A live performance is a moment in time, ephemeral and impossible to explain to others. In most cases, you had to be there to understand the magic. This truth comes hard to the many fans, young and old, of classic bands from decades past — we may never again see a bell-bottomed Roger Daltrey and swinging his microphone around the stage, or Ray Charles charming the pants off a stadium crowd — but in a digital age, all hope is not lost.
A new Youtube channel, MusicVault has now partnered with famous music archive Wolfgang’s Vault to release over 13,000 videos from classic concerts around the world from as far back as the 1960s. Browsing the catalogue of videos, one may dip in and out of shows by the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers Band, Miles Davis, and hundreds more. Over 13,000 new videos have been uploaded, but here are a few choice Boston-related suggestions to help get your feet wet.
Santana – “Oye Como Va” at Tanglewood on 8/18/70
Ray Charles – “Still Crazy After All These Years” at the Newport Jazz Festival on 8/14/93
The Who – “Sparks” at Tanglewood on 7/7/70
Miles Davis – “It’s About That Time” at Tanglewood on 8/18/70
Boston – “More Than A Feeling” Giants Stadium on 6/17/79
