The ratings are relative to the source and era of the recording. For example, a "dsb xlnt+" tape is likely to be better quality than an "daud xlnt+" tape or an "anaud xlnt+" tape. And a 1972 tape may not be at the same level as a 1992 tape, even one with the same rating. Most of the tapes are rated "xlnt+" because I usually only trade for the highest quality. A few are rated "exceptional" for personal preference reasons.
I am in the slow process of giving more specific evaluations of sound quality to the tapes. If there's an sq# symbol, that's sound quality on a scale of 10. If there's an et# symbol, that's entertainment value on a scale of 10.
I usually record on 80 minute TDK CDRs.
Please send mail to: jesster@napanet.net
Last updated 5/01/03
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E ST. BAND
Rickie Lee Jones at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, 11/4/91 -
This is probably the most exceptional sounding show I've ever taped. The
audience was incredibly respectful -- there are even pauses at the end of
some songs before the applause begins! This was the best band that Rickie
ever had, and it was recorded with Sonic Studio mikes at second row slightly
right of center in what is little more than a movie theatre. This show
exemplifies why I am so in love with Rickie.
Bruce Springsteen solo at Berkeley Community Theatre, 11/30/95 -- What can I say? I got the show. I was waiting for more than a decade to see the guy play solo. He didn't do it for Nebraska, but he did for Tom Joad. This is a wonderful tape. The audience was extremely respectful, especially after Bruce implored people to hold their enthusiasm until the songs end. (A taper's dream request). This man is the greatest treasure in american culture since Hemingway, and this tape shows why.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Winterland in San Francisco, 12/15/78 -- This is probably the most popular live show the Boss ever did. It's the fourth version I've had, even since before I was collecting boots on cassette. This was a radio broadcast of a christmas show. The Boss knew he was going out nationally, and he put on a simply awesome live performance. Without exaggeration, this is my favorite live perfomance that I did not attend. The vocal jam on Backstreets is a goddamned anthem!
Bill Graham Memorial Tribute at Golden Gate Park, 11/3/91 -- Of course Bill's sudden death was an extraordinarily upsetting thing to those of us who live in the Bay Area primarily because of the music, courtesy of Uncle Bobo, but Bill's death created the most extraordinary musical weekend of my life. Imagine this: Halloween Dead at Oakland, the first set of shows immediately after Bill's accident. Santana joins them onstage. Second set of Halloween night, they play Sugar Mag for Bill, but leave off the Sunshine Daydream. Friday night is the Blasters at Slim's, a small nightclub in S.F. Then Saturday night is the famous Bridge Benefit show at Shoreline, including Neil, Willie, Don Henley, Tracy Chapman and others. Sunday morning it's off to Golden Gate Park for the show of the ages. I found a taper friend with a spot next to the board (among the 400,000 at the free show), and he let me plug in. But more than just a feed, this was CLOSE. The lineup is difficult to fathom, even now. What stands out were the following highlights: - Aaron Neville singing ave maria while a member of the SF Ballet Company did a swanlike elegy. - John Fogarty playing with the Dead. - Neil Young playing with the Dead. - The Dead play Sunshine Daydream, finally finishing the Bill tribute from four nights earlier. - Crosby, Stlls, Nash and Young. - Journey reunites.
The show ended and, of course, there was no way to get across town with nearly half a million people streaming out. So I walked all the way across town to see Rickie Lee Jones in the most perfect theatre in the world, the Palace of Fine Arts. (I returned the next night and taped the show. The review above truthfully calls it the greatest sound-quality show I ever taped). What a weekend; only one that the master showman could produce.
I realize, of course, that a mono pre-fm was later released to the DAT underground, but who cares? This tape is a bloodchild of God!!
Bridge School Benefit at Shoreline Amphitheatre, 11/1/92 -- I use a lot of expletives in these reviews, but there is no doubt that this was the most special show I ever saw. Everyone was hot. Like a lot of people at the show, I didn't know who the hell Pearl Jam were, except that they were Neil's latest young band discovery and they'd just come off tour opening for him. Yeh, I didn't know, but I found out. I was tenth row center at Shoreline in someone else's seats. I got kicked out and moved to the 12th row during James Taylor. Wait until you hear this show. It was a dream.
Pink Floyd at the Boston Garden, 1975 -- I had this show on DAT for a long time and wore it out. If you're into the album "Animals," you need to hear this. All of the words to "Dogs" are different. This is one of those boots that helps to define the talent of the artists by watching the evolution of the concept of each song and the album. It's also great quality.
Sting's Birthday Party, 1991 -- It was Sting's birthday, so what does he do? He invites some great guests and does a show at the Hollywood Bowl, broadcasted over the radio in L.A. This is a pre-fm feed, so there are no interruptions by DJ's. Classic moment: "Message in a Bottle" with the English Beat doing the background vocals, almost call and response style.
Sting at the Wiltern, 7/27/88 -- I'm not the biggest Sting fan in the world, don't get me wrong. He's not the Boss or anything. But this recording is better than any album he ever did. It is a comprehensive three hour collection of songs - every song he and the band wanted to get ready for their national ttour, which was starting the following day. He sings in several languages. Every song is really tight. Branford Marsalis and David Sanches (who played the gorgeous pinao parts on Springsteen's "Wild, Innocent & the E. St. Shuffle" album when he was 19 years old) are in the band.