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These Are My McDog Masters
Concerts I taped during the 1970s... and more recently.






The Doors
Live in Vancouver
Pacific Coliseum, June 6, 1970

Two CDs: 104 minutes
Road House Blues (4:53)
Alabama Song (2:06)
Backdoor Man/Five to One (8:35)
When The Music's Over (13:41)
Love Me Two Times (5:38)
Intro Albert King; Blues Lecture (4:56)
Little Red Rooster w/ Albert King (6:21)
Money w/ Albert King (3:24)
Rock Me Baby w/ Albert King (7:44)
Who Do You Love? w/ Albert King (8:00)
Petition The Lord With Prayer (1:33)
Light My Fire/ Fever/Summertime/St James Infirmary/Light My Fire (17:32)
The End (19:29)

COMMENTS: A soundboard version of this show has been around for years, but this is the complete show, with all of Jim's raps with the audience, including a lecture about the Blues, comments on LA, etc. I had a press pass for this show and crawled under the stage to set up my recorder. Interesting sound. Best of all, they were between songs when I had to crawl back under the stage to flip the tape! Sound quality: B+/A- cassette master>cdr

NOTE: This boot is also available as a straight burn off the cassette master -- no tracks, no cuts... just the way it was originally recorded.





Elton John Raps
Vancouver Interview, April, 1971

One CD: 28 minutes
Here's something different. Georgia Straight music man Mike Quigley found this recently, and altho the quality sucks (there's a strange clicking flutter throughout the interview) you can hear Elton's squeeky voice and speedy rap really, quite well. The interview was mainly conducted by Mike, with comments by photographer Tracey Lee Hearst -- who also took the pix -- and me. Elton rambles on about his records, the hype surrounding his tour (this is very early in his career), the Andy Williams Show, Leon Russell, etc. You can read the interview by clicking here, if you want. An oddity, nonetheless. stereo master>cdr





Led Zeppelin
Live in Vancouver
Pacific Coliseum, July 18, 1973

Two CDs: 85 minutes
Rock And Roll (7:32)
Celebration Day (4:13)
Black Dog (7:20)
Over The Hills & Far Away/Misty Mountain Hop (6:03)
Since I've Been Loving You (8:20)
No Quarter (13:55)
Dazed And Confused (24:05)
Stairway To Heaven (13:01)

COMMENTS: The unusual aspect of this concert is the ending... instead of an encore, an announcer comes on and tells the crowd that Robert Plant is being taken to a hospital, and would we all leave quietly, yadda yadda. Click here to hear it. There are clues to this during the concert, when the talkative Plant complains about being "so tired" and trying to get "cool"... It's what separates this concert from all the others. The sound is excellent, and the band kicks ass, as usual. From the LR Master Collection. B+/A- stereo master>reel-to-reel>cdr

NOTE: This boot is also available as a straight burn off the reel-to-reel master -- no tracks, no cuts... just the way it was originally recorded. The original master recording was done on a Sony TC-126 using a figure 8 mic.





Van Morrison
Live in Vancouver
UBC War Memorial Gym, February 17, 1974
View The Concert Photos

One CD: 56 minutes
Ballerina (6:30)
Astral Weeks (4:58)
Streets Of Arklow (4:48)
Ain’t Nothin You Can Do (3:13)
These Dreams Of You (3:13)
I Believe (4:13)
My Lonely Sad Eyes (4:03)
Warm Love (2:06)
Listen To The Lion (8:20)
I’ve Been Workin' (4:56)
Help Me (2:34)
Caravan (5:31)

COMMENTS: Very good sound for an audience recording in a University gymnasium. Fantastic version of "My Lonely Sad Eyes". Overall, great given the year. For more info, visit Michael Hayward's encyclopedic Van Morrison site. Sound quality: B+/A- cassette master>cdr

NOTE: This boot is also available as a straight burn off the cassette master -- no tracks, no cuts... just the way it was originally recorded.





