5 comments about All the World's a Stage.

1. Back in 1976, Rush was a much better live band than studio band. The live versions of "2112" and "Something for Nothing" leave their studio-born siblings in the dust. The same can be said for just about all of the tracks here. Heck, I even like this version of "By-Thor and the Snow Dog." I'm not a huge fan of Phase-I Rush, but the energy here is contagious and the album is a lot of fun to listen to.
   
   And what would a 1970's-era live hard rock album be without an extended drum solo. At least we get to hear one of the greatest rock drummers of all time on this one.



2. This live album probably captures Rush at the height of their career. It displays the tightness of the band through their early evolution. Notes are crisp, timing is superb and the musical riffs blend together in as close an approximation of the studio recordings as possible. Geddy is at his finest, suppling a driving back beat equaling the "perfessor" Neil Peart on the skins. Un-like other three man bands, there is no "emptiness" when Alex performs his wonderous guitar solo's.
   
   An excellent selection for those of you wishing to sample Rush for the first time and a must have for those of us that love this Canadian band.



3. This is the first of many incredible live albums by Rush circa 1976. I had this one on cassette back in the day, wore that thing out! A great live version of 2112 on this one, plus Something for Nothing and a Working Man/Finding my Way melody that is out of sight.



4. As a longtime fan of Rush, I am a proud owner of this live album. Alex, Geddy and Neil just jam on this great live record from one of the best progressive groups ever.
   
   It's great to hear 'By-Tor And The Snow Dog' live. Alex plays some mighty fine slide guitar here. 'Working Man/Finding My Way' features a great drum solo from Neil, who is, in my opinion, one of the best of all-time. The drum solo alone is worth the price of the entire album.
   
   The record ends with 'What You're Doing,' which was the one that was used for compilations. It's a great one; Geddy's vocals are great, and Neil plays a great beat.
   
   Overall, this is one of the best live records ever released. Highly recommended for any Rush fan. An amazing record from one of the finest trios in rock history.
   
   Highly recommended. ENJOY!!!



5. All THe World's A Stage is a truly epic compilation of Rush's growth as a progressive rock genre group at this point in thier career. The lyric excellence and outstanding live performance skills of Neil Peart coupled with geddy Lee's vocal and and virtuoso bass and keyboard performances and Alex Lifeson's complimentary guitar abilities make this a truly elevating sonic experience.

5 comments about Live in Europe.

1. I read a couple of the reviews that accuse Fantasy of "faking" the live aspect of this album by dubbing in the audience. I've never noticed that, and I've had this album since 1973, when it was first released on vinyl.
   Granted, the Cd version does short change the listener by leaving off a couple of songs, but that is easily remedied by purchasing the vinyl copy
   if you can find one. The thing I want to say about the album and the tour from which it came is, why couldn't Creedence replace Tom and his rhythm guitar for at leat the duration of the tour? Creedence always had an uncomplicated sound to begin with, and the absence of a second guitar does reveal the simplicity of their sound so why not pull in a player for the tour.
   But, I am speaking of 1971, and not 2006 where it is considered the norm for artists to drag along seven extras to replicate their sound on stage.
   Witness the Eagles and their recent tours, to understand my meaning.
   Perhaps J.F. wanted to keep Creedence simple, and, perhaps, keep more of the profits. Who knows? All I'm saying is CCR would have benefited from an extra guitar on stage after Tom's departure. It could also have afforded John the opportunity to perform some of CCR's more recent keyboard oriented songs. Oh well, it's a good album and probably done "really" live.
   It's a good album and a fine documentary of CCR's final days as a working band.



2. this is a great testament of the energy that CCR had on stage until the very end. Unfortunately, the concert starts out with a rather routine performance of Born on the Bayou, which may dampen listener enthusiasm initially. After that the band starts to really roll, starting with Green River/Suzie Q, peaking with Traveling Band and Fortunate Son, and very enjoyable versions of Lodi, Bad Moon Rising and Proud Mary. I really appreciate that the three players seem to be enjoying the performance. The sound is slightly muddled, which gives the disk a "garage-band sound"...it sounds a little bit like you are listening from just off-stage at the show.
   
