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Audience 9.5 - This may be a pro audience recording because it has some of the hallmarks of it being managed by someone other than a concert goer. Not saying 100% certain, but it’s just too good and clean, and free of interference but who knows maybe it’s just a really astute taper? All I know is that this material and this quality make for a real revelation for people like me who glossed over the albums. Damn good stuff, with a stellar cast of characters. Same with the San Francisco 1977 tape which I include in this rating but is a soundboard…similar stellar sound quality maybe 9.6 but has a little more hiss present. Still, it is EXCELLENT! Stomu Yamashta's Go Royal Albert Hall London, England May 29, 1976 Disc 1 1. -Ghost Machine 2. -Surfspin 3. -Time Is Here 4. -Winner Loser - Band Introductions 5. -Solitude - Nature - Air Voice - Crossing The Line 6. -Man Of Leo Stomu Yamashta: drums, percussion Kevin Shrieve: guitar Ava Cherry: vocals Jess Roden: vocals Patrick Gleeson: synthesizers Michael Shrieve: drums Paul Jackson: bass Doni Harvey: guitar Brother James: percussion Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA September 26, 1977 7. -Prelude 8. -Seen You Before Disc 2 1. -Madness 2. -Mysteries Of Love 3. -Crossing The Line 4. -Wheels Of Fortune 5. -Beauty 6. -You And Me 7. -Instrumental Interlude 8. -Man Of Leo 9. -Wheels Of Fortune (Reprise) Stomu Yamashta - Piano, Percussion, Synthesizer Steve Winwood - Vocals, Keyboards Michael Shrieve - Drum Kit Al Di Meola - Solo Guitar Klaus Schulze - Synthesizers (Space Machine!) Jerome Rimson - Bass Pat Thrall - Guitar Brother James - Congas Karen Friedman - Vocals -
Studio Quality 9.5 - A lot of stuff to go through here, both discs jam packed with music. George Harrison - Stripped 101 Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) 102 Any Road 103 Love Comes To Everyone 104 Miss O'Dell 105 All Those Years Ago 106 Circles 107 Living In The Material World 108 Got My Mind Set On You 109 Bangla Desh 110 This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying) 111 Pisces Fish 112 Don't Let Me Wait Too Long 113 The Day The World Gets 'Round 114 Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea 115 Ding Dong, Ding Dong 116 Stuck Inside A Cloud 117 Rising Sun 118 Dark Horse 119 Not Guilty 120 Crackerbox Palace 121 I Really Love You 201 You 202 That's The Way It Goes 203 This Song 204 Brainwashed 205 It Is 'He' (Jai Sri Krishna) 206 Far East Man 207 Blow Away 208 Deep Blue 209 Life Itself 210 When We Was Fab 211 Sue Me, Sue You Blues 212 Soft-Hearted Hana 213 Devil's Radio 214 Can't Stop Thinking About You 215 Be Here Now 216 This Is Love 217 So Sad 218 Dream Away -
Audience 8.8 - I am very thankful this recording exists, so few tapes from around this time that are clean and audible. Now, it gets off to a bumpy start but smoothes out and remains consistent for the duration. It’s taken from I would say the middle of the venue but does not suffer from typical distance recordings. The main P.A. system is strong, so you get a good signal here, all instruments present and accounted for. Vocals remain very much up front in the mix, guitars follow. All in all this is really outstanding and the time period is optimal. Wishbone Ash Friedrich-Ebert-Halle Ludwigshafen, Germany 01.11.1974 Disc 1 01 -Don't Come Back 02 -Silver Shoes 03 -Lady Jay 04 -The King Will Come 05 -Warrior 06 -Throw Down the Sword 07 -Persephone Disc 2 08 -Introduction 09. -F.U.B.B. 10. -Blowin' Free 11. -Time Was 12. -Hometown 13. -No Easy Road 14. -Where Were You Tomorrow -
Audience 8.8 - This is a real surprise, for this early vintage you do not expect anything really good especially out of the Music Hall but I have news for you – this is a good, good tape. Of course it is going to have that almost cavernous kind of quality but regardless it’s a really clear sound and one that shows off each member of the band and offers at the same time a feeling of time and place. EMERSON LAKE & PALMER Boston Music Hall, Boston, Ma. November 12, 1971 Disc One 1. -Hoedown 2. -Tarkus 3. -Take A Pebble Disc Two 1. -Knife Edge 2. -Rondo 3. -drums 4. -Rondo -
