Top 25 Live Rock Albums of All-Time

[CortezTheKiller]

The list

Ummmmmmmmm. . . . Kicking Television????

[Analogman]

I saw that a while back - that guy is a bit confused. He should come here and look at the Best Live Album Threads from the past 6 years - and then make a list.

[Gobias Industries]

At least Live Rust was #2. I can't believe the Beatles at the BBC didn't make it, while MC5 made the list? For reals?

[Winston Legthigh]

Nice to mention "The name of this band is..."

 

I'd add X: Live at the Whiskey a Go-Go, and two Roxy concerts:

Frank Zappa and the Mothers &

Bob Marley.

[PopTodd]

My turn to bitch and add my favorites:

 

[Analogman]

I would not count vault releases (1), live albums that were mostly re-done in the studio(2), and/or releases that were re-configured and re-released(3).

 

 

1. The Live 66 Dylan Album

2. A lot of them from the 70s - you didn't really think Kiss could sing those harmonies live you find on Alive II, did you?

3. Live at Leeds has been issued at least three times on cd, in three different configurations...

 

I wonder if that dude even knows why those BBC releases exist?

 

Also - live albums where the band plays the songs mostly like they do on the record generally does not do much for me.

 

So - I will go with what I like: The Who - Live At Leeds (the original version), Allman Brothers: At Fillmore East (the original version), Deep Purple - Made In Japan (the current cd release - although there are some encores added), Rush - All The World's A Stage (the current cd release - re-mastered, but not reconfigured), The Scorpions - Tokyo Tapes (the currect cd version - although it leaves off one song). The Grateful Dead - Live Dead (the current cd release - re-mastered, but not reconfigured).

 

Now, since my taste run to so-called "old rock music" this is what moves me - if one was into jazz, or what have you, then their list would be different, of course.

[PopTodd]

Another one that can be argued. And, even though I've only heard this a few times, I think it has easily made my shortlist of greatest live albums:

 

Rocks SO hard.

[Lammycat]

Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus is one of the best live albums ever.

[PopTodd]

Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus is one of the best live albums ever.

 

Yes.

[John Smith]

Ok I don

[mountain bed]

I would not count vault releases (1), live albums that were mostly re-done in the studio(2), and/or releases that were re-configured and re-released(3).

 

 

1. The Live 66 Dylan Album

2. A lot of them from the 70s - you didn't really think Kiss could sing those harmonies live you find on Alive II, did you?

3. Live at Leeds has been issued at least three times on cd, in three different configurations...

 

I wonder if that dude even knows why those BBC releases exist?

 

Also - live albums where the band plays the songs mostly like they do on the record generally does not do much for me.

 

So - I will go with what I like: The Who - Live At Leeds (the original version), Allman Brothers: At Fillmore East (the original version), Deep Purple - Made In Japan (the current cd release - although there are some encores added), Rush - All The World's A Stage (the current cd release - re-mastered, but not reconfigured), The Scorpions - Tokyo Tapes (the currect cd version - although it leaves off one song). The Grateful Dead - Live Dead (the current cd release - re-mastered, but not reconfigured).

 

Now, since my taste run to so-called "old rock music" this is what moves me - if one was into jazz, or what have you, then their list would be different, of course.

I'm with you across the board, with one exception: I've never heard The Tokyo Tapes, so I will sub my favorite - QMS' Happy Trails (I know, only the first 3/4 of it is live - but DAMN is it ever smokin').

[Analogman]

Not every man can handle the musical stylings of Klaus Meine.

 

I forgot about Quicksilver Messenger Service - and I usually say Kiss Alive I also - but from what I read in a Kiss book not to long ago, there is quite a bit of doctoring on that album - which I never knew.

[CortezTheKiller]

I'd never expect it to make a list like this, but this is a pretty amazing live album:

 

And I'm sure I'm in the minority, but I prefer

over

[John Smith]

I'd never expect it to make a list like this, but this is a pretty amazing live album:

 

And I'm sure I'm in the minority, but I prefer

over

 

I prefer Weld to Live Rust. Weld is simply Crazy Horse at it's post-Whitten best.

[mountain bed]

Here's 25 of my favorites, in no particular order (rock only):

 

Allman Bros - At Fillmore East

Live Cream (the 1st one)

Crosby/Nash Live

Band Of Gypsys

Deep Purple - Made In Japan

Dire Straits - Live Alchemy

ELP - Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends

Genesis - Live ('73)

Live Dead

Humble Pie - Rockin' The Fillmore

Kinks - One For The Road

Pink Floyd - Ummagumma (disc 1)

Phish - A Live One

Leon Russell - Leon Live

Traffic - On The Road

Yessongs

Neil Young - Live Rust

Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails

Zappa/Mothers - Roxy & Elsewhere

Lou Reed - Rock And Roll Animal

Steppenwolf - Live ('70)

Renaissance - Live At Carnegie Hall

Rush - All the World's A Stage

Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out

The Who - Live at Leeds

 

Jeesh. I'm such a fan of the live record. I could have easily posted another 25 (Dylan '66, Derek & The Dominoes, King Crimson's live series, etc etc.) but I stayed away from vault releases - otherwise it might have been 25 GD shows.

[Central Scrutinizer]

The only Seger album worth owning -- Live Bullet, if only for Natbush City Limits

[wheelco]

I prefer Weld to Live Rust. Weld is simply Crazy Horse at it's post-Whitten best.

I kind of agree with you but love 'em both -- I never get tired of listening to Neil live with Crazy Horse

[CortezTheKiller]

I kind of agree with you but love 'em both -- I never get tired of listening to Neil live with Crazy Horse

Picking one over the other says absolutely nothing negative about the 2nd place finisher. Both amazing, one just a bit more so.

[HungryHippo]

I was really starting to hate that list until I saw that the Doors were on it. now I think its a pretty good list.

[CortezTheKiller]

The only Seger album worth owning -- Live Bullet, if only for Natbush City Limits

I disagree.

[NightOfJoy]

Lots of good suggestions here.........dont forget "Full House" by J. Geils Band. Recorded in Detroit in the early 70s, its surprisingly good-high energy, booty-swinging stuff.

 

BB Kings "Live at Cook County Jail" is pretty good too.

[Sir Stewart]

I've always had a soft spot for fIREHOSE's Live Totem Pole EP - "Hope I don't fuck it up Gibby!"

[Moe_Syzlak]

A few that I haven't seen mentioned (apologies if I missed them):

 

- Bob Marley - Babylon By Bus

- Unplugged albums from Clapton and Nirvana (the Jay-Z one is pretty good too)

- Phish - A Live One

- JGB - The '91 Live double CD

- Ween - Live in Chicago

- Zappa - Make a Jazz Noise Here (all three releases from the '88 tour are great, but this is my favorite)

 

ETA: Looks like two of these WERE already mentioned.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I would add Zappa's You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Volume 2, the Helsinki concert. Excellent show with a great lineup.

Also, any live Coltrane. I know this is a thread on rock albums, but Coltrane rocks. Seriously.

[Moe_Syzlak]

I would add Zappa's You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Volume 2, the Helsinki concert. Excellent show with a great lineup.

Also, any live Coltrane. I know this is a thread on rock albums, but Coltrane rocks. Seriously.

Yeah, I guess I consider the YCDTOSA series (along with Dick's Picks and Live Phish) to be archival, but that is one live release that ANY Zappa fan MUST own. I also avoided jazz or I'd be here all day.