The theme for my radio show* tomorrow night is “F%&# It, We’ll Do It Live!” Three hours of quality live cuts from pretty much everybody. I have plenty, but what are some of your favorite live tracks? (Preferably radio-friendly ones I can download legally.)
I’ll post the setlist here after (and maybe even during) the show!
Do you do classics? Joe Cocker’s version of “Feelin’ Alright” (from the Mad Dogs and Englishmen album) is awesome.
Any room for Grateful Dead, Franklin’s Tower?
Empty Spaces from the Pink Floyd Soundtrack to the Wall.
And of course,
The Boss, Thunder Road.
SSG Schwartz
ETA: I forgot the best live track ever: Lone Justice, Sweet Jane.
See if you can track down a copy of David Bowie, Live In Santa Monica '72. It has an amazing version of Space Oddity on it featuring a coked out Ziggy making the rocketship “blast off!!” noises himself after the countdown.
Also featuring Mick Ronson on guitar and backing vocals. The whole set is top to bottom great, but this is the most entertaining track.
Believe it or not, I’ve played that very track on the show two or three times. No reason I can’t add it tomorrow night, as well.
Thanks for the input, everybody! Keep it coming!
Then you’re doing it right!
What about Of Montreal covering Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”?
Fucked Up covering “Blitzkreig Bop” with Moby (MOBY! People have crowd surfed to MOBY now!)?
Animal Collective’s new song “Summertime Clothes” should be a cross genre hit, and there is a great version available for free online. I believe it was preformed late January/early February '09 at the Bowery in NYC.
For something fun, try the Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ Live From The Middle East album.
It’s not actually from the Middle East, Asia - it’s live from Boston at their annual Christmas “Hometown Throwdown.” It’s classic skacore and full of energy.
I’d recommend the tracks “Doves and Civilians” (one of many titles for their song “Drunks and Children”), “Hope I Never Lose My Wallet” or “Devil’s Night Out.”
Oh…I am reading the lyrics and there’s swearing in “Devil’s Night Out”…the others are clear tho.
There’s also some gems on Ben Folds Five’s Naked Baby Photos. The songs vary in style, you’d have to choose for yourself…
Peter Gabriel - San Jacinto (from PG Plays Live).
These are great live albums, but I don’t know if there’s anything you can download:
Hawkwind - Space Ritual
Nik Turner - Past or Future
One of my favorite live tracks is In A Daydream by the Freddy Jones Band. A great song with two amazing guitar solos.
New Day Rising off Hüsker Dü’s The Living End
Heaven and Hell off Live at Leeds by The Who
Mediterranean Sunrise off Friday Night in San Francisco by Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía
Don’t Smoke in Bed by Nina Simone
Ace of Spades by Motorhead off No Sleep til Hammersmith
Save a Prayer by Duran Duran off one of the Secret Policemen’s soundtracks
BB King’s How Blue Can You Get off Live at the Regal
must stop now.
“Sour Times” by Portishead, from the album Roseland NYC Live (although it’s the only song on the album not recorded at that session)
“Midnight Train To Georgia” by the Indigo Girls (covering Gladys Night & The Pips) from the album 1200 Curfews.
“Big Love” by Fleetwood Mac from the album The Dance.
“If It Be Your Will” by Antony from the album Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man
“Tomorrow Wendy” by Andy Prieboy & Johnette Napolitano, from the album Triple J: Live At The Wireless. Probably hard to find it, but worth it. If not, try Johnette doing it herself on Concrete Blonde’s rarities collection Still In Hollywood.
If you can somehow source an audio for this, it’s amazing:
I Remember by Damien Rice (make sure you stick to the end, the last 3 minutes or so are intense!)
And this is just bonkers (admittedly half the fun is watching what the band is doing, so it’s not really suitable for a radio show. Still, it’s definitely worth checking out.):
Dance This Mess Around by The B-52’s
Here’s some assorted old stuff:
“Astronomy Domine” or “Careful With That Axe, Eugene”, by Pink Floyd, from Ummagumma.
“Fishin’ Blues”, by Taj Mahal, from The Real Thing.
“Sweet Jane”, by Lou Reed, from Rock & Roll Animal.
“Bertha”, “Mama Tried”, “Wharf Rat”, “Not Fade Away”, or “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad”, by the Grateful Dead, from Grateful Dead (“Skull & Roses”).
“Who Do You Love”, “Universal Mind”, “Build Me a Woman”, or “Celebration of the Lizard”, by the Doors, from Absolutely Live. (None of those tracks appeared on any of their studio albums.)
“Goin’ Down Louisiana”, “Back Door Man”, etc., by the Blues Project, from Live at the Cafe Au Go Go.
“I’d Rather Be the Devil” or “Dust My Broom”, by Canned Heat, from Live at Topanga Corral.
“Lover of the Bayou”, by the Byrds, from (untitled).
And for a good voice-over bed – “Mountain Jam”, by the Allman Brothers, from Eat A Peach.
“Midnight Rambler,” Sympathy for the Devil," and “Street Fighting Man” from Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out by the Rolling Stones
“Oh, Atlanta/Tripe Face Boogie” from Waiting for Columbus by Little Feat
“Who Do You Love” (all 25 minutes of it!) and “Mona” from Happy Trails by Quicksilver Messenger Service
YYZ and Passage to Bankok from Exit… Stage Left, by Rush.
hard to find, but:
Elliott Smith “Supersonic” live in detroit
I forget where exactly I got it, but The Nightwatchman(Tom Morello’s solo/folk act) at the 2007Bonnaroo Festival. It is a great set; look for his cover of “This Land Is Your Land” from the same show.
You can never go wrong with Nirvana’s Unplugged album.
Incubus’ Alive at Red Rocks is a great show. Some great solo’s, a drum battle(between the drummer, bassist, and singer), a bit from their Halo2 work, the crowd gets really, really into it. Not so much for the radio, but just the atmosphere and visuals of Red Rocks on the DVD is amazing.
If you can figure out how to get it from the website to the radio, Buck 65 w/ Symphony Nova Scotiais live hiphop done with style.
If you want to start out the show with a bang I would go with The Clash, “Complete Control” from From Here To Eternity or MC5, "Kick Out The Jams from Kick Out The Jams.
Guns Of Navarone by The Specials. I can’t recall which album its on but I’m pretty sure only the live version has been recorded.
If you want to get obscure you could always go with either “Junco Partner” or “Gloria” by the 101’ers from the Elgin Ave. Breakdown Revisited cd.
Chicago (still called Chicago Transit Authority at the time) Live in Concert: Toronto Rock and Roll Revival 1969, “25 or 6 to 4” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?”
U2: Rattle and Hum, pretty much the entire album.
Both albums are available as MP3s via Amazon.
Easy: Ted Nugent, Great White Buffalo from Double Live Gonzo