Live Music on the Television

From Live on Abbey Road its MGMT with "Electric Feel."

Live Music on TV

Moving away from concerts or performances in front of an audience, a different take on the "Live Music on Television" format can be found on the Sundance channel with their broadcast of the UK Channel 4 station's Live from Abbey Road.  The show eschews traditional music presentation by leaving the band alone with its instruments and a camera to perform their songs in a bare-bones environment which "look like a movie and sound like a record."  I can thank this show for introducing me to a few artists of today that I actually enjoy listening to.


Thus, for your viewing and listening pleasure, here's the 2009 performance by The Black Keys. The three song set includes "I Got Mine," "Here I Am I Always Am," and "Same Old Thing."  More performances from this show will certainly follow in the future.

Live Music on TV

A little change of pace for our live music feature; here's Mr. Waylon Jennings on the old Johnny Cash Show. 

Live Music on the Television

Time to hit the recent nostalgia button for today's "Live Music on the Television" as we journey back to 1997 - when many of the blog's readers were either in or on the cusp of high school.  Bill Clinton was still in the first year of his second term, the Indians and Marlins had yet to secure their World Series appearances, and a band named Jamiroquai was dominating MTV's airwaves with their [still] unique "Virtual Insanity."

Here's the similarly odd and fun performance of "Virtual Insanity" from the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards.  The vocals may strain a little bit at times, but that minor issue only adds some character to the show. Hope you enjoy.

Live Music on the Television

For today's "Live Music on the Television" feature, we're going back to 1971 for two separate, solo performances by Mr. Neil Young.  Featured first is Young playing "Old Man," a song that made it to #31 on the Billboard Hot 100.  This particular concert was done for the BBC and can be found here. 

Live Music on the Television

From the 1960s on Monday to the 1990s today, here's an awesome performance of "Lithium" by Nirvana.  Of course, if you pay attention at the beginning of the song, Nirvana seemed to throw MTV for a loop by starting to perform "Rape Me."  Quickly, though, the band went to its originally planned song and gave a great show.  

This particular performance may be best remembered not for the song itself but for what happens to bassist Krist Novoselic towards the end it.  Additionally, Dave Grohl has some humorous words for the frontman of Guns N Roses as the destruction of the stage continues behind him.

It remains a reminder of the "anything can happen" vibe that live television coupled with live music can provide.

Live Music on the Television

Today's installment of "Live Music on Television" is perhaps the most well-known example of a live music performance creating a national phenomenon.  On February 9, 1964; Ed Sullivan would welcome The Beatles onto his stage, and the British Invasion officially began.  Though the Beatles' later work is considered better than their music in the group's infancy, there is no denying the electricity the group created with the audience.  Here's to the Beatles' first live performance on American television.

Live Music on the Television

For today's "Live Music on the Television," we're going to travel back to the public broadcasting of 1997 and a little show called Sessions at West 54th.  Preparing for the release of their second major studio album, Ben Folds Five took the stage to perform a nice chunk of their catalog.  We'll start with the finale of the show and work our way back through three great performances.



link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d-mLKlEuQY

Live Music on the Television

If you need a description for the feature, go check out the last post and my response to the comment.  We're trying to feature some enjoyable, interesting performances from different eras of music that show how entertaining watching music on television can be.  

Over ten years before recording Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King at the Piety Street Studio, Dave Matthews Band was "Crashing the Quarter" for MTV at the State Palace Theatre on May 6, 1996.  Peppered throughout the performance were interviews with Dave and the rest of the group.  These interviews help the viewer get some insight into the band as well as give a little perspective for the performances they're going to see.  I'd love to see an official release of the entire concert, but I think the boat has sailed on that one.

The clips will feature both the performances and some interviews.  More clips when you click "read more."

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAEUSNhoHzU

Live Music on the Television

Can't remember where I read it recently, but someone claimed that live performances of bands captured on television are always unsatisfying to the viewer.  I disagree.  So now, in order to prove that television can provide the home viewer with memorable, enjoyable musical performances; I submit the Thursday/Monday feature - "Live Music on Television."  On each of these days I'll provide a link to great musical performances that combat the hypothesis that live TV is no place for good music.


That being said, I first submit to you a special, three-song* performance that took place on October 30, 1976 on Saturday Night Live. Less than one month before their last concert ever, here's The Band with "Life is a Carnival".  After the jump, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Stage Fright" 
* The Band would come back at the end of the night to perform "Georgia on My Mind," but I was unable to find this performance on the internet.


The Band on SNL "Life is a carnival"

link: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=46200621