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I would only suggest it for the hard core Gram fan. I felt like it was a bit of a waste myself. Poor quality sound makes for a so so listening experience. People just getting to know him would do much better with just about all of the other recordings.
Sneaky Pete was LOUD and the rest of the band (save Hillman, more than likely) was totally wasted.I suppose it's a blessing and a curse that this release is credited to Gram Parsons, rather than the Flying Burrito Brothers. The rumors that the original lineup of the FBB was a somewhat shoddy and inconsistent live band are confirmed in these recordings. But the fact is, this is a substandard recording/performance by a band that temporarily caught fire for one terrific album.THE GILDED PALACE OF SIN. Sheesh.I actually bought the bootleg of one of these Avalon shows almost 20 years ago and thought it was awful even then. Gram was obviously drunk/wasted, they had either unplugged his guitar or it was never miked, and the performance was absolutely atrocious. I'm sure this is a performance the Chris's (Hillman and Etheridge) would rather forget.And the sound quality is no better than the bootleg I bought 20 years ago.Flame away, Grampires.
If you cannot, save your money. If you can tolerate lousy, horrible, and flat sound that has no bass or treble, then this is a killer selection of songs and a must have for GP admirers. This may be the worst sounding CD I have ever heard.
Kudos to Amoeba Records and the Grateful Dead archive ownersfor making this disc available to the legions of Parsons fans. It's like taking a trip in a time machine. This is a rare recently-discovered recording of two 1969 shows at the Avalon Ballroom (discovered in theGrateful Dead archives). Live recordings of Parsons are rare and this one indicates the breadth of material hecovered along with introductions of songs and banter. If only there were film or videotape of this performance.
It is easy to pick out Chris Hillman's harmonies as well. The mix is excellent and Gram's breaking vocals come across better here than on some of their studio albums. The material on this CD is a rare find. After all "new" albums of recycled Flying Burrito Brothers material, this is a real treat. The Burritos sound great live, a little ragged, but that is some of their charm--the beginnings of alt-country at its best. A great sound from a band like no other.
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