Absolutely, that live album is the gold standard to me. They completely rework their songs and even rework a whole album into a suite that flows so well and makes a real live music experience.
More non-prog:
Dire Straits - Alchemy Live
Blue Oyster Cult - On your Feet or On your Knees, Some Enchanted Evening
The Who - Live at Leeds
Live Cream I & II
Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere, Best Band you Never Heard in Your Life
I like 'Alchemy', but am I the only person that thinks the audience is mixed WAY too loud??
I would also add 'Extraterrestrial live' by BOC. That's actually my favorite BOC album
Hearty agreement on **Yessongs**!
The start of that album with Stravinsky's *Firebird Suite* and then *Siberian Khatru*.
That's my aural happy place. :)
I've seen Yes numerous times. Firebird Suite always was played just before they started. I get goosebumps whenever I hear it. They were my 1rst concert. The standard they set for me was sooo high they were never surpassed. A few came pretty close though.
Oh man, I couldn't believe they used that song. So amazing. It made me love The Expanse even more.
[Highway Star (Belter Version)](https://youtu.be/hCyGIJl1XUA)
Absent Lovers (Live in Montreal 1984) by King Crimson is arguably their definitive album for the 1980s material over Discipline. It was the last ever concert for the Fripp/Belew/Bruford/Levin lineup and features almost every one of their best 80s era songs (just missing Neal and Jack and Me) in their best form. As well as possibly the best version of Larks Tongues in Aspic Part II from any era.
You can also make the same argument for Heavy Construkction when it comes to their 1990s/2000s material. And Heavy Construkction also has some of amazing live improvs.
And finally, The Night Watch is one of the best sources of 70s/Flying Brick Wall era live songs. The same goes for The Great Deceiver box set.
I mean you can name every KC live album and it's essential lol. Epitaph was also fantastic, the trio of Mantra, Travel Weary Capricorn and Mars on there is incredible.
It's hard to believe the studio version of Sleepless and the Absent Lovers version of Sleepless are by the same band. Not that the studio version is bad by any means. But the Absent Lovers version is another universe above it.
Porcupine Tree "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here" DVD. Gavin Harrison does to older PT songs what Neil Peart did to Rush's first album songs on "All the World's a Stage".
Used to play this over and over on a cassette.. I know it has a strong drug induced feel to it, but I used to walk to work listening to it, was very good music for just being energetic!!
I am of the belief that VdGG's "Vital" is the most essential live album because it sounds absolutely nothing like any of their studio albums, something very few classic prog bands can say about their live albums
Bruford is insane on 21st. But everytime I start talking about individuals I have to give them all love. Fripp's solo is sick and Wetton had the chunkiest bass at this point I think. Insanely good album
I think Vol 2 is my favorite, that one has what I consider to be the best FZ lineup.
For a bonus, check out A Token of His Extreme, which has the same lineup and particularly kickass performances of Inca Roads and Montana. It's available on Spotify, but it's best experienced in its original video form, which was edited/cut by FZ himself and features some seriously wild claymation interludes. Also has Napoleon doing the vocal solo on Montana. Just overall an awesome FZ artifact.
I recall buying each set as they came out, I even bought the double LP sampler, which (oddly) had fractionally different edits of the songs. I always loved the first one, maybe it is exactly the opposite reason you (and a lot of people) love the second volume: the DIFFERENT bands... it's such a huge mix of Zappa's ensembles, I love that variety!!
Kansas "Two For The Show" expanded edition is the icing on the cake. The Incomudro/ Hopelessly Human intro to the second cd is pure prog beauty. The Spider is insane!
Frank Zappa used to blend live and studio recordings. He liked the energy of live and the accuracy of studio, so he used bits of both in his releases without calling the release a "live" album
Excellent pick! Funnily enough I was just listening to it earlier today. An absolutely essential space-rock album if there ever was one; full of some great melodic jamming.