Led Zeppelin
Live in Vancouver
Pacific Coliseum, March 20, 1975

Three CDs: 184 minutes
Disc One:
Intro (1:23)
Rock’n’Roll (3:52)
Sick Again (5:03)
Plant Raps (1:09)
Over The Hills And Far Away (7:38)
Plant Raps (:58)
In My Time Of Dying (11:12)
Plant Raps (1:07)
The Song Remains The Same (5:20)
The Rain Song (7:43)
Plant Raps (1:22)
Kashmir (7:16)
Plant Raps (1:03)
No Quarter (24:10)
Disc Two:
Trampled Underfoot (8:47)
Plant Raps (1:04)
Moby Dick (19:15)
Plant Raps (1:44)
Dazed & Confused (33:04)
Disc Three:
Stairway To Heaven (15:05)
Whole Lotta Love (8:28)
Heartbreaker (11:18)

COMMENTS: First night of the Physical Graffiti tour. Strange story here. LR taped this show, but a copy got out in the 80s, was traded around, and ended up on a Japanese boot. LR and I talk a lot on it, so someone screwed around with the sound to boost the gain, killing our voices. Unfortunately, it also killed the natural quality of the sound. This is either the master or first gen off the master. This version contains the complete Moby Dick and Plant's explanation for no encore in 1973. Click here to hear it. There's a lot of chatter in our group on this recording. And you'll either love or hate Moby Dick, as LR keeps the recorder going while he takes a piss. Is that a LedZep moment or not? Also, LR's kids ruined the cassette with the encore on it, so I've used the cuts from the longstanding bootleg...after all, it's still from the same taping. From the LR Master Collection. Sound: all over the map, but better than the other boot. stereo master/first gen?>cdr

UPDATE: Thanks to a ledzep expert at NewHomebrew@gmail.com, I have an alternate for you zep masters afficionadoes. I sent him my master cassettes, and he sent me back this:

My goal in working with these cassettes was to reproduce them as exactly as possible. Therefore, no editing or alterations were performed. Each cassette is on a single disc. Track marks were placed at cuts and beginnings and ends of tapes so you know where all these things occur to represent the master tapoes as they exist today as accurately as possible. I think this version is possibly not quite as complete as an earlier analog copy made before portions of the last tape were recorded over.

Tape 1: Memorex MRX2 Oxide C90
Side B only, introduction through Kashmir beginning

Tape 2: Sony FeCr C60
Side A, Kashmir middle through No Quarter (end cut)
Side B, Trampled Underfoot through Dazed and Confused

Tape 3: Sony FeCr C60
Side A, Dazed and Confused (end cut)
Side B, partially recorded over, now contains:
• crowd noise
• Plant's Introdution/ Whole Lotta Love
• Whole Lotta Love fragment (cut)
• Whole Lotta Love fragment/Heartbreaker (end cut)

The boot was revamped thusly:

Three CDs: 157 minutes

Disc One:
Introduction
Rock and Roll
Sick Again
Over The Hills And Far Away
In My Time Of Dying
The Song Remains The Same
The Rain Song
Kashmir (intro fragment)

Disc Two:
Kashmir
No Quarter (end cut)
Introduction
Trampled Underfoot
Moby Dick
Dazed & Confused (intro fragment)

Disc Three:
Dazed & Confused (end cut)
Crowd noise (cut)
Crowd noise (cut)
Whole Lotta Love (intro fragment)
Whole Lotta Love
Heartbreaker (end cut)

My cassettes were played back all the master cassettes on a Nakamichi 600 series, the A>D conversion with a Sony TCD-D100 @ 48kHz, a digital pass-through to PC using S/PDIF connection, and blank space was removed and converted to 44.1 kHz in Wavelab. You can trade for a copy of this rather than my more basic one, with the suspect third cd.

Note: The original master recording was done on a Sony TC-126 using a figure 8 mic and TDK Krome cassette.






Jeff Beck
Live in Vancouver
Queen Elizabeth Theatre, July 19, 1975

One CD: 70 minutes
Flash Guitar Intro (0:37)
Constipated Duck (10:40)
She's A Woman (13:51)
Freeway Jam/Definetly Maybe (4:37)
Superstition (5:19)
Air Blower (8:27)
Cause We've Ended As Lovers (5:01)
Got The Feeling (7:34)
You Know What I Mean (5:25)
Diamond Dust (7:31)
Note: I gotta say I'm not sure of the accuracy of this playlist.

