Blue Rodeo- CFNY Live Broadcast, Toronto 1987

When I think of quality prolific bands from Canada, you have to consider Blue Rodeo as one of the best. Since they formed in 1984, with their first album, Outskirts released in 1987, they have officially released 20 records (including live and greatest hits) right up to their most recent album, 1000 Arms (2016). Though they are thought of as a country rock band, they have mixed in genres such as folk, blues and rock, but have maintained a consistent sound with founding members, Greg Keeler, Jim Cuddy and bassist Basil Donovan. I have only seen the band at least 3 times live and they have never failed to impress. The most memorable show I saw Blue Rodeo was for the grand re-opening (after renovating from a movie theatre) of the Walker Theatre (later renamed Burton Cummings Theatre) in 1991 during the Casino tour. It might even be one of the best shows I've seen at the Walker/Burt, it was loud, fast, energetic and Blue Rodeo was amazing. I believe we sat in the first couple rows of the balcony so we had a good view, but unfortunately this was in my pre-taper days so I didn't record it. The other times I've seen Blue Rodeo was outdoor shows and I feel the outdoor big stage concerts never have the same feel or intensity as bars, theatres, concert halls or even arenas.

Blue Rodeo live at the Diamond Club was captured early in their career about 8 months after the release of their debut, Outskirts. This partial show was released on the promo only, The Outskirts Special & The CFNY Live Broadcast. This two record set features the Outskirts special and an interview with the band on the first LP, with the CFNY Live Concert Broadcast on the second LP. While the live recording includes songs from Outskirts, it's worth noting there are at least a couple songs that are not on the first album (unreleased?). The sound is excellent because it was professionally recorded and the band is tight, young and eager to impress, they definitely do!
Enjoy!

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats (except for personal use)
Please share!


Blue Rodeo
The Diamond Club
Toronto, Canada
November 15, 1987
(CFNY FM Broadcast)

Transfer: Low Gen Tape > Nakamichi DR-01 (azimuth adjusted) > Sound Devices USBPre2 > Audacity > Peak Pro 6 (Pre-production) > iZotope RX / ozone 5 (mastered) > Peak Pro 6 (Post Production) > xACT 2.39 > FLAC

01 Joker's Wild
02 Fire
03 One Day
04 Rebel
05 Just Like A Vacation
06 Pissin' On A Fuse That's Burning
07 Outskirts
08 Try
09 Heart Like Mine

BLUE RODEO- 1987-11-15 Diamond Club, Toronto, (FM) FLAC. rar

Liz Phair- Sessions At West 54th

Everyone has those moments, not quite a "life changing" moment, but a realization moment when you discover something, in this case an artist, something so good you can't believe you almost missed out on. Liz Phair was one of those artists I heard about before even listening to her music. Her debut record, Exile In Guyville was getting a lot of attention and buzz (I hate that word!) and for a guy that actually didn't have a lot of female artists in his collection (shamefully), I was curious. I dubbed a cassette copy from a friend and nearly wore out the tape because I played it so much. The songs were fresh, intelligent and oh, so interesting. The blunt, honest sexually open lyrics and Phair's low almost mono-tone vocal style had me hooked. It didn't hurt that she was cute with a tomboy-ish, "one of the guys" look and attitude. I can watch her early (pre-2000) interviews all night, she's that charming. For me, Exile In Guyville is one of the best records from the 90's and Fuck And Run and 6' 1" from the album can be on any of my playlists. In 2018, Liz revisited this album on the 25th anniversary of the original release with a repackaged boxset edition of Guyville called, Girly-Sound To Guyville which included re-mastered versions of the three Girly-Sound tapes. I posted mp3 versions from the original tapes back in 2012 and those unremastered versions are still posted here.

Sorry, for the poor quality. These are screenshots from a video on YouTube.

