Customer Reviews

Live at the Roxy, Hollywood, California, May 26, 1976 - The Complete Concert

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I could never figure out which was the best of the Marley albums, so eventually I bought all the Island era albums and a few more too... then I bought this one. Now I know which is the best--it's this one!

I love both of the other live albums, Live and Babylon By Bus. They are both great, with fine song selections, and raucous, thumping performances of favorite concert numbers. But they are stadium rock, I mean reggae, and the clapping, singing crowds are out there in the distance. With this one it feels like a club atmosphere. It may have been more that a quarter century ago, but this CD set takes you RIGHT THERE. You are right in the audience, but close to the stage. The sound quality is awesome, the performances are glowing, and the finale on the second CD makes you wish it would go on for ever.

I assume that if you are reading this that you are broadly familiar with Mr. Marley's songs, so I won't even attempt to describe them, All I will say is that if you like this line up of songs, you are going to love this album.

I would buy this even before Legend. In fact I did, come to think of it.

Here is the key to my star ratings.

* A really worthless CD...
** A CD that has some good stuff, but some major defects...
***An OK CD that will please fans of the artist in question...
****An excellent CD that represents the best work of the artist in question and can be bought with confidence...
*****An absolute classic that is the best, or among the best, of its genre. Your collection should start here.

Although I never had the pleasure to see Bob live, I have seen enough archival footage to know what an electric performer he was. Listening to this CD I can almost feel myself in the audience. This is a reggae sonic explosion. There is so much going on musically from great guitar solos to the incredible backing and harmonies of the I-Threes that I find myself listening to 20-30 second sections over and over again, they are that good. I put this in my car about 5 days ago and it has not come out. The medley on disc two is just mesmerizing. This would make it to the desert island with me and I am sure that I would never get sick of it. Truly an amazing performance by an incredible man(band) that should be cherished. Natty Dread!

I was invited by Island Records to the American debut of Bob Marley & the Wailers with Toots & the Maytals as the opening act in the Beacon Theater in New York City. It was around this time frame. I knew very little about either. But after that concert I was converted for life. (Toots will have his own entry from me.) This album takes me back to that night, when I found myself standing on a chair screaming and pumping my fist in the air. Marley did more by folding his arms during "No Woman No Cry" than 40 years of Mick Jagger running around preening. His voice was so evocative that you literally could cry listening to him sing those words. When he is joyous, your heart lifts. When he is angry, it is your anger. A true genius takes you out of yourself and into another plane. Marley had the ability to make you suspend disbelief. Buy this album to hear him at his height. A true giant who died way too soon.

Most of the reviews I have read seem to pronounce this recording as the pinnacle of Marley as a musician, particularly as a live performer. I have to say though that before I bought this CD I came onto Amazon.com to read the reviews and see what other Marley fans thought of this. After reading many of the reviews, I felt confident that I was making a great purchase, but after listening to it many times (especially the encore which was supposed to be the gem of the album), I felt a little let down. For the next week I put this aside and listened to Babylon By Bus constantly (nothing new). I didn't know why I enjoyed Babylon By Bus so much more, it is around the same time and the set lists are just as great, but what stood out the most was the audience. In Babylon By Bus you're getting a Marley performance that feels like you're in the middle of a nation of screaming fans all singing Lively Up Yourself as one, but in Live at the Roxy it sounds like you're sitting at a table eating dinner in a dimly lit club or restaurant and as the quality proves, that you're only a few feet away from the legend himself. So I guess it is a matter of personal taste, and taking for granted that many of you already have Babylon By Bus and are on your way to getting Live at the Roxy, I would say that you will enjoy this CD no matter what, but I wouldn't put Babylon By Bus down after hearing this, because I think that what this has in clarity and great song selection, that Babylon By Bus makes up with spirit and energy. Final say - get both and then you can decide for yourself which type of atmosphere "rocks your boat" the most. Peace.

This was the concert that launched Marley in the US. In it he plays the songs from Rastaman Vibration, his breakout album. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as one of the greatest concerts of all time. It was important for many reasons, but probably the main reason was the star-studded audience that was there to see him. He had already made himself known in America, but this concert would cement his reputation. His songs of freedom spoke of an embattled nation but at the same time reached people in a way no other music had before from the developing world. The Wailers were anchored by Marley, Tosh and Bunny Wailer, but also included the I-Threes, those "three little birds" that included Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, and his wife Rita. They literally filled the stage not only with their voluminous presence but with the joyful music they sang. As a result of this concert, Rastaman Vibration rose to the top of the charts, and Marley became a household name. It really doesn't get any better than this.

When I look at my music collection in its entirety, my favorite albums tend to be the live ones, recorded at small halls or large arenas (think DMB, Zeppelin, U2, Frampton, Stones, Doors, etc). There is something unique, exhilarating, and almost unattainable about capturing the greatness mixed with spontaneity of live music. Live at the Roxy is my all time favorite live album. Incredibly good sound quality, just the right volume of crowd interaction, and Marley's poetic, lyrical leadership at the peak of his grasp of the power of his message and sound all combine to make this concert a priceless jewel. If you're like me, you'll put this double cd set in your car stereo and leave it in there for weeks. Makes you want to grow dreads and join the cause.

For great artists, the live performance is always better than studio recordings and the Marley live recordings always deliver. Live at the Roxy is great because it has a real nice tight feel, most likely from the club setting. The sound quality is great, the crowd noise actually adds somehow to the listening experience instead of disturbing it. Live at the Roxy is a great buy and a must have for any Marley fan, however, it is not as powerful as Babylon by Bus. Babylon by Bus, in my humble opinion, is still the high watermark for available Bob Marley live recordings and is probably one of the greatest albums one could possibly own.

This is an excellent cd, better than the "Live" album. This cd features 15 songs in which all sound great. You feel as if you are there, and the crowd really gets into it as well. "Burnin' and Lootin', "Rebel Music", and "I Shot the Sheriff" are some real great songs on this set, but "Want More" could be the best song on disc 1. Every song on the cd is great, and I can't put the cd down. Disc 2 really kicks, as the version of "Positive Vibration" is the best version i've heard, and the 24 minute medley of "Get Up Stand Up/No More Trouble/War" is fantastic. A person who was blessed to see Bob live is very lucky, now you get to hear what you missed.

I read the reviews. I went out and bought the CD. They got it right. (At least all the 5 star reviews!) This is an awesome CD, great sound, great songs, great groove, just plain great. One guys says the show is SLOW. (??) Come on mon! It'sa reggae-mon! Got no hurries and no worries.
I've only listened a couple times so far, but this is one of my fav Marley discs. I also recommend the Deluxe Edition of Exodus. With those two and of course the ever present Legend, you pretty much have a complete view of Bob Marley.

With the pace of the arrangements adding even more powerful meaning to the vocals and music, Bob Marley & The Wailers deliver an astounding concert before an appreciative audience in a small club on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, during the Rastaman Vibration tour.

The pristine sound captures Marley at his poetic best, as his songs of protest & redemption draws the listener into the music. The performance touches the senses in highly subtle ways, which are uniquely found in Want More & No Woman No Cry. The vocal interplay between Marley & Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt tugs at your soul.

Even the obligatory - for American rock audiences - I Shot the Sheriff is delivered with an added punch. The extraordinary set (Disc One) culminates with Rat Race, with the band returning (Disc Two) for an encore of 28 minutes; Positive Vibration and Get Up Stand Up/No More Trouble/War.

This is Marley the artist at the peak of his creative powers and one of the best live performances ever captured on CD.