Progarchives Top 25 Live Albums
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=129524
Printed Date: December 23 2024 at 12:34
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Progarchives Top 25 Live Albums
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Subject: Progarchives Top 25 Live Albums
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 02:50
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Outside of all things jazz + Can, Magma, Tangerine Dream and a few
other bands/artists with plenty of unique material in their live sets -
sitting at home listening to live albums is not my thing. At all. But
out of curiosity I checked out PA's top live albums. Maybe there was a
relevant title or two of interest there to check out for someone like
me. I was surprised that only a couple of the widely known
"classics" I took for granted to be in the top ten or at least twenty weren't
even close. I located Yessongs, Roxy & Elsewhere, A Live Record, Ricochet and Seconds Out in between the top 35-50. Space Ritual, Live - Bursting Out and Exit...Stage, Left
all resided somewhere outside of the top 100. What does this all tell me? Primarely that
obscurities with few ratings/reviews, but with an abnormally high
rating average (as most of their raters/reviewers are fanboys) are
weighted too favorably. Compared to household names that are
rated/reviewed by "everyone". -I only really know the Magma and Miles' albums here, and I have checked out Playing the Fool + Solar Music - Live at some point. Just to try and understand what the fuss was all about. From the little handful I do know Retrospektïẁ I-II would
have gotten my vote, but I'm not going to vote for anything. I've
decided to give the ones that gets the most votes a shot though - even
if that means I have to listen to Dream Theater. Anyway, here's "your top 25" + a link to http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?ssubgenres=&salbumtypes=4&syears=&scountries=&sminratings=0&smaxratings=0&sminavgratings=0&smaxresults=250&x=58&y=8#list" rel="nofollow - the top 250 :
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Replies:
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 02:54
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Some great choices, but can't not vote for The Great Deceiver ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 02:58
| Live Scenes from New York, ahead of Score and Genesis Revisited…. |
Posted By: Rick1
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 03:40
| ELP ' Welcome Back My Friends' or Henry Cow 'Concerts'. Hey, what do I know - they are not in the 'top 25'? |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 03:58
Steve Hackett - an easy choice to make as I only know two other albums in the poll (by Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree) 
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Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 04:00
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Rick1 wrote:Posted By: Rick1
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 04:16
As I said, what do I know? What I do know is that most of these albums are retrospective and not contemporaneous. Would King Crimson have 'Earthbound' in there? I think not.
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Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 04:18
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I totally agree with the opening posting. This is a rather bizarre collection given that it's the top 25. I did a live albums tournament some time ago which was won by Yessongs (as was toi be expected), ahead of Deep Purple's Live in Japan (which probably doesn't qualify here). Consequently, for me as a live album lover there's a rather embarrassing number that I don't know. I do like much King Crimson live (and know all but one of those listed) and will vote for Radical Action.
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 04:21
| Gentle Giant |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 04:40
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Grat Deceiver > Theusz Hamtaahk Trilogie ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 04:56
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Posted By: David_D
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 05:39
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Miles Davis - Dark Magus ------------- quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 06:16
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GG just over Discipline. ------------- 
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 06:42
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Not what I would have expected either in the results (makes me want to do a RYM comparison). I love Magma's Retrospektïẁ I-II (in my top five Magma). That version of "Theusz Hamtaahk" is, I think, awesome, and the "MDK" version I really love too. I would have expected Magma Live (Hhaï) to be represented, Ricochet as well as Camel's A Live Record, Space Ritual, the Rush and actually maybe Cardiacs' All That Glitters Is a Mares Nest (which I find very enjoyable). The other Magma listed and Miles Davis' Dark Magus would also have received my votes had this been multiple vote. My most listened to live albums of late have been Swans' Omniscience, Ciśnienie's The Brass Album and JazzArt Underground, and outside of PA, Portishead's Roseland NYC. And a couple of days ago I was on a big Anna von Hausswolff kick (so good) and listened to Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (an earlier this year release). As a classic, I like Henry Cow's Concerts. By the way, if Prog Related and Proto Prog is included, then one gets Deep Purple's Made in Japan at 7 and Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day at 9 (which I have not heard of, but I would have expected The Song Remains the Same Live in the list). And here is RYM's all genres, all-time live list. https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/all-time/deweight:archival,soundtrack/only:live/" rel="nofollow - CLICK Interesting that Swans' Swans Are Dead album is the second-highest ranked. Swans does much better in the RYM rankings than at PA. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXcp9fYc6K4IKuxIZkenfvukL_Y8VBqzK" rel="nofollow - Duos for fave acts |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 06:46
| Steve Hackett, King Crimson (The Great Deceiver). |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 07:05
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There's nothing on here I know, which I would vote for. Although we clearly listen to different types of Prog, I share with the OP the opinion that I listen to and enjoy few live albums. For me, too many fall into the trap of merely playing tracks as they are from the album, without adding to the experience. Consequently, I have very few in my collection these days. Of course, there are the usual suspects of live albums I grew up with, which before video, were semi-religious experiences (Yessongs - Seconds Out - Exit Stage Left - Two For The Show - Made In Japan) but these days, the number I own are very few, because they have to be greater than the sum of the parts.. Anathema: Universal & Riverside: Lost 'n Found fall into this category... ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: suitkees
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 07:07
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"Stein im Schuh, eben..." Although I could have gone for Radical Action... But the very live atmosphere and humour of Solar Music Live is very contagious. And I agree that this top 25 doesn't seem to be really very representative...
