Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The dB's - 1986-12-31 - The Brewery, Raleigh, NC

The dB's
1986-12-31
The Brewery, Raleigh, NC

Audience recording, very good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and Mp3 (320 kbps) versions

To close out the year, and the entire decade for that matter, here is a New Year's Eve show from 1986 featuring that rockin' 80's power pop band, The dB's. Hard to believe that I have not posted any dB's until now. The dB's were a band from Winston-Salem, NC, formed in 1978 with original members Chris Stamey (guitar, vocals, songwriting), Peter Holsapple (guitar, vocals, songwriting), Gene Holder (bass), and Will Rigby (drums), featuring a sound and style somewhat reminiscent of 60's-70's pop and psychedelia, but with a harder edge. Their first album, Stands for Decibels, was released in 1981, followed by Repercussion in 1982, and both were highly praised, but little bought at the time. Stamey left the group after that for a solo career, but the band continued, releasing Like This (1984), and adding Rick Wagner on bass and Holder moving over to guitar. Their major label breakthrough came with an I.R.S. record deal and the album The Sound of Music in 1987, as well as the arrival of Jeff Beninato on bass (and departure of Wagner). And although the album was again highly praised, major success did not follow (although the album did finally crack the Billboard 200, at #171)), and the band broke up not long after. But as so often happens with bands like this, their music became more popular after they were gone, with earlier albums being re-released, as well as live and compilation albums of miscellaneous tracks over the years. Holsapple went on to work with R.E.M., Hootie and the Blowfish, and the Continental Drifters, Holder joined The Individuals, and Rigby joined with Steve Earle. In 2005 and 2007, the band's original lineup got back together for limited reunion shows in Chicago, New Jersey, New York, and North Carolina, and then in 2012, the re-formed band released it's first new studio album in decades, with Falling Off The Sky.
This raucous NYE show highlights the band in 1986, prior to their 1987 IRS album, primarily featuring songs from Like This and Sound of Music, as well as some surprises. Thanks to Rob-in-Brevard at dbs-repercussion blog for making this show available (and particularly the recent addition of lossless), and FYI, if interested in further musical adventures of The dB's and their cohorts, be sure to check out Rob's blog, as it is chock full of all things dB's and related offerings.

Tracklist:
01. Any Old Thing
02. She Got Soul
03. Auld Lang Syne  Never Say When
04. Rains Around Here
05. Lonely Is as Lonely Does
06. Not Cool
07. Never Before and Never Again
08. A Better Place
09. Today Could Be the Day
10. White Train
11. I Lie (end cut, faded)
12. New Gun In Town
13. Change With the Changing Times
14. Amplifier
15. Love Is for Lovers
16. Witchi-Tai-To (Jim Pepper cover)
17. A Spy In the House of Love
18. Why Don't We Do It In the Road?
TT: 78:25

The dB's:
Peter Holsapple: guitar, vocals
Gene Holder: lead guitar
Will Rigby: drums, backing vocals
Jeff Beninato: bass, backing vocals

FLAC - The dB's_1986-12-31_RaleighNC_NYE_FLAC.rar

mp3 - The dB's_1986-12-31_RaleighNC_NYE_mp3.rar
Links updated 09/21/21

Sunday, December 22, 2019

A Celtic Christmas Sojourn - 2015-12-20 - Boston, MA

A Christmas Celtic Sojourn
December 20, 2015
live at the Cutler Majestic Theater
Boston, Massachusetts USA

(Broadcast Date December 24, 2016)
Pre-FM Broadcast Recording (WGBH), excellent quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320kbps) versions

Here's another Christmas-related show. This one a bit different for this blog, as this is a Celtic Christmas Show from a 2015 radio broadcast performance from Boston, featuring vocalists Cathy Jordan, Brian O'Donovan, Natalie Haas, and Maeve Gilchrist, and the bands The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc and Solas. An interesting show including some typical Christmas fare along with the traditional Celtic tunes, all done in Celtic styles. So, something a bit different for the Holidays this year. 

Tracklist:
01 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel/A Leaf from the Tree of Songs
02 intro
03 Red-Haired Mary
04 The Little Drummer Boy
05 The First Noel
06 Deck the Halls
07 intro
08 Fjellvåk
09 intro
10 Here We Come A-wassailing
11 Frosty the Snowman/Jingle Bells
12 intro
13 unknown
14 intro
15 Angels We Have Heard on High
16 Lark in the Clear Air
17 intro
18 unknown
19 Oíche Chiúin

Cast--
Cathy Jordan
Brian and Lindsay O'Donovan
Natalie Haas
Maeve Gilchrist
The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc
Solas

New Links! 09/29/23
FLAC - A Celtic Christmas Sojourn_2015-12-20_Boston_FLAC.rar

mp3 - A Celtic Christmas Sojourn_2015-12-20_Boston_mp3.rar

Sorry, no new Eclectic Christmas Collection this year. But for much more Christmas and winter merriment -
Don't forget about all the previous year's Christmas-related posts available here!