   Others have commented that this may include crowd sounds edited in. I don't know about that, but the crowd certaining seems realistic and the performance is no doubt from the tour.
   
   Definately worth 5-10 bucks for the great songs and energetic showmanship.



3. This recording is an example of classic rock at its absolute best. There are many songs I enjoy. Examples include "Playing in a Traveling Band," and "Up Around the Bend." There are other songs that might have fit this collection including "Looking Out My Back Door," "Down on the Corner," and "Who'll Stop the Rain." However, I would still recommend this recording to anyone who likes CCR.



4. Released a year after the disbanding of CCR, this "album" is hardly worth anything other than a historical record of the band's only "live" recordings as a trio. (Tom Fogerty had bailed in early 1971 for a solo "career.")
   
   A blatant attempt to cash in on their now-defunct cash cow, Fantasy kept on repacking the hits in various forms - including this live album from the 1971 European tour. Rumors say that this is actually a rehearsal tape with audience applause dubbed in - and if you listen closely with headphones, it does seem that way. You can almost see the hand on the fader turning up the volume of the "audience" at the end of Bad Moon Rising - and other songs have equally egregious mixing. Not since 1966's "Got Live If You Want It" by The Rolling Stones has there been such a phony live album.
   
   Originally released as a 2-LP set (with Keep On Chooglin' as an entire side!!?!), the CD re-release had lopped off Sweet Hitchhiker (the band's last top-ten hit) and its flip, Door To Door (no great loss, as the in-concert version is no better or worse than its studio counterpart), these two tunes have been restored as part of the six-CD box CCR set.
   
   The music? Without the competent rhythm guitar of departed brother Tom, the sound is obviously thinner than previous tours (listen to "The Concert" for proof) and the song selection had to be geared towards a trio (meaning no Down On The Corner or Lookin' Out My Back Door).
   
   Bottom line - totally unnecessary, unless you're a CCR fanatic. Otherwise, stick with the first six studio albums.



5. If you ever listen closly to this "live" recording, you can hear the same applause after each song. There are some dead giveaways here, such as a distant banging sound, followed by some feedback and each time you can hear it with the same yelling and applause. Just bad stuff Fantasy!
   
   I've heard that the rehersal tapes (for that very tour of Europe) were used, then some crowd noise was added to the mix. As rehersals go, they aren't bad performances, but the mix is muddy.
   
   I've long since sold my copy.
   
   A better live album to buy from this time period is, MADE IN JAPAN by Deep Purple. No overdubs, no fake crowd, just good live music!

5 comments about The ProjeKcts.

1. A quartet of projects spun from King Crimson, the music explores the vast avenues of ideas and virtuosi of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto.
   
   Bruford is a rhythmic wonder on ProjeKct One - Live at the Jazz Cafe, while Belew adds a twist or two on V-drums, and the ego of an arena-rock headliner, throughout ProjeKct Two - Live Groove.
   
   But it's ProjeKct Three - Masque and ProjeKct Four - West Coast Live that delivers the most explosiveness. Fripp stretches out sonically through wickedly harsh, metallic-like performances, which covers the artistic canvas with power and urgency.
   
   Each CD is a gem and travels a vast landscape of creativity, sound and vision.



2. I really like this release but I'm not sure if it's the kind of thing that alot of people other than me will listen to alot. I'm a big fan of the band who also happens to like improv music however this one seems to be a bit much for alot of my friends. This is sort of the King Crimson version of the Grateful Dead's Infrared Roses. Only Robert Fripp appears on all the releases. ProjeKct One features Tony Levin, Trey Gunn, Bill Bruford, and Robert Fripp recorded live at the Jazz Cafe in London Dec. 1-4, 1997. This feels like it, in fact, has more of a traditional jazz feel than some of the others. ProjeKct Two Live Groove, features Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, and Trey Gunn which was recorded at various locations in early 1998. This has a more easily and accessable feel than the others in the series. ProjeKct Three Masque has Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto recorded at different places on tour. I should point out that the booklets also contain alot of information about the shows, tours, ect. This one has more of an industriel sound to me. ProjeKct Four West Coast Live features Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn, Tony Levin, and Pat Mastelotto. This is also really good although this generally tends to be the disc people seem to like the least.



