Was the early 70's the golden age for live music?

fada

You had the Who (Tommy played around 1970 as the greatest live show)
Led zeppelin
Rory Gallagher
Jimi Hendrix for a few months
Crosby Stills Nash and Young
Dylan
Solo Beatles
Elvis
Stones
Humble pie
The doors

I doubt if it will ever be repeated in the quality of live acts around at the time

Jeremy1012

I was looking through my music catalogue on rateyourmusic.com the other day and realised that the 70s is the decade in which I like the least music. For me, the 50s, 60s, 80s and 90s were totally superior. The 70s had about 10 massive big name bands that were incredible, tons of brilliant lesser known bands (like every decade) and the rest of the mainstream was pure shite.

FinsburyParkCarrots

No. That era died in 1970, with Hendrix. Technically 1970 was the sixties. After 1970, a period of good, exploratory and exciting early festival rock degenerated into heavy metal and overserious prog. The late sixties were the golden era of live music. Once Zep got huge, the party was over and the money men were in charge.

FinsburyParkCarrots

fada wrote:

You had the Who (Tommy played around 1970 as the greatest live show)
Led zeppelin
Rory Gallagher
Jimi Hendrix for a few months
Crosby Stills Nash and Young
Dylan
Solo Beatles
Elvis
Stones
Humble pie
The doors

I doubt if it will ever be repeated in the quality of live acts around at the time

As for these acts, Dylan very rarely performed live between 1966 and 1974, Lennon performed rarely, and Paul performed a lot with Wings but they were very ramshackle to start with. If you like fat jumpsuit Elvis in Hawaii and Vegas, okay; The Doors were more miss than hit after the 1969 Miami incident. Humble Pie's glorious moment was 1969-70. Out of the acts you've listed, only Zep, The Who, Rory, and the Stones excelled in that period (and like Starfucker, the only one of those four I'd bother seeing would be that era-Stones, even though Keef was definitely feeling no pain by that point).

But an interesting list, fada, nonetheless!

who's_pearljam?

I was going to shows in the times of which you speak.
I think there were always great bands, but like Fins said, when the big money took over, the creativity went downhill in mainstream music but there has always been creativity. You just had to find it like you have to now..

To add to some of the great live acts in the early 70's:

Allman Brothers with Duane. I always remember seeing Humble Pie open for Allman Brothers who opened for Johnny Winter. Stellar night!

Johnny Winter
Jefferson Airplane (Before Jefferson Starship) when Jorma Kaukonen was still with them, one of the most intense live acts ever.
Then Hot Tuna, great live band
Santana was cooking
Jethro Tull

Some great fun was Rod Stewart and Faces with Ronny Wood and crew. Those live shows were a blast unpredictable

Grateful Dead

David Bowie live was something to behold when Mick Ronson was still alive. They made a nice couple in orange hot pants and high heel pumps!

Emerson Lake and Palmer

Alice Cooper

Mothers of Invention- Frank Zappa

Yup, I could go on and maybe I will when my brain cells emit more memories!

reversedarwinism

Pearl Jam
Soundgarden
STP
GnR
Metallica
AIC
Smashing Pumkins
Motley Crue
Nirvana

That off the top of my head

..... early 90s anyone?

LONGRD

reversedarwinism wrote:

Pearl Jam
Soundgarden
STP
GnR
Metallica
AIC
Smashing Pumkins
Motley Crue
Nirvana

That off the top of my head

..... early 90s anyone?

take the Crue and Pumpkins off the list.

reversedarwinism

If you want, and I'm sure there are more to add to the list, like chilli peppers, Radio Head. I just don't think anytime has been better than the early to mid nineties for rock music. The late 60s/ early 70s is closest, IMO.

dunkman

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

No. That era died in 1970, with Hendrix. Technically 1970 was the sixties. After 1970, a period of good, exploratory and exciting early festival rock degenerated into heavy metal and overserious prog. The late sixties were the golden era of live music. Once Zep got huge, the party was over and the money men were in charge.

i sorta agree and yet i disagree (look i've had a few.. you know i'd never normally take you on )

but thats like saying the 90's were all about Spice Girls, Take That and other such pish... sure the decade will be remembered for that tripe.. but i've got cd's/vinyl by 90's bands that blow them away

the 70's for me is when rock came to the fore... 60's seems hippy land, the 70's had glam but it also had rock rock.. the 80's had hair metal and elctro shite.. as a whole.. i think the 70's shades it from the 00's so far for me.

