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".

1 comments about Live! Blueswailing July '64.

1. I really enjoyed this CD. I find any Clapton performance before Derek and the Dominos entertaining and this one is no exception. I think I would still recommend getting Five Live Yardbirds first. This CD is certainly on the same level as Five Live, and if you like it and want more, this would be a great addition to your music library.

5 comments about Live with a Little Help from Our Friends.

1. This set of songs pulls some of the best talent out there together for some spectacular jams. This is well worth the money if you love blues, rock, all mixed together. Warren Hayes, Woody, Jimmy Herring, Derek Trucks, Randall Bramlett etc. There are some great covers here too, this is the shiz, get it, and start jamming. The time to jam is now. Anyone slamming this does not know quality music. Keep jamming America.
   Coconut Phil.



2. This collection is a must for every true GM fan. Some of the recordings experience some technical difficulties, but it is a box set, after all, and you can expect such extras to be included. The regular release of "With a little help..." is probably sufficient for you music-wise if you don't want to shell out the $45.00 for the box set, as cool as it is. GOV'T MULE RULES! Great Blues Rock!!



3. At a time when so much great live music remains in the vaults, Warren Haynes continues to record and release amazing performances. (The "Wintertime Blues" live double CD of an annual Christmas Jam with major guests, is a prime example.)
   
   Live With A Little Help From Our Friends was recorded at Atlanta's Roxy Theatre New Year's Eve '98/'99. Incredible music and jams with Haynes, Allen Woody, Matt Abts, and guests Chuck Leavell, Derek Trucks, Jimmy Herring, Randall Bramblett, Bernie Worrell, Marc Ford and others.
   
   How fortunate there were tapes rolling.
   
   Quality live rock music is alive and well!



4. This CD set represents a band recovering from a tremendous loss (A. Woody). From the ashes of devistation, not even knowing if the band would even survive the loss, an idea. Wouldn't Woody be proud to have all these folks he respected as bassists, sit in? A tribute to Woody, the Deep End project was born. This is the culmination of that project! The rest is history. Hard jamming and fresh, Mule pounds out 4 cd's of NYE rock like no one else can. Find out more about Mule, the fans, tour dates, live show download links, etc. Join us on the web at [...] See you there (after you order this cd set!) Tell 'em Baddad sent ya!



5. 
   If you like Allman Bros, If you like jams, if you like blues, if you like jazz, if you like good rock and roll, if you like hairy big fat rockers, you gonna like this FOUR record set, and i would like to have been there on new year eve.
   
   Govt Mule is great !!

5 comments about So Many Roads (1965-1995).

1. You have to admire the way this set was put together- trying not to duplicate what Deadheads already own and presenting 5 discs worth of unreleased and rare material. There really is a lot of great music in here and a great variety as well.
   In the extensive liner notes to the set, the compilers admit there's not enough Pigpen in it- WHY DIDN'T THEY PUT MORE PIGPEN SONGS THEN??? This is a great set that could have even greater if they included more early material and more Pigpen. 4.5 Stars- very very good but by their own admission, they could have done better in their choice of material.



2. At the time this was released the Dead were still releasing cd's thru Arista/BMG and what happened was Warner Bros. had just purchased Rhino Records. Warner Brothers had put out a press release that they planned on rereleasing the band's old albums in a box set with bonus material. Phil Lesh who was the band member running day to day operations at that time said no and that he thought it was just another way to rip fans off by selling them the same old stuff with a few meager new tracks. However, the Deadhead community at large wanted a box set. In came David Gans, Blair Jackson, Steve Silberman and originally Dick Lavala(who passed away while trying to get this ready for Christmas 1999). The original idea was to use material that wasn't going to be used for Dick's Picks or Vault releases. Sort of an expanded Fallout From The Phil Zone. All of the performances were taken from David Gans' tapes that he uses to produce the Grateful Dead Hour radio program and not the master vault tapes. In other words they're digital copies of the masters where available. A fight began between Phil and both Bob and Mickey over the vault and finally Phil relented which cleared the way for The Golden Road in time for Christmas in 2001. The band's last Arista/BMG release was in 2004. Since then the band's back catolog has been getting reissueed on Rhino Records. This album will be rereleased in 2010. Since the original release of this album several songs have been released in better quality elsewhere. By the way, the discs that hang together best on here are discs 3 and 4.



