Metamatic Forums Socialising The Green Room Best Live Album

I'd have to say:

Gary Numan : Living Ornaments 79/80/81
best tracks: Airlane, On Broadway, Metal

Gary Numan: Scarred
best tracks: Metal, Disconnect, Replicas (and it was an excellent chance to hear more recent stuff)

Japan : Oil On Canvas
best tracks: Still Life, Art of Parties, Canton
(I know it's not all live and that, but I still love the feel of the whole thing)

New Order: 316 Reading Festival 98
ripped off DVD so not an official CD, but a brilliant set and performance, love that versh of True Faith, and perhaps one of Gillian's last live perfs(?)

China Crisis: Acoustically Yours
Best tracks: Every Day the Same, King in a Catholic Style,
CD or DVD - came as such a suprise to me in pre-internet 90s, and is a really refreshing "unplugged" performance. The filming for the dvd only had about 2 cameras, but adds to the charm.

The Corrs. Unplugged
yes I know, but it's the best version of 'Radio', a song which means they have something in common with Joy Division, Kratwerk and OMD.

..plus many many bootlegs and odd tracks not on albums...

Bowie at the Beeb disc 3: BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27, 2000
This is one hell of a recording - absolutely superb! While Bowie cleverly avoids playing a greatest hits set, every song here is a Bowie classic – and they have never sounded more vibrant. Some people say it's a bit plastic - well balls to that! For me this is just sheer brilliant.

I've got a couple of problems with these specific Genesis live albums, which is a shame because I generally love them as a band. From recollection, they are a slight mixture of two tours at parts ('Invisible Touch 1986/97' and 'We Can't Dance 1992), so the track selection and order are a bit all over the place, but my biggest issue is that the recordings lack spontaneity as the band and shows were rehearsed to within a inch of their lives (which is a very Genesis thing). So, for record of tours only and not really for sitting down and listening to for me I'm afraid.

It's a very good topic - certainly one to get the mind thinking. I'm also in two minds as to whether live albums work - on the one hand, they do have to be exceptional in quality and/or performance to warrant anything more than token listening in nmany cases, but on the other, they do have merit in either historical record of a particular time and place, whether that be personaly or in a wider historical context (I have a tape of The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl in 1963 somewhere - dreadful performance, far too much shrieking by the audience so the band can't hear themselves, but, well, come on - it's The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl!!!...). I do think they have thier place in any collection, and my essential albums, in no particular order, are...

The Who - Live at The Forum, London, March 2004
The Who - Live at Leeds University 1970
Dire Straits - Alchemy
Steve Ferrone - It Up
Sheryl Crow - The Globe Session Live
Rolling Stones - Flashpoint
Queen - Live at Wembley Stadium July 1986
Louis Armstrong - Live in Florence 1952
Jimi Hendrix - Live in Monterey

Agreed re Jimi Hendrix.

I know its obvious from me, but im sticking with Numans Living Ornaments '79, '80, and '81. Recent Numan tours such as 'Telekon' and 'Replicas' bring the past back more than the 'midle years' gigs.

Also John and Louis in recent years, and 'The Golden Section Tour '83'. TGS tour would have been better though in atmosphere if it had been the complete un-edited show, hint hint.

I think I have said this before, but my conviction suggests it is worth saying again ( :p ) - the best live album of all time is "Domo Arigato" by The Durutti Column. As the title suggests, it was recorded in Japan, therefore the crowd claps politely between the tracks and doesn't spoil the intricate/delicate versions of album tracks. Most sound as good as, if not better than (and certainly different to), the original versions. And the "Without Mercy" material makes "Without Mercy" itself a pretty poor (even pointless?) album in comparison. Lots of trumpet (I have decided this is my favourite instrument).

Other than this, Joy Division live albums reach in and grab me, Hendrix and The Doors are great live, and there are some great Ultravox! bootlegs.

My favourite live album would have to be Dead Can Dance - Toward the Within. Lisa's vocals are almost unearthly, quite beautiful. Highlights for me are The Wind That Shakes The Barley and I Am Stretched On Your Grave.

my faves are probably:

johnny cash - at folsom prison
birthday party - it's still living
john coltrane - the olatunji concert

Roxy Music - Viva!
Because of it's brilliant violin solo, Ferry's up of the top crooning and a band that (let's) sticks together like glue!
David Bowie - Stage
Because of the Adrian Belew interpretation of StationtoStation, the golden voice of Bowie, the appearance of the music in Christiane F wir kinder von Banhoff Zoo, and the right selection of songs/instrumentals for me.