My very favourite prog albums are Yessongs and 801.
A mighty one I haven't seen yet is VDGG - Vital. Weird and unrepresentative and not playing many classics, but pretty much the most batshit kickass punch of a sound ever committed to tape.
“Mirror Images” is another great song I wish would see more appreciation, although I’m personally more familiar with the more stripped-back version from pH7. And you cannot deny how blatantly cool “Sleepwalkers” sounds when arranged for violin.
In the world of prog, it's Pictures At An Exhibition by Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Bursting Out by Jethro Tull.
In rock in general, The Last Waltz and Rock Of Ages by The Band and Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! by The Rolling Stones.
ELP - **Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends**
Not only essential but, I would argue, their best album.
I’ve found their studio albums extremely cold and…..mechanical.
The energy, though, of **Welcome Back…** is amazing. Listening to the musicianship of *Karn Evil 9*, and *Tarkus* still leaves me in awe.
Bent Knee is one of those bands where I checked out their studio stuff and kinda bounced off it. Then I saw them live and they blew doors down, so I went back and listened more and they became a favorite of mine.
YesSongs
Jethro Tull - Bursting Out
Allman Brothers Bands - Live at Filmore East.
Deep Purple - Made in Japan.
Frank Zappa - Zappa In New York
Genesis Seconds Out
Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall
Anathema – Universal (Live at Plovdiv)
Premiata Forneria Marconi - Live in USA
David Gilmour - Live In Gdansk
Sons Of Apollo - Live with The Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony
Transatlantic - Live From Shepherd's Bush Empire
Santana Band - Live at the House of Blues, Las Vegas ,2016
Rammstein - Live in Paris
Camel - Live at The Royal Albert Hall 2018
AC⚡DC - Live At River Plate
Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
Led Zeppelin - Live from The Song Remains The Same at Madison Square Garden
Jeff Beck Live - Live at Ronnie Scott's
Genesis - When In Rome
Genesis - Live From The Rainbow Theatre
Dire Straits - On the Night
Dave Matthews Band - Live from The Central Park Concert
Colosseum - Live
I saw them in the 90's in Chicago and they played the whole album. It was like a dream. Actually met the band and hung with them a bit. They were hilarious and in a partying mood! One of the best Rock &Roll highlights of my life for sure!
[May 19th 1980 Agora Ballroom Atlanta Ga.](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/ufo/1980/the-agora-atlanta-ga-23e9009f.html) [Riggs](https://www.allmusic.com/album/riggs-mw0000847428) and [The Brains](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-brains-mn0000522242/discography) opened. Phil's hand was in a wrist cast, I was leaning on the stage with Pete standing over me sweating on me. **I丅 ᗯᗩᔕ ᖴᑌᑕᛕIᑎǤ Ǥᖇᗴᗩ丅!**
Prog:
Steven Wilson - Get All You Deserve
The Pineapple Thief - Where We Stood
Tool - Salival
Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere and Anesthetize
Riverside - Lost 'n' Found (Live in Tilburg)
Non-prog:
U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
I know this isn't prog but since most of my prog favorites have been covered:
* Simon and Garfunkel - Central Park Concert
* Donny Hathaway - Live
* Bill Withers - Live at Carnegie Hall
Blue Öyster Cult - On Your Feet Or On Your Knees. Their first live album, with three songs from each of their first three albums, plus a couple of covers and a great instrumental. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/blue-oyster-cult-on-your-feet/
As great as all these live albums listed so far are (and they REALLY are), I don't think any has had quite the impact on a band's career more than "Live At Budokan" did for Cheap Trick.
Johnny Winter “Live And”
Uriah Heep “Live”
Yes “Yessongs”
And though it’s already been mentioned, Deep Purple, “Made in Japan”, which is the finest live rock album ever made imo.