I'm posting a fantastic live recording from Liz Phair when she appeared on PBS's, Sessions At West 54th. The program aired for three seasons from 1997-2000 and featured live performances from a range of artists from various musical genres. This was performances from good quality, mainly critically acclaimed musicians, so no teeny-pop rubbish or trendy American-Idol wannabees. Liz Phair appeared on the second season to coincide with the release of her third album, Whitechocolatespaceegg and I would say she was at the height of her career (at least musically) at this time. To appear on a program like this confirmed she was a legit talent with much acclaimed credibility. This album had some great songs on it, a few still from her Girlysound recordings, but the consistency of her material was showing cracks. The original version of the record (I posted in 2012) was rejected by the record label, so it was re-recorded and remixed and more (commercially appealing) material was added. Despite it's flaws, it was her last "good" record before she abandoned much of the qualities her original fans came to appreciate about her to seek a more mainstream audience that wasn't there. This sounds really critical (I don't mean it to be), but reflecting back maybe she had bad advice or some of the decisions that were made for her were wrong.

Getting back to Sessions at West 54th, I saw the original broadcast on PBS-TV back in the day. The show is an hour long and Liz's slot was split with John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards, so the televised portion for each artist was half an hour. I VCR-ed the broadcast as well as audio recorded (jacked into the back of the TV) it onto cassette. The sound quality was good and I listened to it a lot, but it broadcast only 5 songs from her set. As luck would have it, I eventually found the complete live audio recording of the performance and that's what's posted below. The sound quality is excellent and Liz's performance is outstanding. There is some dispute of the actually date because on my file it's listed as October 5, 1998 (change the text file if need be), but according to other sources it should be October 15th. (setlists.com lists Oct. 5, she was in Washington)
Enjoy!

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats (except for personal use)
Please share!

Video broadcast (televised portion)- YouTube


Liz Phair
October 15th, 1998
New York, NY.
Sessions at West 54th

CDr(trade)->WAV->Flac FrontEnd(level 6)->Flac->You

01 Intro (David Byrne) 00:19
02 Mesmerizing 05:00
03 Johnny Feel Good 04:11
04 Never Said 03:36
05 Support System 03:29
06 WhiteChocolateSpaceEgg 05:31
07 Uncle Alvarez 04:20
08 6' 1" 03:22
09 Dance Of The Seven Veils 04:15
10 Polyester Bride 03:54
11 Supernova 03:31
12 Divorce Song 04:07
13 Perfect Life 05:53
14 Fuck And Run 05:08
15 What Makes You Happy 04:45

LIZ PHAIR- Sessions At West 54th FLAC. rar

Yo La Tengo- Request-A Thon 2020 (25th Anniversary!)

Every spring for the past 25 years, Yo La Tengo has been on the airways at WFMU-FM in Jersey City, New Jersey taking and performing requests during their annual Request-A-Thon. This incredible feat is the highlight of the station's fundraising marathon where listeners can pledge money to help support the operations of the radio station. WFMU is a listener-supported independent community radio station and is committed to unstructured-format broadcasting. Yo La Tengo has lent their talent and generosity to the station with an annual 3 hour slot performing live requests from listeners that pledge $100 or more. For the band, almost nothing is off-limits, there are songs that regularly get requested and songs they don't know, sometimes performing them for the first time. Through it all, they are good sports and are game to try any weird and obscure requests, and this year is no exception.

Fortunately, this year's show took place about a week before COVID started shutting down gatherings and live performances, otherwise Yo La Tengo might not have played live in studio. Though I don't live anywhere near New Jersey, listening to this show is a highlight of my year and one of these years I'll listen live and pledge. I promise I will find out the date for 2021's program and participate in the fundraiser. In fact, it's never too late to pledge and donations to the station can be made here: https://pledge.wfmu.org/donate?step=landing 
Thanks to beatpop on Dime for once again recording and sharing the show. I look forward to next year!
Enjoy!

