David Live [LIVE] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED]

David Bowie

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 24, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1974
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live, Original recording reissued
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B00000635M
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #186,190 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Soulless, May 19, 2008

By	Jed (UK) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

The cover is a good reflection of the music itself. Bowie looks unnatural, stiff, mannequin like. The music itlelf sounds unnatural; Bowie trying to do smooth soul. I'm trying to think of a greater incongruity than David Bowie doing soul, but it's difficult. Maybe Condaleeza Rice as a stand up comedienne, or Samuel Jackson as a Jedi knight(oh wait...) There might be some metaphorical polite smattering of applause at such an unexpected turn of events, trying to reassure yourself that it's not so bad. I know that Bowie's whole schtick was reinventing himself every 2 years or so, but this is, quite frankly one of the most boring live albums I've heard. It's so fake sounding, and forced. David Bowie the caberet performer. Full of brass and backup singers as if to say "Hey, we're playing soul. Do you see?" Recorded in Philidelphia it proclaims. Just because it was recorded in the home of "Philly soul" doesn't mean that any authenticity is going to creep into the concert. Most of the songs are from a time he was writing his own type of odd songs, and they get played as if they were smooth soul. No wonder Bowie looks perplexed on the cover.

And needless to say he couldn't sing his way out of a wet paper bag.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good CD - Lots Of Disappointed Reviewers Here, August 18, 2002

By	Martin A Hogan "Marty From SF" (San Francisco, CA. (Hercules)) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This was the "Diamond Dogs" tour despite the 'thin white duke' cover. I admit that the quality of the sound is not perfect, but it is as real as one can expect from 1974. Bowie sings his classics and what you hear is NOT what you see. Fortunate enough to have been there, I cannot tell anyone how fantastic the sound, light, the crowd and the showmanship was in tha tiny theatre. However, this is just sound and if you want to hear Bowie as he truly was in concert - it's here. For a better live Bowie recording, check out "Stage", which was much better produced. For a song concert song collection, I'd stay with "Live".

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Album Grows On You, June 16, 2004

By	Gabriel Nelson (Los Altos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I attended Bowie's concert at the Universal Amphitheatre in 1974 and saw the show that became this album. I did not particularly enjoy the show, nor did my friends who saw it. Bowie's cold, cadaverous persona was so different from what we had been expecting, the more one was a Bowie fan, the more disappointed one was. It was a very dark show.

Later, a friend who had also seen the concert purchased the David Live album (on vinyl). When I asked why he bought the album when he didn't like the show, he didn't really have an answer, except to say that he enjoyed the record.

I purchased the record also, and found that it grew on me, too.

Over the years my music collection converted to CD, and I stopped listening to vinyl all together. I went for years without hearing the album. Then, one day, I found it on CD.

It is still one of my favorite albums, and I find myself listening to it over and over. I believe the album is exactly what Bowie intended. Dark and decadent, but great rock 'n' roll.