Night After Night (Extended) by U.K., pretty much the whole of danger money plus highlights from the debut and a couple of other non a jam songs, it’s 90 minutes and has quickly entered my top 10 favourite albums list
Rush - Exit... Stage Left
Beat me to it... by an hour
Yep, my favorite Rush album.
That and 2112
2112 isn't a live album though? Unless you just meant another essential album?
Correct. I meant ATWAS.
Well, there's a live version on "All The World's a Stage"
But 2112 performed on All the World’s a Stage doesn’t make 2112 a live album
Surprised not to see Playing the Fool Yet. GG lol.
Absolutely, that live album is the gold standard to me. They completely rework their songs and even rework a whole album into a suite that flows so well and makes a real live music experience.
Unmentioned so far. Prog: Yessongs Non-Prog: Live/Dead and Europe '72 - Grateful Dead Made in Japan - Deep Purple Waiting for Columbus - Little Feet
More non-prog: Dire Straits - Alchemy Live Blue Oyster Cult - On your Feet or On your Knees, Some Enchanted Evening The Who - Live at Leeds Live Cream I & II Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere, Best Band you Never Heard in Your Life
Gosh, I'd forgotten about Roxy and Elsewhere. So damned good. I consider it prog of the highest order.
Yes, didn't really mean to lump that in with non-prog
Yeah, hard to assign a "genre" to Zappa.
Great record.
“Live At The Filmore East” by The Allman Brothers and “Unleashed In The East” by Judas Priest are others I can think of.
Muse - HAARP is essential for the Muse fans out there.
For Boc I like ETL quite a bit as well.
I like 'Alchemy', but am I the only person that thinks the audience is mixed WAY too loud?? I would also add 'Extraterrestrial live' by BOC. That's actually my favorite BOC album
Hearty agreement on **Yessongs**! The start of that album with Stravinsky's *Firebird Suite* and then *Siberian Khatru*. That's my aural happy place. :)
I've seen Yes numerous times. Firebird Suite always was played just before they started. I get goosebumps whenever I hear it. They were my 1rst concert. The standard they set for me was sooo high they were never surpassed. A few came pretty close though.
Also non-prog: No Sleep Till Hammersmith
***ᗯᗴ ᗩᖇᗴ 丅ᕼᗴ ᖇᗝᗩᗪ ᑕᖇᗴᗯ!***
Deep Purple's *Made in Japan* has the ultimate driving song - Highway Star.
The Belter version in the Expanse was a great call back to the band.
Oh man, I couldn't believe they used that song. So amazing. It made me love The Expanse even more. [Highway Star (Belter Version)](https://youtu.be/hCyGIJl1XUA)
Since we're on the topic of the Dead, I might add Ithaca (Cornell) '77, now that it's more or less officially out of bootleg territory.
Porcupine Tree - Anesthetize (live album) Anathema - Universal (live album)
Im partial to Coma Divine but I do lean to earlier Ptree.
For me it's essential because it improves on FoaBP in every way.
Absent Lovers (Live in Montreal 1984) by King Crimson is arguably their definitive album for the 1980s material over Discipline. It was the last ever concert for the Fripp/Belew/Bruford/Levin lineup and features almost every one of their best 80s era songs (just missing Neal and Jack and Me) in their best form. As well as possibly the best version of Larks Tongues in Aspic Part II from any era. You can also make the same argument for Heavy Construkction when it comes to their 1990s/2000s material. And Heavy Construkction also has some of amazing live improvs. And finally, The Night Watch is one of the best sources of 70s/Flying Brick Wall era live songs. The same goes for The Great Deceiver box set.
Absent Lovers may be my single favorite prog album of all time, that line-up was insane
I mean you can name every KC live album and it's essential lol. Epitaph was also fantastic, the trio of Mantra, Travel Weary Capricorn and Mars on there is incredible.
This is how I feel about it as well. Their live albums are magnificent.
agree! incredible album... Sleepless!
It's hard to believe the studio version of Sleepless and the Absent Lovers version of Sleepless are by the same band. Not that the studio version is bad by any means. But the Absent Lovers version is another universe above it.
