Category: Progressive Rock Live Albums

Progressive Rock Live Albums

Progressive rock or as it’s better known prog rock grew out of the 1960s psychedelia as groups extended the length of their songs (compositions?) with longer instrumental passages to create something almost symphonic at times.

Progressive rock was possibly the dominant musical force in the early 1970s with hard rock and the one that the punk rockers objected to most when they staged their revolution in 1976/77.

The big prog rock groups were Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, King Crimson and Emerson Lake & Palmer plus many smaller groups and they loved releasing live albums.

If you’re looking for new ideas, I recommend that you take a look at my readers poll to find the Best Prog Rock Live Albums. Plenty of people have now voted.

What Are The TEN Best Prog Rock Live Albums? (Click on the links to go to the reviews)

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Prog rock live albums include:

Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso – Seguendo Le Tracce 1975
Barclay James Harvest – Live Tapes 1977
Camel – A Live Record 1974 to 1977
Deep Purple – Inglewood Live in California 1968
Emerson Lake & Palmer – Welcome Back My Friends 1974
Emerson Lake & Palmer – Works Live 1977
Genesis – Genesis Live 1973
Genesis Seconds Out 1977
Genesis – Three Sides Live 1981
Gnidrolog – Gnidrolog Live 1972
Hawkwind – Space Ritual Alive 1972
Jethro Tull – Bursting Out 1978
King Crimson – The Night Watch 1973
King Crimson – Absent Lovers Live In Montreal 1984
Pink Floyd – Ummagumma 1969
Pink Floyd – Live At Wembley 1974
Pink Floyd – Is There Anybody Out There? 1980 & 1981
Pink Floyd – Delicate Sound Of Thunder 1988
Pink Floyd – Pulse 1994
Rush – All The World’s A Stage 1976
Rush – Exit Stage Left 1980 & 1981
Rush – In Rio 2002
Van Der Graaf Generator – Vital 1978
Van Der Graaf Generator – Real Time 2005
Yes – Yessongs 1972
Yes – Yesshows 1976-78

King Crimson The Night Watch 1973

The Night Watch is a live album by progressive rock group King Crimson. It was recorded on 23 November 1973 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Holland while they were promoting the Larks’ Tongues in Aspic studio album.

I think King Crimson could be the most difficult group to buy albums for because of the many different changes in line-up and basic sound.

The group at this stage were:

Robert Fripp – guitar, mellotron
John Wetton – bass guitar, vocals
David Cross – violin, viola, keyboards
Bill Bruford – drums, percussion

Many will argue that this is the classic line-up, even surpassing the version with Greg Lake as all four people appeared on Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red although the involvement of David Cross on Red is very limited.

There is a very strong argument that a group as innovative as King Crimson are best live rather than caught in the studio.

King Crimson The Night Watch

king crimson nightwatch Continue reading King Crimson The Night Watch 1973

Best King Crimson Live Albums

What are the best King Crimson live albums? There has been an explosion of live recordings made available by Robert Fripp but where should you start your collection?

King Crimson are probably the most innovative and experimental of all the progressive rock groups and that helps them to thrive in the live album arena.

This is a group that won’t slavishly stick to imitating the sound they worked hard to create in the studio.

However unless you intend to become an avid collector of these live albums, it means that deciding which few to buy is a hard decision. It’s made even harder by the changes in style King Crimson have made along the way.

That’s why I’d like King Crimson fans to help the less dedicated find the best live albums.

What Are The Best King Crimson Live Albums? Continue reading Best King Crimson Live Albums

Camel A Live Record 1974 to 1977

A Live Record is the first live album released by progressive rock group Camel. It is a compilation of recordings from concerts in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.

It includes a complete performance of the band’s breakthrough album, The Snow Goose performed with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1975.

