who surprised and who disappointed

David Byrne is mesmerizing live. At the time I saw him last he was into his
Brazilian stuff, which didn't really float my boat. On stage he grabbed the
audience and didn't let go, start to finish. I had terrible seats up in the back
of the balcony too...and it was blazing hot as I recall. In spite of all that I had
a great time and walked out of there energized.

Gillian Welch, with her very talented acompaniest, David Rawlings...I wasn't
expecting to enjoy, as much as I did, this acoustic set with only the two on
stage the entire performance, with music of a rather somber tone. I was
skeptical, though I do love her music, that I'd enjoy it for two hours. I was
way wrong. Absolutely rivetting...both of them.

I think what those performances/performers have in common is their
tremendous passion for their music and for sharing it. It occured to me there
was nothing 'routine' about these performances. It was as if it was the very
first and last time the artists were performing them. I've seen Rory Block
perform twice and she had that quality as well, but it was not a surprise to me
in those cases.

Dissapointments...hmm...a friend took me to see Pearl Jam at one of those
horrible mega-venue's that double as sports arenas. I like some of their
stuff, but I wouldn't call myself a fan. I went to be with my friend. It was so
bad we walked out half way through it. Also walked out on Dave Matthews at
another larger-than-life (this time outdoor) venue. Like his recorded stuff....
real hohum live...definitely got the sense there that this was concert 126 out
of 198 they'd be doing that year.

Absolute worst disappointment: Beck at Benaroya hall with the Flaming Lips
opening. Love Beck...saw him do an outdoor gig that was very
memorable...what a great, charismatic talent! This was to be a performance
of mostly material from his Sea Change album, which I like very much. But
this show was overamplified in a hall that really needs no amplification at all.
The sound was enough to make me run screaming from the place...and I
think I actually did! My wife endured, while I waited in the lobby. In the time
I spent in the concert hall I couldn't distinguish anything remotely musical
between the overamplified music and the standing, screaming fans all
around. Flaming lips were even worse still (don't care for their music in the
first place, so this was like dental work without novocaine!).

Marco

Here are a few off the top of my head:

Donald Fagen

Amazing in the studio and perhaps even better live. This guy is the man.

Rolling Stones

Disappointingly good, not great, in person. Sounded terrible in Athens for Bridges to Babylon tour.

Patricia Barber

Circa 1986 live at the original gold star sardine bar. Just amazing. Totally, hypnotically mesmerizing. Recordings very good too, but before she got a little kooky, Ms Barber was a real musician's musician.

Diana Krall

At Radio City Music Hall, a bit amplified and very schticky, head tossingly sex kitteny commercial. In the studio much better, I think.

James Brown

BB King Blues Bar, Times Square, circa 2000. Much better live. Usually badly recorded.

Blossom Dearie

Better live in Hell's Kitchen, circa 2001, but not bad on CD.

Lionel Ritchie

Private party, circa 2003, Southhampton NY. WOW -- I didnt think I even liked Lionel Ritchie and this guy was so cool I couldnt even believe it!!!!!!! One drummer, one bass, small amps and the keyboard.

Henry Rollins

Brixton Academy, circa 1998.

WOW! Now this is a tough call. Ear splittingly loud concert in small venue, but still sounded great. His recordings (at least the one with "Liar" are very very good, almost worthy of an audiophile recommendation.)

Beethoven Symphonies The Proms Royal Albert Hall

Forget which orchestra. Once in a while, a really good simply miked production will sound better than "live" but live usually wins here.

Michael McDonald BB King Blues Bar, Circa 2002

This didnt sound great, despite the smallish venue and intimacy with the small audience, the grey hair and the belly. But no doubt, this guy still has something special. I would say this depends, subject to the performance and the recording. Living on the Fault line is a good track for an audiophile.

Preliminary Conclusions

I think the moral of the story for me is that the bigger and more commercial the concert, the more likely it is to sound like crap and disappoint, even if we are dealing with charismatic energetic performers.

Disclaimer

Of course, substance abuse will alter the results of any survey.

SURPRISES:

Talking Heads: Reluctantly agreed to go with a friend to see them. After the show, I drove around NorCal to see their next three concerts.

Kings X: Every song, even those that miss on CD, is explosive live. Tightest band I've ever seen, they sound like one mind playing three instruments simultaneously.

Dylan: Once show a big surprise, another a big disappointment.

Springsteen in a stadium: He worked it like a small nightclub.

Eminem & Dr. Dre: Two of the most captivating performers I've ever seen. I like their recordings well enough, but in concert they blew the doors off!

Meat Puppets: Sleepy on the recordings, rippin' live.

Nels Cline Singers: Nels Cline is the most compelling, masterful musician I've ever seen.

Throwing Muses: Good recordings (especially "Limbo"), but amazing in concert.

Soundgarden: I saw them at a surprise gig at a small club. They sounded monolithic.

Primus: Used to see them do afternoon gigs at a little bar on Haight Street. They were far too big for the local circuit, and quickly proved to be.

Spin Doctors: Not what you'd expect to see at a little bar on 2nd Ave in NYC. Soon thereafter, they shot to fame.

DISAPPOINTMENTS:

Catherine Wheel: More energy & creativity on the recordings than live.

Milton Nascimento: A musical hero of mine, he sat on a stool the entire night. Boring.