Joy Division - Bowdon Vale Youth/Social Club - 1979

As collectors items go, I guess this really is 'A List' material.

With the passing of Anthony H. Wilson, founder of Factory Records, along with the film of the late Ian Curtis and Joy Division, (with the reissues of all Joy Division material), obtaining something alternative from the band may prove difficult.

That this boot is also a very real part of the post punk and new wave era at grass roots level adds to the attraction.

So why were Joy Division playing a gig at a youth club, to an audience of predominately 10 to 16 year olds?

They were bizarrely playing the youth club because Bob Jefferson, who was promoting the gigs at the venue on Wednesday nights, had bought them out of their first contract, so they could join Factory Records.

He owned Streets Ahead records in Altrincham. They played the gig as a thank you!

I do not know the kind person that cleaned up this sound board recording, however considerable work went into developing a digital version. Here are the notes that came with the recording.

"I've been meaning to clean this up for ages. The original had many, many little drop-outs and an imbalance between the channels. This was probably down to the deteriorating quality of the original tape or dirty tape heads. There were also about 200 digital clicks which have all
been manually removed. This allowed me to normalise the whole show, track by track to allow playback at fairly constant volume. You can now hear snare, hi-hats and symbols without the need for further digital enhancement. There is absolutely no noise/hiss reduction so there is still a slight hiss, predominantly on the right channel".

So in all their early glory here are Joy Division live at Bowdon Vale Social Club, Altrincham, England, on Wednesday 14th March 1979.

Set list:

01 Exercise One
02 She's Lost Control
03 Shadowplay
04 Leaders Of Men
05 Insight
06 Disorder
07 Glass
08 Digital
09 Ice Age
10 Warsaw
11 Transmission
12 I Remember Nothing
13 No Love Lost (incomplete)

Sound quality: Improves after track one, unfortunately the final track is incomplete. It is an incredible gig!

I thought I would go with an actual photo from the gig apologies that it comes with 'proof' across it ( photo by Martin O'Neill).

Reloaded 09/June/2015 download link in comments.

Sheryl Crow - Austin City Limits 1997

First aired in 1976, Austin City Limits has become American television's longest-running concert music program.

The program is taped live by PBS (public broadcast) member station KLRU on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. Images of Austin, Texas, the self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World," are seen in the opening credits. ACL's set also features a mock skyline of Austin.

The show inspired the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual live music festival at Zilker Park in Austin.

This is the soundtrack to Sheryl Crow's performance on, January 31st, 1997, at Austin City limits, Austin, Texas.

Set list is:

1. Every Day is a Winding Road
2. Hard to Make a Stand
3. Leaving Las Vegas
4. A Change
5. Run, Baby, Run
6. If It Makes You Happy
7. Redemption Day
8. Strong Enough
9. Sweet Rosalyn
10. I Shall Believe

This is a stereo soundtrack copy - and is a high quality recording. It is also a really good show!

Replacement link in comments below or click on the picture (12th April 2010).

A selection of Sheryl Crow CD's can be purchased HERE.

Simon and Garfunkel - Voices of Intelligent Dissent

1968 and Simon and Garfunkel were riding high in the charts both with contributions to the 'Graduate soundtrack', and the release of their album 'Bookends' along with hit singles both sides of the Atlantic.

This is Simon And Garfunkel Live At The Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA, USA on the
23rd August 1968.

Probably intended as an official live album, the original concert recording was engineered by Al Kooper, however it eventually surfaced as a boot, on Vigotone (VT-124) under the title 'Voices of Intelligent Dissent'.




Set List:

1. (2:57) Mrs Robinson
2. (2:35) Homeward Bound
3. (4:38) April Come She Will
4. (3:06) Fakin' It
5. (2:35) Overs
6. (1:39) The 59th Street Bridge song
7. (4:30) America
8. (2:46) A Most Peculiar Man
9. (3:12) I Am A Rock
10. (2:07) At The Zoo
11. (3:50) Scarborough Fair
12. (2:19) Bye Bye Love
13. (5:16) Cloudy
14. (2:43) Leaves That are Green
15. (2:23) Punky's Dilemma
16. (3:27) Benedictus
17. (2:44) The Dangling Conversation
18. (3:35) For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her
19. (2:01) A Poem On The Underground Wall
20. (2:29) Anji
21. (3:26) The Sound Of Silence
22. (2:50) Richard Cory
23. (3:31) Old Friends
24. (3:07) He Was My Brother

Paul Simon : guitar / vocals.
Art Garfunkel : vocals.
Engineered be Al Kooper.

This is from the Soundboard, professionally mixed and taken from a 'silver CD' copy.

Reloaded 09/June/2015 - link in comments.

Happy Mondays - Live in London 1992

I remember well, seeing the Happy Mondays live at Wembley stadium in London back in 2000. They were supporting Oasis, and in my opinion by far, the better of the two bands.

This was the second incarnation of the Happy Mondays who had split back in 1992. Alas they split up again soon after this gig, however if you excuse the pun they again went out on a 'high'.

Back to 1992, when having cost the indie label Factory an estimated £250.000.00 for their, then new album 'Yes Please' the band toured in support of the album.

Sadly the album failed to achieve the financial success of previous material, and with both New Order's album 'Ceremony', and the label owned Hacienda Club also costing Factory Records an 'arm and a leg' the label went bust, and the Happy Mondays went the same way.

This concert was recorded by the BBC for broadcast prior to the band splitting up. Despite all the troubles of that year, this is a fine concert, and well worth a listen.

Recorded at The Kilburn National - London on the 26th October 1992, by BBC Radio, and with 320Kbps stereo quality, this is a must have for anyone who needs a little lift.

Set List:

1.W.F.L.
2.Loose fit.
3.Donovan.
4.Kinky afro.
5.Sunshine and love.
6.Cowboy Dave.
7.Stinkin' thinkin'.
8.Hallelujah.
9.Angel.
10.Theme from Netto.
11.Dustman.

I am really pleased that the Happy Mondays are again back together, and despite the fact that years of 'substance' use may have taken their toll on some, and the fact that none of the band are getting 'any younger', they remain a superb live band, along with the legacy of some stunning songs that epitomise all things Madchester, along with the UK's 1980's psychedelic and dance scene.

If you have not visited their very excellent website with online live videos and more click HERE.

Reloaded 09/June/2015 Link in comments.