Ten classic rock bands that were better live than on their studio albums

Faces

If we duck out of the top-selling live album trail briefly, Faces definitely comes into play as a band that loves playing live. Often described as a barroom-style band these guys liked having a party on stage, with the crowd very much invited. 

They may have carried the bar style quite far at times and the drinking on stage, but it worked with their style of music. The band played loose and lively, they rocked and rolled and had fun, as did the audience. A band you’d have wanted to see live if you could.

J. Geils Band

For this band, it was the need to make an impact with a record release that led to their first live album. The band had a superb live reputation but just wasn’t cutting it with their studio releases. So they recorded “Live” Full House in Detroit in 1972. 

That live album, the first of two that decade for them, did the trick. It helped them make a breakthrough with the follow-up release Bloodshot. They went on to more success and the band’s biggest single hit, “Centerfold,” in 1981. That song became another staple in their brilliant live show setlist. 

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Southern Rock bands were so good that they created their own genre. A mix of, at times, country, rock, blues, and more all combining in a great sound. There were plenty of variations within that style, but playing darn good music live was a key common point.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of the big names in Southern Rock, and deservedly so. They had some super albums, but when you listen to their best songs, there are always live versions that are pure brilliance. The extra guitar layers the band added, often including some great slide playing, along with some keyboards and a barroom swagger, all combined perfectly on stage. Their 1976 live album One More From The Road helps show their on-stage style excellently.

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