Live vs Studio versions.

[Architeuthis]

When I was on my riding lawn mower yesterday, this came to mind.  What live recordings of songs by any band, blow away (or are better than) the studio versions?
I love the the clean sounding studio versions, but every now and then a live version just captures the energy breathing new life into a song. I have one example that I could post right away, but I want to see if anybody else calls it too.

[Ben_Jamin]

Rush - Resist (for obvious reasons), Between the Wheels

[bosk1]

When I was on my riding lawn mower yesterday, this came to mind.  What live recordings of songs by any band, blow away the studio versions?
I love the the clean sounding studio versions, but every now and then a live version just captures the energy breathing new life into a song. I have one example that I could post right away, but I want to see if anybody else calls it too.

A few off the top of my head:
-Dream Theater:  A Change of Seasons from LSFNY.
-Dream Theater:  The Killing Hand from LATM
-Epica:  Virtually anything from Retrospect. 
-Epica:  Consign To Oblivion from Live at the Zenith
-Nightwish:  Ghost Love Score from Showtime, Storytime
-Y&T:  Winds of Change from Yesterday and Today Live
-Def Leppard:  Undefeated from Viva! Hysteria

[pg1067]

UFO -- pretty much everything on Strangers in the Night

Judas Priest -- pretty much everything on Unleashed in the East

Rush -- Lakeside Park on All the World's a Stage

Dream Theater -- The Killing Hand on Live at the Marquee


There's a bunch of other stuff where "blows away" is too strong, including the LSFNY version of A Change of Seasons, which is an improvement on a GREAT studio song.

[TAC]

UFO -- pretty much everything on Strangers in the Night

I was coming in to post this exact thing.

Judas Priest -- pretty much everything on Unleashed in the East

And this. And KISS Alive.




One song on LSFNY that really stands out to me is Through Her Eyes.

And from All The World's A Stage..I love In The End.

[HOF]

It’s rare that I prefer a live performance to a full studio version. One example that comes to mind though is Journey’s I’ll Be Alright Without You and The Girl Can’t Help It. Big improvement in the overall energy of those tracks with the live versions from the official videos (which found their way onto Time 3 and the later remastered version of Raised on Radio).

[Lonk]

When I was on my riding lawn mower yesterday, this came to mind.  What live recordings of songs by any band, blow away the studio versions?
I love the the clean sounding studio versions, but every now and then a live version just captures the energy breathing new life into a song. I have one example that I could post right away, but I want to see if anybody else calls it too.

Anything by Dave Matthews Band. Their added jams to live shows just makes the songs so much better (for me at least).

Also, there are a few version of Comfortable Numb I prefer over the original (1994 version comes to mind).

[cfmoran13]

And KISS Alive.

I thought the question was what "Live" version is better than the "Studio" version.  'Alive!' is just another studio album.   

[twosuitsluke]

No one's mentioned Metallica S&M yet? That is easily my favourite live album of all time. It sounds incredible and yes, many of the live versions of these songs trump the studio originals.

[pg1067]

No one's mentioned Metallica S&M yet?

Ktulu on S&M is really good, but the original is incredible, so "blows away" is too strong, and I'm not sure I'd even say that it's better than the studio version.  Some of the (Re-)Load stuff maybe, but I'm not really sure.

[TAC]

No one's mentioned Metallica S&M yet?

But it has an orchestra on it. I find that album unlistenable.

[HOF]

In DT land there are a few live performances that are better than the existing recorded versions, but these were mostly in demo form originally:

Speak to Me and To Live Forever from 5 Years in a LiveTime

Raise the Knife from Score

[Architeuthis]

It's almost rare to me that DT will top their studio versions live.  They're performances in the studio are always top notch and sound really good.
For example Octavarium (title track) in the studio is perfect. The live version on Score falls short of that.  Hollow Years from Budokon is a very different story..

[TAC]

  Hollow Years from Budokon is a very different story..

That live version literally takes a Bottom 20 DT song and turns it into a Top 20 DT song.