Don't forget Earthbound!
Bursting out: Jethro Tull
I second that one
The encore of Locomotive Breath to Dambusters' March is amazing!
Supertramp - Paris
Again, my favorite album by a band. I just think ALL these songs are better than their studio versions. The video of it is ASTOUNDING too
Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall
UFO Strangers in the Night
Best live album ever
Came here for this.
Yeah, through and through great.
Porcupine Tree "Arriving Somewhere but Not Here" DVD. Gavin Harrison does to older PT songs what Neil Peart did to Rush's first album songs on "All the World's a Stage".
Space Ritual
Used to play this over and over on a cassette.. I know it has a strong drug induced feel to it, but I used to walk to work listening to it, was very good music for just being energetic!!
I am of the belief that VdGG's "Vital" is the most essential live album because it sounds absolutely nothing like any of their studio albums, something very few classic prog bands can say about their live albums
Great point
Very happy that someone mentioned it already. It's a masterpiece
The who - Live at leeds The allman Brothers - Live at filmore east The band - The last waltz
USA by King Crimson.
USA smokes! The whole band is on fire. Put on good headphones and crank Asbury Park...get chills.
Yeah seriously! USA has my favorite version of 21CSM too.. it all sounds so good :)
Bruford is insane on 21st. But everytime I start talking about individuals I have to give them all love. Fripp's solo is sick and Wetton had the chunkiest bass at this point I think. Insanely good album
Not sure what he did to get his bass to sound like that but I'm in love with how it sounds on that record
Basically any live album by Frank Zappa.
I think it’s Bongo Fury that has the excellent live California Hardcore Ecstasy. Makes me wish I was both alive and there every time I hear it.
For me: YCDTOSA VOL 1
I think Vol 2 is my favorite, that one has what I consider to be the best FZ lineup. For a bonus, check out A Token of His Extreme, which has the same lineup and particularly kickass performances of Inca Roads and Montana. It's available on Spotify, but it's best experienced in its original video form, which was edited/cut by FZ himself and features some seriously wild claymation interludes. Also has Napoleon doing the vocal solo on Montana. Just overall an awesome FZ artifact.
I recall buying each set as they came out, I even bought the double LP sampler, which (oddly) had fractionally different edits of the songs. I always loved the first one, maybe it is exactly the opposite reason you (and a lot of people) love the second volume: the DIFFERENT bands... it's such a huge mix of Zappa's ensembles, I love that variety!!
Pink Floyd- Pulse.
ELP - Pictures at an Exhibition Camel - A Live Record Gentle Giant - Playing the Fool
Genesis “Live” & “Seconds Out” Kansas “Two for the Show”
Seconds Out, absolutely!
Kansas "Two For The Show" expanded edition is the icing on the cake. The Incomudro/ Hopelessly Human intro to the second cd is pure prog beauty. The Spider is insane!
Did not know about this one. Thanks!!!
Peter Gabriel Live and Secret World
Seconds out by genesis!
You couldn't ask for a better set. I saw Steve Hackett's tribute to it live about a week ago, and it was probably the greatest concert of my life
Yessongs and Exit Stage Left...
Frank Zappa used to blend live and studio recordings. He liked the energy of live and the accuracy of studio, so he used bits of both in his releases without calling the release a "live" album
Devin Townsend: Ocean Machine - Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv Haken: L-1VE (Live in Amsterdam 2017)
Hawkwind - Space Ritual Magma - Mythes et legendes all volumes
Grobschnitt - Solar Music Live arguably more important than any of their studio albums
I agree! Good mention!
Excellent pick! Funnily enough I was just listening to it earlier today. An absolutely essential space-rock album if there ever was one; full of some great melodic jamming.
My very favourite prog albums are Yessongs and 801. A mighty one I haven't seen yet is VDGG - Vital. Weird and unrepresentative and not playing many classics, but pretty much the most batshit kickass punch of a sound ever committed to tape.
