Cities have begun to reopen (NYC is in the early stages of doing so) and some people are finding socially-distant ways to put on concerts, but the world of live entertainment as we know it is still far from back to normal. In addition to watching the many livestreams that happen every day, one thing we've been turning to in these concert-less times is live concert footage, and 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:
TLC @ Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA - 1/29/2000
TLC returned from a short hiatus with their third album, FanMail, in 1999, and toured it through 2000. The Atlanta show was recorded for a pay per view special, and it features the full production, including futuristic costumes, a troupe of dancers, and a special appearance from Goodie Mob during the encore. Lisa Left Eye Lopes sadly passed away in a car accident in 2002, and this was her last album, and tour, with the group; it's poignant to see them three-strong in the last few years of their time together. [Amanda Hatfield]
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Blondie @ Convention Hall, Asbury Park 7/7/1979
Eat to the Beat was still a few months away, but Blondie ready to show some of it to the world at this Asbury Park show. They opened with "Dreaming," and then proceeded to roll through hits like "One Way Or Another," "Heart of Glass," "Hanging on the Telephone," and more. Debbie Harry, Clem Burke and the rest of the band are in peak form, even if the videotape this show was transferred from warbles a bit. [Bill Pearis]
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Thrice - Live At The House Of Blues - 2008
Thrice, who we included on our recent list of 15 albums that defined the 2000s post-hardcore boom, have been keeping busy during quarantine -- Dustin recently did a livestream and Riley made an awesome quarantine playlist -- and they've got at least one show lined up for 2021, Riot Fest. As great as their records are, Thrice are an absolutely monstrous, gut-punching live band. You gotta see it in person to really experience it, but 2008's Live At The House of Blues film does a pretty fantastic job of conveying how much of a force this band is on stage. [Andrew Sacher]
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A Tribe Called Quest - The Art Of Moving Butts In Europe - 1990
Before Phife Dawg's death, A Tribe Called Quest returned for their first album in nearly two decades and it wasn't just a fine return but one of the best albums of the last decade. Members have stayed active with other projects since, like the great new Roy Ayers album that's out today that Ali Shaheed Muhammad co-wrote, but here's a trip down memory lane to this compilation of excellent footage that was shot during Tribe's 1990 spring Europe tour. The group had so much chemistry on stage, even in these very early days of their career, and this timeless footage makes it very clear how ahead of their time they were. [Andrew Sacher]
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Steel Pulse on 'Rockpalast' 1979
Like The Beat, UK reggae icons Steel Pulse hailed from Birmingham and were adopted by both reggae fans and the new wave and punk groups they often found themselves sharing bills with. Here they are in the absolute prime, right after the one-two punch of albums Handsworth Revolution and Tribute to the Martyr. [Bill Pearis]
