Madness - Aqua Folies - New York 1983

This is a classic Madness bootleg originally circulated on CD as 'Aqua Folies' no doubt, as a result of the concert taking place at 'The Pier', Hudson River, New York City, USA.

This was part of their late summer (1983) USA tour, the actual gig took place on the 22nd August 1983.

Source: FM stereo broadcast, with advertisements and presenter links removed.

Sound Quality: Superb, 320kbps mp3 stereo version, fans and audio 'buffs' will not be disappointed.

Genre: Two Tone (how many record labels becomes a genre?), English Ska, OK it's great pop, that stands the test of time.

Set: Full set including encores, nicely edited as mentioned above.

Set List:

1. House Of Fun
2. Disappear
3. Close Escape
4. My Girl
5. Night Boat To Cairo
6. Tomorrows Dream
7. Razor Blade Alley
8. Tomorrows Just Another Day
9. Grey Day
10. Shut Up
11. Madness
12. Baggy Trousers
13. Our House
14. Madness (Is All In The Mind)
15. It Must Be Love
16. Primrose Hill
17. One Step Beyond

Links: A reasonably well rounded Wikipedia summary HERE. My Space (with forthcoming tour details) HERE.

Comments: I have only seen Madness live once, (in London, UK), and much later on than this.

I was absolutely 'blown away' by the fun, musical quality, showmanship, energy, and commitment, along with the fact that the audience very soon became a part of the whole event.

This concert does justice to that memory. There's probably a little more adrenalin and raw talent, and a tad less 'audience interaction' than they get on home soil, but all in all, it confirms to me they have been a consistently great band since those early, ground breaking days in the latter 1970's.

Download links in comments below.

Madness albums can be purchased at Amazon.co.uk - Madness

Nick Lowe - Live In New York - 1985

This is Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit (featuring Paul Carrack), Live at The Ritz Theatre, New York, on the 19th October 1985.

Source: WNEW 102.7FM stereo broadcast.

Sound Quality: Stereo very good 'off air' recording - first generation.

Genre: Pub Rock, New Wave, from rock to country to soul to pop.

Set: Majority of concert (cannot confirm if WNEW edited out any stage of the gig).

Set List:

1. Raging Eyes 2:37
2. She Don't love Nobody 3:43
3. Cracking Up 2:41
4. Mary Provost 2:58
5. One Woman Man 2:11
6. Saint Beneath The Paint 3:26
7. Your My Wildest Dream 3:06
8. Shake And Pop 4:03
9. Tempted 4:03
10. Cruel To Be Kind 3:43
11. Rose Of England 3:30
12. Darling Angel Eyes 2:41
13. Seven Nights OF Rock 3:12
14. I Knew The Bride 3:10
15. I Need You 3:28
16. How Long 6:44
17. Half A Boy 2:59

Links: Very good Wikipedia synopsis HERE. Official site HERE.

Comments: Nick Lowe is one of those artists, that I assume is always busy doing something.

Either touring, producing, creating, always an individual, busy in the very 'engine room' of rock'n'roll.

These day's he can fill London's Albert Hall for live shows rather than a sweaty, smoke filled pub venue, somewhere in the suburbs.

Take a look at the Wikipedia article if you have five minutes, and remind yourself of his creative achievements, influence, and down to earth pretentious free career. If only more rock'n'roll stars were like this !

Download link in comments below.

A selection of Nick's CD's are available at Amazon - Nick Lowe

Amy MacDonald - Live in Germany - 2008

Amy Macdonald understandably made the most of the 'consistently warm reception' she received in Germany last year, clearly enjoying performing live, as we can hear on two specific gigs she along with her excellent band, had recorded for German radio networks.

She also made a number of promotional appearances for both TV and radio in Germany, and was filmed in Berlin towards the end of 2008.

These particular recordings have been circulated as 'The German Radio Broadcasts 2008 (FM)' either on double CD or as FLAC files on a few file sharing forums.