3. This is a great box set, get it now while you can, there will be no more. This has the best Eyes of the world that I have ever heard, it is my favorite GD song out. The last song on CD five is So many roads, Jerry sounds tierd and seems to be fading away, it is awsome and heat breaking to hear. A must for any fan.
   Philip, TCBRN, Simpsonville, SC. 2006.



4. I once thought that the Grateful Dead deserved a better epitaph than this. While I saw that it was full of unique musical ideas and moments of greatness, I also felt it was full of extraneous moments that are of interest to obsessives only. After living with the box for a while, though, its internal logic exposed itself. Initially, I hoped for a `greatest hits' collection of sorts and felt some disappointment to discover otherwise. Since a five-disk collection takes some time to digest properly, it wasn't until some time passed that I recognized how much better this collection is than any collection of `best bits'.
   If ever a band could use a box set, it's the Grateful Dead. If ever a band could use a box set that disseminates their career and culls highlights from all time periods, it's the Dead. A box that includes the best tracks from "Aoxomoxoa", "Live Dead", "Workingman's Dead", "American Beauty", "Europe `72" and "From the Mars Hotel", along with highlights from other albums, plus selected versions of live tracks chosen from their endless catalog of live tapes would be a beautiful thing. THAT is what I once thought the Dead deserved. I also believed that is what Deadheads wanted, if only to convince nonbelievers of the inherent greatness of their chosen icons. That isn't at all what this box set provides, but after a few listens, I began to determine the intelligence in its design.
   "So Many Roads" combines historically relevant outtakes, rare studio recordings and the occasional definitive live track, resulting in a collection that is as frustrating as it is fascinating. Disk one of this five CD set summarizes the faults and the highlights. It starts with a healthy amount of early tracks where the Dead resemble an ordinary "Nuggets"-era band; the Chocolate Watchband crossed with a touch of Van Morrison's Them, perhaps. Some are good, some aren't. Bob Weir's screaming punk-like vocals on "You Don't Have to Ask" are simply awful, while the energetic, fresh version of "I Know You Rider" is just as simply incredible. Pigpen's showcase, "The Same Thing," takes time to develop, but transcends all expectations before it finishes. Just as the punk-blues mood sets in, gears shift and suddenly, the disk morphs into the remarkable looseness of a twenty-five minute jam. A rather direct and poignant "Dark Star" transforms into "China Cat Sunflower", and then "The Eleven", with a grace and inquisitiveness that made the 1968-1972 Grateful Dead one of the most interesting bands in the world.
   By disk two, the Dead had already lost most of their youthful impetuousness, replacing it with curiosity, attempting to bind themselves to something intangible, something like infinity. After Pigpen's death, assertive energy was substituted with exploration. With Keith Godchaux on keyboards, it became more and more apparent that the Dead really do sound better if you're stoned. As the timeline proceeds, so does the level of exploration, and casual fans will have difficulty sticking with disk four's collapsing, free-form version of "Playing in the Band." Disk four also makes it rather apparent that the Dead never really improved their vocals much. What did improve, though, was the level of expression that they could muster with their voices. Whiles notes cracked or soared out of tune, the emotional center grew more and more focused.
   Brent Mydland is well -represented in the latter-day work. I once considered this guy to be a bland honky-tonker incapable of serving the Dead's needs, but "So Many Roads" proves otherwise. Besides showcasing his powerful vocal style, it also proves that he had a touch not unlike Billy Payne of Little Feat (if EVER there lived a keyboard who should have played with the Dead in their prime, it's Billy Payne). Disk six is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Momentum is scattered, direction is lost and a sense of impending dread resides over the proceedings, lending each song a sense of destiny that is unshakeable, and often profound.
   While chronologically accurate, "So Many Roads" lacks any sense of coherence that an ordinary fan would crave. People looking for "Blues for Allah" would grow impatient with the band's early harmonica blues-based forays, and vice-versa. But, it is important to note that Deadheads aren't your typical fan base. This box was not created for neophytes but for those who are already convinced. If you want an introduction to the Dead, don't start here. This is where you turn after you have absorbed some of the band's history and legacy. At that point, the relevance of the tracks chosen for "So Many Roads" are more likely to sink in. Hearing Jerry Garcia sing "Days Between" simply won't have the same impact on a newcomer as it will on a connoisseur. "So Many Roads" contains little that is revelatory, because virtually everything that the Grateful Dead have played has already been exploited in some way, but discoveries can still happen virtually anywhere on this collection. Listen to the fluidity of Garcia's guitar on "That's It for the Other One." "Check out the intuitive weave of "Beautiful Jam." Listen to how the band brings "Terrapin Station" to life from its still-born studio version. Remarkable. The more you listen, the more you understand. A- Tom Ryan