COMMENTS: Sound on this is pretty good for an audience tape. Question is: what does "pretty" mean? Nevermind. The show was in an acoustically great concert hall, but the fans were a little wild in places. Sound quality: B+/A- stereo master>cd-r





Pink Floyd
Live in Vancouver
Pacific Coliseum, April 8, 1975
The Other Azimuth Coordinator Part I


Two CDs: 118 minutes
Raving & Drooling (7:48)
You've Got To be Crazy (14:35)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts 1-5 (12:32)
Breathe (2:56)
On The Run (4:35)
Time (6:31)
The Great Gig In The Sky (5:33)
Money (6:26)
Us And Them (7:51)
Any Colour You Like/Brain Damage (10:37)
Eclipse (5:49)
Echoes (27:07)

COMMENTS: Superb show, with some great playing. Dave's guitar is blistering. Hardly any audience noise. Unfortunately, it's missing 18 minutes...I was so into the show I forgot to flip the tape. Sound quality: B+ cassette master>cdr





Eric Clapton
Live in Vancouver
Pacific Coliseum, August 3, 1975

Two CDs: Over 90 minutes
Layla (6:30)
Stormy Monday (11:06)
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (4:42)
Instrumental Jam (Keep On Keepin On) (8:15)
I Can't Find My Way Home (vocal: Yvonne Elliman) (5:53)
Carnival (6:52)
Better Make It Through Today (4:45)
Tell The Truth (10:39)
I Shot The Sheriff (7:24)
Smile (12:53)
Blues Jam With Carlos Santana (14:07)

COMMENTS: Unfortunately, not all of this concert made it, as old tape succumbs to time -- I had to delete a Marcy Levy song -- and there's a little flutter here and there, and the vocals are sometimes subdued. But pretty good, overall. On the bright side, I remember Eric amused us all by coming onstage wearing an electric green jumpsuit...ahh, the 70s. Sound quality: B/B+ cassette master>cd-r





Carlos Santana
Live in Vancouver
Pacific Coliseum, August 3, 1975

One CD: 75 minutes
Incident at Neshabur (7:59)
Black Magic Woman (7:24)
Oye Como Va (4:17)
Let The Music Set You Free (4:13)
Time Waits For No One (5:08)
Samba Pa Ti (7:35)
Savor (5:37)
Toussaint L’Overture (9:29)
Soul Sacrifice (9:23)
Blues Jam With Eric Clapton (14:07)

COMMENTS: Carlos Santana opened for Eric Clapton, and he played a great set as the crowd fumbled around trying to get seated, etc. Sound quality: B/B+ cassette master>cdr





J. Geils Band
Live in Vancouver
The Gardens, January 24, 1976

One CD: 76 minutes
South Side Shuffle (8:15)
I Wanna Dance (4:49)
I Get Lost (7:45)
Detroit Breakdown (7:29)
Little Red Rooster (8:11)
Let’s Have A Party (5:34)
Vancouver Viaduct (6:05)
Whammer Jammer (2;28)
Lookin For A Love (To Call My Own) (8:43)
Intro To Band (2:12)
Give It To Me (6:29)
Start All Over, Over Again (3:01)
First I Look At The Purse (5:04)

COMMENTS: Great show at The Gardens with great sound. I had forgotten just how exciteable this group was, with the highly energtic and entertaining Peter Wolf rappin and rollin through a fun set. Hear his wacky introduction to the J.Geils band. The fans are highly enthusiastic, and their input just adds to a fast-paced night of blues, soul, R&B and rock. Play it loud and laugh along. Yowser! B+/A- cassette master>cdr





