Audio CD vs. (1980) Live

[Villavic]

Ok, this may sound stupid but I'm desperado about the dvd and cd comments I'm already reading, while I have to wait a few days for my package to arrive and confirm the perceptions by myself

You already compared to The Dance, but...
How is the audio CD comparing to the Live album, talking about..?

1. Lindsey performance
2. Stevie PErformance
3. mixing (the overall sound, or the bass section, etc..)
(yeah, again, this may be a silly question but Live album was several fragments from different shows/dates. So sound is different. For example Don't let me down again sounds completely different from Not that funny.
4. the set list
5. any other comments...?

[Johnny Stew]

Hi Villavic...

Wow, it's really hard to compare the 'Boston' audio CD to the 1980 live album.
Given that this comes 25 years after the 'Tusk' tour, Stevie & Lindsey's voices sound more worn and definitely deeper. But what they lack in vocal flexibility, they make up for (at least in my opinion) in myriad other ways.

Stevie, especially, brings a more seasoned approach to her singing... less risk taking, certainly, but far more finesse... and Lindsey packs all of the appropriate punch where needed, and the right gentleness when that's needed.
(Unfortunately their absolute best vocal performance during this concert... an exquisite rendition of "Say Goodbye"... isn't included on the audio CD.)

In my opinion, the mixing is great... it sounds like a live show, but it doesn't lose the space and ambience of a studio album.

The setlist could have been better. Like I've said, I tend to look at this as more of a sampler/highlights CD... so in that regard, it's not bad. But it could have been more varied, and they really should have included "Say Goodbye" and "Beautiful Child," instead of stuff like "Silver Springs" and "Big Love."

But aside from the track-listing being rather mundane, the performance itself is exceptional, and I think you'll like it, Villavic.