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Audience 8.3 - Do not let the “average” sound rating prevent you from selecting this AMAZING rarity. I could write paragraphs on why this is a must have for any self-respecting Priest fan, but suffice it to say that this is why I even collect live music. The details of the recording are but one small part of the equation, but I will note that the tape suffers from two main problems – it’s a little muffled and it’s a little hissy. There is also an unfortunate cut where the solo begins in Victim of Changes (could it not have happened on any other song?), I think this is the tape flip. The quality worsens a bit after that, but there’s also good news to report: The tape has been remastered, revealing much more music that was probably buried under muck and noise for decades. What you end up with is a very intense show, and an audience absolutely being blown to smithereens. I can imagine after having to deal with mediocre top 40 and disco music, new wave, etc. having a band like Judas Priest I mean, that had to be like a sledgehammer to the skull because let’s face it, for 1979 these guys were way heavy, and not in a punkish Motorhead heavy but a very competent, sinister kind of heavy. That does come through on this tape. Without a remastering it would have been tough to listen to it, but it’s actually not hurtful on the ears, the actual frequency range is comfortable, and there are times where it is even very decent. Overall it is simply one of those you really have to just get and appreciate for what it is because it quite simply is DEVASTATING. -
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Soundboard 9.8 - You can’t do much better than these, mainly because the board tape itself is full of life and expertly mixed in contrast to other more sterile boards. The other is because the band is firing on all cylinders, and taking improvisation to dizzying heights as evidence by the No Quarter, Dazed and Confused marathon improve sections. -
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Soundboard 9.8 - Another example of why collectors consider these two shows (this and the previous night) as Zeppelin at the absolute top of their game. Thankfully captured from the board in mind numbingly good quality both sonically and mix-wise. -
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Soundboard 9.7 - Perfection in every way, and let me tell you, you will be completely engrossed in this concert and in the songs themselves. RIP Eddie Money. -
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ALL Soundboard 9.7 - Dive right into this amazing collection of sonically superb live offerings and get a totally new appreciation for Eddie Money and his super-tight band. -
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Audience 7.5 - Technology has done wonders for the collecting world, this tape is a classic example of going from unlistenable muck to actually hearing what the band was doing. You will still place this one in the “fair to average” category but in the pantheon of Sabbath shows this is one hell of a barnburner. I wish we had something a little better, but this tape is MUCH better sounding now than it was 10 years ago. -
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Audience 7.3 - A tape new to the collectors, it is not without its limitations but it is audible. Without the re-mastering I would not recommend it on any level but for its rarity, however, it is now listenable (as if a layer of grime was wiped away). -
NEW SOURCE Audience 8.7 This is a major upgrade to the previous version (see old review below for comparison) and as such we felt that it had to be offered here as a replacement. If you purchased the previous version (the artwork is untouched, only the music has been replaced in this set) than you are entitled to receive replacement discs without charge (pay postage cost only). Just reach out to us and we will take it from there. If you have never bought this title, than consider this one worthy of the collection. I will offer this caveat though - it is a recording that still shows its share of shortcomings, such as maybe a touch of overload during more bombastic passages (not nearly as bad as previous!), and the last track is incomplete (better an incomplete but listenable track than a totally un-listenable mess). OLD SOURCE Audience 7.2 This one is rather mediocre, although it is not “unlistenable” at all, but compared to other 1977 recordings it is what I would classify as “for completists only”. That being said, I can point out a few moments of this concert that I found interesting in a lot of ways. Like, during Pigs On The Wing Pt.1 you hear large explosions from the audience (possibly fireworks or maybe PA problem?) and you immediately think of Roger and how he’s probably disgusted with the whole thing by this time. Pink Floyd Spectrum Theater Philadelphia, PA, USA 29 June 1977 Disc 1 01 Sheep 02 Pigs On The Wing, Part 1 03 Dogs 04 Pigs On The Wing, Part 2 05 Pigs (Three Different Ones) 06 Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V) Disc 2 07 Welcome To The Machine 08 Have A Cigar 09 Wish You Were Here 10 Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX) 11 Money 12 Us And Them -