3. As an "old" King Crimson fan I was very pleased with the recent "The Power to Believe" release. So I thought I'd revisit their modern career by purchasing "The ProjeKcts" material released in 1999. This 4 disc set is nothing short of amazing. The music is music: not rock, not jazz, not noise...a sound unto itself but music nonetheless. And of course it is very tightly played with Fripp very much in control.



4. if your a fan of King Crimson, you probably arent afraid of music thats differant
   this box set is good, but its extremely differant and sometimes scary I think the majority of the material is good, but some of it is just overly wierd and not all that great musically
   if you can get past that, it is well worth the price
   
   my favorite song is 21st century schizoid men by projekct 2
   Belew's beats are incredible on that song
   and throughout all the songs, Fripp's guitar sounds amazing as usual as does Trey Gunn's warr guitar
   
   The best disc in the box set overall is Projekct 3 Masque



5. Others here have more than adequately described the various combinations represented here so I won't bother with that. Let me just say that for the serious listener--that being one who does not need a catchy chorus, a hooky melody line that can be whistled for days afterward (or even lyrics for that matter)-- this collection offers a brilliant insight into musicians digging in deep. But have no fear: this is not an exercise in ego masturbation wherein the musicians noodle aimlessly to the benefit of no one but themselves: this is real music. It draws on the traditions of rock, jazz, funk, even contemporary classical genres, and does so wonderfully. While these discs will be anathema to the average Kenny G fan, for me they have provided many hours of listening satisfaction.

5 comments about Europe '72.

1. In my opinion, the first CD is one of the best issues of released Dead music, live or studio. With the exception of One More Saturday Night (no disrespect to their performance or the recording, I just never cared for this song), every song on CD1 is musical perfection. From the the controlled epileptic seizure Cumberland Blues to the laid back He's Gone, Brown-Eyed Woman, to the best recording ever of China Cat->Rider, this is a keeper. Just as my mother weened me on Revolver and Yellow Submarine, I kept my 2 daughters contantly exposed and rocked to China Cat->Rider, and the rest of CD 1. CD 2 bores me a bit, or maybe it's just because CD 1 is so interstellar incredible, I keep starting it over at track 1, never really giving CD 2 a chance.



2. The 2 disk set contains fabulous versions of several of the Dead's standards but for me the medly of China Cat and I Know You Rider is the highlight. A great He's Gone , Tennesee Jed,Mr. Charley , need I say more...This was my favorite live recording when it first came out and has remained one of the Dead cds I listen to on a regular basis. After all these years it still packs a punch. The Dead were the quintisential live band and this is the way to hear them at their creative peak.



3. but not the only one you should get. Make this a purchase, but get live/dead also because it has all different songs, and then look at other live releases. The dead have a lot of good recordings, just pick and choose among them. This one has become a staple of great dead songs in my collection. It is amazing how many good songs they have, and how intimidating it seems to get their best stuff, but you can't go wrong with this release even though some people feel it isn't up to scratch.



4. People can disect this CD all they want. But what you have here is a solid piece of music gold. Europe 72 is a much more laid back CD than earlier dead CDs (Live/Dead for instance) but it is just as good as anything from their earlier days...maybe even better.
   
   I'm not going to sit here and bore you with repetative comments about this album's brilliance, I would just like to comment on its finale.
   