p.s. i will never argue with you again... i offer as a sacrifice Jimmy Hendrix's last stool sample?

eyedclaar

fada wrote:

You had the Who (Tommy played around 1970 as the greatest live show)
Led zeppelin
Rory Gallagher
Jimi Hendrix for a few months
Crosby Stills Nash and Young
Dylan
Solo Beatles
Elvis
Stones
Humble pie
The doors

I doubt if it will ever be repeated in the quality of live acts around at the time

Short answer is yes with a however… Long answer is no with a but…

drtyfrnk29

I think it really depends on what you're expecting to hear. I've never seen Zeppelin, Elvis, Hendrix or The Doors in person. Only digitally remastered live concerts. I've got to think that the sound at some of those venues was less than stellar. The reproductions sound great but I don't know how powerful or clear sound systems at the time were, hence affecting the audiences perception of the performance.

I like the way I get to hear those acts though.

Joe2TheRevenge

90s. easily.

just take a look at every band who played lollapalooza from 1991 to 1997 (pretty much every amazing band with a record deal)

and imagine getting to go see 10 of them at a time.

Matty Boy

The best era for live and recorded rock music was 67-72.

FinsburyParkCarrots

who's_pearljam? wrote:

I was going to shows in the times of which you speak.
I think there were always great bands, but like Fins said, when the big money took over, the creativity went downhill in mainstream music but there has always been creativity. You just had to find it like you have to now..

To add to some of the great live acts in the early 70's:

Allman Brothers with Duane. I always remember seeing Humble Pie open for Allman Brothers who opened for Johnny Winter. Stellar night!

Johnny Winter
Jefferson Airplane (Before Jefferson Starship) when Jorma Kaukonen was still with them, one of the most intense live acts ever.
Then Hot Tuna, great live band
Santana was cooking
Jethro Tull

Some great fun was Rod Stewart and Faces with Ronny Wood and crew. Those live shows were a blast unpredictable

Grateful Dead

David Bowie live was something to behold when Mick Ronson was still alive. They made a nice couple in orange hot pants and high heel pumps!

Emerson Lake and Palmer

Alice Cooper

Mothers of Invention- Frank Zappa

Yup, I could go on and maybe I will when my brain cells emit more memories!

3WK Classic Underground radio is the perfect station for you then, Bob!

FinsburyParkCarrots

dunkman wrote:

i sorta agree and yet i disagree (look i've had a few.. you know i'd never normally take you on )

but thats like saying the 90's were all about Spice Girls, Take That and other such pish... sure the decade will be remembered for that tripe.. but i've got cd's/vinyl by 90's bands that blow them away

the 70's for me is when rock came to the fore... 60's seems hippy land, the 70's had glam but it also had rock rock.. the 80's had hair metal and elctro shite.. as a whole.. i think the 70's shades it from the 00's so far for me.

p.s. i will never argue with you again... i offer as a sacrifice Jimmy Hendrix's last stool sample?

If we're talking about live music in the early seventies, who would I have wanted to see? Well, obviously the young, two-legged John Martyn, that goes without saying. I'd have liked to have seen Kevin Coyne around the time of Marjory Razorblade, too. As for the big acts, pfft, I dunno. Standing eight million miles away from a stage in the early seventies would have meant cheaper beer at the bar, but also, longer queues and worse toilets.

dunkman

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

If we're talking about live music in the early seventies, who would I have wanted to see? Well, obviously the young, two-legged John Martyn, that goes without saying. I'd have liked to have seen Kevin Coyne around the time of Marjory Razorblade, too. As for the big acts, pfft, I dunno. Standing eight million miles away from a stage in the early seventies would have meant cheaper beer at the bar, but also, longer queues and worse toilets.

but its not about live music this topic fins... if it was then 67-71 period Beatles would be washed down the pan.... as the 70's stand they produced such amazing music.. ok it brought in superbands, stadia, etc.. but the actual tunes, they still stand up for themselves regardless of corporate infiltration.

well in my opinion anyway

norm

dunkman wrote:

but its not about live music this topic fins... if it was then 67-71 period Beatles would be washed down the pan.... as the 70's stand they produced such amazing music.. ok it brought in superbands, stadia, etc.. but the actual tunes, they still stand up for themselves regardless of corporate infiltration.

well in my opinion anyway

and let's not forget, if it weren't for the corporating of rock and roll in the early 70's, we may never had punk in the latter part......and without punk, quite possibly, no pearl jam.....;)

Wobbie

AWESOME to see Rory Gallagher mentioned on this site!!

