70s Live Albums

I have been listening to a whole lot of different live albums from the 70s. The live album had a very special place in the 1970s, more so than in any of the decades that followed. Bands almost always sounded better when captured live than on their studio albums. Albums like Tokyo Tapes (Scorpions) and Live and Dangerous (Thin Lizzy) capture the respective bands in a completely different mood - the songs sound heavier, tighter, more meaningful perhaps the way that they were intended to sound in the first place. I see this as a result of the technical limitations imposed on bands at the time, and possibly also the limited studio time allocated and pressures from the record companies to rush out new releases every year, some times twice a year.

Rush (though sounding great on their studio albums) is another example of a band that simply projects a completely different facet in a live setting. Similarly, the energy on Queen's Live Killers is so over the top, you instantly get what Queen was all about. It makes you feel like part of the show through and through.

I think the magic of the live album faded away after the 70s. That is not to say the 80s didn't have their fair share of classic live albums but these seem fewer than what the 1970s produced. I think the live album post-1970s became more of a curiosity for fans that hadn't heard the band live before. It ceased to be an essential part of the band's discography. Video footage of bands became more prominent during this time and studio technology also meant bands could spend more time polishing up their sound.

Nowadays live albums seem like a total cash grab and its importance has almost completely faded. Concerts are released on dvd / blu-rays and high quality live footage can be found for free on youtube. In that regard it takes more for a band to release an interesting live album these days. As far as newer live albums go, I really enjoy what Opeth does live - I think they are one of the few bands I get excited about seeing / hearing in a live setting. I am also quite interested in the symphonic Dimmu Borgir show from last year (not sure if it was released officially yet).

UFO
Humble Pie
Rory Gallagher
Nugent
KISS
ABB
REO
Nazareth
Lizzy
Frampton

In addtion to bands already mentioned, Grand Funk's Live Album and Foghat Live are two of my favorites from the decade. Also Judas Priest Unleashed in the East.

Well, concerts aren't what they were at that time either. The extended set is altogether discouraged and practically non-existent overall.

My contribution to this thread is as follows:

MADE IN JAPAN.

I love 70's live albums, so many great ones. Especially when played on vinyl.

Both of Slade's "Alive" albums are gems.


Pat Travers' "Go With What You Know" is another favorite of mine.


Purple's "Japan" and "Europe" albums are great as well.

No mentions of AC/DC, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Status Quo, Yes, Genesis, Rainbow, The Amboy Dukes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Mahogany Rush, David Bowie, Max Webster, Neil Young, Kansas, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant, ELO, ELP, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Camel, Uriah Heep and Cheap Trick yet?

Man, there's so many of them...

Here's a track from a great live album most of you probably haven't heard yet:

J. Geils Band-Full House Live and Live Blow Your Face Out are gems and the only J. Geils Band albums anybody really needs IMHO. Also Climax Blues Band-FM Live.

Live At Leeds - The Who
On Your Feet Or On Your Knees - Blue Oyster Cult

OH man, I love 70's live albums. They brought a raw energy and a heavier sound to the table than those bands could get in the studio.

Kiss - Alive
Slade - Slade Alive!
Thin Lizzy - Live & Dangerous
UFO - Strangers in the Night
Ted Nugent - Double Live Gonzo
Blue Oyster Cult - On Your Feet or On Your Knees
Blue Oyster Cult - Some Enchanted Evening
Yes- Yessongs
Judas Priest - Unleashed in the East
Pat Travers - Go For What You Know
Aerosmith - Live Bootleg
Aerosmith - Look Homeward Angel (a widely distributed and popular bootleg from 1975)
Goddo - Best Seat in the House
Alice Cooper - The Alice Cooper Show
Cheap Trick - At Budakon
Deep Purple - Made in Japan
Rainbow - On Stage
Queen - Killers
Genesis - Seconds Out
Foghat - Live
Scorpions - Tokyo Tapes
Hawkwind - Space Rituals

That doesn't even take into consideration all the killer albums that are being released currently from those 70's groups...
Rush - ABC 1974
Queen - Live at the Rainbow '74
Aerosmith - Baying At the Moon
Cheap Trick - On Top of the World '78
Ted Nugent - Live At the Hamersmith '79
...among many, many others.

Wishbone Ash's Live Dates is a classic I don't see listed yet.

The Dead's Europe '72 album is phenomenal.

Oh, and Van Morrison's It's Too Late to Stop Now is another great one that comes to mind. There's obviously so many to list, though.

Black Sabbath, live at last is a very good live album, though I suggest getting the past lives set, since it has that and then some other live recordings on the second disc.

Uriah Heep live is another good one.

Jimi Hendrix, live at the isle of Wight recorded in 1970 is a must have.

Led Zeppelin, song remains the same is amazing, both the CD and movie.

Rush, All the Worlds a Stage is another classic.

That's all I can think of that hasn't been mentioned.

AC/DC 'If You Want Blood' is the perfect live album, captures the band at their peak, the energy level is up to ten, and you can hear for yourself how good Bon Scott was as a frontman.

James Gang-Live In Concert is great too and if you can find a boot of the whole show that even better.

Eloy-Live
Taste-Live At The Isle Of Wight
Rory Gallagher-Irish Tour '74
Santana-Lotus

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Black Sabbath, live at last is a very good live album, though I suggest getting the past lives set, since it has that and then some other live recordings on the second disc.

Jimi Hendrix, live at the isle of Wight recorded in 1970 is a must have.

Past Lives is a killer archival release. It's great to hear Ozzy-fronted Sabbath live, there's not a ton of footage posted on youtube of that era. It's a nice package to have.

And if it hasn't been said already, Band of Gypsys is another quintessential Hendrix live record.

akeldama wrote:

Eloy-Live
Taste-Live At The Isle Of Wight
Rory Gallagher-Irish Tour '74
Santana-Lotus

All good calls, there. Can't believe Rory didn't come to mind for me.

I was enthralled by Framton comes alive...fascinated me....
Ted Nugent, double live gonzo...Hibernation, in particular.
Aerosmith's bootleg....Cheap Trick at Budakhan.....
King Biscut flower hour....
I would not miss that radio broadcast...that was so f,n real !
Kind of like Don Kirshners rock concerts on tv....

Great point. No 'live' concert recordings come across that 'live' anymore.
I want to hear the crowd...the real crowd......
hear the buzz from the amps, back ground chatter, the confusion !
Song Remains The Same....wow....
Moby Dick, Dazed....it was like I was there at the show...
Even The Doors live....that has some fun qualities....
Morrison....asks crowd what song they want to hear next lol
Everyone starts to shout...or he comments on police being there...
To protect and serve....and some distant voice yells "fu** em"

Love everything already mentioned..here are a few more I dig...

Eric Clapton..Just One Night
Sammy Hagar..All Night Long
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band...Live Bullet
Neil Young & Crazy Horse..Rust Never Sleeps

So many great ones already listed so I'll just add Frumpy - Live

Alex Dee Rokket wrote:

Bands almost always sounded better when captured live than on their studio albums.

Funny considering nearly all (I'd say 95%) "live" albums of the 70's (and of course later decades) are either studio recordings, rehearsal/soundcheck recordings or so heavily overdubbed that there barely is anything live recorded left. Sometimes not even the crowd noise are from a concert of the artist, like it's the case with Alive from Kiss (apparently taken from a John Denver live recording) and Blue Oyster Cult's - On Your Feet Or On Your Knees which features crowd noise from some Johnny Winter live recordings.

It honestly always makes me wonder why people simply accept this trickery. The bands release something fake, labeled as a live album and their fans buy it and call it awesome.