My Favourite Live shows on CDR
One of the great things about live concerts is that every show is different; sometimes the show can be the greatest thing you have ever seen, or is the biggest waste of time ever. I have written a guide below on my favourite shows below, what's so good about them and what you should look out for.
When a deadhead talks about 1977, shows like Barton Hall and the Memorial Audiorium springs to mind. Well, I rate this gem of a show as highly as those May shows. The Estimated Prophet here is probably the best performance they gave of the song, a totally, haunting, spine chilling version.
Also, Terrapin Station, a new song at the time, was played early in the set, and shows the Dead's confidence in the strength of it as a composition.
When you talk about Primal Dead, the 16th of July show at Fillmore Auditorium springs to mind. Raw, brave and youthfully confident, The Dead start off with an awesome Viola Lee Blues, and carry on through with Don't Ease Me In, Sittin' On Top Of The World and Good Mornin' Little Schoolgirl amoung others.
What you got here is a band in their early stages of development, but showing a wealth of promise. Get it. :)
My personal favourite, I played this show to death when I bought the bootleg from my local CD and record fair. Because the show was broadcasted on Rockpalast, we have a perfect, uncut performance of this show. There are some amazing performances, including a killer The New Pollution, an eerie Derelict and the butt-funk of High 5 (Rock The Catskills).
Sessions at West 54th.During the end of the summer season Beck had totally perfected his "talk like James Brown", "Dance Like Mick Jagger" presence. This is most probably the best Beck show to date. Gems include Rowboat and the rarely played Ramshackle.
One of the greatest performances that Neil and the Horse ever did, this show rocks from start to finish! Songs from Trans seem to have reached maturity here, and are played with confidence, alongside with Neil's better known compositions. Rarities such as Mideast Vacation and Opera Star are on this recording, meaning the show is worth aquiring for those songs along.
Neil always gives it his all for Farm Aid, the annual benefit in aid of American farmers. This year was even more special with Cosby, Stills & Nash joining him onstage for Marrakesh Express onwards to the end of the set, even helping Neil out on Cinnamon Girl! This recording is even more better with it being a soundboard.