The members of Camel in 1974 and 75 were:

  • Andrew Latimer: Guitar, Flute, Vocals
  • Peter Bardens: Keyboards
  • Doug Ferguson: Bass
  • Andy Ward: Drums, Percussion

Doug Ferguson had left by 1977 and there were two new members for the 1977 recordings:

  • Mel Collins: Saxophones, Flute
  • Richard Sinclair: Bass, Vocals

This is the unfortunate problem with live compilations since the change in members tends to alter their sound.

Camel A Live Record

Camel A Live Record Continue reading Camel A Live Record 1974 to 1977

Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso Seguendo Le Tracce 1975

Seguendo Le Tracce is a live album recorded by Italian prog rock giants Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso in Salerno, Italy in April 1975.

About ten years ago I went through a phase where my interest in progressive rock went sky high. Powered by the new information that was available to me from the Internet, i discovered great Italian prog rock bands like Banco Del Mutuo Soccorco.

They recorded three of the very best prog rock albums, right of up there with Close To The Edge (Yes) and Foxtrot (Genesis) – Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Darwin! and Io Sono Nato Libero.

Because the lyrics are in Italian, I don’t have a clue what they are singing about but it’s never really concerned me as I’m swept along by the music.

You can find out more about Banco at ProgArchives, a very specialist prog rock website. When I became addicted, the influence of the Italian groups was much higher on this website but I guess more mainstream fans have found it.

Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso Seguendo Le Tracce

Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso Seguendo Le Tracce Continue reading Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso Seguendo Le Tracce 1975

Best Live Albums By Yes & Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe

Please cast your votes to help people to find the best live albums by Yes and Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (what’s in a brand name?)

I’ll be amazed if Yessongs doesn’t win (and it stands a chance to be recognised as the greatest progressive rock live albums too).

What about the others? Are any of those other live albums by Yes and former members of Yes  “must hear” albums as well? Continue reading Best Live Albums By Yes & Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe

Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe Live Albums

I understand that Chris Squire owns the right to the Yes band name. This gives the other famous members a problem when they want to record or tour.

The solution is the creation of Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe.

They’ve done a couple of live albums so far. Continue reading Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe Live Albums

Pink Floyd Live At Wembley 1974

When I was putting together my poll to let readers like you vote to decide what is the best Pink Floyd live album, I came up with the idea of creating Pink Floyd Live At Wembley 1974.

You can get a recording of Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Raving and Drooling and You’ve Gotta Be Crazy from Wembley, London on the Experience and Immersion versions of Wish You Were Here.

All the tracks on Dark Side Of the Moon are available live from the same concert are available from the Experience remaster of the DSOTM album.

Shame they haven’t been bundled together to create one live album from the classic Floyd period but you have the technology to do it for yourself. Continue reading Pink Floyd Live At Wembley 1974

Barclay James Harvest Live Tapes 1977

Live Tapes is the second live album from Barclay James Harvest and was released in 1978. It was recorded on the 1976 and 1977 tours.

I’ve got a soft spot for this live album because I nearly went to see BJH on the Octoberon tour. As a schoolboy, money was tight and it was either these guys or Be Bop Deluxe.

I am treating this stage of Barclay James Harvest on the progressive rock / art rock border.

Barclay James Harvest Live Tapes – Overall Rating – 24/30

Barclay James Harvest Live Tapes Continue reading Barclay James Harvest Live Tapes 1977

Emerson Lake & Palmer Works Live 1977

Works Live is a live album of an Emerson, Lake & Palmer concert in Montreal, Canada that also featured a 70 piece orchestra that nearly bankrupted the group.

Parts of this album were previously issued as Emerson Lake & Palmer In Concert.

Emerson Lake & Palmer Works Live

Emerson Lake & Palmer Works Live Continue reading Emerson Lake & Palmer Works Live 1977

Jethro Tull Bursting Out 1978

Bursting Out is the first live album by progressive folk and blues group Jethro Tull that was recorded on the European leg of the Heavy Horses tour in 1978.

Jethro Tull are a hard band to classify but I’ve found over the years that I’ve acquired quite a few of their studio albums.

Jethro Tull Bursting Out

Jethro Tull Bursting Out Continue reading Jethro Tull Bursting Out 1978