Basically no show is taking place due to the coronavirus epidemic (although some artists are doing live broadcasts instead), but if you’ve ever been in the mood to see a show, or just need a brief distraction from the madness of the world right now, luckily there is There is YouTube which offers an incredible range of live footage from throughout pop music history, from movie clips of concerts, TV performances and other professional filming footage, to tons of show videos. tours by fans. If you’re looking for a place to start, we’ve picked out some of our favorites. Here are five more:
Spiritualized @ Glastonbury 2004
“They’re up against Oasis but that doesn’t matter,” the Glastonbury show host said in 2004, “because this is Spiritualized!” Spiritualized was formed before Oasis and survived them too, and here is this Glasto set from 2004, full of great songs like “Electricity”, “Come Together”, “She Kissed Me (And It Felt Like A Hit)”, ” Shine a Light “,” Take Your Time “, and more with Jason Pierce putting himself to the test here. Creepy. [Bill Pearis]
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Low @ ACTV Main Studio in Austin, Texas – 1996
As incredible as Low’s last album – 2018 more electronically oriented Double negation – that is, the midlife-induced sadness made me crave the more bare sound that Low had in the ’90s, which sent me back to that ACTV session of 1996. This is the year where they released their EP with their inventive cover of Joy Division’s “Transmission”, and they played it here, alongside a nice selection of era originals. Even with Lows as well established as they are now, it’s amazing how emotionally devastating they sound with such a small and uncluttered setup. [Andrew Sacher]
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Good luck to you ! Black Emperor @ Engine Room in Houston, TX – 3/12/2003
Low are living proof that less is more, but Godspeed You! The Black Emperor proves that sometimes Following is more too. They have millions of members on stage, and attending any of their shows is one of the most mind-blowing experiences you can have as a music fan. There is a lot of GY! BE footage from the Reunion Age (and Reunion Era concerts and albums have been Great), but there isn’t a lot of full concert footage from their original era, so this video is a real treat. Granted, it’s a bit grainy, but once Godspeed kicks off, this video gets you there almost as much as seeing the IRL band. [Andrew Sacher]
PS: We have Godspeed records in our shop, including their new album, G_d’s Pee AT THE END OF THE STATE!.
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Smashing Pumpkins @ Metro Chicago, IL – 08/14/1993
This set of Chicago Smashing Pumpkins was released on siamese dream Bonus DVD, and was recorded less than a month after the release of this album. The original lineup of the group of Billy Corgan, James Iha, D’Arcy Wretzky and Jimmy Chamberlin is still intact at this point and their sound is amazing tearing up a set of earlier tracks as the surfers struggle in the foreground. They are joined by Eric Remschneider on cello “Disarm”, “Spaceboy” and “Starla” halfway through, which adds to their sound beautifully. Overall, this is a classic set of pumpkins at their peak, and worth revisiting. [Amanda Hatfield]
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Anna Calvi @ Montreux Festival 2015
There have been a lot of shows that were supposed to take place over the past six weeks and we’re disappointed, and one of them was Anna Calvi who hasn’t toured North America for seven years. As good as her records are, hearing her amazing voice and seeing her rip on the guitar is 10 times better. You can console yourself with this fantastic 2015 performance of the Montreux festival in 2015. [Bill Pearis]
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Here’s a more recent gallery of Smashing Pumpkins at Jones Beach in 2019.
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For more of our favorite live videos, head here.