   The first time I heard Morning Dew I was not prepared for the emotions I'd feel. It begins quiet...very quiet. Jerry's guitar comes swooping in and it gets under way. The song is about nuclear holocaust, if you didn't know, and I really think it has that emotion in it. They originally recorded this song on their first CD, The Grateful Dead, but that was a quicker, less poignient version. This one is slow, pensive, precise. I thought that the verses alone were enough, that it couldn't be anymore beautiful...woa, boy was I wrong. The solo is SOO amazing that I can't even describe. The notes just rip into your heart and into your soul. You can feel all the emotion that Jerry put into it. Then it fades into the verses again. And before it finishes they begin an outro. The outro is just like the solo, but even better. I am completely uncapable of relating to you how amazingly heartfelt and powerful the solo and outro are. I have been brought to tears many times by this masterful piece. Jerry's guitar is crystal clear and you can hear it weep throught this song. Even describing it, I can feel that special feeling I get when I listen to it. I only hope that you feel the same way when you listen to it.....
   
   but I guess it doesn't matter anyway.



5. MY feeling of Europe '72 is this: Love, love, love disc 1. Every song is performed with energy, great jams and one of my favorite Tennesse Jed's ever. Disc 2 on the other hand bores me a bit. Truckin' is great, but the Prelude>Morning Dew is boring to me. But the bonus material (starting with a beautiful and etheral Looks like Rain) redeems it. So not a perfect live disc, no other official releases truly shows the creative live peak musically and songwriting-erly (is that a word?) the boys were in 1972, in the midst of their prime.

5 comments about Dick's Picks, Vol. 1: Tampa, FL, 12/19/73.

1. The choice of music for the first Dick's Picks release was somewhat confusing for most Dead Heads I think. It IS good, and the sound quality is excellent - but I think most people's lists would have had other dates at the top. (Plus, it's edited a bit - a bass solo Phil Lesh didn't like was just faded out.) Is it worth listening to? Absolutely! The opening Here Comes Sunshine is worth the price alone... Steve Urbauer Stephen Urbauer



2. The first time I truly "got" this CD was one night listening with headphones. Bobby stabs, jabs, and rakes with amazing creativity. When listening to the Dead, we get really comfortable listening to Jerry, and with good reason. But when you tune in to what Bobby is doing on this album, you will be struck by the beauty of his playing. He shows a whimsical ability to play very jazzy fills that stand on their own as an overlooked and underrated part of the band's sound. Chordal extensions and rhythmic originality are all over the place, especially in the jams. And of course, the rest of the band is right there with him. Highly recommended listening. Headphones, after midnight!



3. As a new Deadhead, when I first heard this, I was perplexed why this would be chosen as DP #1. After several listenings, I "got it." This was recorded live in Tampa in December, 1973, in the period between "Wake of the Flood" and "Mars Hotel". It's a jazzier, more exploratory dead. The tone of the jams in Weather Report Suite and Playing in the Band, particularly, is light, trippy and optimistic.
   
   Keith and Donna were very very good on this release. I keep reading complaints that she shreiks but that's just Southern soul gospel coming through and all I can say is that it worked here. Having just lost Pigpen earlier in the year, what I am hearing in these grooves is emotional commitment to the music and to each other.
   
   I remember being in the car, kind of thinking that maybe they shouldn't have made this DP #1, when it hit me that this Weather Report Suite and Playing in the Band are both really tight. They were just soaring.
   
   Disk 2's laconic, lilting He's Gone flows effortlessly. The disk reaches a high point with Nobody's Fault But Mine and the Jam preceding The Other One which reveal the band at an artistic and emotional high point.
   
   DP 1 is jazzy where it has to be jazzy, twangy where it has to be twangy, and it rocks in all the right places. The tape hiss is quickly forgotten once you get into the quality of the performances...Turn up your bass a little bit to correct the problem one reviewer mentioned with Phil being a little too low. You may also want to crank up your treble since it's a bit muddy in the high range. It's a DP, after all, and not a perfect recording but overall a very good recording, and as deserving as any to be called DP #1.



