Albums live in full

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Sep 15, 2011
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I've been listening to The National's latest release, Boxer Live in Brussels, in which they play the album in its entirety. Some bands have toured albums, particularly on key anniversary dates (I think Offspring toured Smash to celebrate 25 years since its release). Obviously bands and fans generally prefer to play a mix of their biggest hits, but what current band would you like to see play an album live in full?

For mine, Pearl Jam playing Ten would be fantastic, even though I've seen them play most of the songs live at one time or another, Radiohead and OK Computer, as well as Rage Against the Machine and their self-titled debut.
 

Silent Alarm

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Honestly, I don't really like it.

It's obviously a resignation that your best work was a while ago, but it feels pretty hollow to me. I'm doing it for the first time (since Weezer) for Bloc Party next week but to me, I could honestly take it or leave it. The rhythm section being replaced is hard to take but worse for me is looking up and seeing Kele Okereke with arms the size of Russell Lissack's head and big chunky Nikes on. It just doesn't really feel right. But it's the most important album of my life and after a few lagers I'm sure I'll feel something. The worst thing is just about every single album tour has someone missing: Matt Sharp from the Blue Album, Carlos D for Turn On The Bright Lights...

In a way, if you get into an album well past its tour, then just accept you were lucky enough to get to hear it but unlucky to never see it. You'll be okay. A great band will put out another special album and you'll get to see that live one day, fresh after release, as everyone will remember it. Albums come from a time and place and there's something honest and pious about accepting that time has gone.
 
Sep 15, 2011
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I agree that, generally, playing an album in full is a sign of a band past its best playing trying to remain relevant. Bloc Party and Offspring certainly fit that definition. But The National playing Boxer seems different, given they released a well-received album just last year. It seems more of an anniversary performance and recognition of its enduring popularity among fans. Likewise, if the examples I mentioned of Pearl Jam and Radiohead did it, neither would seem like a sellout, since both still release albums and tour to a pretty dedicated fanbase.
 

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From a much less mainstream perspective than the bands cited, I do love albums played in full by my favourites. Marduk (black metal) have played Panzer & Those Of The Unlight in full, a show I thought wouldn't be seen outside of Europe, and then last year did Heaven Shall Burn When We Are Gathered, which have me a taste of what it must have been like to have been at their gig in the 90s. Mayhem did De Mysteriis in full in January, and it was amazing for me, as they're the first black metal band I ever came across, and that album is the exemplar of the genre.
 
Jun 14, 2012
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i saw Soundgarden play Superunknown in full for its 20th anniversary, absolute classic album & gig was a cracker.

earlier this year i saw Parkway Drive play Horizons for its 10th anniversary, by far their best album, cool to see some of those old songs they never play anymore.

Silverstein also played Discovering The Waterfront for its 10th anniversary a couple of years ago now. they still throw a lot of those old songs into gigs even now but all at once was great. there isn't a bad song on that album.

all these bands also played an assortment of hits/new stuff on top of the anniversary album. I'd definitely go to more of these gigs in future but hugely depends on what albums they are for.
 

MelbourneCrow

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Saw Bloc Party play Silent Alarm in reverse order the other night. Excellent show. Seen Mastodon play 'Crack The Skye' live and Primal Scream do 'Screamadelica' live. Sure there's a couple of others I can't remember at the moment.
 

MelbourneCrow

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Saw Bloc Party play Silent Alarm in reverse order the other night. Excellent show. Seen Mastodon play 'Crack The Skye' live and Primal Scream do 'Screamadelica' live. Sure there's a couple of others I can't remember at the moment.
Knew I forgot a couple - 'Born to Run' by Springsteen and 'Dare' by the Human League.
 

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Knew I forgot a couple - 'Born to Run' by Springsteen and 'Dare' by the Human League.

You know what I hated all those new wave bands in the 80's but listening to Dare now,the album really is fantastic.

 

JimDocker

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Saw them,Collingwood Town hall early 90's,Dirty Three,Magic Dirt and Pavement.

Fantastic line up.

I once saw The Triffids, The Saints and The Stems at The Civic here in Perth in the mid 80s. Pretty happy with that line up too !
 

revo333

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Genesis going to the gym,reforming with Peter Gabriel and performing The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway with full costume and slide show.

I would levitate I reckon.

Or Mahavishnu Orchestra with The Inner Mounting flame.

Saw Phil Collins a few months ago and he had to sit down for the whole gig and could barely walk around the stage.
 
Roger Waters doing the Wall in full in 2010 was maybe the best show I’ve ever seen. It was more like an event than a rock concert.

It’s an example of an album being better to see live many years after its original tour, and he remained true to the original cartoons where needed. I guess when he did it at Berlin when the wall came down it would’ve been pretty powerful too.

When Pink Floyd toured on it in 1980 he was frustrated - the special effects that he really needed to do justice for the album just didn’t exist yet.



Check 1:41 of this vid for some crazy s**t.
 
Apr 10, 2014
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I saw Simple Plan play ‘No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls’ this year.

I didn’t know a few of the songs on that album so that wasn’t ideal but I still enjoyed the gig enough to not worry about that too much.

I don’t mind the idea too much and I wouldn’t mind seeing it again live. Just depends on what band it is and which album I suppose.
 
Oct 4, 2003
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Roger Waters doing the Wall in full in 2010 was maybe the best show I’ve ever seen. It was more like an event than a rock concert.

It’s an example of an album being better to see live many years after its original tour, and he remained true to the original cartoons where needed. I guess when he did it at Berlin when the wall came down it would’ve been pretty powerful too.

When Pink Floyd toured on it in 1980 he was frustrated - the special effects that he really needed to do justice for the album just didn’t exist yet.



Check 1:41 of this vid for some crazy s**t.
I was front row, dead centre for the Wall in Melbourne, it was bloody amazing. I videod the whole show and put it on YouTube. Unfortunately got taken down but I still have the footage.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 
Sep 15, 2011
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I was front row, dead centre for the Wall in Melbourne, it was bloody amazing. I videod the whole show and put it on YouTube. Unfortunately got taken down but I still have the footage.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
You should have watched it through your own eyes, probably would have been amazing ;)
 

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