5. Don't even know where to start with this 5 disc set. If you're new to the band this is not a bad place to start.
   
   Everything here is beautifully mastered and strong material has been pulled from each period of the band. Even the later stuff sounds great (I generally stick to their older stuff)!
   
   Buy this box set!! 50 stars! By the way, you can download it for a ridiculously low price on iTunes.

5 comments about One More from the Road.

1. Simply stated, if you do not own this, you are not a fan of good music. Yes the sound quality may not be on par with today's standards. However, this is a great, dare I say, historical document of one of the all time great lineups EVER!. The addition of guitarist Steve Gaines kicked these guys in the pants at a time when they needed it.
   
   It's about time they get the the respect they deserve by being voted into the Rock and Roll HOF.



2. ONE MORE FROM THE ROAD, along with SECOND HELPING, STREET SURVIVORS, NUTHIN' FANCY, GIMME BACK MY BULLETS, PRONOUNCED LEHN-NERD SKIN-NERD, the FREEBIRD movie soundtrack, and SKYNYRD'S FIRST: THE COMPLETE MUSCLE SHOALS RECORDINGS, is one of Lynyrd Skynyrd's best albums ever. It contains immortal live versions of "Workin' For MCA", "The Needle And The Spoon", and "Free Bird", making it, along with the Outlaws' BRING IT BACK ALIVE and HITTIN' THE ROAD, Skynyrd's own LYVE FROM STEEL TOWN, LYVE 2004, and SOUTHERN BY THE GRACE OF GOD, Blackfoot's HIGHWAY SONG and GREATEST HITS LIVE, Molly Hatchet's GREATEST HITS LIVE, DOUBLE TROUBLE LIVE, and LOCKED AND LOADED, Foghat's LIVE, DECADES LIVE, and ROAD CASES, Ted Nugent's DOUBLE LIVE GONZO!, LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH '79, and FULL BLUNTAL NUGITY, Nazareth's BACK TO THE TRENCHES, the Allman Brothers Band's LIVE AT FILLMORE EAST, UFO's STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT, Pat Travers' LIVE! GO FOR WHAT YOU KNOW, Blue Oyster Cult's ON YOUR FEET OR ON YOUR KNEES, SOME ENCHANTED EVENING, and EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIVE, Grand Funk Railroad's CAUGHT IN THE ACT, Humble Pie's PERFORMANCE: ROCKIN' THE FILLMORE and GREATEST HITS LIVE, Head East's ON STAGE, Bob Seger's LIVE BULLET, Robin Trower's LIVE and GREATEST HITS LIVE, Bruce Springsteen's LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY, Marshall Tucker's WHERE WE ALL BELONG and STOMPIN' ROOM ONLY, Cheap Trick's AT BUDOKAN: THE COMPLETE CONCERT, Bachman-Turner Overdrive's GREATEST HITS LIVE, Golden Earring's LIVE and SOMETHING HEAVY GOING DOWN, Charlie Daniels' THE LIVE RECORD, Thin Lizzy's LIVE AND DANGEROUS, and Little Feat's WAITING FOR COLUMBUS, one of the consummate live albums of all time.



3. love all the songs.........free bird still a hit....



4. This CD re-release (with extra tracks) was long overdue. I never get tired of listening to this! This was the real Lynyrd Skynyrd. The guitars are hot, vocals rough and wonderful, bass and drums tight. Although you can hear faint remnants of mistakes that were overdubbed on 2 songs (to fix live clams in solos), the music overall is second to none. This CD brings back alot of memories of growing up in the 70's.



