Here's a list of someone's idea of The 100 Greatest Live Albums of All Time. It's actually a pretty good list, and at least makes for some fun reading. Pretty light on classical and opera performances, but on the other hand, a few nice surprises as well.
Some of my comments:
Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison No comment. No comment necessary.
Frank Sinatra - Sinatra at the Sands -- and the backing group here is Count Basie and his orchestra! Excellent stuff, including a very non-PC monologue from Frank.
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense This ain't no disco.
The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out. The guitar duo of Keith Richards and Brian Jones moved rock and roll beyond the limitations of "lead guitar-rhythm guitar," but that sort of cooperative guitaring was perfected during their so-called "mid-career" days by the Keith Richards-Mick Taylor team. Check out the two solos on "Sympathy for the Devil" to see what I mean (Keith goes first, then Mick). This version includes more tracks, including opening acts B.B. King and Ike and Tina Turner.
The Who - Live At Leeds For years, many have claimed the title Greatest Live Album of All Time for this one. If you are foolhardy enough to argue against that point, at least listen to "Young Man Blues" to see what you're up against.
John Coltrane & Thelonious Monk - At Carnegie Hall Oh hell yes (although I would insert here that the act was billed as The Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane, and I leave it to each listener to determine which man dominated the sounds). Without a doubt.
U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky Hearing the first few notes of "Gloria" in 1985 made me a U2 fan. Rock sung in English and in Latin? Gotta go with it.
Grateful Dead - Europe '72 Classic Dead line-up. Before you laugh at "doper music," listen to this version of "Truckin'" all the way through. Straight or high, your choice.
The Clash - From Here to Eternity Live Live versions (even though the liner notes blew it on the dates of the shows) of "Armagideon Time" and "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais," and the definitive version of "Complete Control," from the only band that matters.
I regret the omission of more classical and opera live recordings, but there we are. I'd also have to say that, even though it's long out of print, The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl should be on this list. Out of print status, actually, shouldn't bar an album's appearing on a list such as this one -- I mean, the Sinatra album above seems to be unavailable as well. Barring the Hollywood Bowl album, then, The Beatles Live at the BBC should definitely be on this list.
The omission of Live at the Fillmore East by The Allman Brothers Band is just...unfathomable -- "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is the greatest instrumental in all of rock and roll, and its signature performance is right here.
But: at least they didn't include this thing.
(Hat tip: Glenn Reynolds)