Here's wishing all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Steve Hackett & Friends - 1996-12-20 - Nagoya, Japan - PRRP-042B

Steve Hackett & Friends
December 20, 1996
Nagoya Kouseinenkin Hall, Nagoya, Japan
PRRP 042B - A Friendly Fold

Remastered Audience Recording (PRRP), good quality.
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 kbps) versions

OK, this one is by request. Here is the last night of Steve Hackett's limited (4-night) 1996 concert tour in Japan, and second half of the PRRP-042 release A Friendly Fold, which featured an all-star prog back-up band (with John Wetton and Ian MacDonald of King Crimson fame) and Steve's re-interpretations of Classic Genesis tracks (following the release of Genesis Revisited). A wonderful show. Although the setlist is the same as the previous night in Osaka (which was previously posted here earlier this year), it's still a treat to hear these progressive pros at work in this show. So, this completes that set of concerts. And although there is nothing played here that would constitute Christmas music, I'm still counting this as a Christmas Concert because it happened during the Christmas Holiday Season, and I'm sure it was a wonderful Christmas gift for all who attended, as well as for Julio, who requested I post this show. So, Ho Ho Ho, here's Steve's version of a Christmas show.
 
Tracklist:
01 Watcher Of The Skies  9:07
02 Depth Charge  4:47
03 Firth Of Fifth  10:23
04 Battle Lines  7:18
05 Camino Royale  8:45
06 In The Court Of The Crimson King  8:27
07 Horizons  1:53
08 Walking Away From Rainbows  3:52
09 Heat Of The Moment  4:56
10 ....In That Quiet Earth  4:48
11 A Vampire (with A Healthy Appetite)  8:06
12 I Talk To The Wind  6:00
13 Shadow Of The Hierophant  3:59
14 Drum Solo  4:52
15 Los Endos 8:45
16 Cuckoo Cocoon - Black Light - Puck  3:38
17 The Steppes  7:58
18 I Know What I Like  10:40

Steve Hackett - Guitars, harmonica, Lead & backing Vocals
John Wetton - Bass, Guitar, Lead & Backing Vocals
Ian McDonald - Keyboards, Flute, Saxophone, Lead & Backing Vocals
Julian Colbeck - Keyboards & Backing Vocals
Chester Thompson - Drums & Percussion

FLAC - Steve Hackett_1996-12-20_Nagoya_PRRP042B.FLAC.part1.rar
        - Steve Hackett_1996-12-20_Nagoya_PRRP042B.FLAC.part2.rar

mp3 - Steve Hackett_1996-12-20_Nagoya_PRRP042B.mp3.rar


Sunday, December 8, 2019

Nick Lowe (Featuring Los Straitjackets) - Nick Lowe's Quality Holiday Revue - 2015-12-10 - Los Angeles, CA

Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets
Nick Lowe’s Quality Holiday Review
December 10, 2015
El Rey Theatre,
Los Angeles, CA

Audience Recording, good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 kbps) versions

Now that we've entered into the Christmas Holiday Season, it's time once again for some Holiday-themed live shows. Here's a cool show from a few years ago that featured the unexpected pairing of rock legend Nick Lowe with Los Straitjackets for a series of Holiday shows in 2015. Los Straitjackets, of course, are a throwback to the instrumental guitar bands of the 1960's (such as The Ventures, The Shadows, Link Wray, and Dick Dale) playing hits from that era as well as newer songs played in that style. They're a lot of fun to see live, and their pairing with Nick Lowe works well. They play a mix of their respective hits, with numerous Christmas songs thrown in, mostly taken from Nick's recent Christmas album, Quality Street (2013).  It's a fine show and great holiday fun.

Tracklist:
Disc  1  (51:10)
Nick Lowe solo
01. People Change
02. Lay It On Me Baby
03. (Nick talks)
04. A Dollar Short Of Happy
Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets
05. Walking In A Winter Wonderland
06. Ragin' Eyes
07. Christmas At The Airport
08. Without Love
09. You Inspire Me
10. Not Too Long Ago
Los Straitjackets only
11. Sleigh Ride
12. Casbah
13. Aerostar
14. Linus & Lucy
15. Untitled
16. I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass (Nick joins in at end)

Disc 2  (47:20)
Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets
01. Sensitive Man
02. Somebody Cares For Me
03. The North Pole Express
04. Half a Boy and Half a Man
05. Cruel To be Kind
06. Rome Wasn't Built In A Day
07. I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock And Roll)
08. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day
Encore
Los Straitjackets only

09. Bus Stop
10. Sing Sing
Nick and Los Straitjackets
11. What's So Funny (About Peace, Love and Understanding)
12. Born in Bethlehem
Nick Lowe solo
13. Alison

FLAC - Nick Lowe_Los Straitjackets_Holiday Revue_2015-12-10_LA_FLAC.part1.rar
         Nick Lowe_Los Straitjackets_Holiday Revue_2015-12-10_LA_FLAC.part2.rar
Links updated 12/9/21
mp3 - Nick Lowe_Los Straitjackets_Holiday Revue_2015-12-10_LA_mp3.rar