Audience 8.7 - It’s difficult to express sometimes to people who maybe did not start collecting until the digital age what it is like for us old cats to be listening again to a recording we first heard on cassette…and could barely listen to they were so awful, muddy, gen’d down, etc. – and now they show up like maidens to the prom. This old recording sounds like years of mud and grime were wiped away, still not great but man what a difference! The bonus tracks from Anaheim got the same treatment but the original tape was recorded from further back so is not as good as the Detroit, but historically seems more important being that it is with Jeff Beck. I think this stuff here is like finding unpolished diamonds…maybe a little bit dirty but they are invaluable and hold beauty in and of themselves. Aerosmith Cobo Arena Detroit, MI. Dec. 2, 1976 1 -Mama Kin 2 -Write Me a Letter 3 -S.O.S. (Too Bad) 4 -Lick and a Promise 5 -Big Ten Inch Record 6 -Sweet Emotion 7 -Rats in the Cellar 8 -Last Child 9 -Lord of the Thighs 10 -Walk This Way 11 -Sick as a Dog 12 -The Train Kept A-Rollin'- Drum Solo - Batman - Peter Gunn 13 -Get the Lead Out 14 -Toys in the Attic Aerosmith w/Jeff Beck Angel Stadium Anaheim, CA September 12, 1976 16 -Train Kept A Rollin' 17 -I Ain't Got You -
Audience 8.8 - Truly a marvel, you get three blockbuster acts performing outdoors at a large German Rock Festival in 1974 and you are sitting there listening to something that was probably forgotten within days by everyone as they smoke, drank, and partied until the cows came home in preparation for the next festival that came to town. What I am really saying is that while the band members and audiences probably cannot recall what they did on September 27th, 1974, we can now relive that very day in the lives of all of those people because taper managed to capture everything while sitting in a decent spot and running decent gear. Why he/she did this I do not know but I certainly appreciate their efforts not taking it for granted one bit. The music here sounds good to my ears, very comfortable even if not very distinct in the mid band (where guitars reside) but more than made up for with a beautiful round bass sound and good vocals and highs. Very nice! The Great Music Circus Heidelberg-Eppelheim Rhein-Neckar-Halle September 27th, 1974 Disc 1 Black Oak Arkansas 1. -Announcements 2. -Fever In My Mind 3. -Lord Have Mercy On My Soul 4. -Hey Y'all 5. -Dixie 6. -Full Moon Ride 7. -Mutants Of The Monster 8. -Hot N' Nasty 9. -Hot Rod 10. -Up - Drum Solo 11. -Jim Dandy To The Rescue 12. -Movin' Electric Light Orchestra 01. -Daybreaker 02. -Showdown 03. -Daytripper 04. -Violin Solo 05. -Ma-Ma-Ma Belle 06. -In the Hall of the Mountain King 07. -Great Balls of Fire 08. -Roll Over Beethoven Humble Pie 01. -Intro 02. -Thunderbox 03. -Sweet Peace and Time 04. -The Fixer 05. -30 Days in the Hole 06. -Let Me Be Your Lovemaker 07. -C'mon Everybody 08. -I Don't Need No Doctor -
Soundboard 9.6 - A great sound happening here, but what I really love most about it is the brassy, killer bass. Obviously it’s everything, it’s all great, but Prince, even being mainly onto a funky, keyboard, drum, bass approach on this tour (guitar is present in places just not emphasized) which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, still is able to engage this old rock and roller. Prince Parade Tour Isstadion, Stockholm 22nd August 1986 Disc 1 1. -Around The World In A Day 2. -Christopher Tracy's Parade 3. -New Position 4. -I Wonder U 5. -Raspberry Beret 6. -Delirious 7. -Controversy 8. -A Love Bizarre 9. -Do Me, Baby 10. -How Much Is That Doggy In The Window 11. -Lady Cab Driver (instrumental) - Automatic 12. -D.M.S.R. 13. -When Doves Cry 14. -Under The Cherry Moon 15. -Anotherloverholenyohead Disc 2 1. -17 Days 2. -Head 3. -Pop Life 4. -Girls And Boys 5. -Life Can Be So Nice 6. -1999 7. -Mountains 8. -Kiss 9. -Purple Rain -