Source: Radio Broadcasts from WDR 2 and Radio Bremen.

Sound Quality: Excellent stereo recordings converted to MP3 @ 320kbps, very high quality.

Genre: Indie Pop - acoustic plus band.

Sets: In three parts:

Part One: Four promo recordings (from February 2008), with intros by Amy MacDonald, acoustic solo sets for WDR 2 recorded at the radio station and subsequently broadcast during the month.

01. This Is The Life
02. Poison Prince
03. Mr. Brightside
04. Mr. Rock & Roll

Part Two: Live in concert recorded at Kleiner Sendesaal, Cologne, on the 1st June 2008, for WDR 2 - Musikclub, and subsequently broadcast on the 15th June 2008.
01 Poison Prince
02 Mr Rock & Roll
03 Youth Of Today
04 This Is The Life
05 Mr Brightside
06 Footballers Wife
07 Barrowland Ballroom
08 Dancing In The Dark
09 Road To Home
10 Caledonia
11 Run

Part Three: Again live in concert (recorded on the 18th September 2008), for the 'New Pop Festival 2008' at Kurhaus, Baden-Baden, Germany. This appears to be a new syndicated venture for some European major radio groups, this copy broadcast on Radio Bremen (programme Bremen Vier Intensiv) on the 12th November 2008.

01 Poison Prince
02 L.A.
03 Youth Of Today
04 Mr. Rock'n'Roll
05 Next Big Thing
06 Footballers Wife
07 Mr. Brightside
08 Run
09 Dancing In The Dark
10 This Is The Life
11 Let's Start A Band

Links: Official site HERE,

Comments: All these performances were captured in top quality audio, more importantly the music and performances are sharp and feisty.

Amy's interaction with the audience makes for a great time for those who were fortunate enough to be there, and those of us who can listen again now.

Reloaded August 2015 see comments.

Neil Innes - Live at Maxwell's New Jersey - 2001

This is Neil Innes live in concert at Maxwell's Club in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA in the summer of 2001 with Yo Le Tango as the backup band.

Neil's pedigree as I am sure you well know, includes The Bonzo Dog Band, The Rutles, along with plenty of solo projects down the years. He is of course also known for his collaborative work with Monty Python.

Source: Audience recording - don't be put off, this is well beyond 'collectors' only.

Sound Quality: As audience goes - 'superb quality' with low audience noise and the sound levels are solid and consistent. I have left it as a Nero music file, you may want to convert to mp3 or download a free Nero media player.

Genre: Parody, Rock, Comedy, Wonderful - very British.

Set: Full concert to my knowledge.

Set List:

1 - I'm The Urban Spaceman 3:52

2 - Goose Step Mama 2:42

3 - Between Us 2:56

4 - Real World 4:16

5 - Piggy Bank Love 4:24

6 - Under The Electric Sun 5:33

7 - Crystal Ball 6:17

8 - Godfree Daniel 3:12

9 - L'amour Perdue 3:53

10 - Double Back Alley 5:19

11 - Humanoid Boogie 4:40

12 - Song For Europe 3:02

13 - Shangrila 6:01

14 - I Want To Be With You 3:15

15 - Ouch! 2:06

16 - I Must Be In Love 4:04

17 - Let's Be Natural 4:00

18 - Mr Apollo 5:13

Links: Official Website HERE. Doo Dah Diaries (a project to compile the complete history of the Bonzo's HERE.

Comments: This boot was originally circulated on a CD as 'Piggy Bank Love' a 'Bonzo Dog Band' song reference. I will as requested keep the source of this particular version to myself, however, I now know there are many other fans with great archive material, both sides of the Atlantic ocean.

Neil Innes performs solo, Bonzo's and Rutles material during this performance, with his own distinctive interaction with the audience.

Reloaded - 20/May/2015 - download link in comments.
Purchase Amazon mp3's - Neil Innes