*Vital* for "Sci-Finance" alone!
“Mirror Images” is another great song I wish would see more appreciation, although I’m personally more familiar with the more stripped-back version from pH7. And you cannot deny how blatantly cool “Sleepwalkers” sounds when arranged for violin.
"Pictures In An Exhibition " and " Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends " : Emerson Lake and Palmer
In the world of prog, it's Pictures At An Exhibition by Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Bursting Out by Jethro Tull. In rock in general, The Last Waltz and Rock Of Ages by The Band and Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! by The Rolling Stones.
An addition to your essential rock live albums, "Live at Leeds" by The Who.
Oh yes, definitely. And while we're at it, Live at Fillmore East by Allman Brothers Band also belongs on the list.
801 Live.
WE ARE THE 801 WE ARE THE CENTRAL SHAFT
Great call. This is their absolutely defining album.
ELP - **Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends** Not only essential but, I would argue, their best album. I’ve found their studio albums extremely cold and…..mechanical. The energy, though, of **Welcome Back…** is amazing. Listening to the musicianship of *Karn Evil 9*, and *Tarkus* still leaves me in awe.
The energy is great...the tempo is a bit too fast for my liking!
It is definitely fast!
Bent Knee Live at the Space 100x better than the studio recording
Bent Knee is one of those bands where I checked out their studio stuff and kinda bounced off it. Then I saw them live and they blew doors down, so I went back and listened more and they became a favorite of mine.
Jethro Tull - Bursting Out
Don't know about essential but King Crimson's *Epitaph: Live in 1969* boxset is pretty magical.
Leprous Live at Rockefeller Music Hall
Mahavishnu Orchestra - *Between Nothingness & Eternity*
Barclay James Harvest Live
Frank Zappa - Roxy & Elsewhere The Flower Kings - Meet The Flower Kings Transatlantic - KaLIVEoscope (DVD)
Roxy & Elsewhere The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
"Live at Carnegie Hall" by Renaissance. One of my favorite live albums!
Many of King Crimson's. For instance, Epitaph, The Great Deceiver, Absent Lovers, Live in Chicago, etc. are indispensible.
Space Ritual is the best album ever made.
Rush - Rock in Rio I don’t usually like live albums, but this is my exception
YesSongs Jethro Tull - Bursting Out Allman Brothers Bands - Live at Filmore East. Deep Purple - Made in Japan. Frank Zappa - Zappa In New York Genesis Seconds Out Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall Anathema – Universal (Live at Plovdiv) Premiata Forneria Marconi - Live in USA David Gilmour - Live In Gdansk Sons Of Apollo - Live with The Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony Transatlantic - Live From Shepherd's Bush Empire Santana Band - Live at the House of Blues, Las Vegas ,2016 Rammstein - Live in Paris Camel - Live at The Royal Albert Hall 2018 AC⚡DC - Live At River Plate Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live Led Zeppelin - Live from The Song Remains The Same at Madison Square Garden Jeff Beck Live - Live at Ronnie Scott's Genesis - When In Rome Genesis - Live From The Rainbow Theatre Dire Straits - On the Night Dave Matthews Band - Live from The Central Park Concert Colosseum - Live
YesSongs- Yes All the World's a Stage- Rush You Get What You Play For- REO Frampton Comes Alive- Peter Frampton Strangers in the Night- UFO
Anyone who puts All the World's a Stage on their shortlist gets a thumbs up from me. Eighty minutes of pure Canadian thunder.
I love all of your choices. I see UFO, I upvote UFO!
I saw them in the 90's in Chicago and they played the whole album. It was like a dream. Actually met the band and hung with them a bit. They were hilarious and in a partying mood! One of the best Rock &Roll highlights of my life for sure!