Radio Broadcast 8.8 - This is most definitely a broadcast although when it starts you may confuse it for a very good audience tape. The tape itself that was made from the broadcast is a little aged it seems but holds up pretty well. It’s a solid old tape, just could use a little brightening up. Pat Benatar Band Paradise Rock Club Boston, Mass. October 30, 1979 1. -If You Think You Know How To Love Me 2. -So Sincere 3. -I Need A Lover 4. -My Clone Sleeps Alone 5. -In The Heat Of The Night 6. -No You Don't 7. -Just Like Me 8. -Heartbreaker 9. -Come On, Let's Go Pat Benatar: lead vocals Neil "Spyder James" Geraldo: guitars, vocals, keyboards Scott St. Clair Sheets: guitars, vocals, synthesizer Roger Capps: bass, vocals Myron Grombacher: drums -
Audience 8.2/Studio 9.5 - OK, what we have here is both a blessing and a curse. How to begin? It’s not the best sounding tape, but, it’s perhaps one of the most important and illuminating tapes to have surfaced in a long time. I’d been collecting Motley Crue for some time (because they have a special place in my early teenage years) and had always thought 1982 was the earliest known recordings. Should this even be in anyone’s collection? Considering the revelation it was to me, hearing them sound so confident and amazing as early as this, yes I think it belongs in every collection. It sounds pretty rough, but not rough enough to dismiss. A LOT of work went into the re-mastering to deliver something that started off unlistenable and now can be considered a “good” audience tape. Small club, loud AF band, sub-par taping gear. Why were tapers there recording at all? Who was Motley Crue in 1981? By the sound of it, they were already hot stuff on the scene. The demos are excellent; these early demos are also indispensible and belong in every Crue collector’s tape deck. MOTLEY CRUE The Whiskey Los Angeles, CA 12 11 1981 1. Take Me to the Top 2. Runnin' Wild in the Night 3. I Will Survive 4. Toast of the Town 5. Starry Eyes 6. Piece of Your Action 7. Come On and Dance 8. Too Fast for Love 9. Merry-Go-Round 10. Live Wire Bonus Tracks Leathur Demos 1981 11. Public Enemy No.1 12. Take Me To The Top 13. Stick To Your Guns 14. Toast Of The Town -
Soundboard 9.3 - This entire set is wonderful. Personally I find this era to be my favorite simply because it’s a snapshot of an iconic artist really exploring the depths of his emotions, talent, creativity, and wisdom. Great sound here, really got into this! BOB DYLAN The Summit Houston, Texas November 12th 1981 Disc 1 01. -Introduction - Hughes Aufray 02. -GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY 03. -I BELIEVE IN YOU 04. -LIKE A ROLLING STONE 05. -THE LONESOME DEATH OF HATTIE CARROLL 06. -MAN GAVE NAMES TO ALL THE ANIMALS 07. -MAGGIE'S FARM 08. -GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY 09. -BALLAD OF A THIN MAN 10. -SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE 11. -HEART OF MINE 12. -ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER 13. -I'LL BE YOUR BABY TONIGHT 14. -FOREVER YOUNG 15. -GAMBLIN' MAN - Clydie King, Regina McCrary, Madelyn Quebec 16. -THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN' Disc 2 17. -A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL 18. -WATERED-DOWN LOVE 19. -SHOT OF LOVE 20. -JUST LIKE A WOMAN 21. -SOLID ROCK 22. -MASTERS OF WAR 23. -WHEN YOU GONNA WAKE UP 24. -IN THE GARDEN 25. -BLOWIN' IN THE WIND 26. -IT'S ALRIGHT, MA (I'M ONLY BLEEDING) 27. -IT AIN'T ME, BABE 28. -KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR -
