LDB Master Series #342

Out of my 7,000+ shows and radio broadcasts, I have many concerts that were special for some reasons: the setlist, the musicians, the venue or unexpected events. These are the ones I'd like to propose you. Most of these come from my cassettes collection, so they will be released at a slower pace than my Master Series! But you won't be disappointed! I will try to gather the most unusual things I have in my collection and, as always, your feedback and comments will be my reward for all the work involved in this project.

DO NOT share this music on mp3, just convert it for your own use. Sharing mp3 is the right way to make me stop sharing music here.

Finally, some notes about your truly ldb: I have been a fan of live music since I was 9 years old (that is where I attended my very first show, a PFM/De André gig at Milano's Palalido) and my first taped show was at 11 using a crappy portable cassette player with embedded microphone. I become more serious about taping in 1983 when I started to record every show. In 1991 I acquired my first Sony Professional and in 2000 I moved to MiniDisc to finally settle on R-09 in early 2008.

I have attended over 500 shows in my career. Most of them were taped but for others bad luck struck and I could not record it: on top of my mind there's a Paul McCartney show in 1993 in Milano where I was caught by the security or Porcupine Tree in Roma in March 1999 when the DAT machine would seem to work but listening back to the tape there
would just be a long bunch of silence. Or during a Y.Malmsteen show where I got so annoyed that I left halfway through the show and erased the tape and finally on a PFM show in Milano in 2007 where I had to leave before the encore because the baby-sitter had to leave early that evening. Some other times I was very close not to tape or had to do it in extremely difficult situations: for the four Peter Gabriel shows at Earls Court in 1987 security was checking tapers with metal detector; at the David Gilmour comeback show in London in 2001 at RFH I had the security guy sitting next to me but I managed to tape the show without checking one single time my MiniDisc!

There was a time I was travelling anywhere in Europe to see shows, especially if there was no touring in Italy: I remember Rush in Paris in 1992 when the trio did not even know what Italy was. I have seen shows at stadiums (Genesis at Wembley) and in places with 30 people (Porcupine Tree in Milano in 1997); bands that would later become huge (Pearl Jam in a free show for 150 people) and masters of jazz (Miles Davis or Sarah Vaughan). Shows I will never forget (Pink Floyd at Versailles castle) and some I would rather  forget (no comment...).

I truly believe that live music is what keeps music alive, what make us enjoying it together, what allow us to have deep feelings and transmit it to others. Studio records are nowadays 'commodities': you can buy online as anonymous wav files and listen in your iPod or at home. Live music will always imply an effort to buy the tix, travel to the venue, see the show, think about it when coming back home.

NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE
Paris, Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
June 6, 2013

01.Intro / La Marseilleise 
02.Love And Only Love
03.Powderfinger
04.Psychedelic Pill
05.Walk Like A Giant
06.Hole In The Sky
07.Heart Of Gold
08.Blowin' In The Wind
09.Singer Without A Song
10.Ramada Inn
11.Cinnamon Girl
12.F*!#in' Up
13.Mr. Soul
14.Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)
15.Rockin' In The Free World

TT 124:49

Lineage: MM-BSM-6 > CA-9100 > Edirol R-09 > HD (via USB) > Sony SoundForge 7.0 > CD Wave (FLAC plugin - level 6) 

Neil Young - vocals, guitar, harmonia, piano & hat
Billy Talbot - bass, guitar
Ralph Molina - drums, vocals
Frank "Poncho" Sampedro - guitar, vocals

Before leaving to California, I have quickly edited my recording from thursday night. To be honest, I was not that impressed but also have to say that last time I saw Neil Young live was over 20 years ago. Bercy was almost sold out but not completely. Very hot and humid inside. Some tracks had that lenghty guitar ending, endlessly over and over. 
Walk Like A Giant had this 5 minutes coda of pure sound which got most of the audience angry. I saw many people leaving the hall right before the encores.

The new material sounds very good in the live format. The selection of oldies waw a bit the same as 20 years ago...I would have expected a bit more fantasy...

ldb