Almarg knows things. This is good.
The topic of "what live music sounds like" kills me. What we hear is influenced by personal perception that is individualized by ear wax, your hat, your background including mommy issues and environmental influences, food allergies, and cranium density (or emptiness). Also, I understand TBGs wit threshold as I have compassion for the humorless. I've been enthralled, irritated, freaked out by, compelled into trance like bliss, rendered itchy, and otherwise been exposed to a ridiculous range of live music including Thelonious Monk (I was maybe 11), my 4th grade autoharp gig, the Klezmatics, the Baltimore Consort, early Zep, Hendrix and Tull, weirdly entertaining open mic performers, decades of my own acoustic and electric endeavors including being haunted for many years by my guitar solo in an airline commercial, and all manner of jazz and classical stuff all over this flying wet meatball of a world...and my opinion is of no more importance than your drunk sister's...I am, by definition and professional standing, an expert, and I still would never try to define live sound for somebody else, other than trying to mix a show without irritating anybody...which I think only requires paying attention. To sum up, please pay attention. Sit up straight, spit out your gum, put the iPhone away, wake up your sister...