Live at Watkins Glen

The Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 4, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002TUT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,011 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The truth about this album, January 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Live at Watkins Glen (Audio CD)

Yes, this album is somewhat fraudulent, but some of the material is actually from the concert. Both 'Back to Memphis' and 'Endless Highway' are in fact studio recordings (available on the 2001 reissue of 'Moondog Matinee') with overdubbed audience noise, and Bill Graham's actual introduction of The Band at Watkins Glen. 'Don't Ya Tell Henry', 'Time to Kill'(opening with Robbie tuning his guitar), 'Jam', and 'The Rumor' are from the rather extensive soundcheck The Band played earlier that day. 'Too Wet To Work' is from the intermission in the concert when it began to rain, but it features some dubbed-in thunder rolls at unnaturally frequent intervals and also seems edited, as in the concert Garth's organ solo led into 'Chest Fever'. The remaining three songs - 'I Shall Be Released', 'Loving You', and 'Cripple Creek' - are also from the Watkins Glen show, and are not 'Rock of Ages' outtakes as one reviewer stated. The Band simply played those songs at almost every concert they performed. Also recommended is the scorching bootleg recording from August 1, 1973 at Roosevelt Stadium in New Jersey, which is a much more complete representation of The Band's live sound in the summer of '73.

35 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Watkins Glen? Guess again, September 25, 2001

By 

Barry Smith (Plainview, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live at Watkins Glen (Audio CD)

This 1995 release is now (thankfully) out of print because there is almost no sounds from the actual Watkins Glen concert. If you read the other one star review and then listen to the album, you will learn the truth: this album is merely a bunch of studio and Rock of Ages outtakes given a "live" feel with poorly overdubbed crowd cheers. The opening Bill Graham introduction IS actually from the concert, as well as a few other announcements and between-song chatter. However, the Band did NOT perform "Don't Ya Tell Henry" and "The Rumor" and Time To Kill." If you get a bootleg tape of the complete show (which is in extremely limited circulation), you will not find any of these songs, as well as the overly dramatic thunderstorm sounds. The liner notes state that the disc was produced using the most complete recording available, but it's a total lie. The Band successfully removed this album off the record store shelves, but only after they released several of these tracks on their own box set ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE (!)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Whatever the source, it's a good listen!, October 14, 2010

By 

AllMusicNoGenres "joey_jo_jo_junior_shabado" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at Watkins Glen (Audio CD)

Sure this release is a mish-mash and not the golden egg we all wanted it to be but anybody that says not to buy "Live At Watkins Glen" is an elitist record shop snob or they don't really enjoy the music of The Band. This recording is fun, refreshing and gives some insight into the experience that day. When the estates of Bill Graham and all the bands involved get together and agree on giving the public what they want, maybe then we'll get a nice DVD of the entire show? Don't hold your breath!