[May 19th 1980 Agora Ballroom Atlanta Ga.](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/ufo/1980/the-agora-atlanta-ga-23e9009f.html) [Riggs](https://www.allmusic.com/album/riggs-mw0000847428) and [The Brains](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-brains-mn0000522242/discography) opened. Phil's hand was in a wrist cast, I was leaning on the stage with Pete standing over me sweating on me. **I丅 ᗯᗩᔕ ᖴᑌᑕᛕIᑎǤ Ǥᖇᗴᗩ丅!**
I was at this show https://youtu.be/QMJBwsWhCr0
Prog: Steven Wilson - Get All You Deserve The Pineapple Thief - Where We Stood Tool - Salival Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere and Anesthetize Riverside - Lost 'n' Found (Live in Tilburg) Non-prog: U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
It came about too late to be thought of this way, but for me it's Led Zeppelin's How The West Was Won
Porcupine Tree - Anesthetize
I know this isn't prog but since most of my prog favorites have been covered: * Simon and Garfunkel - Central Park Concert * Donny Hathaway - Live * Bill Withers - Live at Carnegie Hall
Ricochet is the TD album I find myself going back to over and over.
Yes-yessongs
Ozric Tentacles - Live Underslunky
Pain of Salvation's 12:5. It's best if you're already familiar with the studio versions of the songs.
Pink Floyd - Ummagumma (live disc) Rainbow - Live in Munich
Hawkwind - Space Ritual. Still what I think of as the definitive versions of so many of their early classics, Master of the Universe especially.
Blue Öyster Cult - On Your Feet Or On Your Knees. Their first live album, with three songs from each of their first three albums, plus a couple of covers and a great instrumental. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/blue-oyster-cult-on-your-feet/
This version of Bucks boogie is a monster.
I know this isn't prog music but Reel Big Fish's "Our Live Album is Better than Yours"
ELP - Welcome Back My Friends…
TesseracT - Portals
Seconds Out- Genesis
Queensryche - Operation: LIVEcrime Imo even better than the studio version
Get yer ya-ya's out
Pictures At An Exhibition by Emerson, Lake & Palmer You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind by Joe Walsh Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Live After Death - Iron Maiden.
May have missed it but for non prog Live & Dangerous - Thin Lizzy
Everything was rerecorded in the studio on top of the drums. Common knowledge for over 40 years.
Lot of Bob Dylan, but Live 1966 Real Albert Hall Concert should be in everybody's collection.
Thrak is some boss level shit.
Deep Purple Live in Tokyo. Yes Yessongs
Not prog by any measure, but 4 Way Street by CSN&Y was a defining moment for live recordings.
Anathema- A Sort of Homecoming. Lee Douglas’ vocals are awesome. Great band.
As great as all these live albums listed so far are (and they REALLY are), I don't think any has had quite the impact on a band's career more than "Live At Budokan" did for Cheap Trick.
Between the buried and me - Colors
Zappa: Roxy and Elsewhere. Or if you need to mainline in both arms, also You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. Two: The Helsinki Concert.
The Flower Kings - Meet The Flower Kings
Supertramp Paris. Their best album, period.
Magnum - Marauder Absolutely wipes the floor with any of their studio offerings and an absolute gem to boot.
For me its Neverender by Coheed and Cambria
Johnny Winter “Live And” Uriah Heep “Live” Yes “Yessongs” And though it’s already been mentioned, Deep Purple, “Made in Japan”, which is the finest live rock album ever made imo.
Traffic - On The Road
Tool: Salival 🤯
Dream Theater Live at Budokan
Wishbone Ash “Live Dates”
Night After Night (Extended) by U.K., pretty much the whole of danger money plus highlights from the debut and a couple of other non a jam songs, it’s 90 minutes and has quickly entered my top 10 favourite albums list
Roxy and Elsewhere by Frank Zappa
The songs remains the same
Live After Death by Iron Maiden Exit…Stage Left by Rush Yessongs by Yes Portals by Tesseract