Audience 8.7 - A rare tape of the 1974 tour, you gotta grab these whenever they appear because unfortunately there are precious few. This one does not disappoint in the quality dept. despite being pretty friggin’ loud and close to taper…almost crosses over the line pegging the meters into distortion but it doesn’t…it would have been a total loss if it had. The disclaimer then is “watch out for your ears”. Steely Dan Orpheum Theatre Boston, MA. April 18th, 1974 1. -Intro - Tune Up 2. -Bodisatva 3. -Boston Rag 4. -Do It Again 5. -Any Major Dude 6. -King Of The World 7. -Rikki Don't Lose That Number 8. -Dirty Work 9. -Pretzel Logic 10. -My Old School 11. -Reelin' In The Years Donald Fagen - Keys, Sax, Lead Vocals Walter Becker - Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - Lead Guitar Denny Dias - Guitar Jim Hadder - Drums, Backing Vocals -
Audience 8.7 - I had a hard time determining whether it was the recording or the PA that caused this tape to fall below the usually excellent quality recordings coming out of the Inglewood Forum around this same time. It’s not terrible; the main issue was an overcrowding of the middle bandwidth. So you get plenty of bottom end and soaring high end (where most guitar leads and vocals, and yes, cymbals are clear) but a lack of separation in that crucial middle. That leaves us with a tape clearly made on decent gear, somewhere in the middle of the venue it sounds like, and likely a master source (zero tape noise), but just not delivering the kind of clarity you would want when you are trying to hear the magical guitar interplay, especially Joe Walsh who just has his own musicality that perks your ears up. Still, a good tape that is worthy of exploration and much appreciated being from that wonderful line-up that featured perennial fave Joe Walsh. The Eagles The Forum Inglewood, CA October 22, 1976 Disc 1 01 Hotel California 02 Outlaw Man 03 Doolin-Dalton - Desperado (reprise) 04 Lyin' Eyes 05 Wasted Time 06 Take It to the Limit 07 New Kid in Town* 08 Desperado 09 Midnight Flyer 10 Turn to Stone Disc 2 11 Already Gone Interlude 12 One of These Nights 13 Funk #49 14 Good Day in Hell 15 Rocky Mountain Way 16 Witchy Woman 17 James Dean 18 Best of My Love 19 Walk Away 20 Tequila Sunrise 21 Take It Easy 22 Carol Don Felder – guitars, harmony and backing vocals Glenn Frey – rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals Don Henley – drums, percussion, vocals Randy Meisner – bass guitar, vocals Joe Walsh – guitars, keyboards, vocals Jage Jackson – rhythm guitar, percussion Phil Kenzie – saxophone Vince Melamed – electric piano The Monstertones – backing vocals J. D. Souther – vocals, acoustic guitar Joe Vitale – piano, organ, drums, percussion -
Audience 9.4 - A wonderful, warm, full bodied recording that beckons you in from the first note. Say what you will about Rod Stewart but his voice works with this stuff, and even here in 1982 as long as you can’t see him you can appreciate the rock and roll pedigree he brings to the stage. Yeah, I was rather turned off by his image for quite some time, but hearing him live you just find a way to look past that. Rod Stewart Long Beach Arena Long Beach, CA March 24, 1982 Disc 1 01 Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me) 02 Sweet Little Rock & Roller 03 Hot Legs 04 Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright) 05 Passion 06 She Won't Dance With Me > 07 Little Queenie 08 You're In My Heart 09 I Just Want To Make Love To You 10 How Long 11 Young Turks Disc 2 12 (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right 13 You Wear It Well 14 (I Know) I'm Losing You 15 Gasoline Alley 16 Maggie May 17 Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? 18 I Was Only Joking 19 Tear It Up 20 Stay With Me -
