17 great live concert albums from the 21st century (so far)
For the first half century of rock’n’roll, releasing a live album seemed like a rite of passage; a way to showcase the kind of passion that a studio can’t always sustain.
With changing trends and changing listening habits, the live album isn’t always the focus. But don’t assume there’s a shortage of great modern live albums. Long-standing artists and rising stars alike have captured their live shows on vinyl for good.
Here are just 17 of the greatest live albums of the 21st century so far.
Radiohead, “I Could Be Wrong” (2001)
Beautiful, moody ballads and artful rock evasions characterize this document of Radiohead’s post-Kid A and Amnesiac tour. A recording from Oslo, Norway, was the only recording of the band’s beloved “True Love Waits” over a 15-year period.
Important titles: “I could be wrong”, “True love is waiting”
Ben Folds, “Ben Folds Live” (2002)
After spending the 1990s with his Five, Folds’ varied career has led to this truly solo CD (except for some backing vocals from Cake’s John McCrea). The intimate format makes Folds’ piano-pop songs into pocket symphonies, and his lyrics show a novelist’s eye for detail.
Important titles: “Zak and Sara”, “Best Imitation of Myself”, “Tiny Dancer”
Soul Asylum, “After the Flood: Live from the Grand Forks Prom” (2004)
Soul Asylum keeps a promise to North Dakota high school students affected by massive flooding, and plays it wonderfully fast and loose. The prom soundtrack consists of gems from their own catalog as well as covers of artists such as Alice Cooper, Marvin Gaye, The Miracles and Dionne Farris.
Important titles: “Black Gold”, “The Traces of My Tears”
Wilco, “Kicking Television” (2005)
These alt-country icons have taken a more minimalist approach over the past decade, but Wilco concerts have always been fascinating and varied experiences, with every influence and emotion worked into the band’s collective shell. “Kicking Television” captures a performance in Chicago and showcases the best of their live approach.
Important titles: “Handshake Drugs”, “Flight to Heaven”
My dressing gown, “Okonokos” (2006)
This document of two nights at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco is perhaps the true model of a modern live record. It is dark and ethereal until it isn’t and becomes jubilant and limitless. The band from Kentucky presents a true masterpiece here.
Important titles: “Dondante”, “Run through”
Neko Case, “Live from Austin, Texas” (2007)
The Divine Ms. Case is one of our finest singer-songwriters of either gender; the emotional power of her songs and every trace of her voice come across with beautiful clarity in this set from the long-running TV show “Austin City Limits.”
Important titles: “Deep Red Bells”, “Furnace Room Lullaby”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “The Live Anthology” (2009)
Petty and his crack band are on the short list of the greatest American acts of all time, playing blues, belting out love songs with catchy melodies and spreading their seemingly endless musical goodness in 48 tracks culled from an almost unfathomable archive of live recordings.
Important titles: “Straight Into Darkness”, “Refugee”, “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”
Tom Waits, “Glitter and Doom” (2009)
Waits, equal parts mad scientist and gentleman crooner, explores numerous stories and moods from throughout his career, primarily from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
Important titles: “What a scream”, “Let it rain”
The White Stripes, “Under Great White Northern Lights” (2010)
Jack and Meg White impress and unsettle on their journey through Canada. The Stripes have always sounded stronger than the sum of their partners, and this album lovingly captures that ambient sound.
Important titles: “Blue Orchid”, “Jolene”, “Army of the Seven Nations”
Calexico, “Spiritoso” (2013)
Performing alongside orchestras from Vienna and Berlin, this band from Tucson, Arizona, delves into the dark, cinematic heart of the American West – and shows how echoes of that spirit can be heard almost everywhere.
Important titles: “Frontera/Trigger”, “The News About William”
REM, “Live at the BBC” (2018)
This 104-song offering is a treasure trove, covering nearly 25 years of performances by the British broadcaster. With so much music, the quality of the set naturally varies at times, but multiple versions of the songs, contextualization across different eras, and some nice quips from Michael Stipe paint a rich portrait of one of America’s finest musicians.
Important titles: “Half a World Away”, “So Fast, So Numb” (CD 4), “E-Bow the Letter” (with Thom Yorke)
Youth Gang, “MTV Unplugged” (2018)
Australia’s kings of ruthlessly serious rock’n’roll, Gang of Youths deliver an emotionally charged, stirring set of anthems that lose nothing despite embracing their stripped-down side.
Important titles: “Fear and Trembling”, “Keep Me in the Open”, “The Heart is a Muscle”
Beyoncé, “Homecoming: The Live Album” (2019)
This record has always been about deep, intense experiences, and captures the remarkable spirit of Beyonce’s two headlining performances at Coachella in 2018. There’s a film version of “Homecoming,” but these arrangements alone are enough to stir the imagination.
Important titles: The cohesiveness and thoroughness of these performances make it difficult to settle on just a few pieces, but particularly compelling are versions of “Don’t Hurt Yourself” and “I Care,” as well as a medley that includes everything from “Baby Boy” to “Countdown.”
The Cure, “Anniversary: 1978-2018” (2019)
This career-spanning set is as sacred and layered as fans expect, with Robert Smith and The Cure creating entire worlds in their songs, worlds worth getting lost in.
Important titles: “High”, “A Forest”
Nick Cave, “Idiot Prayer” (2020)
Cave transforms London’s Alexandra Palace into a cathedral of sorts, playing solo piano for 22 songs and nearly 85 minutes of music. He is a wonderfully emotive performer, and in this format the notes of pain and joy each receive their true emphasis.
Important titles: “Sad Waters”, “Papa won’t leave you, Henry”
The War on Drugs, “Live Drugs” (2020)
One of the best live bands of our time delivers a typically stunning set that combines the anthemic side of heartland rock with cinematic floods of sound and color. Frontman Adam Granduciel and co. bring great intention to every moment on stage, which somehow gives the band the freedom to create with limitless appeal.
Important titles: “An ocean between the waves”, “Thinking of a place”
Drive-By Truckers, “Live at Plan 9” (2021)
Although recently released, this set showcases the three-piece era of the Truckers, which saw songwriters Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and Jason Isbell swap microphones. The album is dark and soulful, wild yet almost omniscient about Southern culture and the American ties that bind us all.
Important titles: “Marry Me”, “Damned Lonely Love”
Aarik Danielsen is the Tribune’s features and culture editor. Reach him at [email protected] or call 573-815-1731. He is on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.