Doobie Brothers
Live in Vancouver
Pacific Coliseum, May 16, 1976

One CD: 79 minutes
Jesus Is Just All Right (4:40)
Rockin Down The Highway (8:40)
I Cheat The Hangman (7:28)
Neal's Fandango (6:19)
Turn It Loose (4:21)
Intro Memphis Horns (2:50)
Eyes Of Silver (5:39)
Takin It To The Streets (4:20)
Take Me In Your Arms (3:18)
Rio (3:51)
Black Water (5:54)
Wheels Of Fortune (6:06)
Michael McDonald Piano Solo (3:10)
Sweet Maxine (4:25)
Long Train Running (8:37)

Tom Johnston, John Hartman, Patrick Simmons, Tiran Porter, Jeff (Skunk) Baxter, Michael McDonald, Bobby LaKind. The Memphis Horns -- Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love, James Mitchell, Lewis Collins, Jack Hale

COMMENTS: This one could drive you nuts. Tape deterioration has affected this concert -- only about 30 minutes are unspoiled by tape wow & flutter. If you like your concerts crystal clear, stay away from this Bogart. The only half decent cuts are in the middle. Historically, this concert took place two weeks after the release of Taking It To The Streets, so a lot of the songs are introduced as "new". McDonald is in fine voice, and plays one heck of a piano solo. The Memphis Horns cook. This one that depends on how much you love this band. Sound quality: B/B+ cassette master>cdr





Boz Scaggs
Live in Vancouver
The Gardens, May 28, 1976

One CD: 75 minutes
Lowdown (5:11)
You Make It So Hard (To Say No) (3:47)
What Can I Do (3:21)
Harbour Lights (7:04)
It’s Over (3:43)
Angel Lady (3:53)
The Running Blues (10:49)
Georgia (5:06)
Stop Comin Down On Me (4:06)
Jump Street (2:49)
Slow Dancer (3:50)
Lido Shuffle (4:15))
Dinah Flo (4:19)
Intro Band / I Got Your Number (5:59)
You’re Mine (7:13)

COMMENTS: Recorded at The Gardens, a great venue, and I was right up close, with my tape recorder right on the stage. He had the big band (eight members), his singing is great, and it's a greatest hits package. B+ cassette master>cdr





Jeff Beck & Jan Hammer
Live in Seattle
The Paramount Theatre, June 17, 1976

One CD: 61 minutes
Flash guitar intro (0:40)
You Know What I Mean (3:48)
Scatterbrain (7:04)
Freeway Jam (6:51)
Earth - Still Our Only Home (2:37)
Diamond Dust (5:05)
Full Moon Boogie/Sophie (8:55)
(Unidentified) (4:36)
Magical Dog (9:23)
Country and Eastern Music (6:52)
Darkness/Earth In Search Of A Sun (5:15)

COMMENTS: Great sound overall, but an incomplete taping with some odd little glitches. From the LR Master Collection. aud A- cassette master>cdr





Sade
Lovers Rock Seattle
The Key Arena, July 15, 2001

Two CDs: 104 minutes
Cherish The Day (6:26)
Your Love Is King (5:16)
Somebody Already Broke My Heart (4:17)
Never As Good As The First Time (1:03)
Cherry Pie (6:15)
Pearls (5:03)
Every Word (4:15)
Smooth Operator/Red Eye (8:30)
Jezebel (6:46)
Kiss Of Life (5:04)
Slave Song (4:28)
The Sweetest Gift (2:32)
The Sweetest Taboo (5:15)
Lover's Rock (4:25)
Immigrant (3:57)
Paradise (4:58)
King of Sorrow (4:59)
No Ordinary Love (5:47)
By Your Side (5:11)
applause (4:06)
encore
Flow (5:02)
Is It A Crime (2:09)

Helen Adu: vocals. Stuart Matthewman: guitar, sax, mouth organ. Andrew Hale: keyboard, rattle. Paul Denman: bass guitar, bass. Karl Bosch: percussion, bongo, rattle, chimes. Peter Lewinson: drums. Ryan Waters: guitar, keyboard. Tony Momrelle: vocals. Leroy Osbourne: vocals, flute

