Ten exceptional live albums from the 2000s

Two captivating live albums from the 2000s

Green Day - Bullet In A Bible

Green Day was riding high after their American Idiot album in 2004 gave the band their first number-one on the Billboard 200. There had been a decline in interest in Green Day after their breakthrough album Dookie some ten years earlier. Bullet In A Bible was recorded in the UK in July 2005 during their World American Idiot tour in front of a huge 130,000 crowd. They were definitely back and the live album, released a few months later that same year, showed why.

By that point Green Day has mastered the art of arena punk, playing their songs to enormous crowds in big stadiums. They have the edge and energy their music brings but also have the massive crowd in their hands. This is another rush of hits from a top band in front of a lively audience, it’s well worth a listen.

Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings

Taken from the band at various locations on their I Might Be Wrong tour in 2001 the focus is very much on their previous two albums, Kid A and Amnesiac. Given their experimental style and at times unique sound it’s easy to wonder how that translates into a live gig. This 2001 live album portrays a very distinct human touch to their music. Radiohead is very much a band that comes to life on stage as the album shows. 

If you know the songs already you can hear the variations applied for the live show. There are plenty of rearrangements and added touches, presenting some songs quite differently. Sometimes that can be a distraction but here it’s a bonus and makes the album even more of a must-have for your collection. They did break away from the two albums drawn on for this set with a beautiful “True Love Waits” in pure acoustic style, voiced perfectly by lead singer Thom Yorke. It’s a tremendous show closer for sure.