Well, maybe 1988 is over, but 1981? Squeeze on Pier 84 in the Summer of 1981 is one of my favorite old concert experiences. The current reunion tour is essentially to promote the re-release of the back catalog and the new compilation Essential Squeeze. Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook have written some of the most engaging and enjoyable pop songs in the last three decades, and the songs still hold up particularly well as the best of them were performed tonight.

I recorded this concert from the middle of the floor, using my clip-on microphones. This recording was not captured with pro-quality equipment, and it generally does not measure up to the sonic standards of other recordings on this site. However, it is certainly an enjoyable listen of a terrific concert.

The photograph above is courtesy of the excellent Squeeze fan site Packet of Three.

This recording is no longer available at nyctaper. I’m sure you can find it somewhere on the web if you look hard enough.

Squeeze
2007-08-02
Nokia Theatre
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded from Front of Board
Center of the Floor
approximately 30 feet from PA

Core Sound Cardiods > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > flac

Premiere Download offered at nyctaper

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:39:29]
01 Take Me I’m Yours
02 Slightly Drunk
03 Piccadilly
04 Hourglass
05 Up the Junction
06 I Think I’m Go Go
07 Third Rail
08 Electric Trains
09 Some Fantastic Place
10 Annie Get Your Gun
11 Melody Motel
12 Messed Around
13 Walk Away
14 Slaughtered, Gutted and Heartbroken
15 Another Nail in My Heart
16 Goodbye Girl
17 If I Didn’t Love You
18 Pulling Mussels From The Shell
19 Slap and Tickle
20 Cool for Cats
21 [encore break]
22 Tempted
23 Is That Love?
24 Black Coffee in Bed

As with all artists featured on this site, if you download this recording, please support Squeeze and purchase the new compilation:

Well, its two weeks later, and instead of seeing White Stripes with 1200 people on a remote island in Canada, its back to the big city, the world’s most famous arena, and 20,000 fans. Again, Jack and Meg were consistently excellent. The performance lasted 30 minutes longer than the July 11 concert, and the band did not seem to be fazed at all by the size of the venue or the raucous crowd.

The NYC recording differs from the Canada recording, but the quality is equally excellent. I was in my favorite recording section of the Garden, Section 7, which placed me in front of the soundboard and in the center. This recording has more stereo presence, but also more of the crowd. It is perhaps a better overall representation of the experience of this outstanding concert.

This recording is no longer available due to Mr. White’s new strict anti-taping and anti-sharing policy.

White Stripes
2007-07-24
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Front of Board Center
Section 7, Row J, Seat 10

DPA 4021’s > Marantz PMD-660 (Oade BCM) > flac

Premiere Download offered at
https://www.nyctaper.com
nyctaper@nyctaper.com

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:52:22]
01 Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
02 When I Hear My Name
03 Jolene
04 Hotel Yorba
05 Cannon
06 Icky Thump
07 Do
08 Death Letter
09 In The Cold, Cold Night
10 A Martyr for My Love for You
11 I’m Slowly Turning Into You
12 I Think I Smell A Rat
13 Wasting My Time
14 300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues
15 You Don’t Know What Love Is
16 Fell in Love With a Girl
17 Ball and Biscuit
18 [encore break]
19 Blue Orchid
20 I Just Don’t Know What To Do with Myself
21 Little Ghost
22 We’re Going to Be Friends
23 Little Bird
24 Catch Hell Blues
25 My Doorbell
26 Seven Nation Army
27 Boll Weevil

Support the White Stripes and purchase their official releases.

Avante-harpist Zeena Parkins played a central role in the Matmos concert discussed below. She performed a full array of harp sounds, from the beautiful melodic acoustic harp to the powerful and violent cacophony of her electric harp.

The concert offered for download below was a trio of Zeena, keyboardist Jamie Saft, and drummer Bobby Previte. They performed at the now-defunct jazz club Tonic, and provided an hour of compelling experimental jazz.

Download complete performance in FLAC [HERE].

More about FLAC

Zeena Parkins
with Jamie Saft (keyboard), Bobby Previte (drums)
2006-02-01
Tonic
New York, NY

Master Audience Recording
10 feet from stage and PA

Recorded by nyctaper
https://www.nyctaper.com

Core Sound Cardiods > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > flac

Tracklist:
01 Untitled Improvisational Piece [1:01:27]

PLEASE SUPPORT Zeena Parkins and purchase her CDs:

NYCTaper became PEITaper for a night when my annual vacation trip to Prince Edward Island crisscrossed with the White Stripes tour across Canada. Charlottetown is a beautiful old city on the water, and its quaint Civic Centre provided a uniquely intimate setting to experience Jack and Meg on tour. The White Stripes large stage set-up and the layout of the small hockey arena only allowed for about 1200 people in the facility.

I was seated in the first row of the stands, 3 seats from the front, directly in line and only 20 feet from the left PA speaker stack. As a result, the recording is quite clear and upfront. Additionally, the hockey boards provided a buffer from much of the noise of the crowd from the floor.

As you’ll hear in the recording offered for download below, the White Stripes used the intimate setting to perform a nice varied setlist and a high energy show–such that Charlottetown may be the best show of the entire Canadian tour.

This recording is no longer available due to Mr. White’s new strict anti-taping and anti-sharing policy.

White Stripes
2007-07-11
Civic Centre
Charlottetown
Prince Edward Island
Canada

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Section 18, Row A, Seat 9
20 Feet in Front of Left PA Stacks

DPA 4021’s > Marantz PMD-660 (Oade BCM) > flac

Premiere Download offered at
https://www.nyctaper.com
nyctaper@nyctaper.com

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:25:58]
01 Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
02 Icky Thump
03 Hotel Yorba
04 Cannon
05 I’m Slowly Turning Into You
06 Wasting My Time
07 Jolene
08 Catch Hell Blues
09 The Same Boy You’ve Always Known
10 I’m Finding It Harder To Be A Gentleman
11 I Think I Smell a Rat
12 In The Cold, Cold Night
13 You Don’t Know What Love Is
14 The Denial Twist
15 One More Cup of Coffee
16 We’re Going To Be Friends
17 Fell In Love With a Girl
18 Ball and a Biscuit
19 [encore break]
20 Black Math
21 Blue Orchid
22 Party of Special Things to Do
23 I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself
24 Seven Nation Army
25 Boll Weevil

As with all artists featured on this site, if you download this recording please visit White Stripes Website and purchase their commercial releases.

Support the White Stripes and purchase the new album Icky Thump