No comments about Lo Mejor de La Mano Negra.

5 comments about 10/31/00 - San Francisco, California.

1. San Francisco, Pearl Jams last night in California of their 2000 tour doesnt disappoint. Its a solid show, but theres not too much thats really incredible or surprising. I actually love the setlist and the performance though. This show has been more hard to figure out if I just like it or love it. The only thing that brings the show down some is the mix on the cd. The vocals are only a little bit lower in the mix than normal. Theres actually times where that sounds better! Like I said, its a little harder to figure out. Other than that one fact, the show is largely good. There are a few really good performances during that night as well. Release, Breakerfall, In Hiding, Jeremy, Do The Evolution, Black, Insignificance, Sleight of Hand, and Once are truly excellent. I cant forget a real plus in my eyes... the fantastic performance of Gods Dice. The song can be seen on the Touring Band DVD. Its one of the tightest versions of the song Ive ever heard. The energy and the amount of fun the band has is the true highlight. It can be heard everytime you listen to the cd. Thats quite nice. So, in the end I do recommend the show to anyone wanting a good PJ performance that is pretty solid with all the energy/vibe a fan could ask for. Not to mention its lack of flub ups and mistakes. Very few during the entire show. I believe as time goes on I will actually love this enjoyable performance.



2. I have a soft spot for this live record because I was the woman who dressed as George Bush that fateful night and got to dance on stage with Eddie!
   
   Every time I listen to "Do the Evolution," the song we danced to, I'm whisked back to that evening. The show rocked, and this disc is proof. One of the better live discs of all the bootlegs that year, if you ask me. But I just might be biased.



3. this cd sounds crystal clear, the instrumentals are great, but the levels on edde vedders mic are too low, and at times the vocals are almost completely obscured (state of love and trust). the selection of songs are all great, but most, if not all are played at 1.25 to 1.5 times the tempo of the studio versions. this cd is not the best ever example of thier live performences (especially compared to their earlier days) but totally, totally worth every penny.



4. Disclaimer: Owner of all 72 official PJ bootlegs. I have spent months and months absorbing all of the PJ bootlegs, and I believe that this show in San Francisco was a rather average performance, as compared to the top shows in the tour. But I've got a soft spot for this gig, because I was there! Eat your heart out. Listen closely and you might hear me yelling "GO MIKE" (I'm a big McCready supporter), but of course I was drowned out by the large, ravenous crowd. This show was on Halloween night in 2000, and the crowd was full of costumed freaks. Eddie Vedder noticed two dudes dressed like Al Gore and George W. Bush (the presidential election was one week away), and he invited these two up on stage during "Do the Evolution" and pretended to kill both of them. At the end of the song, you hear him say "George W refuses to die!" In the second encore, the band came back on stage dressed like various members of the Village People. Before the beginning of "Yellow Ledbetter" you can hear Stone Gossard describe Jeff Ament as the most "butch" member of the group. Mike then started the song while mooning the audience!

   Those of you who have many of the bootlegs will find that this show has a rather predictable set list. But there are a few surprises thrown in, like rare appearances by "Soldier of Love" and "The Kids are Alright" (two different Who songs tonight). The not-so-common "Release" is the show opener, and "Yellow Ledbetter" is played but is NOT the show closer, making this one of only three shows in the tour in which this unusual situation occurred. Note that video footage of the Gore/Bush guys and the Village People costumes is featured in the "Touring Band" DVD.




5. I saw this show Halloween night, it was my first live Pearl Jam show. Unfortunately I missed them the past several times they were here, but they did NOT let me or the other 25,000 heads down!! Musically they are so incredibly tight and you can just tell they have a blast making their music which to me, is a super strong sign of excellent musicianship. This is a must have bootleg for any and all PJ fans! They truly are a classic rock n' roll band and I can only hope that my kids will appreciate them even half as much as I do. Selah.

No comments about Live at the Dungeon.

5 comments about Live (Virgin).

1. I love Ben, and the songs on this CD are great. But $34 for 6 songs is an absolute JOKE. I bought it used for $15 plus shipping, and I still feel even that is a little pricy for 6 songs. Sound quality is not perfect, but not nearly as bad as the one reviewer makes it sound.
   
   If you don't already have Live from Mars, you should go with that instead...much more bang for your buck.



2. This live EP is absolutely stunning, musically as well as from the point of view of quality (I really can't see why the other reviewer didn't like the quality).



3. Live from Mars is not very indicitive of Ben Harper Live. It is too subdued and loses the intimacy that Ben shares with his audiences. This Live album is much more true. It is a staple for all Ben fans and is only eclipsed by the wealth of incredible live bootleg stuff on the market.



