

Johnny Cash | At Folsom Prison (1968) | At San Quentin (1969) Please please please please please get it. The screams of Beatlemaniacs overshadow most of the Fabs’ other live recordings - but these radio sessions and interviews capture not only the band’s music but also their personalities.Īre you ready for star time? The hardest-working man in show business earns his handle with this non-stop cavalcade of R&B hits and soul stirrers. The Beatles | Live at the BBC (1994) & On Air: Live at the BBC Volume 2 Even better: The new six-CD box.Ī guest list with everyone from Dylan and Neil Young to the Staples and Muddy Waters - and a set list with virtually every career highlight - make this the greatest sendoff in rock. The road goes on forever - almost - as the southern-rock pioneers dish up majestic blues and jazz jams highlighted by Duane’s slide guitar wizardry. The Allman Brothers Band | At Fillmore East (1971) With that in mind, while you wait in line with your wristband to go through the metal detector, you can peruse this alphabetical list of essential live albums. And surprisingly often, live albums were immensely popular - plenty of superstars first topped the single and album charts with concert recordings. A live album was often a band’s fourth release.

More than that, they were a mandatory rite of passage. But back in the day - before every major concert was an eye-popping spectacle captured instantly for posterity, live albums were the best way for an artist to showcase their performances. These days, they’re often an afterthought, something you can order online (or even buy right after the show) as a souvenir - assuming you don’t want to wait for the inevitable concert DVD with high-definition video, pristine 5.1 audio and bonus backstage footage. Yep, the concert-going experience has changed a lot over the decades. Because if you’re hearing those words, chances are you’ve shelled out the bulk of a week’s pay to see some massive touring band at your local EnormoDome - or, more likely, to watch the concert on a video screen because your view is blocked by people holding up their smartphones and $18 draft beers. Hello, (insert your city’s name here)! Are you ready to rock? I can’t hear you! I SAID, ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?