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Audience 8.1 - I was expecting the worst when I became aware of this recently surfaced show, but to my surprise it isn’t all that bad. It’s lacking some depth and low end but it is clear, and close, and shows some detail. It’s a fine recording, and if you have a subwoofer, well there ya go. -
Audience 8.3 - A pretty clear recording that would benefit from some boosting here and there but that’s not to say you can’t just crank this one up a little. Very worthwhile! -
Audience 8.4 - A tape that seems like it’s been heavily re-worked to clean it up and give it some life. Pretty decent, leans towards the upper frequencies a bit, lacks some punch in the center, but it is still a good one. -
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Soundboard 9.6 (March 19th) - This is, of course, a must have. In my opinion, John Paul Jones emerges as the star of the show. Robert’s voice takes a little bit before it smooths out, he was having some problems around this time. Overall, this is as enjoyable as it gets. -
Audience 8.8 - A great, atmospheric and electrically charged show! Not a lot of heaviness to the bottom, but there is a roundness there, a pleasant to the ears mid rangy kind of sound with a lot of articulation on the high end (not shrill!) which causes the slide work from Duane to fill the hall and make for tons of electricity. Collectors will love this one. Now, one small thing to report, there is sometimes some minor static on the tape (barely noticeable) but it’s no bother. Get this! -
Audience 8.5 - This recording has a lot working in its favor by mainly allowing the listener to hear each instrument clearly. The tape does have sonic limitations in that it sounds like the taper wisely dialed down the levels so as not to overload the signal, especially as JP was probably quite loud. This means that you will want to turn the volume up a little even though it may mean that you also bring up some background noise, which is present but not invasive. It’s a very good tape, I believe that this has been re-mastered too, so I consider it an upgrade to other versions that may be out there, although I was unfamiliar with this show until recently. -
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Audience 9,6 and Audience 8.4 - The UK 78 material is fantastic! Vibrant and dynamic, should be released officially. -
Pro FM 9.1 -
Audience 8.1 - A shaky start to this recording, but it smooths out and becomes listenable with clear vocals that rise up and out of the depths. The interesting thing about this show is that Pete is nailing all his solos with precision, a rare thing to be honest. The band is in fine form, they even play “However Much I Booze” which was only done a handful of times on this tour. -
Soundboard and Audience 8.7 – 8.6 – 8.4 - The first two discs are soundboard but show signs of age and lack brightness although both are clear. Disc 1 sounds like it was broadcast over the air, and is slightly better than disc 2. Disc 3 is an audience recording that sometimes peaks in volume causing some high end distortion (mainly present in the cymbal crashes) but is not bad overall.
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FM Radio 9.4 - Pretty slammin’ stuff here. The band is pretty hot around this time, very confident, with a good set list. Occasional static does make a presence on this tape, but it kind of lurks behind the music rather than over the top of it. -
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Audience 8.7 - This recording makes the band sound like they are in a smaller venue, when I know they aren’t. -
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Audience 9.0 - Ok, so here’s the deal with this one – skip past the first song because it’s toast, the levels were not set and the distortion is off the charts. After that the taper readjusts levels and off we go to a really nice, atmospheric and clear recording of a powerful show. -
Audience 9.0 - This band is certainly an acquired taste for many, but every ear can agree to the quality of this recording. Airy but right there in a very comfortable mid range with very detailed high end and a smooth, round bass. Terrific! -
Audience 8.7 - Pieced together from a few different sources, we finally get a pretty good representation of the events of the day which, now together with the rare footage included in this set, reveal a pretty incredible artifact for collectors. -
