Live in Boston, 1982 is one of those live albums that needs no introduction. George Thorogood and the Destroyers are here at their peak, in a concert that captures their raw, dirty, and raw blues-rock with stunning immediacy. The new 2020 Complete Concert edition includes the entire concert, 27 tracks in total, adding 12 previously unreleased live recordings.<\/p>\n
The concert took place at Boston’s Bradford Ballroom in 1982, at a time when Thorogood and the Destroyers were really on top. They had just finished a major tour supporting the Rolling Stones, and the band played with the confidence of a band that had found its sound and identity.<\/p>\n
The power of the album lies first and foremost in the sound. Thorogood’s guitar is rough, aggressive and full of slide, with no desire to become “beautiful”. It is a guitar that functions more as a machine for producing rhythm and intensity than as a means of demonstrating virtuosity.<\/p>\n
Alongside him, Jeff Simon on drums and Billy Blough on bass create an unstoppable rhythm section, while Hank Carter’s saxophone adds a special rock’n’roll and R&B dimension. Ian Stewart, a founding member of the Rolling Stones, also participated on keyboards on this tour, which adds another interesting element to the historical value of the recording.<\/p>\n
And all this without unnecessary complexities. Thorogood knows very well what he wants to do and does it loud, fast and without compromise.<\/p>\n
The repertoire is essentially a short history of American blues and rock’n’roll through Thorogood’s personal filter.<\/p>\n
John Lee Hooker’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” turns into a huge, dirty blues-boogie, lasting over 13 minutes. Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love?” becomes even more aggressive, while Hank Williams’ “Move It on Over” becomes a frantic rockabilly\/blues track.<\/p>\n
Also excellent is Elmore James’ “The Sky Is Crying”, where Thorogood briefly leaves the non-stop boogie and shows that beneath the noise and aggression there is a real blues guitarist. “It Wasn’t Me” is another highlight, with the fast fingerpicking really at a high level.<\/p>\n
“Bad to the Bone” is probably the song that most people know today, but here it takes on a different meaning. It doesn’t sound like a single hit but like a natural continuation of an entire set full of blues, boogie and rock’n’roll.<\/p>\n
The audience is very involved and the atmosphere of the concert comes through the speakers. The live recording has that precious feeling that you are not just listening to a record but are in a crowded American club in 1982.<\/p>\n
Boogie, blues, rock’n’roll, slide guitar, hoarseness, saxophone and a non-stop rhythm. The sound remains constant almost throughout.<\/p>\n
Live in Boston, 1982: The Complete Concert is George Thorogood without filters. Blues, rock’n’roll, boogie and R&B in an explosive live coexistence. It does not try to be artistically complex; it tries to do the one thing Thorogood knows better than almost anyone: make the guitar sound like it is on fire.<\/p>\n
For fans of blues-rock, boogie and the American bar-band sound, this is a must-see live recording.<\/p>\n
The full 27-track version, through which I select the song \u201cOne Way Ticket\u201c, is clearly preferable to the original 2010 version with 13 tracks, because it allows us to watch the entire concert and not just a selection from it.<\/p>\n
Tracklist<\/strong><\/p>\n A1. House Of Blue Lights 4:41 B1. I’m Wanted 5:19 C1. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer 13:10 D1. Spoken Introduction: The Dance Floor 1:47 E1. New Boogie Chillun’ 7:54 F1. Madison Blues 5:55 G1. Spoken Introduction: Audience Participation 0:51 H1. No Particular Place To Go 4:37 Live in Boston, 1982 is one of those live albums that needs no introduction. George Thorogood and the Destroyers are here at their peak, in a concert that captures their raw, dirty, and raw blues-rock with stunning immediacy. The new 2020 Complete Concert edition includes the entire concert, 27 tracks ...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[78],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-records-that-made-history"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nA2. Kids From Philly 2:22
\nA3. Who Do You Love 6:45<\/p>\n
\nB2. Cocaine Blues 3:55
\nB3. One Way Ticket 5:22<\/p>\n
\nC2. As The Years Go Passing By 4:40<\/p>\n
\nD2. It Wasn’t Me 7:03
\nD3. Bottom Of The Sea 3:25
\nD4. Night Time 5:57<\/p>\n
\nE2. I’ll Change My Style 4:15
\nE3. Miss Luann 5:44<\/p>\n
\nF2. The Sky Is Crying 8:53
\nF3. Can’t Stop Lovin’ 4:11<\/p>\n
\nG2. Same Thing 4:23
\nG3. Bad To The Bone 5:06
\nG4. Move It On Over 5:22
\nG5. Wild Weekend 2:05
\nG6. Nobody But Me 3:39<\/p>\n
\nH2. Ride On Josephine 8:21
\nH3. Reelin’ And Rockin’ 8:15<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"