The Refreshments- APC Studios, Atlanta 1996

Since the last post was in Atlanta, let's stay there. I have another show also at APC Studios in Atlanta recorded roughly a month after the Westerberg show. Similarly to the Westerberg show, this concert was an in-studio live broadcast with a studio audience. The sound quality is excellent and the band performs a short, but powerful set of songs from their major label debut album, Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy. As far as debut albums go, Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy is as good as any debut record from the 90's. This album had a lot of airplay at home as I made sure my kids grew up with good music and this one was a popular choice. It was infectious, funny and there wasn't a bad song on the record, a very important album (in my opinion) from 1996. Their follow-up album, The Bottle & Fresh Horse was released in the fall of 1997 and it suffered from a lack of promotion (the band parted with Mercury Records a couple months after the album was released) and a lack of great material. The band broke up shortly after which is too bad because the record still had some really good songs on it and if they had the label support they could taken it so much further. Fortunately, for Refreshment fans, the songs have lived on with Roger Clyne's band he formed after the Refreshments, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers who are continuing on and have released 8 studio albums and 2 live records. They perform many of the Refreshments song live and there have been a few Refreshments reunion shows since.

A good place to start if you're interested in the Refreshments is a documentary released in 2017, Here's To Life!- The Story of the Refreshments which documents the rise of the band, the issues within the band and the crush of the music industry (boo major labels!!). Sounds very interesting and I will get around to watching this soon.

Note: The band actually self-released a CD in 1994 called Wheelie with most of the songs that would later appear on Fizzy Fuzzy. The songs were re-worked and re-recorded probably with higher production values and released on a major label. I still have the mp3 version posted from 2009 available for download so you want to hear the "original" versions.
Enjoy!

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


THE REFRESHMENTS
APC Studios
99X Live X
Atlanta, GA
July 23, 1996

FM> ANA> Tascam 424 mkII> Echo Gina> CEP 2.0> FLAC> rar

01. Intro
02. Blue Collar Suicide
03. Mexico
04. Down Together
05. Mekong
06. Roger tuning up
07. Story: If You Ain't A Cowboy
08. Interstate
09. Yahoos & Triangles (Just Like A Rodeo Only Different)
10. Banditos

THE REFRESHMENTS- 1996-07-23 APC Studios, Atlanta, GA FLAC. rar

Paul Westerberg- APC Studios, Live In Atlanta 1996

I've been listening to a lot of Paul Westerberg recently brought on because someone on Dime has been posting and asking for contributions for recordings from Westerberg's 2002 solo tour through the States (and Toronto). That tour was broken into two parts, the Spring featured performances at record stores, split with a three night run in his hometown of Minneapolis in late June/July, then the tour proceeded in August at concert halls and theatres. I attended and recorded one of the shows in Minneapolis at the Guthrie Theatre and I have several of the shows from both tours, so the Dime revisit/flood was a way to fill in shows I didn't have. I posted one of the record store shows back in 2012,  Happy Record Store Day- Paul Westerberg @ Amoeba Records 2002-04-25 (click HRSD for link to original blog post/ click PW @Amoeba Records...for direct link to show download).

 I will get around to posting another show from the 2002 later, but I remembered I uploaded another Westerberg show about 7 years ago that I have since forgot to post. It's a in-studio radio mini-concert at APC Studios in Atlanta, I believe he played a club show later that evening. Recently I had a listen and the sound quality and the performance is excellent. I know generally fans and critics weren't that enthusiastic for Paul's second album, Eventually, but I have to come to appreciate this record has some really good songs on it. Maybe it's because they were hidden behind the slicker production on the album, but live these songs shine much brighter. I actually think this is one of his better solo albums. It's an underrated era in his career where he had a fair bit of mainstream exposure including making several live TV appearances and maybe his last real attempt for mainstream success. Since then (well, maybe after Suicaine Gratification), he has made music more on his terms with less production values and even less commercial appeal and success. Which isn't a bad thing? Anyways, this show from 1996 features a tight band, songs from Eventually, one from 14 Songs as well as three Replacements songs. Well worth a listen!
Enjoy!

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


PAUL WESTERBERG
APC Studios
Atlanta, GA
June 28, 1996

FM Broadcast> trade cdr> FreeRip> FLAC> rar

01. These Are The Days
02. Once Around The weekend
03. Ain't Got Me
04. MamaDaddyDid
05. BlackEyed Susan
06. Swingin' Party
07. Love Untold
08. Alex Chilton
09. Nevermind

PAUL WESTERBERG- 1996-06-28 APC Studios, Atlanta, GA FLAC. rar