4. This is the first of many great shows to come frm Dick, may he rest in peace. Dick knew what he was doing on all his picks except a few where he blundered slightly. Here comes Sunshine is a killer opening song. This is a good CD that delivers.
   Eastcoast Phil. TCBRN, Simpsonville, SC 11/30/06



5. wow. right now i am listening to the jam/other one and my whole apartment is melting. and i'm not even on drugs! this one features the dead at their "almost-acme." it is something to truely behold, somebody chain up phil, already. the here comes sunshine, the playin in the band, the truckin, quickly it becomes clear, this is the penultimate release of the pickin' dick. whoa and right now is the time people, honk your horns and listen to it. jam has never tasted so good.

5 comments about Live MCMXCIII.

1. I still mix it and play it all the time. The only version that holds up to it is Courtney Love's live version (which is also a killer). Docked a star for John Cale who is still arch after all these years (exception: Songs for Drella).



2. `The Velvet Underground Live MCMXCIII (1993)' is a two CD set collected from performances at the Paris (France) L'Olympia Theater. From the response of the audience to the Velvet's performances, I think the myth that only about a thousand people ever actually listened to The Velvet Underground (but, the story goes, each and every one of those thousand started a band influenced by the Velvets.
   
   By some standards, this may not be a `great' live album, in the same league as `The Who Live at Leeds', but I think it is pretty darn good. Since this was recorded at least 25 years after the Velvet's prime and the release of their first two albums, from which most of this material comes, it is really a pleasure to hear Lou Reed and John Cale and Moe Tucker and Sterling Morrison in such good voice. (Well, Moe seems to be a bit raspy and forced on her single solo, but it was done for fun, so it sort of fits).
   
   Since most of the material does come from the first two albums, there is a strong chance that all of your favorites will be here. And, when Lou or John does the vocal on a number originally sung by Nico, I think this live version is actually better, as I was never a big fan of Andy Wharhol's designated chanteuse.
   
   The only number I miss is the last cut of the first album, `European Son to Delmore Schwartz', which was a great closing number. Instead, they close the CDs with a very quiet song, `Coyote', which, frankly, I don't recognize, so it may even be a Lou Reed number.
   
   I am really happy that they stuck to the Velvet's material, even though both Reed and Cale have had successful solo careers. I am also very happy that we have the original four. I don't mean other sidemen couldn't have done as well, but I like to see the original band get the bread for doing the gig and not some pickup musicians backing Reed and Cale.
   
   Thus, to answer the big question on all live or `best of' albums, is this worth the cost of duplicating the numbers. To me, a died in the wool fan and proud owner of two original vinyl albums with banana sticker intact, I believe this is well worth the ability to carry around in one jewel case, an album of good performances by the original band with enthusiastic audience in thrall.



3. If you are a fan, consider this: there are live versions of "The Gift" and "I Heard Her Call My Name" on this record. And they are both not only as good as the versions on White Light/White Heat, but were recorded on modern equipment.
   
   If you are not a fan, you should be. I was aware of this record, but always avoided it for some reason. How could it possibly be good?
   
   Well it is. Lou Reed attempts actual singing more on this record than anything he's recorded since Loaded. He doesn't always succeed. And John Cale rarely succeeds when he sings. (But he does when talking 'The Gift' - go figure.)
   
   But the drums and guitars are everything they ever were, but the sonics improvements provide liftoff at every turn. And the songs are pretty good, too. The band that recorded WL/WH is the one that showed up for this reunion.
   
   The reunion they deserved.



4. I don't know why this album wasn't more popular than it was. I WAS glad to see that it charted in billboard magazine ( #180 ).This is their best live album ! I like it almost as much as their original studio albums. It was a great comback for them. I only wished they reunited and stayed for a while. I highly recommend this cd for any velvets fan old AND new.



