Best Live Rock Albums

[Smackie Chan]

'Spray, I've requested ABB Fillmore a few times on Smackie's radio show.

You have? Was I there/sober? Did I play it?

Yes/Inconclusive/Yes

Thanks. You'll forgive me if I don't remember every request, given the millions of listeners who tune in each week.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Just dug this one out of the vault. Again, might not go down as a "best", but I sure as all hell loved this band.



Saw the band live twice and both shows were phenomenal. First time was at a place called the Celebrity Theater. Theater in the round, on a revolving stage. Not a bad or faraway seat in the house. At the first concert, the Jam opened for them. That was one of the most split/diverse crowds I had ever witnessed. The Jam was decent, but Paul Weller got pissed when some moron threw a coke at him. Weller spat the nastiest, biggest green loogie back, but it hit the wrong dude. Momentary chaos ensued.

Anyway, Bill Nelson is/was one of the most innovative guitarists I've listened to. 'Blazing Apostles' and 'Sister Seagull' were of particular note, and his guitar work was brilliant. Be Bop turned that show out big time. Great band, great live shows.

[Jay in Phoenix]

I brought that CD to work a couple weeks ago. Didn't go over well with these youngsters, but the musician among them had to admit Nelson can play.

Also have 'Axe Victim', 'Sunburst Finish', and 'Futurama'.

As do I Sam, including 'Drastic Plastic'. For a while, I was picking up Nelson's solo works as well. I started with "Quit Dreaming and Get On the Beam' and picked up his next two or three CD's. 'Quit Dreaming' had a slightly Be-Bop feel to it, but subsequent albums all sounded the same, lots of guitar and synth noodling that amounted to so much navel gazing. If you look at his discography, he's released a ton of material since. Not a clue if any of it is worthwhile, but his work with Be-Bop Deluxe is exemplary.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

...a place called the Celebrity Theater. Theater in the round, on a revolving stage. Not a bad or faraway seat in the house...

That is a nice venue. Saw the Roots there back in the early '00s and it was amazing. Works well for comedy also. I saw Chapelle there back before he ran away to Africa. One of Carlin's myriad HBO specials was filmed there too. Seems like it's mostly hip-hop and R&B shows there these days, along with the occasional nostalgia act...

[Jay in Phoenix]

That is a nice venue. Saw the Roots there back in the early '00s and it was amazing. Works well for comedy also. I saw Chapelle there back before he ran away to Africa. One of Carlin's myriad HBO specials was filmed there too. Seems like it's mostly hip-hop and R&B shows there these days, along with the occasional nostalgia act...

Yeah Mike, that's sadly true. Back in the day, the Celebrity was THE place to see a show. I saw a number of comedy acts from Bill Cosby to Sam Kinison to Firesign Theater there. David Cross and a group of like-minded comics were there for a "Get-Out-the-Vote" tour back in 2004. The many rock acts that have gone through there were all great shows due to the atmosphere and design of the venue. While it still stands and continues to put on shows, it doesn't have the 'feel' that it once did, nor do they book concerts or shows that are on a par with what they used to promote. Too bad.