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Audience 8.5 - A significant evening for the band as they headline their first show, just after being booted from ZZ Top tour. Sounds fine, taper does maneuver at times and the movement is picked up on the sensitive mic, but overall this is very listenable if not overly dynamic. Good to have it, a very important show in Black Crowes history. -
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CD 1 - Audience 7.7 - A very rare tape that only recently surfaced. Hard to complain when presented with something as rare, so just be aware that the tape was recorded in the middle of the venue and features a boomy, echoey sound. CD 2 - A very good recording, clear and immersive, you can really get into this one. CD 3 Surprisingly clear, a welcome addition to the not so well documented 1977 period where the band starts to really fray around the edges (and in the middle!) but that is not evident here – this is the band in fine form. -
Audience 9.4 - For the uninitiated, well all I can say is be careful because you are diving into the deep end of the pool with this one! Bristling with improvisational madness at times magnificent and other times lost in the woods but always right on the ragged edge. Very daring music, which if played today would be met with blank staring faces but here the audience is in total rapture. -
Audience 8.6 - The recording here leans toward the bright and trebly side but that lends an excellent opportunity to hear specifically what the guitar is doing, and the bass now has articulation so it’s not just a loud, dull rumble like most recordings tend to be with these blasting grunge bands. Chris sounds brilliant, and he’s maybe the clearest instrument on the stage too. Once you get used to the general timbre of the sound, it’s a fun, wild ride. -
Audience 8.8 - Quite an amazing find! A very rare and previously uncirculated show that sounds very clean and close, and it’s the original line-up! I have to categorize this as a must have. -
Audience 8.9 - A little bit of tape noise comes through on quieter passages but this is a very strong recording for the vintage. I’d like to know what the taper used for this. -
Audience 8.5 - Taken from the master source, this high energy show reveals a band on the rise. Captured from the balcony, the sound is pretty much what came from the house P.A. system and is, as could be expected, insanely loud and therefore not clear and distinct but certainly forceful and once the ears adjust, is pretty realistic. Coming from a master source, it is free of tape noise and other artifacts. DVD - Shot on Hi8MM, the picture looks great! The angle is from the balcony, which was not that high or far from the stage so even though you are looking slightly down on top of the band, you see the entire stage and most of the audience on the floor without any interference. Camera occasionally zooms in, pans slightly, and at brief intervals goes slightly too high missing the front of the stage but I suppose that may have been due to the filmer trying to adjust. -
All video in this collection is pro shot. Disc 1 is all excellent quality. Disc 2 is more uneven, all watchable but not as crisp and perfect as the first disc. -
Audience 8.8 - A historic concert showcasing the full orchestra, this was to be the final evening for them as it was all dismantled due to financial disaster. The recording is quite good though, vocals have marvelous presence, and the music comes through pretty well with some cluttering (we are talking about dozens of instruments here) in the center, but you will appreciate this in many ways. A real find for the collector,...pretty much indispensable. -
FM Broadcast 9.2 - This was a real revelation for me because I had not known much about this band other than “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”. I find them to be similar in a lot of ways to maybe Marshall Tucker Band and Allman Brothers, where perhaps if Allmans were Southern Comfort then CDB would be Jack Daniels. This period of the band features Billy Cox (Hendrix/Band of Gypsys) on bass too, which I never knew about either (I would have lost on Jeopardy). -
2 Shows: CD 1 - Audience 8.3 - A very good, reasonably clear tape that does not showcase a wide dynamic range but doesn’t really need to, I mean to say, it’s an historic artifact that most fans and collectors of Love/Arthur Lee will be very happy to hear. CD 2 - Audience 8.1 - This tape starts off kind of rough but gradually gets better until it gets to a consistency that you can appreciate for what it is. It does not take much of the show before it gets better which is a relief because it is a good, strong show. Disc 3 is a video CD (MP4 file) of 6 minutes, very Rare, never before seen b/w video footage of Love a few days before the show on disc one. -
Officially reissued by ShroomAngel, this CD gathers together the 1977 demos recorded by a group of musicians based in the Canterbury section of London. The music is spacey, with Middle East overtones and occasionally reminds of a minimalist version of Steve Hillage. -