5. growing up in the 70's was perhaps the best time to grow up (except the '50's) for rock and roll. Especially the south, where bands like Skynyrd, was the king and the Allman's were the bible from which they studied. "One more from the road", sounds as good as the live cd's of today, and that album was cut when I was 13 years old,and now I am 38. Being from that area and era, one can't help but be proud and fall in love with its harmonies and instrumentals. Its only once in a lifetime that such artists come together and you are around to witness their greatness. May you live in our hearts forever......

5 comments about King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents in Concert.

1. There are currently four different versions of this release circulating. The first came out in 2000 with a slip so you could get three extra songs and a Todd interview by downloading it from the King Bissuit web site and the enhanced cd took you right there. In 2001 JVC in Japan did a version called Live, that included a bonus song which was The Ikon/Freedom Fighters which was a download song. In 2002, this was released again but with the extra stuff on a bonus disc. In 2004 this was released yet again as the Best Of Todd Rundgren Live. This release is made up of three different shows, two of which had already been released. The 1978 show is Live in NYC '78 and the '85 show is A Cappella both of which are currently available in the box set Can't Sop Running. The 5/8/77 show is actually a Utopia concert and is were the bonus The Ikon/Freedom Fighters is from. This show is the best performed of the three. I really wish that they had just released that performance and bypassed everything else. If you're going to get this, make sure to contact the seller and that you get the two disc version like I have. If you can't find that, then go with the import with the bonus song.



2. This is a great CD if your a Todd fan, outstanding live performances and good sound quality....if you like this then check out "Back To The Bars".....buy this cd today!



3. I have a same title CD of Import version. This CD contains a bonus truck: The Icon and Freedum fighter. I think these performances are very good and are the most beutiful and strongest tunes in 70's American hard and progressive Rock. I recomennd Import version, if you want this one.



4. but the rest is great!

   This CD is a compilation of three Todd concerts, all recorded for broadcast on the syndicated King Biscuit Flower Hour. The first (and weakest of the three shows) is from Rundgren's A Capella tour in 1985. Starting with an interesting version of "Real Man," Todd and his 10-piece `band' (actually 10 vocalists--there were no instruments on the tour--tapes were used when necessary) played, clapped, and stomped thru a selection of songs from his latest album, and a smattering of hits. The highlight here is the always beautiful "Can We Still Be Friends." With all the people onstage, the vocal arrangement really comes to life.

   "The Last Ride" kicks off the next group of tunes, this time from the 1977 Schaffer Music Festival in New York. Todd wails on the guitar with reckless abandon, and hits all the high vocal parts with ease. After a medley of "Eastern Intrigue" and "Love of the Common Man," Rundgren bursts into the rocker, "Couldn't I Just Tell You." Always a crowd pleaser, this particular rendition is outstanding.

   The last six tracks are taken from The Bottom Line in '78 (note to the tape traders out there: this is not the same Bottom Line show that circulates). Rundgren's voice is a bit weak on "Real Man" (the high notes are notoriously difficult in a live setting), but aside from that, Todd's in fine form--both vocally and instrumentally. As you'd expect, "Black Maria" is stunning, and the medley of "I'm So Proud," "Ooh Baby Baby," "La La Means I Love You" and "I Saw the Light" is always enjoyable.

   As a special bonus to those who purchase the CD, you can download 3 more songs that don't appear on the CD ("Honest Work," "Freedom Fighters" and "Born to Synthesize"), plus an interview with Todd from August 2000. If you'd rather not download all this, there's a coupon inside the CD allowing you to get the bonus material on CD. Collectors take note: the bonus CD lists the second track as "The Wheel"--this is incorrect. One other thing I wanted to mention... Yes, all of the tracks from the New York shows are also on the excellent Back to the Bars album--these are not the same performances.

   To sum things up, this is another great release from the folks at King Biscuit. Whether you're a long-time Todd fan, or just discovering this music, this disc is a sure bet.




5. This CD is O.K. but it doesn't offer much that can't be found on other live Todd or Utopia CDs. The Acapella versions of Real Man and the Lost Horizon medley were "different" but I didn't like 'em. I'll take the full band versions every time. The other songs were no better or worse than what can be heard on Back to the Bars. The mix/recording quality is only fair.

   Additionally, I found the fade-in and fade-out of each song detracted from the feeling of a live event. I would have preferred cross fading one song into the next.

