A parade of rock greats have released top-tier concert recordings available now. This column features a roundup of some of my favorite live releases issued in 2024 and 2025.
Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Live In The City Of Diamonds (BMG)
You might like if you enjoy: U2, Simple Minds, The Alarm
Tell me more: A terrific sounding live album with the extensive track listing to match, Live In The City Of Diamonds includes the majority of Simple Minds' most beloved songs recorded at Ziggy Dome, Amsterdam in The Netherlands on April 6, 2024. To be clear, singer-songwriter Jim Kerr sounds as great as ever and Charlie Burchill continues to be one of the great guitar masters of the modern rock era; their signature talents along with the collective expertise of Ged Grimes (bass), Gordy Goudie (guitar, backing vocals), Cherisse Osei (drums), Erik Ljunggen (keyboards) and Sarah Brown (backing vocals) elevate the two dozen selections featured on the outstanding title. Beginning with an uplifting and soaring "Waterfront," disc 1 of the double CD also features the introspective "Sons and Fascination," inspired "Let There Be Love," ethereal "Glittering Prize" and powerful plea for peace "Belfast Child." Disc 2 fires up with the shimmering "Someone, Somewhere In Summertime" and continues it's magical run with standouts including the introspective gem "See The Lights" (the latter bolstered by Burchill's ascending guitar playing), the powerful sing-along fueled "Don't You (Forget About Me)," explosive "Sanctify Yourself," synth-swept "Vision Thing" and dynamic "Color's Fly and Catherine Wheel." The audio CD version reviewed here has exclusive content including an fully-illustrated 24-page color booklet and additional tracks recorded in London, Leeds, Glasgow, Berlin and Dijon. Simple Minds' "Alive & Kicking" North American Tour includes a May 23 date at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, CA, and a May 25 date at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, AZ; Soft Cell and Modern English will serve as openers on the bill. Information: simpleminds.com.
Artist: Supertramp
Title: Live in Paris '79 (Mercury Studios)
You might like if you enjoy: Roger Hodgson, Supertramp
Tell me more: Recorded just nine months after the release of their 1979 masterwork Breakfast in America, Supertramp's newly-issued Live in Paris '79 full-length live album released on both audio CD and on vinyl features the band's classic lineup of Roger Hodgson (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Rick Davies (keyboards, vocals), Dougie Thomson (bass), Bob Siebengerg (drums) and John Helliwell (saxophone). This classic live recording is launched with the mournful sound of a solo harmonica morphing into a full band performance of "School," the stirring leadoff track off the progressive rock group's 1974 album Crime of the Century. The wide range of original material performed by the British troupe across the 3LP collection reviewed here is vast to be sure; the blues-flavored "Ain't Nobody But Me," tuneful pop-rock sortie "The Logical Song" (the latter showcasing Hodgson's dynamic vocals and sharp songcraft), wistful "Goodbye Stranger," rousing "Bloody Well Right" and introspective "Hide In Your Shell" are among the early standouts performed by the group. The latter part of the concert recording includes great performances of an acoustic reading "Give a Little Bit" enhanced by Helliwell's sax playing, the exuberant "Dreamer," bewitching "Take The Long Way Home," transcendent "Fool's Overture" and dramatic closer "Crime of the Century." Information: https://store.mercurystudios.co/.
Artist: Blur
Title: Live At Wembley Stadium (Parlophone)
You might like if you enjoy: Blur, Oasis, Travis
Tell me more: Groundbreaking British band Blur's full-length concert recorded at Wembley Stadium in London, England on July 9, 2023 is available as a 26-track double CD. Live At Wembley Stadium. This is an incredible concert recording capturing singer/multi-instrumentalist Damon Albarn, lead guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree in a spirted and inspired performance in front of 150,000 fans.
Epic material from across the British quartet's acclaimed career is performed with passion and precision. Highlights on disc 1 include the fiery "Popscene," signature Britpop rockers "Tracy Jacks" and "Beetlebum," the wistful flamenco-tinged "Out of Time," emotional "Coffee & TV" and Beatlesque piano-anchored "Under the Westway."
Disc 2 includes a mix of the band's beloved hits as well as top-tier new selections from the band's marvelous 2023 return The Ballad of Darren. The euphoric sing-along "Parklife," dreamy "To the End," explosive "Song 2," plaintive "This Is a Low" (the latter enhanced by Coxon's stellar lead guitar work), enchanting "Tender," pensive melody-adorned "The Narcissist" and panoramic closer "The Universal" are among the brilliant originals that thrill on the last half of the superlative concert recording.
The audio CD release features the full-length concert across two discs, and is housed in a six-panel soft pack including an 18-panel poster fold booklet. Live At Wembley Stadium is also available on vinyl, as well as a concert film presented on Blu-ray. Information: blur.co.uk.
Title: Woodstock 1969 (Chrysalis)
You might like if you enjoy: Ten Years After, Alvin Lee, Cream, British blues
Tell me more: Anyone who have ever seen the 1970 concert film "Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music" knows that Ten Years After's performance of "I'm Going Home" is one of bona fide highlights of the award-winning film chronicling the Woodstock Festival staged near Bethel, New York in August 1969. Now the British band's complete Aug. 17, 1969 performance at that legendary event is presented via the audio title Woodstock 1969. "Hello beautiful people," says singer-guitarist Alvin Lee at the beginning of the band's set. "A fair blues to warm us up." Lee, bassist Leo Lyons, drummer Ric Lee and keyboardist Chick Churchill then proceed to deliver a powerful version of Howlin' Wolf's 1960 Willie Dixon-penned classic "Spoonful," a take bolstered by the mix of Alvin Lee's speedy lead guitar work and Ric Lee's dynamic drumming. The live recording also includes a fiery musical reading of "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," enhanced by Alvin Lee's extended and breathtaking lead guitar solo. "The Hobbit" is a showcase for Ric Lee, one of the greatest rock drummers of the era; the dazzling solo that anchors the track draws big cheers from the hundreds of thousands concertgoers at the festival. Another key standout on the disc is the band's version of Al Kooper's "I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes," an extended jam that somehow blends rock, blues, psychedelia and jazz stylings into a breathtaking and bold sonic amalgam. Closing out the set is of course Ten Years After's exceptional performance of "I'm Going Home," an astonishing reading that stretches almost 10 minutes and a defining moment that made the band into superstars. The 2024 release marks the first-ever standalone release of the historic performance, newly restored and featuring fresh mixes from the original 2-inch multi-track tapes. There are new liner notes by Chris Welch included in the eight-page colorful booklet. Information: amazon.com.
Robert Kinsler
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