Bootleg Quality Control

[crystal89]

Ok, here's an unusual question.

Whenever you get a bootleg or a rare live recording, what song or songs
do you expecially look out for as a measure
for how good the boot is?

For instance I will always maintain that
any boot is amazing based on how good The Cutter is played.

It could be that the rest of the boot is a load of fuzz, but hey if the Cutter
sounds All right then that is a sign of a class show.

Songs I don't care for on boots, WAYGTDWYL, I am also undecided about the
faster version of Ocean Rain or the slower version, the faster versions generally have Les on, so for biased nostalgic reasons I'd go for those.

[the ghost of guitarplayer]

Probably the whole lot. I am obsessed by the sound quality. That even goes down to Mac's vocals on the recent UK Crocs and HUH tours and the overall sound. That's probably why I never cared much for the recordings of the Ocean Rain with full orchestra from 2008 as I didn't like much most of Mac's vocals on that one, whereas I would buy a live special edition CD of Crocs/HUH... if there was one that is.

[crystal89]

Sound quality is a biggie too for myself,
I can understand that the 80's shows will be a bit more
uneven in terms of balance, but if it says Soundboard, or
Radio Broadcast then count me in.

The best boots I reckon in terms of Quality and Sound are the Kilburn 97,
Roseland 97, Vegas 99 and Oxford 10 gigs, nothing else comes close, but then
again I haven't heard everything.

[the puppet]

Definitely sound quality BUT not the sound of those buggers in the crowd who start talking and drown out the band as soon as the band walks on stage,talking about absolutely nothing then stop when the music stops-that's my pet hate.

[crystal89]

Bunch of feckers that lot, though audience interaction
and dialogue with Mac and the boys is ok I find,
especially if it's amusing, which it often is.

No knock, knock jokes though...

[the puppet]

Bunch of feckers that lot, though audience interaction
and dialogue with Mac and the boys is ok I find,
especially if it's amusing, which it often is.

No knock, knock jokes though...

Agree,though EATB only seem to visit down here every 5+ years or so and I don't remember Mac pulling out the knock knock joke-funny just trying to work out what he is saying at the best of times.

[Sick4Tunz]

For instance I will always maintain that
any boot is amazing based on how good The Cutter is played.

The Cutter may not be a good choice for an audience recording. Based on my recent experience, that particular song evokes a big response from audience, the jumping, the sing along, etc. It may be difficult to even hear Ian. At least for people recording from the very front. And for me, recording is always secondary to the live experience.

A little tequila makes a mediocre recording sound wonderful!

[crystal89]

it's the sense of occasion you get with that song,
with say Killing Moon, everyone cheers because they've
been programmed to accept it as the greatet song written.

The Cutter sounds like nothing else, and everything else at the same time.