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats (except for personal use)
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Yo La Tengo
25TH Annual Yo La Tengo Requestathon!
Live on Todd-o-phonic Todd's show
with Gaylord Fields and Evan Funk Davies
WFMU-FM's Monty Hall
Jersey City, NJ USA 
March 07, 2020
7 sets from 3-6pm

Broadcast live over 91.1 WFMU-FM, Jersey City, NJ USA.

Lineage:
WFMU-FM > Sony XDR-F1HD > Edirol R-09HR (44.1/16) >
Sony Soundforge 10 > FLAC level 6 aligned on SB

Set 1:
01 - The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana) (1:45)
02 - Making Time (1:51)
03 - I'll Come Running (3:27)
04 - Death of a Clown (2:40)
05 - Meet on the Ledge (2:59)

Set 2:
06 - Moscow Nights (2:11)
07 - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (2:41)
08 - Morgus the Magnificent (2:26)
09 - She's Like Heroin to Me (2:16)
10 - If and When (2:39)

Set 3:
11 - It's a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl (3:10)
12 - Heart Of Glass (2:53)
13 - Here Comes the Sun (2:28)
14 - Our Lips Are Sealed  (2:47)

Set 4:
15 - Green Onions (2:58)
16 - Last Days of Disco (5:50)
17 - Werewolves of London (4:51)
18 - Who Loves the Sun (2:10)
19 - Love Is the Drug (2:38)
20 - I'm Down (2:26)

Set 5:
21 - Corona (2:17)
22 - Ice Cream Man (2:56)
23 - Psycho Killer (4:07)
24 - Rebel Rebel (3:13)
25 - I Wanna Be Sedated (2:15)

Set 6:
26 - Outdoor Miner (2:31)
27 - Henry (1:05)
28 - Hey Joe (3:44)
29 - Gates of Steel (3:08)

Set 7:
30 - Baby's on Fire (2:00)
31 - Wild Honey (2:53)
32 - Peter Gunn/Annette's Got the Hits (8:48)

With references to:
Annette's Got the Hits - Redd Cross
Skin Deep - Nick Lowe
Cold Rain and Snow - Grateful Dead
Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg
No More Pushing Joe Around - Daniel Johnston
Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
Senses Working Overtime - XTC
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
Runaway Train - Soul Asylum
Speed Racer Theme
Annette's Got the Hits - Redd Cross

Total Running Time: 1hr 36min 16sec

Personnel:
Georgia Hubley - drums, vocals
Ira Kaplan - guitar, keyboards, vocals
James McNew - bass

YO LA TENGO- 2020-03-07 Monty Hall, WFMU-FM Jersey City, NJ FLAC. rar

The Replacements- Live At the First Avenue 1986

For the final installment of the mini-tribute to the First Avenue in Minneapolis, we have a band that helped bring national attention to Minneapolis during the 80's (besides Prince). At least in the alternative/indie rock genre, when I think of Minneapolis, I think of the Replacements. They were a semi-regular performer at the First Avenue/7th St. Entry during most of their career since about 1981 and their shows were always much talked about. Fortunately, there are many documented live recordings from these shows that have been shared among fans for years. I never turn down an opportunity to download and listen to a Replacements show because they are never the same, the setlists are always different and depending on the mood (drunkenness) of the band the choice of cover songs could get pretty wild. Of all the bands I collect, I definitely enjoy the Replacements shows the most and though some disappoint, they are never boring or uneventful.

