Some live albums to make you feel like you're still alive.
As I type this, the governor of California is issuing a stay-at-home order for the entire state. I’ve been hearing a lot more helicopters at night than usual. It’s been strange watching everyone here in Los Angeles cling to normalcy. The only time I’ve been leaving my house is every few days when I make a trip to the sporting goods store to look for dumbbells since my gym is closed indefinitely and I need my morning workout as an outlet for my pent-up rage. I guess other people also need to reduce their rage levels because the store has been sold out of them. They have plenty of guns though and people have been buying those. Next door is an In-N-Out and the line for the drive-thru stretches all the way down the highway. I don’t get it. Either we’re all a bunch of health freaks with rage issues or we’re obese fast food junkies with the saintly patience to wait an hour for a cheeseburger and fries animals style. How can it be both?
My rage is starting to seep out in the usual places. I’ve been getting Angry Online which is never helpful. I did write a Curb Your Enthusiasm script about the Corona virus which felt somewhat productive but then Barstool Sports pretty shamelessly ripped it off and spewed out a lazier, more racist version on their website for their audience of Ohio State sophomores named Brad who have had their driver’s licenses revoked. So then I spent a while tweeting at the chinless prick who “wrote” it and that brought me little to no pleasure. I guess I can just take solace in knowing that aside from Raytheon, Barstool is the company that people would most cheer the demise of in an economic crash.
[Pro Tip: If you’re like me and are also experiencing gym withdrawal, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1977 bodybuilding book is online in its entirety. At page 159, he lays out a bunch of body weight workouts you can do at home. Lots of really helpful tips for how to build muscle and avoid telling Barstool hacks to go fuck themselves.]
OK OK OK I am breaking my rule not to get all riled about menial shit, so I will balance it out with a positive internet find: On the subject of Curb, Jeff Weiss wrote a great profile of JB Smoove, who plays Leon. A good read if you want to get to know the man behind the F-bombs.
So where was I? Oh, right. LIFTING WEIGHTS. Maybe you are not like me. Maybe you don’t have some pathetic fetish for the futile fight against gravity. Maybe physical exercise is not your thing and you just miss the simple pleasure of going to see your favorite band in these times. Not me, though. Live music? Not for me, personally. But in case you long for the days of standing among other humans and watching live music be performed adequately, I figured I’d used today’s newsletter to recommend a bunch of live albums that I enjoy. Maybe put them on in your house, sing along, mosh on your bed, have one too many drinks and yell out inappropriate things and imagine everyone around you telling you to shut the fuck up. It’s like you’re there!
[P.S. I tried to link to Bandcamp whenever possible since they are waiving their revenue share today.]
Phil Ochs - In Concert
Jeremy Bolm talked me into buying this LP once for like $4 and I don’t know how I lived without it. This was released in 1966 but some of Ochs’ protest songs sound like they could’ve been written yesterday. “Love Me I’m a Liberal” takes the piss out of rich, white upper class libs who still exist today and are more prominent and useless than ever. Swap out “Les Crane” for “Samantha Bee” and it’s still timely. I was reminded the other day of the line “But don’t talk about revolution, that’s going a little bit too far” when current Democratic frontrunner and future general election loser Joe Biden said that “people want results, not a revolution.” Really dreaming big there, Joe. (Bonus: Kevin Devine once did a modernized cover of this song.)
Leatherface - Live in Australia: Viva La Arthouse
Ah, all the Leatherface classics with just the right amount of drunken sloppiness. “Not Superstitious,” “Springtime,” “Not a Day Goes By.” All the good stuff. But wait! There’s also an intimate, 46-minute Frankie Stubbs solo set that I watch on YouTube sometimes. The penultimate song in the set is “Andy,” which might just be my favorite Leatherface song, depending on what day you ask me.
Lucero - Live from Atlanta
I think I wrote the bio for this record and I remember listening to it and thinking, “Jeeesus this is a lot of material.” You really get your money’s worth on this thing. A 32-song career-spanning live set that includes the sad drinkin’ songs and the bar room brawl jams. This record gave me a new appreciation for some of the Lucero songs I’d overlooked, like “Sounds of the City,” which blows the studio version away. Also, if you listen to this album straight through, you will hear Ben Nichols say, “Thankya very much” approximately 10,000 times. Also, something fun I learned from writing that bio is that Ben’s dad still reads every single article about the band. I think that’s sweet! So if he’s reading, hi, Mr. Nichols! Also, I loved your other son’s movie with Matthew McConaughey!
AJJ - Live at the Crescent Ballroom
There are two live AJJ albums on Spotify. One is Live from Third Man Records, which is fine. But this one has more personality. Also, way more horns. Wayyyy more horns.
Wu-Tang Clan - Live at Montreux 2007
This album is LONG, so it occasionally dips in parts. But when it’s on, it’s ON. Also, it was recorded in Switzerland, so during “C.R.E.A.M.,” Ghostface says, “Francs rule everything around me.” Makes me laugh every time.
The Weakerthans - Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre
In all honesty, I don’t think this is their best performance, but it’s the only live Weakerthans album on most streaming services so let us shut up and give thanks.
The World/Inferno Friendship Society - Hallowmas Live at North Six
Seeing shows at North Six legit feels like a different lifetime to me at this point.
Ben Folds Live
I listened to this album once a day when it came out in 2002. I’m listening now and it’s still a really fun collection of his best stuff, including the improvised “Rock This Bitch.”
Hot Water Music - Live at the Hardback
I can’t think of a live album that closer replicates the experience of getting sandwiched among a bunch of sweaty people in the front row more than this one. A band at the height of their prowess, recorded at what was meant to be their final show.
Joni Mitchell - Miles of Aisles
I’ve got some news for you. Your Joni Mitchell phase? It’s time. It has arrived.
Pelican - Arktika
Pelican is the only band I can listen to while working that not only doesn’t distract me but actually speeds up my productivity. There are actually four live albums on their Bandcamp page, but for my money Arktika is The One.
High on Fire - Spitting Fire Live Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
PSA: There are two live High on Fire albums. Or I guess one in two parts.