   If you are looking for some interesting live recordings of Todd, check out the "Somewhere/Anywhere" CD. It has rare live recordings of songs from the first Runt Album, A Utopia version of Open My Eyes, Utopia cover versions of Beatles and Who songs, Etc.

1 comments about Live.

1. Originally released 1973. Reissued 1983 by Virgin except the US and Canada by Atlantic. I first had the 1987 US tape, then the second Canadian edition on PolyGram, then traded that for a UK reissue, and I just bought an unusual Italian version with a 1980 live shot on the cover and the tracks rearranged. It is on a small label called DV Morerecord, and loose pre-EU laws have allowed CDs that could either be legal budget rereleases or collectable pirates common in Italy and other parts of western Europe (Eastern's even worse!). I've also found a bootleg tape, but the sound quality is amateurish at best (there are more of those than studio ones)!
   "The Knife"'s lyrics are different than the album version, yet the writing is credited to just Genesis, regardless of lineup.
   Turns out this was taped for King Biscuit Flower Hour. They didn't have a label then, so this was released by Charisma in between studio albums to ward off bootleggers (any RoIOs released then would get a few pretty pennies, but they'd sound like crispy rice cereal under water!).

5 comments about Live at the Olympia '96.

1. As a huge Deep Purple fan, I don't know why I didn't buy this one sooner.
   This CD is great sound, a great mix of songs, and Steve Morse just blisters that guitar. Get this one, quickly, don't pass it by like I did.
   This one should get six stars!



2. Awesome live show. The sound is clear and loud, and the band are playing great. Nice to see the band still keeping on, and they've really trimmed alot of the excess noodling and extended solos from earlier incarnations to now just rocking and jamming away. The addition of Steve Morse in 1994 really shows how refreshed these aging rockers look and play. There are alot of selections from their new album at the time, Purpendicular, along side a slew of classic rock chestnuts. Steve Morse plays the older material gracefully and is playing has invigorated the rest of the band. 5 stars.



3. Band Personnell:
   Ian Gillan - Vocals
   Steve Morse - Guitars
   Roger Glover - Bass
   Ian Paice - Drums
   Jon Lord - Organs and Keyboards
   
   This album is G-R-E-A-T, Steve shows how great he tackles the classic riffs by Blackmore, Gillan is somethimes lacking but he's got strenght and hit the notes great, this live album is the best since "Made in Japan", buy it, highly recommended.



4. This is incredable... cant say more!!! just close ur eyes and buy it... I wish I have this Live on DVD as well... and I wish I (with my hubby) attend a DP Live .. this is my dream



5. Better than Made In Japan by any measure. Brilliant, seasoned, virtuoso musicians playing as a tight, cohesive unit. No noodling or other time wasting as on Made In Japan and other DP live recordings of that era.
   
   The brilliant Morse/Lord duels rank among the best of the best; in fact any of the solos by these two rank among the best of the best. Morse breathed new life and enthusiasm into a great but declining band, prompting the attainment of new artistic heights.

5 comments about Arch Allies: Live at Riverport.

1. WOW two of my favorite bands playing together in one place. Styx and REO Speedwagon struck gold when they decided to cut this CD. I think that Styx and Foreigner should do the same. Anyway these are 2 of the best bands of all-time they are both in my Top Ten. I especially appreciate the Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) Collaberation with both bands. I thought that that was a particular nice touch. The only thing that could make it better is if Dennis DeYoung was there. Yes I know Lawrence Gowan is the new keyboardist and that Dennis DeYoung had to bow out due to Chronis Fatigue Syndrome and all things considered Lawrence Gowan does due a good job. But still Styx just isn't Styx without Dennis DeYoung there.



2. Most of these reviews have been less about the album and more about how Dennis De Young is out of the band. Well, I can honestly say the Styx CD is the lesser of the two, but NOT for that reason. It's just that the choice of Styx material for the album is a bit sub-par. The only ones that stick out to me as excellent are Gowan's version of Lady (really!), Edge of the Century, Heavy Water, and Fooling Yourself. The real gem of this collection is REO Speedwagon's disc. Gary may be gone, and Kevin may be losing his voice; however, you can feel the energy of the concert through this. Music Man is the only song that falls short. Too bad they couldn't have had a live version of Golden Country or Son of a Poor Man. Hitt is good, and I'd give this album 5 stars, but, as Kevin put it best "Nobody plays the guitar the way Gary does."