4. Live CD's...we all know the sound quality isn't the greastest but, how can it be? In reference to A Music Fan from CA's harsh review of this CD, the only thing that person may be missing is a decent stereo...I was able to hear Voodoo Chile just fine and it's great, just as I expected. This CD captures (as best as a CD can) what Ben is like live. Fight For Your Mind is awesome and bassist Juan Nelson throws down a great bass solo at the end. Excuse Me Mr./Burnin' and Lootin' is also a great example of Ben live...he's always tacking parts of Marley songs on the end of his own. Every song on this CD has little things you don't expect/never hear on his studio CD's...solos, more vocal range, and some of those things only Ben can do with his Weissenborn guitar. I personally think this is a great CD for any fan of Ben's...you'll listen to it much more than a mere 2 or 3 times.



5. This isn't the CD single that accompanied "The Will to Live" is it?

5 comments about Gotta Let This Hen Out!.

1. I have a bias; Robyn Hitchcock is 1 of my 2 favorite songwriters AND one can only get better live recordings of RH w/the Egyptians on the Kershaw Sessions CD. If you're just starting out, try Black Snake Diamond Role, Fegmania, Invisible Hitchcock, Eye, and anything by the Soft Boys (RH's previous group if you didn't already know). Then your next wave should include this CD, but by then you'll be in love and get everything else anyway.
   
   That aside, please ignore the gibberish and 1 star (?!?!) of the other review. Maybe 5 is about 1/2 or 1 star generous, but somebody had to step it up!



2. i wanna hear the sample put some sample on plzzzz
   and it ill be 1 star till i get the samples



3. The sound quality is excellent; the band is in top form and really KICKS (and by the way, the Egyptians live backing harmony vocals, unlike those of the vast majority of other bands, are always spot-on perfect); Robyn's songs are uniformly great and it's especially nice to hear two songs, "America" and "The Cars She Used To Drive" rehabilitated from the "Groovy Decay" album in MUCH superior versions. In fact, many of the tunes here cut the studio versions. Personal favorite: the exhilerating "Brenda's Iron Sledge." Pretty easily one of the best live rock albums ever.



4. This album was my first encounter with Robyn's music; my sister had just borrowed it from her boyfriend and we were listening to it in the car; something about the music and the tone, the man's madcap introductions, and in the course of an hour, I wanted to fall in love, run across the country on foot, trash Stonehenge with my bare hands and most of all, it made me want to join a rock band. I must have sat in a corner the rest of the night with my ear pressed to the speaker listening to "My Wife and My Dead Wife" over and over again trying to figure it out.

   Almost ten years later, I still don't know for certain, but I do know this: some of Robyn's best moments collected onto one disc. In spite of the two different "Best Of..." albums out there, this one will give you everything he's got except the delicate moments like "Glass Hotel". A must have.




5. Perhaps being sparked by the critical success of "I Often Dream of Trains" and "Fegmania!", Robyn accepted an offer to record his new group, The Egyptians, live at the Marquee in London. The results became much more than a standard live album: it was a glorious call to arms, and a bit of a defense against years of defeat.

   The songs are an interesting mish mash. Four are from the Soft Boys days, and all recreated with the love of days that never were...the glory of a band revered more in memory than when they existed. The rest recreate interesting portions of Robyn's solo career, and almost all better their studio predecessors. Of special notice are "The Cars She Used to Drive" and "America", both rescued from "Groovy Decay" an album which almost single handedly destroyed Robyn's career. These songs, perhaps because of their place of origin, seeth and spit venom.

   But then,that's the spirit of this album, which kicks harder than anybody had a right to expect. Perhaps it's the sound of a band meeting its audience for the first time and celebrating in joy? Perhaps its the sound of a man rebelling against his past and railing against a music world that has no time for his strange little songs? Actually, it's both. And beyond that, it's invigorating. A must own and a perfect introduction to one of the most unique musicians this century has produced.

1 comments about Ghost Riders.

1. Once the Suicide sound has entered your mind, you'll never forget it. Hypnotic, uplifting, revolutionary. The American Kraftwerk. The only band that can remind you of Alan Ginsberg, the Velvets, Daft Punk, James Brown, ? and the Mysterians and the Last Poets all at once. Elvis talking in his sleep. The simple mantra of the X-pel-air fan overlaid with the rant of the corner preacher who has seen the truth. Once you've tried it, you'll need it all, but, covering their entire early career, this compilation provides the perfect initiation. Suicide, the last sound you'll ever hear . .

   Don't think twice.

   Doug Campbell

1 comments about Caught in the Act.

1. "Caught in the Act" is a great live CD by RCR! I've been a fan of these guys since "Kings..." came out on Byo records. I listen to a lot of ska and swing, and this is one of the best live Cd's I've heard. I just want to get up and dance like crazy as soon as Barflies starts. How can you not love this band? This Cd is great, but hard to find, though still definetly worth the search. Check out other RCR stuff too, it's all great.

5 comments about Live in Helsinki.

1. I agree with others that this is not the greatest of live albums. Part of the problem is the four songs from Ilmatar, their most recent album at that time (2000). It may be their most powerful album to date, but its dark, atmospheric qualities do not transfer well to the stage, except for the volcanic "Aijo". It is also dependent on subtle and well tuned vocals, which do not seem to have been a high priority. Not helping either is a mix which places the instrumentals too far in the background, and makes the vocals shrill on too many occasions.
   
