Customer Reviews

NYC 1978: Live January 7 at the Palladium, NYC

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This Ramones concert took place seven days after the concert that was released as the It's Alive album. How does this concert differ from that one? Not by much, really. The set list is identical and even in the same order, with the exception of "Judy is a Punk" not being played during the second encore this time. Despite having one less song, this CD actually runs a bit longer than the other one, because on It's Alive some of the breaks between songs were cut down, most notably the breaks between the three encores. Joey's stage patter is, of course, different at the two shows. Other than that, there are no real differences between the concerts. Ramones NYC 1978 is a good, solid Ramones concert, and so is It's Alive. I would recommend getting either one, but only the Ramones biggest fans will need to get both of them.

I used to have a copy of "It's Alive," which I thought was a great live CD. However, one day I was browsing the shelves at a local music store, and I noticed a copy of this CD on sale for $10. I looked at the track listing and noticed it was almost the same as "It's Alive," and one of the guys at the store
told me that someone had bought that same copy, then he returned it because "It sounds like every other Ramones' CD." Go figure.

Anyway, I figured, "What the hell? It's only $10." I bought it and took it home, and it sounded INCREDIBLE!!! I think it's better than "It's Alive" because the concert takes place on the Ramones' home turf, so they feel more within their element. The sound is more rough and raw and in-your-face, and it captures the Ramones at their finest.

Don't get me wrong, "It's Alive" is still a great CD, but it just doesn't quite have the same energy. I gave my copy to a friend, so now I just listen to "NYC 1978."

After several months of listening the decision is in: NYC 1978 is better than It's Alive. This marks are reversal of the opinion voiced in my review of It's Alive written shortly after I first heard NYC 1978. It's Alive had long been an album of which I was very fond. My love for that album blinded me to the truth, and I was unwilling to accept the possibility that there existed a better Ramones album.

Nevertheless, NYC'78 occasionally made its way into my car stereo. And I, of course, would proceed to rock out to its glorious noise.

Several days ago I dusted off It's Alive and decided to take it for a ride. I am sad to say that it just wasn't the same. The New Year's Eve performance felt dull, uninspired, bland. It felt less honest, less potent, less vibrant---less Alive.

Only time will tell, but I am inclined to think that It's Alive may become obsolete. NYC 1978 contains the same set of songs recorded just a week after the London performance. The fundamental difference between the two records is found in the sound quality of each recordings. Ultimately, it is difficult to fathom how anyone could deny that the later performance is in this respect superior.

If seeing a Ramones show is on your list of things to do before you die, you're SOL. With Joey and Dee Dee both now having vacated the planet, it's unlikely the notoriously belligerent and difficult Johnny will ever taint the memory of the band by mounting some sort of half-baked, ill-advised reunion tour, preferring to keep a low profile somewhere out in California and monitor his portfolio. Let's face it - he's earned it. Besides The Ramainz, Marky's apparently joined The Misfits on some sort of semi-regular basis, Tommy's concentrating on engineering and producing, and who knows what CJ's doing or where Ritchie is?

So much has been written about the Ramones, especially in the last 10 years, that for me to rehash the influence their throbbing, amplified, and usually childish whiplash punk genius has had on so many would be not only pointless, but redundant and dreadfully boring as well. I say let's leave the arguments as to who was truly the first "punk" band to hopeless no-lifers like the combined staffs of "Rolling Stone," MTV, and VH1, most of whom were still soiling their diapers and spitting up mother's milk when the bruddahs came up with the bright idea of using guitars and Marshall stacks to wax poetic about girls, dope, and social sickness. In the grand scheme of things, it matters not anyway. Hell, I've reached the point where even using the words "punk" and "rock" in the same sentence makes me cringe.

Chances are if you're reading this, you'd probably have a hard time imagining a world without the Ramones' tough-as-nails and grey matter-damaging pop-punk workouts fouling the air. Depressing though, innit? As flat-out great as most of their studio albums are - yes, even those released in the twilight of their career (well OK, "Brain Drain" and "Adios Amigos" are sort of sad-sack) - the Ramones were exposed as a true force of nature when they stumbled up on stage and the lights came on. By my count, this is their fifth live album and its very existence is sort of puzzling. It was recorded at New York's Palladium on January 7, 1978, a mere week after the December 31, 1977 gig at London's Rainbow Theater that was immortalized on 1979's "It's Alive," which many bandwagon jumpers are now calling one of the greatest live albums ever. Duh... Maybe King Biscuit ran out of Gentle Giant, Yes, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer tapes to foist on a gullible public?