3. Journey, REO Spedwagon, and STYX are my favorite bands. It is so hard getting good live recordings of them all. I was very displeased with REO's attempts at a live album until I found this CD. This is 2 cds of great music. I love hearing Arena Rock live and this album delivers it. And you not only get one band, you get both of them. On some of the tracks they jam together. If you are a fan of STYX, REO, or both, then this album is a musthave on your list. A lot of people think STYX lost it after Deyoung left but Tommy Shaw holds his own and truly keeps the band alive. I recently saw all three bands at the Joe Louis Arena and so far this is the closest sound to the greatest night of my life I had that day.



4. Well, about eight months after the original release, I finally broke down and made this purchase. Why the long wait? Well, I just couldn't really get enthused about the new version of Styx, you know, the one minus Dennis DeYoung.. Well, eventually, curiosity got the best of me, and I wanted to see how the new guy(Lawrence Gowan) managed to pull off DeYoung's material..
   At first play, I was amazed how much better I liked the tracks from the "Brave New World" album.. They have so much more energy and life here. As for the other songs, Tommy still sounds in top form, J.Y's guitar work sounds as good as ever, Glen Burtnik adds some good energy, even though I've always felt "Edge Of The Century" was slightly generic, and then there is the man of the hour himself, Larry Gowan.. I've just recently had the chance to actually see Styx in person, first time in six years, and I must say, they might have more energy now, than they actually did then. It really is incredible, and a lot of this has to do with the antics of Mr. Gowan, a highly talented peformer, but.. I still don't feel that he is much of a match for DeYoung's vocals. If only Dennis could still do his powerhouse vocals, accompanied by Gowan's highly enthusiastic keyboard playing, a great combination, but will never happen.. Until that day(snicker), I am still looking forward to hearing Lawrence on his own material, and all the other guys on the brand new Styx record, due in Spring of 2003! All said, originally, I wasn't too thrilled about the live albums the current lineup has been putting out, but now, after seeing them for myself, I get the point.. They don't sound tired any longer, and it seems like they are really having fun, and doing what they want to do. I just hope it doesn't become all show, and no substance..
   On a last note, I also recently had the chance to see Dennis DeYoung at a solo show in Kettering, Ohio. He was really good as well, and seemed to be in top notch shape.. The amazing thing is what different directions him, and the other guys have gone in over the years. I hate to say it, but I honestly don't ever see how they could all become one again, they just have simply grown too far apart. I can certainly understand Tommy and J.Y.'s frustration over the soft, theatrical direction DeYoung ended up taking, but I hope they also realize, it isn't all about rocking, and Tommy has written quite a few tracks himself, that wouldn't exactly be considered cool, or rocking..
   If you are willing to give the new Styx a chance, and are not able to see them in person, give this CD a try, or maybe even "At The River's Egde" which is this exact concert, minus the REO portion(plus two extra Styx tracks, not included here), either one of these discs, combined with "StyxWorld", can give you a fairly good idea what a concert with the guys is like these days. I will probably always prefer the Styx of the "Paradise Theatre" days, but I'm happy to see everyone still going at it, including Dennis.



5. This double CD devotes 1 disc to each band. Recorded live during the summer 2000 tour, it contains all of the essential tracks from each band. On the Styx CD, we find such classics as "Too Much Time on my Hands" and "Renegade", while REO chimes in with "Roll With the Changes" and "Don't Let Him Go". I grew up with these groups while I was in high school, and it's nice to have a CD with both of them on it. I still think Dennis DeYoung is better than Lawrence Gowan, and the Styx disc was basically all Tommy Shaw's songs. There are a couple songs from their "Brave New World" CD which are very good, however. JY's "Heavy Water" is particularly good. Also included are a coupe of songs, "Roll With the Changes" and "Blue Collar Man", performed buy both groups together. Overall, this CD is good because it contains the good old-fashioned rock and roll sound that made both of these groups famous. There is also a VHS tape of this concert which I would recommend as well.

5 comments about Live at the Rainbow.

