Live, Laugh, LIVE

• Edward James +2 — I hope this wins, despite the fact the win would have…should have…been mine. Congrats to the person who beat me to it (Claire?). To me this is the essence of a peak live performance. It is elevated by the setting itself (i.e. it has elements that simply can’t be replicated elsewhere), you can tell the performer is Feeling It™ in a unique way that brings them to the peak of their performing ability, and you get a blend of a unique take on the song without losing the core that makes is so good. Also, ending with a dual clarinet solo is inspired.
• fionmul +1 — This was good. If this is Claire this was an excellent pick and you’re a most worthy adversary.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — This is it. Incredible audience participation at the beginning. This is a great song beautifully and passionately performed, just a blast. Aside from my own, this is the show I’d most want to be at.
• judd.baker +1 — This is excellent. Fantastic vocals, phenomenal horn section, and the crowd work is legendary. 10/10
• SamRobertsND 0 — I generally like Vulfpeck, and the last two minutes were pretty good, but the front two minutes really annoyed me. Usually a capital offense, but there is an even worse offender here.

SamRobertsND: I’m not crying there’s something my eye

• fionmul +1 — 😭🥹🥰🙏🏼
• ared56 +1
• Regina Scime +1 — I have to, he’s the best
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — Fun choice and fun to hear (I’m realizing I don’t think I’ve ever heard JPII speak until now).
• judd.baker 0 — Creative read of the category and honestly I love JPII’s voice. I had heard this exact Pater Noster before, something about his sweet, grandfatherly, Polish-accented Latin feels like a definitive version of this chant in my imagination. (Not enough upvotes tho)
• Claire 0 — Papa 🥲🥲

• Regina Scime +2 — He’s the king of live music, I swear
• judd.baker +1 — I can’t believe I didn’t think of this. Utterly spectacular submission. This song, and this performance, just balls on every conceivable level. Transcendent.
• shea nowicki +1
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Doctor, it's an epidemic! Another case of songs that people like but the live version is just a better version of it without being iconic! Call the CDC!
• fionmul 0 — 😌 🚫💁🏻‍♀️🚫😭
• Edward James -1 — It might surprise some of you to learn I am a long time Bob Marley hater. Might be the republicanism that lives dormant in the deepest darkest catacombs of my being. Every time I hear him my first thought is “Get a job”

• SamRobertsND +1 — Probably the most famous of the live performances on here, and for good reason. I won't punish going with an obvious choice, especially this one. As the submitter already knows probably, this was the culmination of more than a decade of trying to get into Folsom and perform after the initial recording. Usually, a live performance's power needs visuals to be most keenly felt, but all you need is that prisoner cheering after "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." A live album for the ages.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Pretty classic, hard to argue!
• shea nowicki +1
• fionmul 0 — Iconic
• Edward James 0 — A classic, and it rocks, but doesn’t stand out of the pack for me
• judd.baker 0 — This is definitely canonical and deserves to be here but I liked a few other submissions more. Excellent song and legendary performance tho

judd.baker: This may be the Avett Brothers best song and there is literally only the live version

• fionmul +1 — I love dese bruvs and had never heard this. Prime Mulhollandcore nostalgia.
• Claire +1 — It’s hard to describe exactly what about this song/performance/recording make it work so well, but you can just hear and feel that the band is in control of what’s happening musically, taking you with them through the sonic and emotional ebb and flow of the song. It’s not just a live recording of the band playing one of their songs, it’s a performance (a fine but important distinction imo).
• SamRobertsND 0 — Love the Avett Brothers. Like the John Mayer, this is nice but unmemorable for me. Almost stole a vote with that Thin Lizzy sample at the end though.
• Edward James 0 — This is great, but like the John Mayer one, I just don’t see what specifically separates this from a normal, good live performance

Regina Scime: absolute KINGS

• Edward James +1 — Similar to my earlier comment on Vulfpeck, this is a live track where you can feel the power and the uniqueness of the moment. It elevates it above and beyond what a studio recording can capture. It’s got that je ne sais quoi. Great selection.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Really well done. Sells the song
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — This was great. Runner up for me.
• fionmul 0 — 👩🏻‍🍳💋🤌🏼
• judd.baker 0 — Feels criminal not to upvote this song because this is just immaculate. There were a few songs on this playlist that I simply enjoyed more, but this is honorable mention fs.
• Claire 0 — Billy I love you. You get an upvote in my heart 🤍
• ared56 -1

Edward James: My runner up for Superior Cover.