Don't get me wrong - "NYC 1978" captures the band's original lineup (Tommy on drums) in all of its sweaty, muscular, and cranium-crushing glory, tearing through a 27-song setlist in about 55 minutes that is virtually identical in content and running order to that of "It's Alive," only omitting "Judy Is A Punk." This is the beast at the peak of its bruising, rumbling, buzzing power, hunkering down and only pausing between songs long enough for Dee Dee to count off the next one. Fast? Johnny didn't have time for carpal tunnel syndrome and Joey still had enough wind to spit out all of the words in their blinding covers of "Surfin' Bird" and "Do You Wanna Dance," no small feat. Too bad Johnny never perfected that main riff in "California Sun" though, but come to think of it, that would have been like putting perfume on a pig. To me, the Ramones were always more of a concept than a band anyway, and the concept was built on a foundation of Johnny's howitzer Mosrite fretfire and Joey and Dee Dee's insanely catchy yet dimwit songs rather than any pretensions of virtuosity. Fair enough. Admittedly, keeping a pace on stage like the Ramones were used to for 20 years, in addition to drugs, drink, and Joey's health problems, took its toll and when they played the last of 2,262 gigs in 1996, they were looking and sounding a little long in the tooth, as born out by their last two live albums, 1991's "Loco Live" and 1997's "We're Outta Here!".

Although virtually identical to this album, "It's Alive" remains the high water mark for Ramones live discs probably because the London punters were a little more enthusiastic than their New York counterparts on "NYC 1978," but that's splitting hairs. It's certainly arguable that like Kiss, the Ramones basically played the same show over and over again for two decades, with minor tweaks to fit in songs from their current studio album. Here's a(nother) chance to hear songs from "Ramones," "Leave Home," and "Rocket To Russia" in a live setting at a point fairly early on in the journey that would ultimately land them in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Call it a hunch, but something tells me this one's not going to remain in print very long.

This record made It's Alive obsolete, no joke, simply because It's Alive has fake crowd noise and the vocals overdubbed in a studio, this one doesn't. This is a true representation of what the band sounded like on this era, and regardless of that, it simply rocks more than It's Alive

Back in the day, the King Biscuit Flower Hour was an incredible FM radio mainstay which featured concert performances from many artists who represented a number of musical genres.

These 27 tracks of sizzling punk rock aired on the syndicated program and were recorded at the Palladium om January 7, 1978. Keeping the beat on drums is Tommy Ramone, who soon left the band.

This is as outstanding means to hear the Ramones as they ripped through a set before an appreciative audience. The group paved the punk rock trail and this gig demonstrates the power and energy that made them a "must-see" act when their tour rolled into the city.

What can I say, this is the Ramones at their best. I don't think they were ever quite the same after Tommy left. The sound is more raw than on the more engineered "It's Alive" album and better for it. This is the perfect complement if you have the first three Ramones studio albums (and if you don't, then go buy them right now). And one more thing, if your neighbours don't listen to the Ramones, then turn it up REAL LOUD so they can!

It's not bad at all, but It's Alive, the live album recorded ONE WEEK EARLIER is far, far superior. It's Alive is the exact same setlist, but also has "Judy Is A Punk". Diehard fans are going to buy it anyway, but really, get It's Alive first. Oh, the version of "Sheena" on NYC 1978 features some seriously out of tune guitar work, and Dee Dee must have been jumping around too much for the hometown crowd to properly rock the mic. Great band, great songs, just not the best album of these songs played live in this order. Once again, you do need to have It's Alive, one of the greatest albums ever.

I can't believe I'm the first to review this cd. Thought for sure there'd be someone with a bootleg of it who couldn't wait to do a preview. I get excited too, anytime different live Ramones comes out (especially 70's). So there's good & bad news now that it's out. The bad news would be that Johnny screws up a few times in trying to wow the hometown crowd, but the performance is faster & more ferocious (I think) than "It's Alive", which was recorded a week earlier in England. Also, they didn't play "Judy Is A Punk" like on "I.A". The sound, though, is more raw, which I like (my favorite show is from '76 on the redone "Leave Home"). The saddest part about all this unreleased stuff coming out now is that it might've taken the deaths of two of the members & their hall of fame induction for it to happen. I would've waited alot longer if it meant Joey & Dee Dee were still alive. Hopefully Johnny, Tommy, Marky (& even Richie & C.J.) will live long past the unlucky year of 49.

This album was incredibly disappointing to me, but obviously I'm not a big Ramones fan. I respect the Ramones, but this album I just didn't like. I usually am a little wary of live albums anyway, because I would've rather been there than listening to them talk to the crowd instead of me. Anyway, it has all of their early classics, but the album just got on my nerves. Especially, when they count 1-2-3-4 before they start every song, it just drives me crazy in a bad way. But, I still respect them for starting the punk rock movement. Without them, some of my favorite bands wouldn't exist, so hats off to the Ramones, but not this album.