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This set contains both shows recorded on Halloween night at the Felt Forum in NYC back in 1974. Early Show - Audience 8.5 - Right in the middle of the road, its good, not great. Late Show - Audience 8.9 - The only way I can explain this tape is that it starts off similar to the early show and at some point the taper moves to a hotter spot and the tape explodes with Frank’s amazing guitar right in your face. Even Frank himself makes a comment about his incendiary guitar work, I won’t spoil it though.
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Audience 7.8 - Interesting recording, seems like it was done from the keyboard side of the stage for sure as they come through clear and loud, followed by guitar. The rhythm section is somewhat indistinct and vocals, while pretty front and center too, are fighting for the space that the keyboards occupy causing a bandwidth battle. What you have is a fight to control the mid-band range, so while I think this recording is good and clear, it’s too much happening in the middle. One thing you may also notice, the feeling you might get is that this is still the 70’s, even though it is the end of the decade, the music and atmosphere here is still firmly planted in the 70’s.
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Audience 7.9 - This is NOT a hi-fidelity tape at all, but for what it is you will find yourself diving in with all ears. Why? It is an INTIMATE capture, with a great warm bass sound, and just a real closeness and immediacy that overcomes what are some obvious tape limitations. The BEST average audience tape you will ever hear!
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Audience 7.7 - Somewhat compressed sound translating into a murky type mix, but sonically it is not offensive just not very detailed. There’s also some tape noise present. The selling point of course is that this is a very adventurous, musically speaking, set. Long long tracks with much bravado and brilliance. Worth it for that alone!
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CD 1 - London Roundhouse 1971 – Aud 7.6 - Can hear it all, but there is some hiss present. CD 2 - Amougies 1969 – Audience 7.8 - Some tape hiss, but can hear every instrument. Not a full rich sound by any means, it’s an audience tape from 1969, but that being said I still enjoyed it and it’s a pretty frenetic show, a little unhinged even.