5. 'Live MCM...' was recorded on the band's apparently unlikely reunion in 1993.If you're hoping for a stunning record here,you'd probably be a bit let down.It's okay,not great but decent.I've never been THAT huge of a VU fan,but I thought I'd give this disc a shot.Good alternative proto punk,as one might label it.Cuts I dug the most were "All Tomorrow's Parties","After Hours",one of their most memorable,the sedate "Sweet Jane","I'm Waiting For The Man"(I've seen this track covered on Hawkwind and Pink Fairies bootlegs/legit CD's)and "Heroin".Line-up:Lou Reed-guitar&vocals,John Cale-keyboards,Sterling Morrison(R.I.P.)-guitar and Maureen Tucker-drums.

1 comments about Aerosmith - Greatest Hits 1973-1988/Classics Live!.

1. What a deal. You get the very best of the worlds greatest rock and roll band Aerosmithat the height of their carear in the 1970's and a classic live album of the band from the 1980's and all together for a pretty low price, what a deal!
   
   This is Aerosmiths great hits from 1973-1987 (not 1988!!!) and you get it all. 'Dream On' 'Walk This Way' 'Let The Music Do The Talkin' its all here. Every song on the album is a classic. The original greatest hits left off over half of these songs. No 'Let The Music Do The Talkin' 'Mama Kin' 'Lightening Strikes' (even though it wasnt really a big hit). And it also had poor edits on 'Kings And Queens' and 'Sweet Emotion' cutting off the classic intros and killer jams at the ends of the songs. Well this version still does that but it is still good.
   
   Aerosmiths Classics Live is also included here. While this is not one of Aerosmtihs best live recordings its still a Aerosmith classic and is essential to all Aerosmith and rock and roll collections. Some songs were recorded with Joe Perry and Brad Whitford and some are with out and have Rick Dufey and Jimmy Crespo playing guitar, while that is my biggest complaint because Joe Perry is my hero and I dont think you can have Aerosmtih with out Brad Whitford and certainly not without Joe Perry, as I am sure most will agree. My other small complaint is these are bad selections, I mean Steven is really high and the band isnt really tight, they could have been better but they were all high or drunk or both. But these small problems dont bother me too much because I still think this is a great live album from Aerosmith.
   
   So to conclude this is a great deal you get Aerosmtihs best and Aerosmith live, for the average fan you couldnt want more, but as a hardcore fan like myself I must recomend to you that you buy all the bands albums as they are all truly fantastic with the exception of Rock And A Hard Place, which is still pretty good in itself.

5 comments about The Best of Foreigner Live.

1. I accidentaly purchased this thinking I was buying a DVD. Foreigner is one of those rare bands that manages to sound raw and polished all at the same time with their studion recordings. This allows you to close your eyes and imagine you're listening to a really fabulous LIVE performance. Consequently this live CD, without video, doesn't really add anything, and in fact loses the balance & audio quality of their studio work.



2. As you can see by the review of my title, this is the real deal of Foreigner, not that new fake lineup currently out on tour. This CD features all the members from the first three lineups (the lineups that ACTUALLY RECORDED all those great songs we know and love.) The performances here are from various concerts from different eras. However, it's all blended together for one killer live experience. The only gripe is that it doesn't have Hot Blooded, but if you want the live version, get Records or the 2002 Double Vision remaster. So, if you want the real deal of Foreigner (with lead singer Lou Gramm), don't waste your time, money and CD rack space on Extended Versions. Buy this CD instead, you won't regret it.



3. I can not argue with anything being said and love the album and the band......Foreigner was my favorite band in '77 hitting me hard right away with their debut album and my senior year in high school. I still know all the words to the songs on this album and from time to time sing along with the volume blasting. So, let em see if my "missing song" story will get some notice and get a copy dug up from the Foreigner archives somehow for me. The next year, I heard a Philadelphia radio station play Foreigner in concert and the second hit nailed me upside the head and i almost went down for the count. In this concert, Foreigner played Starrider and what an amazing version they did, extended and adding a long flute solo by Ian McDonald that would knock anyones socks off. The following year i had the opportunity to get tickets for the Double Vision tour and saw them in Philadelphia. Ring a bell? the radio broadcast was from Phila. I heard it there - that amazing extended version with Ian's solo was heard live by me. Over the years i saw Foreigner 3 more times, but never did any of those shows do any Version of Starrider, let alone that awesome version. So....I am still searching.................it will say on my headstone "Died without Ever having Found Peace - Starrider Eluded Him"!!