1. This is one of the best live albums ever released. You want to hear virtuoso musicians play their instruments extremely loud and with consummate taste? Do you want music that barnstorms over you, kicks your behind and energizes you without being some simplistic hard-rock or heavy metal crap, that sparks your imagination without being pretentious and soft? Well, you don't have to go as far back towards the blues as the Allman Brothers or as far out into jazz and indian music as Mahavishnu Orchestra or as far into classical music as Yes and ELP for that, you can get a perfect blend of all those influences right here with Focus. You get long jams with incredible, building, super-busy, master-controlled, angular, cutting and ferocious guitar solos by Akkerman that are just the perfect blend of jazz and rock and classical. Akkerman is the famous one and in fact, at the time this album came out in 1973, he managed to beat out Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Duane Allman, Jeff Beck & others in a Melody Maker Magazine Poll to be named 'World's Greatest Guitarist.' Then you have the rest of the guys in this great band who are not as well-known but just as much true artists on their instruments: Bert Ruiter (bass) Pierre van der Linden (drums) & Thijs Van Leer (keyboards, flute, vocals) and you add the famous Focus sense of humor for spice and BAM! The entire album is a highlight but the most energetic track is the superfast version of Hocus Pocus and the endless yodelling breaks (and one operatic break!) that keep slowing down and speeding up.
   
   Great remastered sound to crank way up on your stereo (not surround, don't use surround or it'll thin out the sound, these albums were recorded for stereo playback). In fact I was surprised at how good the sound was since Focus albums aren't known to have the best production.
   
   In short, if you like the Allman Brothers, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Yes, King Crimson, ELP or any of those early 1970s monster bands, then you cannot afford to pass up "Focus Live At the Rainbow" which is up there with greatest live albums ever released.



2. I have over three hundred titles in my CD collection which covers much of the early to present pop cultures, and if they were to be lost and if I was left with just this Live cd concert of this dutch group, I would still be heaving a sigh of relief. Ten years ago I found my copy thru an internet buying store and to tell you it took me 14 years to get it on cd format. Man it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, if you know what I mean. I revere this over everything else in my music collection, why, maybe because I have never heard any other group play like this group, great progressions of music at its time and counds refreshing to this day.



3. This CD - Live At The Rainbow, used to be a double album in the seventies, I bought it back then for proof. It is missing a couple of tracks, namely; Anonymus, but other than that it is a good CD. Because it is missing a few tracks, is why I give it 3 stars. I hope it might get reissued properly, the way it was originally,the way it was released for the U.S.A.



4. Like most Focus albums, this had a different cover in the US and Europe. The CD uses the European cover. The CD is 42 minutes long, and the sound quality is good, but not bright.
   
   I don't know whether to give this CD one star or five stars. The music is excellent, but it is not much different than the studio versions on the first three ablums. So, in a way, it is kind of pointless if you already own the first three albums.
   
   The first 20 minutes of the album is a suite of music. Each of the compositions is actually shorter than what was on the original studio albums. But, it is blended together perfectly, and played beautifully. It is very mesmerizing. It is one of those concerts where you can go into a complete daze.
   
   Next comes an 8 minute version of Eruption, which was 22 minutes long on the Moving Waves CD. I usually don't like it when a group plays a truncated version of a track. The group usually plays the main themes and piece comes out as a annoying, frustrating tease of what could be better. A prime example is the excerpts of Six Wives of Henry VIII that Wakeman plays on Yessongs. But, Focus does a good job of editing down the material.
   
   The album ends with an 11 minute version of Hocus Pocus with a little bit a Sylvia mixed in. It contains what is probably the best yodel jam in all of rock history. But, it may get a little overboard and silly near the end. Besides the yodelling, they play this tune with a lot of power and energy.
   
   Besides the elongated Hocus Pocus, there is nothing really that new on this album. But I still enjoy because they take some of their best music and present it in a new way. I played this album just after listening to Moving Waves and Focus III and was still entertained.



5. The playing is looser than on the studio versions, but also more impassioned. Jan Akermans guitar playing is amazing, he really stretches out and plays some very fast and creative jazz-rock solos. Excellent playing all around, the band is firing on all cylinders. I have to say that I prefer many of the live intepretations over their studio counterparts. "Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers!" is much better live due to the amazing solos. The sound quality is fine: its well recorded and the mix is ballanced. An excellent album, their third best after Focus 3 and Moving Waves.