1986 was a pivotal year for the Replacements, they began the year preparing to tour the U.S. East Coast in support of Tim that was released in September 1985. Tim was probably their most critically acclaimed album of their career and the last with Bob Stinson as a member. They were at their peak with the original lineup and playing some of their best shows in 1985 and early 1986. The live recording, Live At Maxwell's recorded on February 4 was released a couple years ago and the sound quality and performance was unbelievably good! Their infamous appearance on Saturday Night Live on January 18th helped secure their legend, but probably prevented the band from gaining more mainstream success. Following their SNL performance, the Replacements returned home to Minneapolis for a pair of shows at the First Avenue. You can find both shows at the Replacements Live Archive Project website (in mp3 format) and I have one of those shows, the second one (January 22) here in lossless format. The recording is a clear, possibly a soundboard, upfront sounding and it's noteworthy because this is Bob Stinson's last show as a Replacement in Minneapolis. As I mentioned earlier, the bands performance is sometimes dictated by the level of alcohol consumption the band partakes in and this is definitely a drunken show. Paul's slurring during between song banter is apparent and the drunken covers dominate the second half of the show. Despite the drunkenness, the set is great and coherently performed and is very entertaining. This does not disappoint!
Enjoy!

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats (except for personal use)
Please share!


THE REPLACEMENTS
First Avenue
Minneapolis, MN
January 22, 1986

Cassette (???)> Sony Standalone Burner> Audacity> FLAC

01. Dose of Thunder
02. Hold My Life
03. Gimme Noise
04. Kick Your Door Down
05. Little Mascara
06. Answering Machine
07. Left of The Dial
08. Johnny's Gonna Die
09. Unsatisfied
10. Waitress In The Sky
11. Kiss Me On The Bus
12. I Will Dare
[tape flip]
13. Rock And Roll All Night (Kiss)
14. Yummy Yummy Yummy (Ohio Express)
15. Color Me Impressed
16. Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out
17. Folsom Prison Blues (Cash)
18. Substitute (Who)
19. Take Me Down To The Hospital
20. Jean Genie (Bowie)
21. Yeah Yeah (Revillos)
22. Last Time (Rolling Stones)
23. September Gurls (Big Star)
24. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Lloyd Price)
25. Easier Said Than Done (Essex)

original notes: It's probably a soundboard tape (kinda a rough one), but I'm not too sure.
The crowd noise is a little distant, so that's what I'm thinking.
[76:44]

THE REPLACEMENTS- 1986-01-22 First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN FLAC. rar

The Pinwheel Sessions- An Upgrade (Pre-FOW)

Several years ago I posted the Pinnwheel (or Pinwheel?) demos, recordings from Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger before they formed Fountains of Wayne. Since Adam's untimely death over three weeks ago, I noticed a sudden interest from that posting which led me to have another listen. I was surprised how good the songs are and the sound quality was fairly polished for demos. My only concern was they were sourced from mp3 and I had always hoped I can seek out the lossless version for possibly better sound quality. I must have been thinking out loud because someone posted the FLAC (lossless) version on Dime (it has since mysteriously disappeared from a couple days ago...?). They were converted from WAV files, so consider this an upgrade over the previous version I posted. I'm listening to the files right now and it sounds a bit fresher and slightly less glitchy. Honestly, it probably won't be obvious or you might not hear a real difference, so listen and judge for yourself.
Enjoy!

• (Note: In the text file it says it includes the Loftypop Demos, it does not. If anyone has any information about those, please share.)
• These demos are believed to be recorded as early as 1986 or as late as 1992. Another source says 1993, so take these dates as an "estimate".

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy format (except for personal use)
Please share!


Pinwheel or Pinnwheel? (pre-Fountains of Wayne)
"The Pinwheel Sessions" (1993?)

Source:     ANA (generation unknown) > CDR
Transfer:     CDR (generation unknown) > WAV (Exact Audio Copy)
flac:        WAV > flac 1.1.0
Transfer by:    Pete Rosenblum (pmppk)

1.  I Will Never Let You Down
2.  Sinking Fast
3.  Some Girls Tell Lies
4.  Loveland
5.  Bluer Than Blue
6.  Silvertown
7.  Pollen Street
8.  Troubled Times
9.  I Know You Well
10. Slave to Your Misery
11. Cry One Tear
12. Imperia
13. Half a Woman

Note: There is a skip in track 12 that is present in all known circulated copies.
Total Running Time: Once Disc (61:09)

PINWHEEL- Pinwheel Sessions FLAC. rar