Got Me Disc 3 The Centrum Worcester, Massachusetts 24 October 1982 Disc 3 01 Intro 02 Romeo Delight 03 Unchained 04 Drum Solo 05 The Full Bug 06 Runnin' With The Devil 07 Jamie's Cryin' 08 Little Guitars 09 Where Have All The Good Times Gone! 10 Bass Solo 11 Hang 'Em High 12 Cathedral 13 Secrets Disc 4 14 Drum Solo II 15 Everybody Wants Some!! - Dave Talks - Everybody Wants Some!! (Reprise) 16 Dance The Night Away 17 Somebody Get Me A Doctor - I'm So Glad 18 Guitar Solo 19 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love 20 Bottoms Up! 21 You Really Got Me 22 Happy Trails 23 You Really Got Me (Reprise) -
Montreal Audience 8.9 - One of the very best audience recordings from this tour, and ad to that the fact that this is sourced directly from a new 24/96 transfer and has been remastered (16/44) and has never sounded better. Toronto Soundboard 9.4 - another recently discovered (and rare as hen's teeth) board tape from a tour that did not see many board tapes. So, it's not just that it has taken decades for this to be discovered, but that it is an outstanding board tape...it's just too unbelievable to fathom how suddenly there now appears three 1982 soundboards from out of nowhere.
Van Halen Montreal Forum Montreal, Quebec, Canada 27. October 1982 Disc 1 01. Intro 02. Romeo Delight 03. Unchained 04. Drum Solo 05. The Full Bug 06. Runnin' With The Devil 07. Jamie's Cryin' 09. Where Have All The Good Times Gone! 10. Bass Solo 11. Hang 'Em High 12. Cathedral 13. Secrets 14. Drum Solo II 15. Everybody Wants Some!! 16. Dave's Talking 17. Everybody Wants Some!! (Reprise) Disc 2 18. Dance The Night Away 19. Somebody Get Me A Doctor (incl. I'm So Glad) 20. Ice Cream Man 21. Intruder 22. Oh, Pretty Woman 23. Guitar Solo 24. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love 25. Bottoms Up! 26. You Really Got Me 27. Happy Trails 28. You Really Got Me (Reprise) 29. CHOM FM Radio Advert Disc 3 Van Halen Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Ontario 26 October 1982 01 Intro 02 Romeo Delight 03 Unchained 04 Drum Solo 05 The Full Bug 06 Runnin' With The Devil 07 Jamie's Cryin' 08 Little Guitars 09 Where Have All The Good Times Gone! 10 Bass Solo 11 Hang 'Em High 12 Cathedral 13 Secrets 14 Drum Solo II 15 Everybody Wants Some!! 16 Everybody Wants Some!! (Reprise) Disc 4 17 Dance The Night Away 18 Somebody Get Me A Doctor - I'm So Glad 19 Dave Acoustic Solo 20 Intruder 21 Pretty Woman 22 Guitar Solo 23 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love 24 Bottoms Up! 25 You Really Got Me 26 Happy Trails 27 You Really Got Me (Reprise) -
Soundboard 9.3 - What you would expect from a direct to tape from the mixing console recording. It's super clear and clean and every instrument in a place where it's easily distinguishable, but don't assume it's just a dry, lifeless thing 'cause it ain't. It's not mixed for a release of any kind, but as a reference, so there's nothing to tame the Wildman when he's on the microphone - and that's the life of the party right there. Ted Nugent LIVE 1980 VOLUME 1 Municipal Coliseum Lubbock, Texas April 11th, 1980 Disc 1 01 Intro 02 Motor City Madhouse 03 Stormtroopin' 04 Free For All 05 Wango Tango 06 Just What The Doctor Ordered 07 Cat Scratch Fever 08 I Gotta Move 09 Hard As Nails Disc 2 10 Ted Talking 11 Dog Eat Dog 12 Lubbock Texas Shuffle 13 Ted Talking 14 Wang Dang Sweet Poontang - TNT Overture 15 Great White Buffalo 16 Stranglehold -
Pro Audience 9.1 - More than likely this was recorded for broadcast, but it's not a soundboard, or, perhaps it is a close/distance mic'd job because it is definitely not from the audience. It's probably a stage mic placement, that is about all I can decipher because while it is not quite up to prime time for a pristine radio broadcast, it is the next best thing in that you get more atmospherics than a straight board recording. Ted Nugent LIVE 1980 VOLUME 2 Providence Civic Center Arena Providence, Rhode Island September 30, 1980 Disc 1 01. Stage Announcements 02. Lone Wolf Entrance 03. Motor City Madhouse 04. Scream Dream 05. Just What The Doctor Ordered 06. Hard As Nails 07. I Gotta Move 08. Free For All 09. Paralyzed 10. I Take No Prisoners 11. I Am a Predator Disc 2 01. Jailbait 02. My Love Is Like a Tire Iron 03. The Flying Lip Lock 04. Wango Tango 05. Cat Scratch Fever 06. Land of a Thousand Dances 07. Wang Dang Sweet Poontang (with Flesh & Blood, Hibernation, Migration, The TNT Overture, Wang Dang Reprise) Band members: Ted Nugent - lead vocals, lead guitar Charlie Huhn - lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar Dave Kiswiney - bass, backing vocals Cliff Davies - drums, percussion, backing vocals, producer -
Soundboard 8.8 - a rather dusty old tape but oh how glorious it is! So many years later and this unpolished gem finally surfaces! You can tell it's age, sure, but the bones are all here and the band is ferocious. Opening for Black Sabbath, yeah, they had to bring it and history knows the rest. The inclusion of the recently surfaced film footage adds to the excitement of these finds, even if the footage is not the same San Diego show of the same year. Van Halen San Diego Sports Arena San Diego, California December 3rd, 1978 01. I'm On Fire 02. I'm The One 03. Bass Solo 04. Runnin' With The Devil 05. Atomic Punk 06. Drum Solo 07. Jamie's Cryin' 08. Ice Cream Man 09. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love 10. Eruption 11. You Really Got Me Bonus Disc Pro Shot film footage San Diego 07-08-78 -
Austin band that formed out of the ashes of The Cosmic Head Band circa 1976. These recordings took place over the course of a decade, in various garages, in sweltering heat amidst cases of Lone Star beer and cheap Mexican brick. The results, while a little rough around the edges, are pretty devastating. Twin guitar attack influenced by Rush, Wishbone Ash, Cream, Frank Marino, and Black Sabbath - loads of feedback, wah-wah, dirty and distorted garage acid prog psyche proto-metal. Cool! -
Aud 8.3 - Now Hendrix collectors all know that good quality 68 tour recordings are in short supply, so when they pop up, well it’s a no-brainer…so we have two no-brainers here for you. Both are very decent, and the Vancouver in particular is very cool in both sound and performance. -
Soundboard 9.3 -
Soundboard 8.9 - Hard to find anything to complain about when it comes to listening to vintage Kiss board tapes, that is, if you are like me and grew up with Kiss. Believe it or not, Kiss displayed very competent musicianship back in these days. -
SDBRD 9.9 - The only thing that gets this to a 10 is a better kick drum sound (extreme nitpicking here).