Cities have started to reopen (NYC is in the early stages) and some people are finding socially remote ways to host concerts, but the world of live entertainment as we know it is still far from normal. . Along with watching the many livestreams that happen every day, one thing we’ve turned to in these non-concert times is the live concert footage, and luckily there’s YouTube which has an incredible array of live footage. from all the history of pop music, from movie clips of concerts, TV performances and other professional filming footage, to tons of videos made by fans of shows. If you’re looking for a place to start, we’ve picked out some of our favorites. Here are five more:
Alice Coltrane – live harp solo
It’s not easy to find live footage of the late and awesome Alice Coltrane, but this nine minute harp solo is one of the few live videos I’ve found and it’s truly fascinating. A retrospective on Alice who The Quietus published in 2017 mentioned that Alice “would later remember how, if the windows [in her house] were open, a strong breeze would make the strings of the harp hum, as if it were being played by some invisible force, “and Alice has a way of playing the instrument that is as airy and barely present as the breeze itself. . [Andrew Sacher]
The Who @ Isle of Wight 1970
The Who always supported Tommy when they performed at the historic Isle of Wight festival in 1970, and they performed that entire rock opera at the festival, alongside a nice selection of older favorites, a few covers and a few songs that didn’t still been out, some of that ended up like Who is next vintage rarities that weren’t properly published until years later. The entire band on the Isle of Wight was released as a two-disc live album, although this hour-long video didn’t have the full performance, but it’s still more than enough of high-quality footage from The Who in their heyday and it’s a pleasure to see their early ’70s days immortalized like this. The classic Who line-up is one of those bands where each member brings something huge to the table and they have a huge sense of spectacle, all of which is on display in this awesome video. [Andrew Sacher]
Frank Sidebottom Celebration Evening One Hour Film
You may have seen the 2014 Frank movie starring Michael Fassbender, but the real story of the man behind the mask is much more interesting. Chris Sievey always wanted to be in the spotlight, having made extremely creative movies, cartoons and videos without a budget, and was part of several groups without much success … until he created a head in papier mâché and Frank Sidebottom was born. A truly one-of-a-kind creation, Frank has made parodies of popular songs and indie hits, all reworked to tell about Frank’s life in Timperley, England. Live shows were as much performance art as anything else, but Frank’s love for music always shone, as this collection of footage shows. Rest in peace. [Bill Pearis]
The Futureheads @ Glastonbury 2005
While they were part of the mid-2000s post-punk revival scene that gave us Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party, there wasn’t really another band like The Futureheads, which mixed Dada lyrics, zesty music and complex harmony arrangements. Their debut album remains one of the best of that era and here they are, wowing Glastonbury the summer after its release, with their breathtaking cover of Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love” and more. [Bill Pearis]
Liz Phair @ Town Hall, NYC – 04/25/1995 & Lizner Auditorium, Washington DC – 04/26/1995
These two consecutive evenings of Liz Phair shows on the east coast date from the years 1994 Smart whip and the years 1998 Blancchocolatespaceoeuf, and despite a questionable image quality (from a VHS tape), presents a killer mix of its classic material. As we’ve been waiting for Liz’s debut album in a decade, they remind us why we are waiting for her, and her return to the road, with so much anticipation. [Amanda Hatfield]
For more of our favorite live videos, head here.
