NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
Letter L
Years ago while in high school, like so many other “doing nothing/ going nowhere (literally) kids, we used to drive around aimlessly on a Saturday Night, saved from our boredom by the cool music on the car’s tape deck. One of our favorites was Cheap Trick- Live At Budokan, recorded in Japan. What was not to like? The primal screeches not only on the song Surrender, but the forever perfect Fats Domino song Ain’t That A Shame. Throw in the thousands of screaming kids on the scale of early Beatles concerts, and a classic was born. Many years later. I still like to joke in the moronic tone about the true significance of Budokan; “DUDE…..Sha…….Like I just picked up the new Susan Boyle CD………Live At Budokan Dude!!”
There are many great live recordings in all music forms. Let’s run down a few of mine. Please send me yours in the comment section.
Harry Chapin– Greatest Stories Live. He made the album because of people’s nonstop comments that he sounded so much better live. It’s true. I did see him live and it was a real treat.
NPR-Various Artist. Tiny Desk Concert Series. Very eclectic from NPR’s All Songs Considered. Tune in and enjoy; no matter who shows up!
Van Morrison-It’s Too Late To Stop Now. A double live album recorded with The Caledonia Soul Orchestra in tow, from the early 70’s, it is often considered one of the greatest live albums of the Rock Era.
The Airborne Toxic Event. 2010. I discovered this one by accident, as they had the good fortune of being welcomed to record the music and the show from the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Guest includes the Calder String Quartet, a girls school choir, and a high school marching band.
Billy Joel- Songs in the Attic. 1981. One of the cool things about this album released during the height of his popularity was the material was from his very early recorded albums 10 years before. The song Miami 2017 (released in 1976) is eerie, and awesome at the very same time! Throw in the Ballad of Billy The Kid, (a quick note here from a previous post on the song) https://zuludelta45.net/2014/12/19/united-states-a-z-day-five/ and this recording is a lost and found gem!
Any live recordings from the Newport Folk Festival. So much music that I never heard until the day I showed up unaware, only to leave completely amazed. The Avett Brothers, Mavis Staples, The David Wax Museum , Josh Ritter. There are some recordings floating around from NPR, YouTube, and WFUV.
And at the moment, “Dude……I’m living my life; Live At Budokan!”
Zulu Delta 45 
Ditto to Harry Chaplin and Van Morrison! My first “live” album was Neil Diamond’s “Hot August Night.” Loved it! Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Anything by Springsteen. Joni Mitchell. On and on and on…..🎶🎶🎶
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Oh gosh, it was a few years before you were doing it, but my friends and I used to drive circles through our small town on week-end nights all the while listening to albums on 8 track cassettes. The Cheap Trick album came out a few years after those years of my “circling drive-ins” as we called it.
I used to be not a big fan of live albums because I didn’t like all of the screaming and the obligatory long drum solos. But there have been some great live albums. An early favorite was Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore. One of my all time favorite concert albums is Bruce Cockburn’s Circles in the Stream. I also liked Petra’s live album. I’m sure a bunch would start coming to mind if I thought a while longer, but I’ll stop with those. Oh wait, one more–Spock’s Beard Live X. That one is special to me not only because it’s an outstanding live album with amazing music. but I was there when they recorded the album and filmed the DVD!
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
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I love LIVE!! When I began this challenge I was going to try and feature a live show every day! But… I’ve changed tack a bit. However, if you revisit most of my posts for the A to Z so far you’ll see a whole lot of live!!
Like Martha, my first live purchas was Hot August Night… which I was going to do for “H”… alas I didn’t! Just by the way… that Harry Chapin features very high on my list! “All my Life’s a Circle… Taxi…” classics! Then, there were a few other classics at Bodokan!
(I’m going to try and catch up with all your posts! Promise! Thanks too for calling around at my spot!)
Here’s my LIVE…
https://ouchmybackhurts.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/april-a-to-z-my-vinyl-l-for-live/
By the way… I still have that first LP!! 😉
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Funny, I also had Neil Diamond’s Hot August Night. I think I remember it opened up and to a poster size picture of Neil. Or there was a poster inside the album. Not sure. Anyhow, one of my other favorites albums I had on cassette and played in my car: Jerry Reed Live! He could play the guitar.
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The Indigo Girls 1200 Curfews from 1995 – none better!
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Indigo Girls 1200 Curfews, none better!
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OK, I know I’m showing my age, but when I drove around (“faster miles an hour”) passing time with my friends in high school, we listened to AM radio… I lived in the Jersey suburbs, twenty miles from the City, where WABC and WMCA were crankin’ out non-stop hits. Sometimes there was a 45 that had a “live” feel to it (hand clapping, finger snapping, small crowd noise), and those would just be the best – “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price, “Quarter to Three” by Gary U.S. Bonds, “Finger Tips Part II” by Little (he was 13) Stevie Wonder, “Runaround Sue” by Dion and the Belmonts, I could go on and on… As for truly ‘live’ albums, I have to put Mr. Dynamite, the Amazing Mr. Please, Please, Please, James Brown, near the top of the list – “Live at the Apollo Volume II”. And I agree, Van’s “It’s Too Late To Stop Now” is AT the very top!
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Back in the days of driving around listening to the 8 track I was a “Van Chic”. All the guys had vans with murals of mountains, starry nights, wizards painted on the side. We would ride around listening to ziggy stardust, anything allman brothers and led zepplin, Mott the hoople and Beatles white album so many times I can still sing every song. Of course everything sounded super great then enhanced by the endless joints being passed around! will say if I had to choose 2 favorites live #1 joni Mitchell “miles of aisles and the concert for Bangladesh with the highlight being leon Russel jumping jack flash/youngblood
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