4. I think Valdosta, GA is the sweetest town in the world, maybe
   the very sweetest and I love everything it's got. I make a lotta
   love with the town. I think I would love to live near there.



5. THIS LIVE ALBUM I WAS SHOCKED TO ALL GLORY WHEN I FIRST LAYED EYES ON THE BEST OF FOREIGNER LIVE. THIS CLASSIC LIVE CD IS THE BEST LIVE CD CONCERT IN FOREIGNER-ROCK HISTORY. I LOVE THIS ALBUM. AND I OWN IT TO. CAUSTION: THIS ALBUM MY CAUSE DOUBLE VISON.

5 comments about Dylan & The Dead.

1. This is some of the worst music (pardon the positive noun there, it's barely music) to have ever been made permanent by the recorded medium.
   
   The Grateful Dead were sometimes a truly groundbreaking band, sometimes a great live party band, sometimes tired and misdirected old men.
   
   Bob Dylan, prior to his motorcycle accident was the voice of a generation. later an artist searching for a message and only sometimes finding it.
   
   Combine the two, and you get tired sounding renditions of historically great tunes. The vocals sound like drunks doing karaoke, the instrumentation is lacksadaisical to the point of nausea.
   
   Turn it OFF!! Don't hurt your music player!



2. Yeah, don't blow any money on this one at all. It's not a good idea. But I'm sure you knew that already. For the uninitiated, Dylan and the Dead is a live album, pairing Bob Dylan with the Grateful Dead. But here's the problem: Dylan was way past his peak when this album came out - he released this atrocious thing right after Empire Burlesque, Knocked Out Loaded, and Down in the Groove, if you needed proof - and while I don't know much about the Dead (though I dig the Dynamic Duo of Workingman's Dead and American Beauty just fine), I'm just gonna guess that they, too, were kinda washed-up by 1988.
   
   No pun intended, but everyone sounds dead on this release. Bob Dylan's voice sounds absolutely terrible. No emotion, no personality, nothing. He just sounds bored with himself. The Dead display zero energy, and don't really provide anything interesting, outside of a few nice-ish guitar parts on the occasional song. As such, the classics get butchered. Ever heard a bad version of "Knocking on Heaven's Door," "I Want You," or "All Along the Watchtower?" Try the ones found on this album. They're awful. "Knocking on Heaven's Door" especially suffers from lagtime. It doesn't have anything resembling a vocal melody, even in the faintest. Dylan lags way behind the Dead, mumbling his way through one of the all-time classics. Dylan makes "All Along the Watchtower" sound like the absolutely brilliant Hendrix version, and while that worked on Before The Flood [Live With The Band, 1974], it fails epically for Dylan here.
   
   And why did he decide to drag out "Joey" on this tour? It was a bad enough song in the first place, with Dylan's whining all over it, but it sounds even more wretched here, because at least the original had a fairly interesting arrangement, with the violin fills and accordion and all. There's nothing even remotely interesting about this take on "Joey."
   
   The ironic thing is he does one of his very worst songs pretty well. I've never been a fan of "Gotta Serve Somebody" - in fact, I just about hate it - but by taking out the electric piano and backup singers, he manages to make it somewhat decent. Some of the decent guitar parts I mentioned in passing earlier really come out here. They also come out on "Slow Train." Of course, neither of these songs are anywhere near as good as even the weaker material on some of Dylan's best live albums, but whatever.
   