[bosk1]

  Hollow Years from Budokon is a very different story..

That live version literally takes a Bottom 20 DT song and turns it into a Top 20 DT song.

For me, it takes a bottom 10 DT song and turns it into a bottom 11 DT song. 

As far as DT topping studio songs live, for me, it just depends on the song and the performance.  It's hard because their studio recordings have so many layers, and thus have a lot of dynamics that cannot completely be reproduced live.  But I'd be surprised if I couldn't come up with a good top 10 list if I took the time to think it through.  But there are other songs that I can't ever imagine them topping live.  For instance, there are quite a few good versions of Pull Me Under out there, but the intro has a lot of studio magic that they cannot seem to replicate live, and that sets the tone for the live versions being not as good.

[HOF]

  Hollow Years from Budokon is a very different story..

That live version literally takes a Bottom 20 DT song and turns it into a Top 20 DT song.

For me, it takes a bottom 10 DT song and turns it into a bottom 11 DT song. 

For me it takes a top 10 DT song and turns it into a bottom 10 DT song (not really bottom 10, but it does ruin everything that's good about the original). The Once in a LiveTime version is pretty good though with the acoustic solo on the intro.

[TAC]

  Hollow Years from Budokon is a very different story..

That live version literally takes a Bottom 20 DT song and turns it into a Top 20 DT song.

For me, it takes a bottom 10 DT song and turns it into a bottom 11 DT song. 

[Architeuthis]

    ^

Every live version of Xanadu by Rush that I've seen or heard trumps the studio recording.

There is another live song by Rush that I haven't mentioned yet that absolutely slays the studio version. 

[wolfking]

Iced Earth - Alive in Athens.  You could make a case for most songs on the entire thing being better than the studio versions.

[pg1067]

I think Hollow Years is one of the three best songs on FII.  While that's not saying much given my generally negative view of FII, I really like the song.  I just listened to the Budokan version for the first time in probably 15 years.  It's fine until it gets to the completely out-of-place shredfest.  In other words, I'm with HOF.

There is another live song by Rush that I haven't mentioned yet that absolutely slays the studio version. 

Closer to the Heart?  The ESL video version kicks the studio version's butt.

[wolfking]

I've always been a bit torn on JP's solo on that Budokan version of HY.  Part of me understands why some would think it's totally out of place but the shredder in me fucking loves it. 

A lot of it is on point and it really captures the mood while taking the song to a higher level.  I feel both parts if I'm referencing this video;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf-gPCxFsOQ

Firstly at 0:51, that bend followed by the Schenker like licks is perfect and takes it that new level I was talking about.  Once he hits 0:58, it does slightly lose the magic as JP seems slightly lost on where he's going, however the section at 1:11, is one of his coolest moments.  The TOT style shredding again at 1:17 does see him get a bit out of touch but I don't mind the shredding in this part as the songs it's close to its peak.  He finishes the solo off perfect though.  So yeah, happy to see both sides here.

[TAC]

It really does sound like Schenker!

I like the shred at 1:17. Really adds some tension, and at 1:30 when he comes out of it...it's

[HOF]

I've always been a bit torn on JP's solo on that Budokan version of HY.  Part of me understands why some would think it's totally out of place but the shredder in me fucking loves it. 

A lot of it is on point and it really captures the mood while taking the song to a higher level.  I feel both parts if I'm referencing this video;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf-gPCxFsOQ

Firstly at 0:51, that bend followed by the Schenker like licks is perfect and takes it that new level I was talking about.  Once he hits 0:58, it does slightly lose the magic as JP seems slightly lost on where he's going, however the section at 1:11, is one of his coolest moments.  The TOT style shredding again at 1:17 does see him get a bit out of touch but I don't mind the shredding in this part as the songs it's close to its peak.  He finishes the solo off perfect though.  So yeah, happy to see both sides here.

