Live on Stage vs. In the Studio

[JayKeeley]

Which bands do you think perform better live than in the studio? I know most of the time, a live event is more powerful and fun than listening to a CD, but don't you think there are certain artists that perform and sound significantly better on stage than they do on CD/vinyl/cassette/mp3 etc?

My #1 vote goes to Iced Earth. Good studio albums sure, but live, they are blistering. (This was during the Barlow era).

Also, how about bands that sound HORRIBLE live and yet significantly better in the studio?

My #1 vote goes to Megadeth. Excellent albums, but they always had shit live sound/PA systems, too much white noise, and the timing was always off. They got better in the later days, but at that point they were practically a rock band with no complexity. Some of their later stuff was almost Oasis...

So, better on stage vs better on CD?

:Spin:

 

[lizard]

I used to always prefer live because at the time I considered live to be the litmus test for talent; after all, anyone can spruce things up in the studio.

while that hasn't changed significantly, I now much more respect how a band can essentially use the studio as an instrument, and create layers of complexity and nuance that would be impossible live, without adding band members.

I have not gotten around to getting the live Blind Guardian yet, but I am very interested in seeing how they adapt their stuff to the stage.

 

[GONETribalchemy]

Better live when it comes to extreme metal is quite a performance, though there are some bands that sound amazingly great Live, as Morbid Angel, Motörhead, Immortal (rip), Emperor (rip), for what I recall now ...

 

[NAD]

Dissection sounded incredibly better live than on CD.

King Crimson is meant to be seen live, recording an album is just a way to introduce new material.

Tool is magnificently more powerful live than on CD, but still amazing in the studio as well.

Can't think of many sucky live bands that are good on CD, although the Chili Peppers were terrible the first time I saw them live.

 

[lizard]

I saw the Peppers live on tv once and they completely sucked.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh yeah - that Peppers lead vocalist can't sing live to save his life, but Flea rocks da partay.

Better live when it comes to extreme metal is quite a performance, though there are some bands that sound amazingly great Live, as Morbid Angel, Motörhead, Immortal (rip), Emperor (rip), for what I recall now ...

You saw Emperor live? Gosh that is something I wish I could have done, just for the experience.

 

[lizard]

yeah I meant to say Flea was the man, but Kiedis completely can't sing live to save his life.

 

[JayKeeley]

I have not gotten around to getting the live Blind Guardian yet, but I am very interested in seeing how they adapt their stuff to the stage.

Surprisingly well considering how many layers they use in the studio. Hansi can't hit all the high notes live (so why they don't tune down I don't know), and some songs do sound a little 'empty', but overall they're a good live act I'd say.

 

[GONETribalchemy]

You saw Emperor live? Gosh that is something I wish I could have done, just for the experience.

several times, np, like Motörhead, Mayhem, Immortal, Gehenna, Red Harvest, Absu, Zyklon, DB, tons more ... the only shade is that I didn't see Deicide, Nile or Suffocation yet \M/

 

[Demonspell]

King Crimson and Porcupine Tree, and of course Maiden at their Live After Death peak...

 

[Will Bozarth]

Falconer is awesome live

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

After Wacken, I'm really going to have to say that Nile is a band that needs headphones and a stereo. Live, they just seem to turn into a wall of sound with little-to-no variation.

On the other hand, Nevermore is a band that goes from very good to simply skull-crushing in a live setting. That's what won me over. Ditto for Evergrey.

But to me, the real champions are those bands that rule at both, like say, Opeth. Of course the studio albums own, but they're every bit as good live. Now that's talent.