   On the other hand, the material from earlier albums is, generally, quite good. It is fascinating to hear earlier material re-worked-- The radical re-arranging of "Viikon Vaivane" and "Ukko Lumi", from Oi Dai, is almost worth the price of the CD. There are some mis-steps (the new acappella intro to "Pihi Neito" comes to mind) but generally the old material is improved.
   
   
   If one wants to hear (and see) a live Varttina concert that is absolutely wonderful from beginning to end, check out the DVD entitled "Varttina Archive Live" (available on the Varttina website). Included is a 49 minute concert from 2003 which is a joy to hear-- Vocals from Susan Aho, Mari Kaasinen and Johanna Virtanen are impeccable and gorgeous, and the band sounds better than ever. Every single song is wonderful, but especially the five songs from Iki, perhaps their most gorgeous album to date.
   
   Also included is an extensive "Video Archive" which traces the band from a "county fair" appearance in 1985 (two years before their first album) until 2005. It's a fascinating historical record, and there are many superb performances as well. Amazon should really offer this DVD-- It certainly supplants the live album from 2000, in spite of its good qualities.
   
   Scott Tisdel
   
   P.S. Be warned-- The Varttina DVD uses the European "PAL" coding, which makes it unplayable on most DVD players in the USA. However, it does work on my laptop (Mac IBook), and it is fairly easy to plug a laptop into a TV, if you so choose.



2. Most of this album is the revisioned folk I know and love from Varttina; those parts of the album are excellent songs that, unfortunately, just don't live up to their potential in these live versions.
   
   A few songs on here, though, are material that hasn't appeared on their albums and is stylistically very different; to be blunt, it sounds more like generic European dance/pop. Mie Tahon Tannsia and Laulutytto are the examples that come to mind. Maybe you'll like them. I don't.



3. Värttinä first became popular in our country in the 80's as part of the new folk movement and quickly established themselves as spokesgirls for roots music. this album captures their in their prime. Outstanding tracks are "Kylä vuotti uutta kuuta" (The village was waitin for the new moon") and "Ukko lumi" (Snow man). These girls had a way of putting you under their spell - maybe it was the Eastern-Karelian mysticism that's so hard to resist for a Finnish audience. As a time piece this album is essential - a reminder to us Finns that Värttinä could really touch our hearts and make us cry (and a moment later laugh through the tears).



4. I love Varttina, I love the vocals.

   Having said that I would say this group is one of the reasons why I started studying Finnish (after all, I wanted to understand what was sung :).

   "Kyla vuotti uutta kuuta" is the best traditional song I have ever heard. The strength with which Varttina vocalists sing this song is touching. If you close your eyes, you can almost see valkyries taking you from the ground and sending you to paradise.

   The first time I heard this song I thought to myself: "This is the song I want someone to sing for me in my funeral and send me strait to paradise!"

   The live presentation has its pros and cons but the overall result is really impressive. I would love to have the tape or better a DVD of this show in Helsinki.




5. This is a good live effort from Värttinä's tour supporting the "Ilmatar" album. Värttinä's strengths are captured well on this album, and the harmonies, as usual, are top notch on their live renditions of "Käppee", "Liigua" and their perennial classic "Kylä Vuotti Uutta Kuuta". These renditions are almost all shifted up a notch in tempo from the original recordings, which adds some energy (which is good and bad in some cases here) to the festivities.

   Outside the core of vocalists Mari Kaasinen, Susan Aho, Johanna Virtanen and (the recently departed from Värttinä) Kirsi Kähkönen, the band is spry and energetic, although not all of the arrangements work well, and some of the playing is sloppy, notably the bizarrely reworked version of "Vihma" (renamed "Ukko Lumi" here) and a rendition of "Seelinnikoi" which is rearranged into a pale imitator of the studio version.

   Still, it's all good fun, and the energy is infectious. This is a good first live album from Värttinä, and could be a sign of more to come.

2 comments about No Requests Tonight.

1. THE DEVIL DOGS REALLY KNEW HOW TO ROCK. THIS IS A LIVE CD RECORDED IN COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA. IT'S HIGH OCTANE ROCK AT ITS' BEST. THERE IS ANOTHER LIVE CD CALLED SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER WHICH IS GREAT ALSO. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE DEVIL DOGS GO OUT AND BUY ALL OF THEIR CDS TODAY!!!!



2. Man, oh man! This is 100% killer New York rock'n'roll action-blast baby! The mighty Devil Dogs were amazing live and this great disc captures the New York obnoxia-kings at the apex of their powers. This record blasts forth with the power of 10000 Ramones! Yes, they actually out-Ramone the Ramones!

   Another reason to get this disc is the great on stage banter between songs! Listen as Andy G lovingly tears into a drunken, rampaging crowd of rock'n'rollers! Thrill as Andy describes his feelings on opera music and how much King Cobra he had to drink before climbing on to the stage. No requests on here, just pure rock'n'roll mayhem.....YOU JERKS!

No comments about The Peel Sessions.