RIP, Rory. I've been listening to Irish Tour for 34 years!

fada

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

As for these acts, Dylan very rarely performed live between 1966 and 1974, Lennon performed rarely, and Paul performed a lot with Wings but they were very ramshackle to start with. If you like fat jumpsuit Elvis in Hawaii and Vegas, okay; The Doors were more miss than hit after the 1969 Miami incident. Humble Pie's glorious moment was 1969-70. Out of the acts you've listed, only Zep, The Who, Rory, and the Stones excelled in that period (and like Starfucker, the only one of those four I'd bother seeing would be that era-Stones, even though Keef was definitely feeling no pain by that point).

But an interesting list, fada, nonetheless!

I could of said late 60's early 70's but I would stick to what I said.

Not a fan of Rory then Finsbury. I would rate him second only to The who's "live at isle of wright" in live album stakes

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

late 70s sucked except for Skynyrd!

FinsburyParkCarrots

fada wrote:

I could of said late 60's early 70's but I would stick to what I said.

Not a fan of Rory then Finsbury. I would rate him second only to The who's "live at isle of wright" in live album stakes

Ah, I do like his stuff. He had a long career, though. I view what he did as transcending the decades he was in.

There were some great Beat Club clips up on Youtube from about 1971 though, if they're still there.

FinsburyParkCarrots

dunkman wrote:

but its not about live music this topic fins... if it was then 67-71 period Beatles would be washed down the pan.... as the 70's stand they produced such amazing music.. ok it brought in superbands, stadia, etc.. but the actual tunes, they still stand up for themselves regardless of corporate infiltration.

well in my opinion anyway

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lalalalaaaaaaaa

Right now is the golden age of live music imo. Performers in general are so much better than they were in 1970. And in 30 years, most live acts will blow most everyone of today out of the water too.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

when did MC5 play their live album? whenever that was wins.

FinsburyParkCarrots

Saturnal wrote:

Right now is the golden age of live music imo. Performers in general are so much better than they were in 1970. And in 30 years, most live acts will blow most everyone of today out of the water too.

Technically, perhaps they're more proficient on average. But so many of them have sod all to say.

lalalalaaaaaaaa

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

But so many of them have sod all to say.

That's common to any generation. Parents back in ancient Rome were going "today's kids and their music...what crap!!"

Cosmo

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

As for these acts, Dylan very rarely performed live between 1966 and 1974, Lennon performed rarely, and Paul performed a lot with Wings but they were very ramshackle to start with. If you like fat jumpsuit Elvis in Hawaii and Vegas, okay; The Doors were more miss than hit after the 1969 Miami incident. Humble Pie's glorious moment was 1969-70. Out of the acts you've listed, only Zep, The Who, Rory, and the Stones excelled in that period (and like Starfucker, the only one of those four I'd bother seeing would be that era-Stones, even though Keef was definitely feeling no pain by that point).

But an interesting list, fada, nonetheless!

...
The first concert I ever went to was Rory Gallagher opening for The Kinks. That was 1971. and in the period between 1971 and 1975, there were some great live acts, both established and emerging. Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac (pre-Stevie/Lindsey), Faces, Queen, Bowie, Mott, Floyd, Tull, Steely Dan, Elton John, Eagles.
As for the best... I don't know. There are still some great live acts out there.

FinsburyParkCarrots

You know, I suspect that we're missing something here. Maybe the best era for live music was in London between 1975 and 1979. Take the Hope and Anchor in London. Think how many acts played this pub: The Clash, The Stranglers, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, U2 (even though only nine people turned up for that one). You could go into a pub and see quality like that, as a total contrast to the stadium wank of the early seventies! It was almost like getting back to the days when Hendrix played tiny places like the Bag O' Nails in early '67.