Top 5 - Best Live Rock & Roll Albums of All Time
The best live rock and roll albums of all time is a subjective matter, as different people have different opinions on what makes an album great. I generally don’t appreciate a live album as much as I do a studio album, maybe because a song never sounds as good as it does within the studio with all the tricks and re-takes, etc. Hard to duplicate on a stage with one take. And, one never truly knows how much overdubbing the production gets after the show. I have only had the opportunity to see one of these bands live (well 1/2 of the band anyway) in The Who, which I’ve seen twice. The others would have been either before my concert going time or after untimely deaths of the band itself or it’s members.
Here are my choices from some of the most critically acclaimed and popular live rock and roll albums include:
5. "At Fillmore East" by The Allman Brothers Band (1971) This album was recorded over two nights in March of 1971. The band was paid $1,250 each show. The bands drummer, Jai Johanson, says the recordings are average at best. I’d would have liked to hear them live on a night considered excellent. The album, side 4, caps off with a 20-some minute rendition of Tied to the Whipping Post that rivals anything commited to tape that is considered a jam song.
4. "Live at Leeds" by The Who (1970) The band from the list I can say I have seen, twice in fact! Older, they were, of course, but still rocking hard. This album, Live at Leeds, is a great snapshot of a band considered to be the best live band ever, in rock and roll.
3. "Live and Dangerous" by Thin Lizzy (1978) I can’t tell you how much I enjoy listening to these Irish rockers punch out with Jailbreak, The Boys are Back in Town, The Rocker and more!
2. "Stop Making Sense" by Talking Heads (1984) Recommending the movie as well. Talking Heads were truly in their prime during the making here.
1. “Live at the Star Club, Hamburg” by Jerry Lee Lewis (1964) Years after falling from rock and roll grace after the fallout of marrying his young cousin, Jerry Lee proves why, despite the faults, he should have been the King of Rock & Roll. He covers his classics, as well as some classics of early rock history.
These albums are considered classics for their raw energy, great musicianship, and dynamic performances. However, there are many other great live rock and roll albums, and the best one for you may depend on your personal taste in music. There are several others that on any other given day I may drop into the list. Albums like, Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged, At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash, and Live at the Apollo from James Brown, but, hey, it’s my list today!
Agree with my list? What are your top choices?
