Moe Train’s Favorite Live Albums

Some people prefer studio recordings.  Some prefer live albums.  Should music be enjoyed as “studio perfect” artifacts or “the way music should be heard” in the live form?  Either way,  it’s a debate which will never be settled.  As for The Train?  Well, I enjoy a bit of everything.  I’m partial to studio recordings, though there are some rare live album gems which very accurately convey the feeling of a concert performance.

These three albums are a few standouts which are on heavy rotation in my sizable music selection:

Bob Marley & The Wailers – Live!

It’s no secret that Bob Marley is my favorite and most quintessential artist of all time, and what better soundtrack to the summer/festivals than the smooth skanking of Bob Marley & The Wailers…  Inspired yet “feel good” to the utmost, Live! is aural bliss.

Daft Punk – Alive 2007

For those lucky enough to see Daft Punk perform during 2007 (we saw them in Vegas and Chicago!), you know just how memorable Daft Punk’s live sets are.  Not only do the robots perform amazing dance music, but the sensory overload of the pyramid leaves you breathless.  Every time I crank up this album, I’m brought right back to the enormously undulating crowds of Vegoose (RIP) and Lollapalooza.  One word:  Amazing.

Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System

Manu Chao is a performer that spans genres.  Punk, ska, reggae, salsa, and any other latin music style that you can imagine are worked into Manu’s manic live sets.  Contagiously positive energy emits from the stage during every Manu Chao performance, and Radio Bemba Sound System is one of the finest examples of live embodiment on an album.

Got any favorite live albums?  Share em with us!

- Moe

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• Daft Punk’s Fragile From Tron Legacy Leaks (beatcrave.com)
• Santana Supernatural Gets A Make-Over (undercover.com.au)
• 5 reviews of 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection (Remastered) (Marley, Bob & Wailers) (rateitall.com)