COMMENTS: This master is from the McDog Collection. Recorded with a Sony Walkman MD MZ-R90 recorder and Sony ECM-MS908C stereo condenser mic. The second gig of her 2001 Lovers Rock tour, in a basketball centre with good acoustics. I would have recorded the whole concert, but halfway through Is It A Crime this guy behind me calls over an usher and tells her I'm taping! She nabs me and I have to turn it off... it's on the tape... but can you believe that self-righteous jerk? Helen's in great voice and the band is tight as ever. Sound: A-/B+ stereo digital master>cdr





Sade
Lovers Rock Toronto
The Air Canada Centre, August 8, 2001

Two CDs: 122 minutes
Cherish The Day (7:07)
Your Love Is King (5:29)
Somebody Already Broke My Heart/
Never As Good As The First Time (5:14)
Cherry Pie (6:24)
Pearls (5:01)
Every Word (4:30)
Smooth Operator/Red Eye (8:27)
Jezebel (6:46)
Kiss Of Life (5:11)
Slave Song (4:51)
The Sweetest Gift (2:29)
The Sweetest Taboo (6:06)
Lover's Rock (5:00)
Immigrant (3:59)
Paradise (4:51)
King of Sorrow (4:59)
No Ordinary Love (6:11)
By Your Side (4:49)
applause (3:37)
encore
Flow (5:10)
Is It A Crime/Intro Band (7:42)
applause (3:46)
second encore
It's Only Love That Gets You Through (3:53)

COMMENTS: This second Sade from the McDog Collection. Recorded with the same Sony Walkman MD MZ-R90 recorder and Sony ECM-MS908C stereo condenser mic.... but this time I kept the windsock on the mic to try to reduce the digital "tinny" sound. Either that worked, or the sound crew had figured out how to remix the group, cause this taping has a nice, fat, sweet bottom end and not bad top end, considering it's a hockey arena. Slight echo. I'm just a tad too far away from the speakers. With a chance to get used to being back on the road -- this is the 16th gig of the tour -- the band is noticeably tighter, and Helen has a great time -- laughing, talking, dancing -- and singing with confidence and daring. It's an outstanding, complete performance! No between-song edits at all. But she says she likes it in Toronto... hear her comment. Sound: B+ stereo digital master>cdr





Lamya
Live In Toronto
The Revival Club, October 12, 2002

One CD: 54 minutes
1. Judas Kiss (4:29)
2. East Of Anywhere (5:11)
3. Full Frontal Friday (5:49)
4. Splitting Atoms (4:56)
5. Perfect Girl (4:18)
6. Never Enough (4:42)
7. Black Mona Lisa (6:08)
8. Empires (6:22)
9. Resurrection Road (4:29)
10. Never’s Such A Long Time (6:47)

COMMENTS: This should be a rare classic - this may be the first-ever boot of songs by this exotic, arabic beauty, recorded at a record company flack fest. I used the same digi equipment as with Sade, but it was an acoustically-challenged bar and the lack of good speakers convinced the soundboard maniac to pump the volume to overkill. OK, we can deal with that, but then some crazed fan kept shrieking at the front of the stage. Whaddya gonna do? She was travelling light with a 3-piece band, so these versions of her songs are quite different from the heavily produced Learning from Falling cd. Sound: B/B+ stereo digital master>cdr
Read my interview with her.





Ronnie Hawkins Tribute Concert
Live In Hamilton
Hamilton Convention Centre
December 5, 2002

One CD: 78 minutes
The Partland Brothers
1. What You Do For Me
2. Not If It Pleases Me
3. Fly With Me
Atkinson & Fray
4. God’s Medicine Show
5. The Shape I’m In
Ian Thomas
6. The West Virginian Song
7. Rise Above It
Tom Wilson
8. A Matter Of Time
9. Leave This House
Lawrence Gowan
10. Good Golly, Miss Molly/Long Tall Sally
Crowbar
11. Ready, Willing & Able
12. Whatta Feeling (Whatta Rush)
Garth Hudson & Maud Hudson
13. The Weight