Soundboard 9.1 - The source used for this CD is a DAT tape made from a direct transfer of Joey Molland’s tapes of the show. Whether that means it is the same as what else is out there, I do not know, but it is possible that the radio station did their own recording for broadcast and other releases use the FM broadcast. This is not that! The sound quality is uneven at times while the levels are adjusted but after that it’s smooth sailing. -
Audience 8.8 & 8.7 - Same taper for both nights, and thankfully this is someone who knew what they were doing as you can tell they diligently set their levels and position to maximize the end results, and man, what end results these are! More probably for the outstanding performance and great house mix, but the tapes have held up well with just maybe a touch of overload in very loud parts that do not annoy, just you may notice it on occasion. Great performances by the band especially Craig who just rips on the guitar on practically every song and even Grace is in excellent form. A must! -
Soundboard 8.7 - A tape that is a little hissy, and some of the instruments are low in the mix (vocals) but, on the bright side, the guitar is pumped way up (and sounds killer), and the band is in a GREAT mood! -
Soundboard 9.1 and Audience 8.5 - Beautifully mixed, with some tiny over-sizzle on crash cymbals at times, which seems to get worked out on the mix, but more problems with vocals getting distorted, mostly is the “ssss’s” which isn’t a deal breaker because the problems are not a large percentage of the music. The second show is an audience recording that sounds a little distant until the guitars begin and then it sounds practically right next to you! Strange. -
Audience 8.2 - This is not the source used on Massed Gadgets, and ranks similar although each source features slight differences which are up to the listener to decide which they prefer. This source has more in the higher frequencies, but consequently slightly more hiss. It’s still very decent. -
FM Broadcast 9.5 - Both shows are professional radio broadcast recordings and are excellent. -
Audience 8.6 - A serviceable recording that I am thankful to have in that it captures an exceptional night where the band is simply on another level, especially Ronnie James Dio. The dynamics do not impress, and there’s a lot packed into that upper mid band frequency which is barely hanging on but the good news is that it does hang on, and you do get pretty much everything in a reasonably comfortable way. I welcomed this one, and the bonus is that taper recorded the opening act too, which is included here for completeness. -
Audience 8.1 - I’m always amazed that tapes keep turning up just when you think you’ve discovered them all. Here’s one that is new for me, and it’s not bad. Now, you aren’t gonna crank this on the hi-fi and use it to impress your buddy or anyone for that matter – but for those of us who understand what we are dealing with, I think you will appreciate this tape and find probably more good points than bad. For one thing, it is not a muddy mess, and your ears will adjust to it and you’ll get sucked into it like I did and find it to be a decent one. -
Audience 8.6 - This is a very fine recording that has recently surfaced, a tour that had the band displaying their absolute mastery of the ultra complex progressive rock extravaganzas that sometimes took up nearly the entire side of an LP. Audiences back then were fully engaged with such performances, unlike today.
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Soundboard 9.2 - Another fun show with the boys. Come on, really if you can’t get into this you just need to drink a couple of beers and relax, maybe smoke a doob or something. -
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Audience 8.1 - This tape is slightly overloaded but mastering has kept the distortion to a bare minimum so it’s actually pretty damn good. The sound is forceful, with drums and bass driving the beat home and guitar thankfully riding over the top of it in good clarity. A total jam fest it is, fans of UFO will love love love this early gig! -
Soundboard 8.8 - A solid early 80’s show, tape does show some slight signs of age in that it does not have a crystal clear sharpness as many have come to expect from Prince soundboards. Do not let that stop you though, like the rating indicates it is still a great board tape. -
Audience 8.7 - Is this the mother of Prince shows? It very well could be just that. A marathon to begin with, but even better, the band and Prince are in spectacular form as an audience that has waited some 19 years for Prince to return to their city literally explode as one hurricane caliber force. Perfect, intense, brilliant. Audio quality is VERY good too, some nice ambience and just enough of the crowd next to the taper to imagine yourself there at the show. Just a ton of fun listening to this, and missing Prince dearly.