   But neither of those small highlights makes Dylan and the Dead worth a purchase. This is just another failure from Dylan's weakest period. Gerf. Awful, awful stuff. Skip it. If you must buy it, buy it for the cover. What is it with bad albums that have cool covers, anyway? At least it's not a bad album with a bad cover a la Knocked Out Loaded.



3. Do you really need to read a review of this. Its Bob Dylan and Grateful dead, i mean come on, can you find a better combination of people to put together. The album jams pretty good. I love the mellow jam throughout Knockin' On heaven's door. This will probably not be an album you listen to everyday, but is one that when you put it on you will play it all the way through.



4. In an era when stadium shows defined the summer concert scene, 1987 had a pairing of two iconic figure in rock/pop culture - Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead - on a six city tour.
   
   The seven numbers which clock in a few ticks over 43 minutes highlight Dylan on guitar, harmonica and vocals - with the Grateful Dead as his backing band - that were recorded during four of the half-dozen July dates that comprised the tour.
   
   With uneven performances, the album - released in 1989 - is a choppy capsulation of the collaboration, but is interesting nonetheless for fans of the artists or those seeking an audio slice of rock during an era when bigger was seen as better from the perspective of record company executives, concert promoters and artists.



5. My best friend and I used to listen to a Dylan and The Dead tape that must have had at least 12 songs. One was 'Maggie's farm'. I don't remember the others but I was really looking forward to hearing them again. None of the songs on the CD I got were on the one that must have been made much earlier, based on the songs on this CD.
   There is nothing wrong with the CD and I received it much sooner than I expected. The only problem with this order is that I did not make sure this was the CD I thought I was ordering. I have enjoyed this one a lot and, again, I am extremely pleased with the product and quick delivery.

5 comments about Sacred Fire: Santana Live in South America.

1. This is from a period when Santana still rocked, and there was still some fire left in his soul. All the tunes reflect that feeling, where spirit and flesh merge in an alchemy of soul-delight, to paraphrase Santana's former spiritual master, Sri Chinmoy. That soulful fusion that he was known for in the Golden Decade can still be felt here, in the extended jams. I was lucky to have been in one of the shows on that tour, and this album captures the feel and mystical atmosphere of a Santana live show wonderfully. Definitely his best release of the 80's and 90's, which has made his old-time fans very happy (before alienating them in the new Millennium with his big pop sellout)



2. 3 1/2 stars really.
   the music is quite good, as so many other reviewers have stated. My beef?There isn't enough guitar, and what is there, is lost in the other instruments. I've seen Santana in concert several times, and the main reason for going, is his guitar. I recommend Lotus instead. Despite its technical flaws, Lotus is a better album overall.



3. This is a "must have" cd for any Santana fan. It captures the mood and energy of seeing Santana live very well. In fact, I would consider it the best live album I've ever heard. It's got the dialog (in spanish) between songs and at the beginning of the show. I find the words and music to be very inspiring. I could go on and on but to put it simply, this is one of my all time favorite cds. An amazing performance by an amazing band. Just buy it!!



4. I have all the old vinyls and all the new cds, but non touch the live performance of Carlos on this album. This truly shows he is by far the greatest guitarist of all time. Hendrix was great, but he's dead!. Oh yeah, and shame on anyone who doesn't aggree that Santana live is better than any studio recording. And if this his his best live album, then this is his best album of all. I highly recomend. This is comming from a Carlos fan who's been listening to him since the beginning. Trust me you won't be dissapointed.



5. Sacred Fire: Santana Live in South America is a nice recording of an early 90's Santana concert.
   The sound quality is first-rate.
   The musicians, while very good, are no match for the Santana band of the late 60's and early 70's.
   Of course, Carlos Santana's fiery guitar still has the power to carry the show.
   I didn't particularly care for a few of songs on this album (like Esperando and Make Someone Happy) but the renditions of their earlier works like "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" and "Toussaint L'Overture" are fantastic.
   Overall a rewarding musical experience but for the best live recording of a Santana performance I'll stick to "Lotus".