It's not just the solo, which in isolation is admittedly pretty cool but definitely deviates from the tone of the studio version a bit too much. The whole performance is just kind of overly dramatic and schmaltzy, from Jordan's shimmery keyboard string sounds and James' breathy delivery on the verses to the ending after the solo that lays it all on pretty thick (including Jordan doing some saloon stuff on the outro). The original song is nice and understated, with more of a Beatles-ish feel and a laid back, pensive flamenco guitar solo. It was a unique moment in DT's catalog where they sounded restrained and mature, and this version is almost intentionally the opposite of that.

[TAC]

The song is fucking boring as shit on FII. This solo is one of my all time favorite solos. And it's not just the solo. It's the power that James gives the vocal towards the end, and then the amazing Jordan piano outro.


The best thing about the studio version is that they cut out the needless prechorus. Now THAT kills the groove.

[TAC]

It was a unique moment in DT's catalog

What's unique about this and other songs on FII is that it was the only time in my DT fandom where I thought the band deserted the plot. After I&W and Awake, I figured I had lost my DT.

[darkshade]

-Dream Theater:  A Change of Seasons from LSFNY.

Totally agree with this one.

[romdrums]

Almost any Genesis song is better live than in the studio, especially when Chester and Phil do the double drum thing.  Also, almost any Dave Matthews Band song is better live than the studio version.  Peter Gabriel is better live than in the studio, depending on whether or not the live version features a prominent performance of his daughter Melanie on vocals. 

Yes’s performance of The Gates of Delirium on the YesSymphonic DVD is better than the studio version, at least for my money.  Also, the ABWH version of Close to the Edge is better than the studio version, again for my money.

Marillion’s Warm Wet Circles and That Time of the Night, and Garden Party are better live with Hogarth on vocals.  I’ll fight anyone on that!!

[Kram]

I think Hollow Years is one of the three best songs on FII.  While that's not saying much given my generally negative view of FII, I really like the song.  I just listened to the Budokan version for the first time in probably 15 years.  It's fine until it gets to the completely out-of-place shredfest.  In other words, I'm with HOF.

There is another live song by Rush that I haven't mentioned yet that absolutely slays the studio version. 

Closer to the Heart?  The ESL video version kicks the studio version's butt.

La Villa from ESL?  The studio version is gold, but I always felt Alex's extra shred in the solo took this live version up a notch..

[HOF]

The song is fucking boring as shit on FII. This solo is one of my all time favorite solos. And it's not just the solo. It's the power that James gives the vocal towards the end, and then the amazing Jordan piano outro.


The best thing about the studio version is that they cut out the needless prechorus. Now THAT kills the groove.

Obviously different strokes for different folks here (and I would expect the Budokon version to connect with most DT fans more than the original did), but the Jordan piano outro especially is so hokey!

[wolfking]

Fair call HOF, appreciate your thoughts.  Just listening to it now and I do remember this version making me enjoy this song a hell of a lot more, and listening to the solo a few times and trying to play along, Tim hit the word perfectly with the tension JP builds, fair call there.

[TAC]

Hoff and tack are complete musical opposites! I didn't realize that Stadler's initials were Harold Oliver Fitzgerald.

[ProfessorPeart]

Iced Earth - Alive in Athens.  You could make a case for most songs on the entire thing being better than the studio versions.

Came in the say this exact thing.

[TAC]

Iced Earth - Alive in Athens.  You could make a case for most songs on the entire thing being better than the studio versions.

Came in the say this exact thing.

YES! The heavy metal version of Frampton Comes Alive.

[HOF]

Hoff and tack are complete musical opposites! I didn't realize that Stadler's initials were Harold Oliver Fitzgerald.

What’s funny is I feel like Stadler and I like a lot of the same bands but have opposite likes/dislikes within those bands.

[TAC]

Hoff and tack are complete musical opposites! I didn't realize that Stadler's initials were Harold Oliver Fitzgerald.

What’s funny is I feel like Stadler and I like a lot of the same bands but have opposite likes/dislikes within those bands.