------------- The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 07:09
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Mr. Hackett. ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 07:28
of course---easy choice.
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Posted By: Cosmiclawnmower
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 07:45
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Certainly none of my favourite live albums are mentioned here (i do like Solar Music live and Coma Divine) but i would have to go with Änglagård as their live lp is one of the few live albums of recent years that has really caught my attention, if only for their rather alarmingly flawless renditions of somewhat gnarly studio material! ------------- |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 09:22
| Isn’t Seconds Out held in very high regard? Surprised it’s not in this poll…. |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 09:41
It is, and I'm surprised that it's not included here, but there's the suspicion that some of the work on this "live" album was redone in the studio. I don't know if that's actually the case . . . ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 09:50
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Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 10:16
Thank you! Shame on me (again) for not reading the whole post! I'm a bad person ;-) ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 10:32
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If you make the minimum number of rating 300 then you get a more 'classic' list 2. Great Deceiver 3. Playing The Fool 9. A Live Record 10. Yessongs 11. Roxy & Elsewhere 12. Ricochet 13. Seconds Out 15. Welcome Back My Friends 18. Space Ritual 19. Live - Bursting Out 20. Is There Anybody Out There? 22. Exit...Stage, Left
------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Progmind
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 10:51
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GG Playing The Fool, amazing perfomance Anekdoten Waking The dead its incredible too, their closer "Sad Rain" its so beautiful
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Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 12:47
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Discipline - This One's for England ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 15:59
Solar Music Live. Anyone who hasn't heard it should be ashamed of themself. 
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Posted By: Duddick
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 16:06
| Psychedelic Paul - I notice you quite often say you only know a couple of lps in a poll - surely these are chances to expand your horizons? |
Posted By: Duddick
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 16:08
| Zappa for me - one of the occasions where a live recording totally encapsulates a particular period of an artist’s oeuvre |
Posted By: VianaProghead
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 18:14
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Gentle Giant - Playing the Fool - The Official Live. ------------- "PROG IS MY FERRARI". Jem Godfrey (Frost*) |
Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 18:40
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My top five are stone cold classics as far as I'm concerned but with little votes so what do I know? SBB KC- Collectible King Crimson Vol 1 Steven Wilson Anekdoten Miles Davis I'm not sure of the order but SBB is getting my vote for one of the most powerful and passionate live performances I've ever heard, and in Sweden. ------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 18:43
I have a wedding to go to tomorrow around 2 1/2 hours away so I'm taking those five I mentioned to get me fired up. Thanks for doing the poll man!------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
Posted By: Progfan1958
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 22:23
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Some good ones in here, but Giant with Playing The Fool. Astounding playing and singing with no 21st century trickery ! ------------- Progfan1958 "Peace to you all" "La paix est avec vous" "Pax vobiscum" "Al salaam a'alaykum" "Vrede zij met u allen" "Shalom aleichem" |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 12 2022 at 23:57
This (at 38th): 4.36 | 1044 ratings
QWR = 4.3479
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=239" rel="nofollow - Yessongs http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=105" rel="nofollow - Yes ...is obviously both more treasured and far more popular album than this (at 37th): 4.47 | 126 ratings
QWR = 4.3503
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3124" rel="nofollow - Live At Fairfield Halls - 1974 http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=613" rel="nofollow - Caravan ...but the latter album is still placed above the former. The Query Weighted Rating used on PA is clearly flawed. Changes in ratings on newly released albums show a similar trend here and at RYM. Its quite normal for a quality release to start with a 4.50-4.60 average after the first 50-100 reviews/ratings. It will often drop as much as 0.50-0.60 (to a 3.90 - 4.00) if it reaches outside the fanbase - like an album with a 1000 ratings has. Keeping a 4.40 from 1000 ratings is a lot stronger than a 4.50 from 120 raters. Btw: Nogbad_The_Bad, I'm not complaining to you. That's not my intention Just writing my thoughts on this small issue. I noticed similarly obvious flaws in Logans top ranked trios of albums. Where you suddely found top albums that had as little as 20-30 ratings among the obvious classics of the genre. Some really good ones, but still incorrect.