Audience 9.1 - God bless the tapers for this one! What a great show it is, and really I can’t recommend it highly enough because it’s TOTALLY immersive, I mean, sure it’s not 100% perfect but in a way it’s as good as you would hope. It’s a fun experience to hear this man just at the top of his game like this with a band that doesn’t miss a thing, ever. Bob Dylan Hughes Stadium Fort Collins, CO 05/23/76 Disc 1 1. -Mr. Tambourine Man 2. -It Ain't Me Babe 3. -Vincent van Gogh 4. -Maggie's Farm 5. -One Too Many Mornings 6. -Mozambique 7. -Isis 8. -Blowin' In The Wind 9. -Railroad Boy 10. -Deportee 11. -I Pity The Poor Immigrant 12. -Shelter From The Storm 13. -Oh Sister 14. -I Want You Disc 2 1. -Tangled Up In Blue 2. -You're A Big Girl Now 3. -You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go 4. -Lay Lady Lay 5. -Silver Mantis 6. -Going Going Gone 7. -Idiot Wind 8. -Knockin' On Heaven's Door 9. -Gotta Travel On 10. -A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall -
Broadcasts 8.8/9.4 - A little variation depending on the source of the recording in question (all fully annotated in the notes), what you get here is a collection of broadcasts over the air during 1969 and 1970 when music was in full change mode and experimentation and blending of genres was all the rage. Blodwyn Pig certainly has to be included in that product description with their jazz-tinged hard rock akin to Jethro Tull without flute (substitute sax instead). Makes sense, since Mick Abrahams helped define Tull’s sound in the beginning days. This is great stuff though and is HIGHLY recommended. BLODWYN PIG 1969-1970 Sessions Disc 1 01 -Ain't Ya Comin' Home ......... 03:14 02 -The Change Song .............. 04:23 03 -The Modern Alchemist ......... 04:45 04 -Mr. Green's Blues ............ 03:47 05 -It's Only Love ............... 03:30 06 -Ain't Ya Comin' Home ......... 03:35 07 -See My Way ................... 06:06 08 -Summer Day ................... 04:09 09 -The Modern Alchemist ......... 06:42 10 -Same Old Story ............... 02:33 11 -It's Only Love ............... 03:25 Disc 2 12 -Same Old Story ............... 03:17 13 -Cat's Squirrel ............... 08:55 14 -Drive Me ..................... 03:37 15 -Slow Down .................... 05:59 16 -Worry ........................ 03:38 17 -Somebody Just Like Me ........ 05:50 19 -See My Way ................... 06:05 19 -Moon's Gone .................. 02:59 20 -Lady Of Liberty .............. 04:22 21 -Lovely Lady .................. 05:11 22 -Lady Of Liberty .............. 05:32 (01-02) February 24, 1969 BBC Studio 2, Aoelian Hall, London UK (BBC Radio "Symonds On Sunday" broadcast March 2, 1970) (03-06) March 24, 1969 BBC Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Ave London UK (BBC Radio "Top Gear" broadcast April 13, 1969) (07-08) October 1, 1969 BBC Maida Vale 4, London UK (UK BBC Radio "WS R&B" broadcast October 25, 1969) (09) October 10, 1969 Bremen (German TV "Beat Club 48" broadcast October 25, 1969) (10-11) December 27, 1969 BBC Studios London UK (12) January 29, 1970 Top Of The Pops, Paris Theater, London UK (13-15) February 1, 70 BBC Radio "Top Gear" London UK (16-17) March 4, 1970 BBC Maida Vale 4, London, UK (BBC Radio "WS R&B" broadcast April 5, 1970) (18) May 25, 1970 Bremen (German TV "Beat Club 55" broadcast May 30, 1970) (19-20) September 23, 1970 "Sounds Of The Seventies" London UK (21-22) October 3, 1970 Peel session, London UK Personel: Mick Abrahams - guitars, vocals (01-18) Andy Pyle - bass Jack Lancaster - saxophone, flute Ron Berg - drums Peter Banks - guitars (19-22) Barry Reynolds - vocals (19-22) -
Audience 8.5 -This is one of those tapes that originated from a well-known local taper who produced some of the BEST stealth audience recordings of the decade but had to start somewhere, and that somewhere was not always as spectacular. The drums, specifically the cymbals, sound all washed out and annoying, even with careful remastering the effect is still present but much more bearable and in fact allows, finally, the true fan to actually appreciate this tape. Allman Brothers Providence Civic Center Providence, RI 5 June 1974 Disc 1 Set I 01 -Wasted Words 02 -Done Somebody Wrong 03 -One Way Out 04 -Stormy Monday 05 -Midnight Rider 06 -Trouble No More 07 -In Memory of Elizabeth Reed Set II 08 -Pony Boy Jam 09 -Statesboro Blues 10 -Come and Go Blues Disc 2 01 -Jessica 02 -You Don't Love Me 03 -Les Brers In A Minor 04 -Whippin' Post