amazing live videos of MBV, Ride, Bob Dylan & more to watch while every show is cancelled

May 14, 2020

Basically no shows are happening due to the coronavirus outbreak (though some artists are doing livestreams instead), but if you’re already jonesing to see a show, or just need a brief distraction from the insanity of the world right now, thankfully there’s YouTube which has an amazing array of live footage from throughout the history of pop music, from clips from concert films, TV performances and other pro-shot footage, to tons of fan-shot video from shows. If you’re looking for a place to start, we’ve been picking some of our favorites. Here are five more:

My Bloody Valentine @ Liberty Lunch, Austin 2/8/1992

Echoes of My Bloody Valentine’s eardrum-destroying tour Loveless tour (much of which was with Dinosaur Jr and Babes in Toyland) may still be ringing somewhere. Their live set was sensory overload, with flashing strobes that seemed to match Colm O’Ciosoig’s intense drumming; though other times it was near pitch black. This video, shot at Austin’s Liberty Lunch in February 1992, is a good representation of that. It’s side-stage, so visuals are less than ideal, but they sound terrific. [Bill Pearis]

—

Ride @ 9:30 Club, 6/14/1992

Ride were in their poppy, shoegazy prime in 1992, having just released their fantastic second album, Going Blank Again, and on the road in American with Pale Saints. I was actually at this show at DC’s old 9:30 Club on F Street and attribute at least a little of my current tinnitus to their encore of “Drive Blind.” My memories of this show are pretty accurate — they do indeed sound terrific here, and the video/audio quality is excellent given it’s nearly 30 years old, and includes a few shots of the 9:30 Club’s infamous sightline-blocking pole. [Bill Pearis]

—

Jethro Tull @ Tanglewood in Lenox, MA – 7/7/1970

We just learned the horrible news that Ian Anderson is living with an “incurable” lung disease, which makes now a very good time to celebrate all the great work he’s done while keeping him in our thoughts and hoping he continues to pull through. Here’s the band in 1970, playing favorites from their first three albums (1968’s This Was, 1969’s Stand Up, and 1970’s Benefit), and also working in one song off the much-loved Aqualung which would come out the following year. Tull were on fire at this show — the band is locked in, the riffs are screaming, and Ian looks and sounds like a total madman. (And his flute playing is as iconic as ever in this video.) The footage is excellent too, and it’s a real treat that we’re able to witness this superstar band back when they were young, hungry, and on the rise. [Andrew Sacher]

https://youtu.be/-cr5PjgOT8c

—

Bob Dylan @ Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins, CO – 5/23/1976

Bob Dylan’s first album of new original music in eight years is coming this year (and the singles have been genuinely great), and he did just have to officially cancel his summer tour, so until he gets back on the road, here’s an excellent video from 1976 to tide you over. This is the footage of the show on his storied Rolling Thunder Revue tour that became the Hard Rain live album, and it documents what was a great era for Dylan. He had been touring frequently at this point, and he had just put out two excellent albums (1975’s Blood on the Tracks and 1976’s Desire). He played some stuff off those albums at this show, plus a handful of ’60s classics, and as was often the case on this tour, some of Dylan’s very talented friends joined him during the set. Joan Baez did a wonderful duet with him on “Blowin’ in the Wind” and The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn helped out on “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” [Andrew Sacher]

—

Perfume Genius @ Union Transfer, Philadelphia – 5/18/2017

The eve of the release of Perfume Genius’ anticipated new album Set My Heart on Fire Immediately feels like the perfect time to revisit this video from shortly after the release of No Shape. It’s definitely a reminder of what a uniquely expressive live force Michael Hadreas is, from his musical performances to the growing role of dance in shows, and what we can look forward to from him when it’s safe for shows to happen again. [Amanda Hatfield]