Does anyone have their own personal favourite live albums? My natural disposition towards live albums was usually dismissive, always believing that what bands capture on record is the real essence of their sound and that never being able to experience that communal feel from a live album is another drawback to a live album. But that's narrow minded based on my own misguided prejudice when you hear some outstanding albums - I'm not really a fan of The Who but I was talking to a mate who said his favourite Who album is Live at Leeds so it got me thinking of other acts you think potentially outdo their studio recordings. Thinking about this, it's a shame Oasis have only ever released Familiar To Millions which doesn't capture them at their best (even on that tour), though some tunes on it are stunning, which surely makes it imperative that a live album is officially released from their ultimate peak years would be great. Well here's a selection of some of my favourite.


Closest you'll ever get to experiencing their Hamburg and Cavern Club years in my opinion with its vast range of originals and covers of their influences.


Easily U2 at their most raw, spiky and honest. Only in their early 20s but that youthful exuberance comes across better on this record than any other representation of their early days.


Songs from his first album fully realised here, and I even think the Wild & Innocent and Born to Run songs are far superior to the records. Likewise full of energy that a meticulous studio recording can never replicate!