After wrapping up a Spring tour opening for the Grateful Dead in various cities on the East Coast, the New Riders kept their tour bus wheels rolling into Clark University in Worcester on this April evening, despite a massi... more »ve snow storm. The Dead's Keith Godchaux sits in the entire evening on piano, making this show a real treat with his honky tonk riffs and fills. Donna Jean Godchaux also gets into the act, singing background on "Long Black Veil" and lead vocals on the Loretta Lynn classic, "You Ain't Woman Enough." This is the New Riders in their prime, and features classic, jammed out versions of "Dirty Business," "Portland Woman" and " Willie and the Hand Jive."« less
After wrapping up a Spring tour opening for the Grateful Dead in various cities on the East Coast, the New Riders kept their tour bus wheels rolling into Clark University in Worcester on this April evening, despite a massive snow storm. The Dead's Keith Godchaux sits in the entire evening on piano, making this show a real treat with his honky tonk riffs and fills. Donna Jean Godchaux also gets into the act, singing background on "Long Black Veil" and lead vocals on the Loretta Lynn classic, "You Ain't Woman Enough." This is the New Riders in their prime, and features classic, jammed out versions of "Dirty Business," "Portland Woman" and " Willie and the Hand Jive."
CD Reviews
...and truthfully, 3 stars may be stretching it...
Richard D. Hodgson | Madera, CA United States | 01/31/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I really like New Riders, and for years there has been a serious shortage of material from this band available on CD. So in that respect it's nice to see somebody releasing "authorized bootlegs" of early concerts. It's also great that some of the early Columbia releases are starting to show up (as imports, mostly). But this release is really a disappointment. First of all, as "music fan" already noted, these really ARE CD-R's. That really doesn't bother me as such, though it seems pretty odd for a commercially released CD. More disappointing is the truly dreadful sound quality. This same label has released two other early NRPS live shows, including the really terrific "Live at Veneta, OR, 8/27/72", which I highly recommend, and another decent recording from Boston Music Hall (12/5/72). But I'm having a really hard time recommending this one. Like the Dead's "Dick's Picks" series, the box label warns that the sound quality is not superb, and that it comes from 30 year old 1/2-track (probably 1/4") reels recorded at 7 1/2 ips (which is the bare minimum tape speed for anything approaching high fidelity) so you don't expect it to sound great. But by the time you approach the end of the second disc it sounds so awful that it literally could have been recorded on a $20 cassette portable. In addition, the band is really not performing at its peak, either, depite the appearances of Keith & Donna Godchaux. If budget priced, merely for its historic value, this would still be an ok set. But all things considered, at twenty bucks it really is a bit of a rip-off. Rabid NRPS fans and completists will probably want to have this (yeah, I'm keeping mine, too) but for anyone else I'd recommend taking a pass."
CLASSIC RIDERS
D. Richards | BROOKLYN, N.Y. United States | 09/25/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"After so many years of just listening to "Home, Home On The Road"
it's really nice to see some of these classic shows being released. Though the packaging is bare to the bones this was the first of three releases that are now available and each one gets better. If your a Riders fan you have to purchase these cd's. Brings me back to a time when all we did was party. I can still smell the weed. Now I'm 48, married with three kids, but the memories of those days live on especially in these recordings. Thanks N.R.P.S."
A rare treat!
James J. Jenkins | Weare, NH United States | 09/18/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"After listening to "Home, Home on the Road" on vinal for years it is a real treat to have a remastered cd version of NRPS. I give this release four stars because of the fact that it's a complete show, not some compilation. People who care want to hear a band develop a mood, and this one just keeps picking up steam. At first, the feeling is mellow (naturally) and after "Whatcha Gonna Do" it's clear that the boys are stoned. The rest of the first set/disc is great music, but the real gem is the second disc. It is more energetic, with longer jams and more interplay on stage. If you have never listened to NRPS before, I recommend you start with their studio efforts like their debut and "Powerglide" so you'll appreciate the live versions of these songs. However, since most people interested in reading this are already hooked on the good vibrations, buy this and revel in the happy tunes emanating from your speakers. Yes, the sound quality may leave something to be desired, but it's still very good all things considered, and I just turned up the sound and imagined I was there. Since there aren't many live shows out there, this is a must!"
Good Idea - Bad Result
James J. Jenkins | 01/30/2004
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Sound quality is really poor. It sounds like it's right off of the old tape with no mastering done at all. I'd agree that the songlist is great and it's great to finally see some live shows, but this is for the collector only. Where's Home, Home on the Road!!"
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1