The Concordian

One of the most authentic measures of a good band is how they sound when each member plays individually over a recording of another members original track, with the end result being a single. A more important determinant of a great band is how they sound on stage, when they’re collaborating live and working spontaneously to produce sets that won’t ever happen again and produce unique experiences for all audience members.

Some bands can make great studio albums but fall dramatically short after you pay a large amount of money to see them live. For instance, I’ve always loved the Red Hot Chili Peppers and they have produced some of the best studio albums of my generation. But when I saw them in Charleston in 2002, they pretty much sucked. And though I’ve never seen them live, I’ve heard similar reviews of Radiohead concerts. Some bands make it huge on the radio, but just don’t deliver on the stage.

But if you can’t make it to see a band in concert, the next best thing is a live album. Many bands and musicians don’t even release them, but the best and most well-rounded groups usually do. Considering that, here are my picks for live albums that you can’t afford to miss.

Phish

Slip, Stitch, and Pass

Elektra Records 1997

Recorded in 1997 in Hamburg, Germany, Phish’s “Slip, Stitch, and Pass” provides listeners with a showcase of what makes Phish the best live act of the last 25 years.

Between the songs on the album, Phish’s wide diversity is made clear between the bluesy sound of “Just Just Left Chicago”, the all-out funk “Wolfman’s Brother”, the mellow, jazzy “Weigh”, the straight forward riff- and lick-based rock ‘n’ roll of “Mike’s Song”, and even into a capella with their version of the classic “Hello, My Baby”.

“Slip Stitch and Pass” also showcases the band’s improvisational skills as they foray between songs and keep their performance unique and engaging throughout. Even with a few jams extending well beyond ten minutes, the songs on “Slip Stitch and Pass” never become boring and are always impressive.

“Slip Stitch and Pass” is one of the greatest live albums out there by the best live act out there. Listen to this album and you might see why Phish’s ticket sales easily surpass those of the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Jimmy Buffet, and many other big name and mainstream performers. It might be why, when I went online last week and prepared to buy tickets for a Phish show in Maryland, I got nothing because 30,000 tickets sold out in literally three seconds.

Eric Clapton

Unplugged

Reprise 1992

Based on the two hits “Layla (acoustic)” and “Tears In Heaven”, Clapton’s “Unplugged” received a lot of attention when it came out in 1992 and was deemed an instant classic. The album was recorded live in England for MTV’s Unplugged series and received significant airplay on both television and radio.

Throughout the entire album, Clapton and his exceptional backing band give an entirely different feel to some of his previous works. In fact, many people still don’t realize that Clapton had already recorded electric versions of each song on the disc. Since the album swept up the Grammy’s and received significant airplay on television and radio, the unplugged versions were the only versions that most people know away.

Clapton’s acoustic capabilites and exceptional backing band (particularly the pianist) give a whole new aesthetic to a legendary guitarist who, until 1992, was mostly known mostly for his electric work with Cream, Derek and the Dominos, and Blind Faith. Nowadays, this is the first album that many people think of when they hear Clapton’s name mentioned.

The Violent Femmes

Viva Wisconsin

Beyond 1992

It might sound strange, but somehow the Violent Femmes combine the hard hitting, fast-paced intensity of a punk band with the acoustic sensibility of folk music, and they do it best on their 1999 album “Viva Wisconsin”.

Recorded between six different shows on a tours throughout their home state of Wisconsin, the Femmes selected their best moments and performances and compiled them into an album that gives all of the studio tracks a new and unique character by adding a renewed intensity and more instrumentation that you’ll not hear in their other records. You’ll hear xylophones, saxophones, oboes, flutes, and more trumpets in these performances that will give you a new impression of the band if you’re familiar with their studio work. If you’re unfamiliar with their other albums, this album is probably a good start because it ultimately amounts to a “even greater greatest hits” album, because they play better versions of all their best songs.

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