• SamRobertsND +1 — I loved this! The brass is amazing. I like Weird Al songs as humor/bits, but this shows just what a talented singer he really is.
• ared56 +1
• judd.baker +1 — This is fabulous. Had not heard this song before
• fionmul 0 — The way it says George Fest just makes me think of George Spohrer which is fitting
• Claire 0 — This was super cool. It’s a genuinely good cover and I like that it’s doing something very different than what I typically except from Weird Al, but doing it effectively
• Joseph Harvey -1 — Weird Al is a little annoying to me, and although this is by no means bad, something had to get the downvote
• Sam Ary -1

Sam Ary: One of the best live performances

• Claire +1 — I almost submitted this song. It’s a beautiful song in itself and I think John Mayer really shines as a musician in a live setting. If I remember correctly, the lore about this song is that he never released a studio version because he said it would just never measure up to the way the song sounds and feels live. I think he’s probably right.
• SamRobertsND 0 — I liked this, but it was just a little unmemorable because it's not really my taste. Reminds me of the theme song to an early 2000s CW show.
• fionmul 0 — I loved this, esp the vocals at the end and I am not sure I had heard this song before. I also considered John.
• Edward James 0 — Despite my priors, I actually really like John Mayer. This was great, but I don’t see how it’s particularly spectacular beyond his usual stuff.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I mean this is cool but Neon is on this album and that’s a way more impressive live performance to me. That’s an insane song on guitar, and the fact he sings while playing at that level is incredible. That song would have gotten my vote
• judd.baker 0 — This was really great, although a little too long for a recorded listening
• shea nowicki -1 — I liked this song, but had downvote something I'm sorry : ( didn't feel the energy of a live performance for whatever reason

shea nowicki: An important moment in musical history.

• SamRobertsND +1 — Have to combat the Joseph downvote, really deserves a 3 point dump. One of the greatest guitarists to ever do it.
• ared56 +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Edward James 0 — I love this and I love including an instrumental track, but others spoke to me more, I’m familiar with this already, and therefore it got pushed lower.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — It is to my shame, but I really don’t get the hype with Jimi Hendrix. I know I must be wrong but this just doesn’t do it
• fionmul -1 — Could be historic but I just don’t care for the sound of this. And no words so immediately low rank for me. Sorry.
• judd.baker -1 — I feel like I am being compelled under pain of mortal cringe to like this song (Jimi Hendrix performing the national anthem at Woodstock?? Bro LFG!!!) but I just don’t. I acknowledge the historical significance without question, and it is definitely a grandiose performance. It would probably rock my world live, but this just does not translate well at all to a recorded listening experience imo.
• Claire -1 — With all due respect to Jimi’s musical genius I felt like this recording just doesn’t capture the energy of the performance itself. Maybe a video would have? But the purely auditory medium just didn’t do it for me

Joseph Harvey: I’m prepared to be buried in downvotes, but this is one of the most formative recordings of my musical journey. This very performance opened my eyes to the value of screaming, as it’s used very intentionally to convey the emotion of the song. Haunting performance by one of the all time greats.

• Claire +1 — This was an awesome submission. As a known concert enjoyer I really was looking for songs this round where I can feel the energy of the crowd and the way the musicians interact with and build on that. The energy was so evident from this recording and I wanted to be in that crowd. Plus it’s just a cool song. Doesn’t deserve to be buried in downvotes—far from it
• fionmul 0 — “Opened my eyes to the value of screaming” - my toddler after his first tantrum. I love you but it was boring.
• Edward James 0 — Sorry Joseph
• judd.baker 0 — Didn’t have enough upvotes in what was really a fabulous round, but I have to say that I enjoyed this a ton. Devin Townsend is not in my general wheelhouse but I agree that the screaming adds a ton to this performance, and just in general this is a really fun recording. This rocks
• SamRobertsND -1 — Torment. That was 8 minutes I will never get back
• Regina Scime -1