COMMENTS: Good old Rockin' Ronnie Hawkins... he's fighting a life-threatening cancer and he's still pumping out rock music. A legion of old Hawks and friends showed up for an endless night of sloppy tributes and pretty loose jams. Obviously the only bigtime cat to show up was Garth Hudson, but there were remours of Robbie Robertson and even (yeah, sure) Bob Dylan. Aud, but I was close to the speakers this time and the sound is good. A- stereo digital master>cdr




Kelly Joe Phelps
Live In Toronto
Hugh's Room, March 4, 2003

One CD: 70 minutes
1. River Rat Jimmy (7:15)
2. Katy (8:27)
3. Capman Bootman (7:58)
4. Wagoner’s Man (10:15)
5. Window Grim (5:53)
6. Worn Out (5:23)
7. Further Away (5:47)
8. Lonely Days (7:24)
9. Not So Far To Go (6:11)
10. Handful Of Wedding Rings (5:15)

COMMENTS: A great set in an acoustically superb hall. Kelly Joe does three songs on his own, then is joined by Zubot & Dawson as a backing band. Pretty intense stuff. Sound: A- stereo digital master>cdr





Zubot & Dawson
Live In Toronto
Hugh's Room, March 4, 2003

One CD: 46 minutes
1. Tractor Park (6:36)
2. Ed’s Wake (6:22)
3. Shame About It (5:46)
4. Unknown (6:01)
5. King Of America (6:29)
6. Unknown (9:18)
7. Elegance Has Meaning (5:13)

COMMENTS: A great set in an acoustically superb hall. Jesse Zubot & Steve Dawson with their band, featuring Keith Lowe on double bass and Elliot Polsky, percussion. Sound: A- stereo digital master>cdr





Dirty Three
Live In Toronto
Lee's Palace, April 6, 2003

One CD: 72 minutes
1. Alice Awaiting
2. One Thousand Miles
3. Some Summers, They're Dropping Like Flies
4. Sister, Let Them Try And Follow
5. Hope
6. Everything Is Fucked
7. That Baby Has No Strings
8. Sue's Last Ride

COMMENTS: A wacky trio from melbourne with avante-classical chops. Led by violin-sawing, madcap Warren Ellis, tended by guitarist Mick Turner and beat upon by percussionist Jim White, these sorta-artsy cats serve up a strange blend of hypno-drone in various guises... No matter... most of the fun is the laconic stories told by Ellis, little enigmatic jams which often go to surreal lengths to explain the "meaning" of the song. Or the song's name, which often has no bearing on the story. Anyway, I got it all. It was in a rock hall. It was loud. I was standing in between two large overhead speaker banks. Read my review of the show by clicking here. Sound: A- stereo digital master>cdr





Brian Auger & Oblivion Express
Live In Toronto
The Orbit Room, April 18, 2003

One CD: 70 minutes
1. Introduction
2. Freedom Jazz Dance
3. Straight Ahead
4. Season Of The Witch
5. Devil Walk
6. Bumping On Sunset
7. Tell The Truth
8. Instrumental

COMMENTS: The Big Bad Bear of the B3 came to town with his son, Karma, playing drums, and his daughter, Savannah, on vocals. The concert was in a very small club, and only about 60 people attended. Read my review of the show by clicking here. Sound: A-/B+ stereo digital master>cdr






Brian Auger & Oblivion Express
Live In Toronto
The Orbit Room, April 26, 2004

CD One: 70 minutes
1. Introduction
2. Tell The Truth
3. Straight Ahead
4. Freedom Jazz Dance
5. Season Of The Witch
6. Devil Walk
7. Bumping On Sunset
8. Instrumental

CD Two: 59 minutes
1. Don't Look Away
2. Whenever You're Ready
3. Light My Fire
4. Happiness Is Just Round The Bend
5. Make It Real

COMMENTS: Brian and family return to town with a new bassist. Not a family member. A bigger, more boisterous (read: drunk) crowd on hand, and I discover it wasn't my recorder that was clipping during the loud bits, it was the club's crummy speakers. Whaddya gonna do? Sound: A/A-/B+ stereo digital master>cdr


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