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Posted By: BarryGlibb
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 01:59
| Playing The Fool...greatest live album of all time. It wasn't just studio trickery; Gentle Giant could do all that and more live. Geniuses; all 5 of them! |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 02:48
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Steven Wilson -You Get All You Deserve My favourite live albums are ELP's triple album (No 75) and Viva! Roxy Music which is nowhere!
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 02:54
I'm constantly expanding my musical horizons every day here. I listen to 10 new albums a day on average, whereas before I went online in 2010, I listened to one new album a month - if I was lucky. I've listened to seven new albums already this morning and it's not even midday yet.
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 03:04
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Playing the Fool of those listed. But Steve Hackett is close behind and Moon Safari deserve a big mention. But A Live Record by Camel, Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall, Reality Dream by Riverside, IQ - Stage and Barclay James Harvest - Live are up there with Playing the Fool. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 06:35
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Incredibly, two of the best live albums ever (imo) are not in the list: Renaissance Live at Carnegie Hall and Deep Purple's Made In Japan. In their absence I go for Coma Divine as it has been recorded close to my home. ------------- I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 06:52
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 07:28
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Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 08:26
As I've mentioned, Playing the Fool is among the handful of albums I'm already familiar with. I know they pull of many of my least favorite songs of theirs in a technically impressive way. It's not primarely what I'm looking for in music. Their lighthearted playfulness, enchanting melodies and the sheer beauty of their early material was mostly gone by now imo. Maybe I remember it wrong, or perhaps I don't think the same anymore. Its been years since I gave it a listen, so I will give it another shot.
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Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 12:09
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The list is flawed, obviously. Terribly so. It's humorous that a remake live album by Steve Hackett would have a higher rating than Genesis Live (1973) or Seconds Out (1977). No Tull, Yes, ELP, Floyd (or real Genesis, for that matter) -- you know, bands that I've seen in their heyday who performed, without a doubt, some of the most spectacular live sets I've ever seen. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 12:43
Voted for KC Deceiver ... deceiving list
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Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 13:45
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 15:10
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The weighting is actually helping the big dogs as the weighting pulls the albums with few ratings down. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 15:11
I agree wholeheartedly. When you can take an objective review of a list of albums that allegedly are the "highest rated" and walk away amused (or appalled), that is an issue. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: PaulG
Date Posted: August 13 2022 at 18:20
| Man lot of good releases here. I had to go with The Great Deceiver too. I have the original 4 cd box set. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: August 14 2022 at 00:38
| Indeed there are many big names missing. I went with Collectable King Crimson vol 1 because I do feel it's the best live album from that period of King Crimson (which might just as well be their best live period). I could just as well have gone with Coma Divine, my first PT album, actually. As for Playing the Fool, I bought it as my frist GG album to check them out because of it's high regard, and I almost gave up on them because of it... fortunatley for some reason I decided to give their first albums a chance too, and I did love their first two ones, but they became gradually harder for me to like after that. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: August 14 2022 at 02:51
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Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: August 15 2022 at 18:59
I agree with the KC assessment and I was surprised to actually be moved listening to Nightwatch today. Wetton is singing in a reserved but fast manner then suddenly what is going on! Two amazing shows from 1974 in Germany and the USA with three songs that crossover. Great sound too. ------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |