James Brown Live At The Apollo

Like any live album it’s filled with crowd noise. Worth a listen but JB translates his live sound into recordings it’s not much different, this is short enough to not be annoying

not reallly my thing but what a stage presence he must have had. the girls were going crazy.

Great live performance! Not exactly my kind of music, but it's still quite enjoyable.

This is mostly interesting as a peek into a moment in history, the early James Brown Show. The highlight is probably the introduction. There are a couple of fun performances, but honestly a lot of this pretty dated at this point 60 years later.

Another giant of musical history that just doesn't do it for me

Decent but so samey

Catching up so not doing usual format (might bin that format off altogether to be honest) It’s a solid 3

Yeah everyone sounds like they're having a quality time, can't knock it. Not into James Brown, but there is a tune he plays that's used in the When we were kings documentary and that's pretty decent.

Funky time this. I like that the intro proper sounded like the 60s Adam West Batman. I also back how he just announced the upcoming set list. Just a good time seeing that live. I’m just going to do my favourite as every song could be used for a run or karaoke. My favourite song was Try Me

first listen decent live soul, i though he only did funk smh

Ha, yeah I don't know, this is great, it's fine. I have a hard time caring about live performances. They are so limited. I know this is supposedly legendary, so trying to listen to it through that lens is somewhat disappointing. James Brown is great though, this kind of stuff is just kind of ho-hum on this list.

A nice album enjoy the instrumentation

Ehhhh, it's not bad, just not for me, the live crowd slightly detract from this.

The front half of this album is really strong, I loved the energy, the songs that didn't work for me were lost someone, and the medley. 7/10

très bon cuivre, bon public, un peu long à écouter en une fois

James Brown Live at the Apollo is probably his higest point in his career. The singer is very confident in his ability on this live record and rightfully so - he has a great voice and has enough charisma to fill an entire concert hall. This is a very entertaining album, perfect for a saturday night frenzy, something to help you give it all on the dancefloor. James Brown being called grandfather of soul is a statement very close to the truth. The songs flow from one to another as in a concept album. No breaks between them (which probably is a point in this version) make it feel like you are on an ocean, and the tides just keep crashing onto you, with just couple of seconds in-between to catch breath. If the point of this game would be to rate an album in context of the specific genre it is recorded in, then it has to be rated as high as possible. But I think the main idea is to rate it as you like it personally, right now, without any context. And in this case I enjoyed it, but it's not something I will come back to anytime in the near future.

Yeah, enjoyed that more than I thought I would

James Brown is a big soul man.

Got what a tight ship Brown ran. Band is spot on for a live performance. However - the songs seem somewhat truncated and the whole things sounds like JB was rushing through the set. Never heard a live set sound so much like a production line before. Brown’s vocal quality and energy is undeniable however, I think a lot is lost when we remove the visuals. Standout track for me is “I Don’t Mind”. Overall, short and very sweet.

loved that this wasn't a super long album, and I love listening to James Brown sing of course, and the band was great, but I'm not really into live albums in general and would rather just listen to the studio versions.

Vanskelig å ikke bli litt revet med

Ow! Huh! Waaaaaah! Huh! Wooooooah! Good God!

Bon divertissement, on se croirait là, le genre d'album qui doit être cool en vinyle juste pour le vibe que ça donne.

Nothing stood out

A classic. Not fully to my taste but would listen again if someone put it on one evening!

Good music, great voice! I think I would have personally preferred a non-live version more but you could feel his and the crowd's energy so that was cool

Good album. Was pretty fun with it being a live album from so long ago.

Enjoyable, not my favorite. Shortest concert ever?

I was excited to check out this album, as I have heard of the legendary performer James Brown. My first impression was that the music was just alright. I didn't hate it but I was expecting to enjoy it a lot more and maybe include a hit or two that I had heard of but didn't realize was one of his songs. I am going to give this another listen to fairly judge it.

James Browns powerful vocals shine bright in this live album. You really get a sense of his showmanship with how you hear the audience react to him. Good album, I'm just personally not a huge James Brown fan

I wish I could have seen this live! Can't say I'm a huge Brown fan, but enjoy the vibe and the energy he brings to his music. I enjoyed this album. Was perfect for preparing budget templates. 3.5

3 James Brown is one of my favorite cameos in Blues Brothers so I loved hearing the music that influenced the movie. Pretty good live album, energy is really high and JB does a great job with controlling the crowd through interactions or whatnot. Musically I hasn’t left much of an impression but I think it’s an album to listen to just for the vibe

Totally fine. Doesn’t have much in the way of iconic tracks but shows the electricity Brown brings to the live setting.

Great voice

3, wild

Great energy in the performance.

good

The essense of James Brown is captured in this recording. Especially the Please Please Please medley is a tour de force of the power and energy of James Brown

-A new listen for me. I'm shocked this doesn't have so many more listens on Spotify. Does this mean that it's not a good entry point for JB? -The production on this is super interesting. The mics seem...not underproduced? But there's not a ton of production here either. It seems like the vocals and the audience mic are one and the same. -For being from the 60s, you can barely tell that this wasn't recorded in a studio. Overdubs? -The bass and drums are carrying the groove of the instrumentation here. -His vocals are GREAT on Lost Someone (waoh that SCREAM) -oh my god this track goes on for seven more minutes -This song to me is peak James Brown -WOAH THESE SCREAMS -The band is carrying -Very awesome all around. Would be curious to see how this stacks up to his studio work if there are other albums of his on the list (and I'm sure there are).

Dit was prima te hebben van die ouwe heer, die eigenlijk toen nog helemaal niet zo oud was, maar wel zo klinkt.

Alsof ik naar een soort funky kerkdienst zat te luisteren, die interactie tussen James en zijn publiek. Heerlijk!

This is the first James Brown album I've ever heard, gotta say "Think", "Lost Someone", and "Night Train" were my faves from there

Held up as a giant among albums, but I could take it or leave it.

Didn’t think I’d enjoy this as much as I did. Great energy.

4 Love it Think a 3

Obviously quite a performance from a Brown oozing with passion. But the music is no match to the singer, and the songs themselves are not that special.

this is a good album; in the live concert, his passion comes thru

Nice, enjoyable. Great vocal chops.

This album bustles with energy and is a lot of fun, though I do prefer Brown's slightly later stuff (his mid-60s to 70s repertoire is incredible) It truly is a landmark recording, capturing such an iconic singer blowing up with a raucous audience all around, I just wish I liked the songs more tbh

Short and screamy, but a good intro to JB and captures the vibe. Band is air tight!

James Brown sounds like an incredible performer. He's putting his heart and soul out, and the band does an excellent job backing him up. Sounds a lot more rock n roll and less funk than his studio work. It's a peculiar album, only a half hour in length, with 8 out of 11 tracks taking place in the first 10 minutes, alternating between wild rock songs and slower R&B / doo wop pieces. Brown's interjections define this piece, and I could only imagine how mind-blowing this would be to contemporary listeners. Sounds like his teenage girl audience goes crazy over it! I was impressed by the set list: the progression, styles, and lengths. "Lost Someone" is certainly the star track, after multiple listens the time still flies by. I was expecting a more invigorating experience from Brown overall. Not too many moments stuck out to me. (I was expecting pieces comparable to his hits.) Also, the ending was dull, even the audience seemed to stop caring.

As someone who is the biggest fan of soul music, the shit fucking rocks. Reminder James Browns in this album was not auto tune. His volcas are amazing. This album you can try to and jam to. If you are/getting into old soul music, LISTEN TO JAMES BROWN. 3/5

I love live shows but I'm not much for live albums. It's just not the same. The girls screaming bloody fucking murder between each of his sentences was a pain to listen to. Great music though. I'll give it that.

Soulfull album, klinkt als een leuk optreden om live bij aanwezig te zijn geweest. Bij deze opname klinkt het publiek af en toe wel heel sterk door

Disco en vivo que está bien y punto. Buenos metales, buena voz pero nada que me brincara mucho.

De los discos en vivo de esa época que nos han tocado este ha sido el que menos me ha llamado. Mucho menos enérgico que otros como el de Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis o B.B. King y me no sentí que tuviera los éxitos que esperaba. Tampoco es malo, por lo que alcanza la tercera estrella.

This album was a joy to listen to. Funky, soulful, life affirming. Would listen again

Was good, not to into it though.

It was Ight

James Brown had some slick tricks, still not a fan of live albums though

As with the majority of these ''older'' genres: Nice to hear once but thats about it

Ok

very enjoyable live album, James Brown and his vocal are really phenomenal; solid 3,5

Live at the Apollo was a great jazz album that lead itself as something akin to a time capsule. It is wonderful to experience the energy from the crowd back in the day. Any woman over the age of 60 who complain about the way girls go gaga for singers these days, should take a good listen to this album, nothing has changed. Best: Try Me Worst: Think

Loved the live audience and the energy

Notes written

engaging, as Brown usual

Pretty good live album

It's James Brown. He's good. But, I dunno maybe it's the live-ness but as an album it started to drag.

Cracking good fun! Loved it! Sounded like a brilliant gig! James Brown baby!

Another live album on the bounce? Goddamn it. So James Brown is infinitely more talented than Cheap Trick (yesterday's live album) and its on that basis alone that this album is going to get three stars. These songs, studio recorded and with production involved, would get 5. Hands down. But live albums can get in the goddamn sea.

fun

Very exciting, energetic, fun performance. Good doo-wop. Amazing to think James Brown was a leading early 60s soul man as well as the godfather of funk in 70s.

Not really a James Brown fan, but you can't deny the legacy of the man and the energy of this album. Some performers thrive with live performances and clearly with this and other Apollo live recordings, he is at the top of his game in front of a live audience. He truly is the hardest working man in show biz!

1/17/22

Good live album 3 stars

I really like James Brown, but for some reason this album just didn’t resonate with me. My favorite song was actually “Down and Out in New York City”, which came up as a spotify radio recommendation after I finished the live show. Album highlight: Emily walked in from her run and asked why i was listening to someone screaming 😂

14th January 2022 Listened in the shower and while shaving. Went out with coopy and ebbs in the evening. Lovely little half hour with the hardest working man in show business. Great to hear the reaction of him playing to a live audience.

Fun! But would prefer a studio album.

I Have confession, I found this album a bit of a slog to get into. Maybe it was my mood but I just didn't find this as good as Live at the Apollo Vol II which I used to play to death as a teen. Something about it just misses the mark for me. Maybe the mix or production doesn't do it justice on Spotify - I feel like I am listening to the gig for the foyer rather than being up front in the thick of the action

Die Band ist einfach nur geil. Finde die Songs nicht so wahnsinnig gut, aber die Arrangements und die Performance sind der Hammer.

Not the best live album I’ve heard, but enjoyable enough

Quality soul from the hardest working man in music.

Another live album? 🥴 🥴 🥴 Palpable energy and soul here, but that crowd is so jarring and distracting.

SHACK

I saw James brown live at Glastonbury when he was allegedly 80 odd, but in reality he was probably 100. Was underwhelming as he didn't do much other than shout James brown while everyone else did the work. This album surprised me because he actually sings on it.

A cyclops on cocaine tugging himself off to the memory of the surrogate mother of his first born.

It was okay. Not my type of vibe, but I liked Night Train. I can imagine watching this live must have ben fun, not the same experience when you're just sitting at home

The smoke man live was better

Solid piece of live music. However, I sorta dislike music in general, I don't have the headphones to make it sound "Real." So all I get is some sort of subpar recording with overblown screaming and shouting in the background. It's cool, but I also kind of hate it is a format.

I'm noticing a pattern with a lot of these albums where I can recognize that, yes, this is Good Music, and it's fairly enjoyable to listen to, but it doesn't really do very much for me. Will I put this on again? Most likely, no. But it was an enjoyable experience nevertheless. Bonus points for the girls going absolutely hogwild during Lost Someone, haha.

6/10

Very funky, very disco, much shouting

Good album despite being live.

Some songs are bit to short and poppy. A good energy throughout with a good funky soul sound.

I början visade albumet på höga strukturella kvaliteter. Genom att hålla låtarna koncisa och utvecklande lyckades musiken. Detta gjorde de inledande låtarna minnesvärda men efter albumets gång tappades den kärnfulla egenskapen men också den medryckande känslan. De senare låtarna var inte alls lika sammanhållande och gav en känsla av ett obearbetat resultat. Samtidigt är sångarens vackra raspiga röst perfekt för den svängiga stil som albumet konstruerar.

Soul med masser af energi, live

Quite nice little album. Not sure if I'd listen again though

Very energetic, must have been amazing to be there. I'm not a big fan of live recordings in general, but I can see how this one might be an exception (were it not for all the screaming).

Good

I can feel the funk. Fart och fläkt hela halvtimmen i detta livealbum! Gillart. Love Someone är albumets egentliga höjdpunkt, en 10 minuter lång, briljant sånguppvisning. Men jag kan ändå inte bortse från den lite lugnare, nedtonade I Don't Mind, som är otroligt vacker i sin enkelhet. Bästa låt: I Don't Mind. Även om alla bör lyssna på Lost Someone minst en handfull gånger i livet.

Just what it says.. ya need to see him tho

Too fast...

The hardest working man in show business shows exactly why he is that. Old school soul and R&B doing it right. The crowd is as much as an instrument in this as well. Best Tracks: I'll Go Crazy; Medley; Night Train

It's hard to pick against James Brown, but the mix was awful and so was all the screaming. This was not the experience I was hoping it would be. Best track: the medley

Decent early more blue-sy. 3.5/5

There's some balancing issues. None of my favourite tracks were on it. And at 30 minutes, it felt like it should have packed more of a punch than it did... But it's still James Brown. Performance and presence out the hole

I like James Brown, but never a fan of live albums

September 30, 2021 This was fine but kind of long and rambly. Not bad, just not for me.

To much crowd noises.

Pretty good stuff. 0RS

Great voice, good songs I guess my problem is that they all sound like standards, and like I've heard them 100 times before, even when I haven't.

it was okay, i like his voice but it wasn’t that fun to listen to 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Uncomplicated fun. James Brown is great to listen to, although this particular selection of songs isn't necessarily my favourite - being recorded in 1962 it has a huge 50s flair/sound to it and I'm not a big fan of that era (e.g. doowop) but nevertheless it's a highly enjoyable collection especially (mostly?) because it's live. And that intro is fantastic :) 6/10 3 stars - will never be a keeper for me but would reach for this again in the right setting.

Fun

A preview of his later glory, but doesn’t stand alone as something I’d play again and again.

Short and sweet. Nice one.

R&B, soul

Not bad. Probably wouldn’t put it on, but wouldn’t necessarily turn it off either.

Fun little piece of history but not something I'd go back and listen to

Big James Brown fan but this album really isn't that good. "Lost Someone" was pretty cool though.

First time listening to a full James Brown album. Leaning a little more on the doo-wop era than I would have hoped. Not a bad thing, just not my choice of genre in the grand scheme of things. Still so much talent on display here.

Here's the thing. I like James Brown typically, but I really don't like live albums. They tend to be worse quality musically than studio, as you'd expect. As a result, this is not the best album, even though it has alright music.

Well that was fun. That show must have been hott! Good album I will listen again soon. 3 🌟

Pretty good, but not quite as great as some of his later stuff.

Good stuff, makes me want to listen to more James brown, but not this album

Sounds great but very samey

Likes: I’ll Go Crazy Lost Someone Medley:Please Please Please/You’ve Got the Power/... Night Train Dislikes: Try Me I Don’t Mind

1962 GOT DAMN. Our boy JB improved throughout the 60s, but his rise to fame wasn't a fluke.

Meh, pretty boring. Nothing special for now, but I get the significance it had

Flows seamlessly. You can hear what a consummate entertainer your man was. I was of course privileged enough to see him live, supporting the Chilli Peppers(!) And oh! Could he get a crowd on up. This really rolls by, and I feel bad giving it the same grade as Black Sabbath, but hopefully by now we’re all aware I made an error in that grade that I'm paying for now.

I get why this is such an important record but honestly the live recording makes it a little hard for me to fully get into.

Es James Brown, pero odio los discos en directo.

Live albums are always a bit weird for me. But a vibe. Good for a studying.

Like the Fela album, I love JB but this isn't great. It's fine though, and the band is super tight. I just think his later stuff is so much better.

good performance, a bit before what I think of as James Brown primetime

Didn’t really hold my attention

I wasn't as mad about it as the women in the crowd, still good though. Loads of energy from James Brown as expected.

It was a strange inclusion on this list in my opinion. Maybe if I listen to more James Brown music then revisit it I will appreciate it more but it didn’t do a whole lot for me. Light 6/10

Classic and identifiable James Brown. Alright but all the tracks start to sound the same after a while. ***

‘Twas a fine album, but I probably won’t listen again too much. Low 3 from moi

Definitely thought (and hoped) this would be more rowdy. Voice is incredible though. I don't Mind is the highlight for me. Too much screaming.

I know TGFOS’s main hits and a little of his lesser known stuff, but this was a good intro to his soul years, and live nonetheless. Enjoyed this one, but wasn’t a massive fan. Might revisit. Might not.

My dad loves James Brown so I listened to him quite a bit growing up. This album is good not great especially compared to what I know it could be

Always enjoy the godfather of soul, but the recording made it hard to hear him. Though listening to the audience at the Apollo Theater was fun. I would have had to be there.

Powerful and fun

I like James Brown but I listened to this in the morning and I think I just wasn't in the right mood

Was good but nothing special, was expecting more. The fact it was live added to it, I miss gigs.

For live albums to work they have to be great performances. Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, Elvis comeback special no.1440, something like that. This is decent without me really ever paying close attention. I also for some reason felt like James Brown had a bit of Jimmy Saville about him. Everything about this album is good without being great. The Voice, The tunes, the music. All good. The crowd noise sounds like they put it on afterwards. I'm not having it people screamed and clapped like that. Maybe this gets a 3 as i feel bad about calling him a nonce and "I Don't Mind" is a magnificent song!

Nice, quick entertaining listen. It's James Brown innit?

Great but so short :(

Good but not something id nornally listen to

Although this sounds good on speakers, maaan it must have been something to see JB's energy live on stage. I bet this concert was legendary

It is not a bad concert, although it is not my style

I love the opening fanfare. I want an opening fanfare at all times please. I’m not usually a huge fan of live albums, too much screaming from the audience and it doesn’t always flow as well as it would in person. James Brown is clearly playing to the audience and they are eating it up. This is fun, but I’d rather listen to a studio album from James Brown.

Great primal funk, still with lots of R&B roots and an emphasis on the "B(lues)" part of it.

Short, fun, soul & blues. Lots of screaming women.

Jazzy feeling and love a good live album. Full of soul and energy. Props to the double bassist, really fills the band out Vocals drop in and out a couple of times but not too noticeable. 3/5

It’s powerful and clearly showing his potential but I’m too far from that era to experience it properly.

Great Horns. Favorite Tracks: Night Train

This was great. Never listened to this album before. Incredible live performance.

I didn’t do this cause I’d already seen this one, it was pretty good. Micheal McIntyre introduced him and I think Jack Dee did a set after!

Fun, quick, easy

it wasnt exactly my favorite style of music. but the guy can definitely play music well

The girls screaming throughout are incredibly annoying but otherwise an awesome live album (which I normally dislike).

Lovely to hear James sing.

Some bangers but too much breaking it down, taking it to the bridge and shouting. Maybe cause it was a live album.

3.4

kann man machen... bisschen kurz

Great voice live, lots of energy. Not really my scene for the whole album.

Great album even if not my gendre

Funky 3,5

Sounds like a fun concert. James leans a little more towards Sam Cooke than I expected him to. He really knows how to work a crowd. The medleys are great. Favorite tracks: "I'll Go Crazy", "Please Please Please"

He's got better

After yesterday's Smiths album, I was hoping for someone a bit less problematic than Morrissey today. Alas, here we are. At least he has a less annoying voice than Morrissey.

I like James Brown, but I prefer to listen to the music without a live crowd. The yelling and screaming of the crowd was too much of a distraction for me.

Great voice, but other than that it doesn't really do much for me.

2/4

It was okay

Not really my cup of tea. I would give it a 2, but let me think about it till the reating.

Pretty old style

Eh maybe if I knew who James brown is I'd care more

Given what an energetic performer James Brown is, I was kind of surprised by how boring this was. It's basically the same mid-tempo song over and over again, set against a background of belligerent audience heckling

Pretty uninteresting and I don’t like live albums

Sorry men 20 minuter är inte ett album

On parempiakin Brownin levyjä. ⭐️⭐️

This album is not my style at all, i didn't like most of the songs, some of them were good, but in general, i didn't like it.

het geschreeuw en gejuich op de achtergrond is ZO zo afleidend

There are a couple very brief interludes of interesting instrumentation - the vocals are horrific.

two stars for the song tears also come on a twenty minute song is way to much

Not my vibe

There are a lot of reasons I don’t like live albums. This one invoked all of them. Thank God James Brown just has a really good sound. Anything lesssr and this would’ve been a one.

2 Wow, the crowd sure was happy to be there

This is one of those records that garnered lots of accolades, but it doesn't resonate with me. The band is tight, but the songs are lacking from this era.

This could be good, I like James Brown's music. But the live aspect of the album makes it unbearable to listen to. Can people shut the fuck up and enjoy the music?

im sorry but honestly if i payed to hear this live, after the first song i would genuinely ask for my money back. tiene algunos elementos btw, pero no me gusto

I'm sure this was an awesome show to see in person. As with most live recording, this does nothing for me.

Ahhhhhh

I'm sure it was great if you were there - but not sure this recording does it justice. Does James Brown not have any good studio albums?

There’s a connection between the audience and the performer that must’ve been thrilling at the time. There certainly was an excitement to it and it’s an influential album, but it bored me to death. The consistent hyperdrive of the music wears on me. I prefer more restraint. Also his screams don’t charm me as they do for other people.

Not hitting like you'd think

No es mi tipo de música, supongo que es algo de su epoca

Selkeesti naisilla kostuu pikkarit, mutta omat Danish Guyt pysyy vielä jalassa.

not excited about live albums, James is a classic but this album is not.

i feel like i already heard this?

lovely instrumentals

Was really excited for the idea of this, thinking it would be a 4/5 but found it largely uninspiring in the end.

Had high hopes but was v disappointed:( Some nice moments but the soul did not touch my soul. And far too much screeching from both James and the audience which made for an unpleasant listening experience.

Enjoyed but also sad James brown makes me sad

Never had i listened to a James Brown album (or even song appart from i feel good i guess), and yeah i can see where people are coming from when saying that he's one of the most influencial artist ever. Pretty boring tho. Got hyped during the first song when the brasses came on during the anouncement, but that's pretty much it. I know its a recording from the early 60s, but damn, all i heard was the bassist, and sometime JB's voice coming from the left. Not my shit, -1 for being an asshole, +1 for basically being the first musician ever

His voice is so finely controlled but loose and expressive it’s insane. Vocal performance aside though, I wasn’t feeling this one. It’s probably a symptom of it being another live album but some tracks were quick & abrupt, while others ambled slowly to the finish. It never felt like the album found its footing to me, but I can totally see the appeal. A personal very strong two. STAND-OUT SONG: “Try Me” HONORABLE MENTION: “I’ll Go Crazy”

2 stars

I respect his talent, but this kind of music just doesn't suit me

I don't know why I listen to this, it is boring as per usually, all the screaming and improv are really not my cup of tea... 😐

Not really my thing

Troppo chiasso

2 stars?? Idk this isnt really my vibe but I enjoyed it❤️

It was an alright listen. I do love this type of music, but wasn't overall a fan of this. I didn't hate it, but also didn't enjoy it as much as I do this type of music on average. It was fine, but I wouldn't come back to it. Probably 2.5-2.75?

Would be higher if it wasn't a live album

I like James Brown, but not this album.

Given the songs I know by James Brown, I didn't expect to be this bored. Especially the 11 minute one. Yowza. I also don't usually get anything out of a live album unless i'm a huge fan.

Meh There was too much faffing about on this for a 30 minute album The small upbeat sections of music would raise my hopes, only to be dashed as being an intro to another slow song I was disappointed by this

this one didn't really age well... not getting it

It's fine, it's short at least

Pretty cool, but not my tempo. I’m not a big live album person.

not my jam

Far too much screaming

I hope the tickets weren't expensive. At no point during this half-hour concert did I feel like I'd missed out because I wasn't there. At least the recording quality isn't dogshit.

Meg

Semmosta, kait ollut huippuhupia tuohon aikaan. Innokkaita ihmisiä ainakin yleisössä. Mutta ei tämä minua pistänyt himotuttaan.

Too screetchy

Seems like a transition period between crooner Brown and frenetic Brown. I say this based on no evidence.

I think the only live album I need to hear before I die is NOFX's I've Heard They Suck Live. This was fine, but it's a live album, I'm generally only a fan if I love the band

Nice album with rather thin feeling without being at the venue. I expected more just based on presumptions.

Cover federe end musikken.

Kind of interested to listen to this...I thought it would be funky. Maybe the funk phase came later. This just felt like a not very interesting live recording of some soul-type music. Didn't love it.

1. intro - 0 2. crazy - 2 3. try - 3 4. bridge - 0 5. think - 1 6. bridge - 0 7. mind - 2 8. bridge - 0 9. lozt - 2 10. pleaze - 1 11. night - 1

Quite ni e but didnt add any wasnt feling th emoment

not for me but not bad

Had this album before on my own list. Was decent. I liked Think. 2.5

No me gustó

Best Track - "I'll Go Crazy"

did not care for this at all. it was mostly just background music. the screaming fans were SO annoying. 4/10

Album 163. James Brown Live At The Apollo (https://open.spotify.com/album/0B6BbyElOe4bwziJrunOTe?si=sfV8FwgRTEu5woyGoe74MA) — James Brown (1963) Not bad, it has energy 2/5 Liked: — Try Me

Listened in the car. Man Dimery must love live albums as this is the 5th one I've had since starting in January. It's a shame because I really don't like live albums at all for the most part. Live shows have a big visual aspect which is lost in an audio only format. They can never truly capture the crowd energy and they end up leaving a "well, you had to be there" feeling with me. This one is no exception. It sounds like an amazing show, but I just found myself zoning out while he interacted with a crowd I'm not in and can't see and barely hear. Hope there aren't many more live records on this list.

Look I fell asleep while first listening to this but my impressions were it was pretty piss weak in terms of blues music, I mean you’re going up against Elvis, Nina Simone and I guess the start of the Beatles and the best you can do is a little screaming, the same filler ostinatos heard when they first put pianos in the logging camps and a brass section blaring over everything? Mostly I just feel like the lyrics are both repetitive and derivative. Also his mic keeps cutting out. That being said he is a compelling singer. These are just not very interesting songs. They just kinda read like a disconnected collection of things to say to ones love. This album has merit but it’s not concentrated enough to listen to. 2/5

Not very exciting, 4/10

eeeeeeeemm. Curioso.

me encanta que está re cortico, el flow es suave pero igual me ha parecido como bien, al final estuvo aburrido pero no fue como supper maluco de escuchar

live album

Звучить добре, але я не буду це переслуховувати, це 2,5

Me gustó bastante

I liked "I'll go crazy"

The (far too) frequent additions of live albums to this list had me invent the concept of "dead" albums. How has a black metal band not done this?? Put a field recording mic in a grave and release that shit. The atmosphere would probably be less grating. Unless you could hear stuff wiggling around or whatnot. Not good. Anyway, we get an obnoxious crowd for another full-length release rather than the thankfully silent corpses. I'm telling you, Euronymous is punching air right now that this wasn't Mayhem's follow-up to Dead's suicide. Introductions are done by Fats Gonder. Where has the nickname "Fats" gone? It would seem that it is no longer "en vogue" and has gone the way of the 10 cent trolley ticket. Even our most corpulent celebrities are too cowardly to rock the name Fats these days. Just own the girth. Wear a Mumu and one of those plushy hats. Life becomes an easier slog once you do. Just another sign society has crumbled to where it is no longer recognizable as a positive structure. Surprisingly, the old days understood short attention spans when it came to music. We only had to endure 31 minutes of shrieking women alongside what was a energetically performed, albeit sort of boring set from Mr. Way More Popular Than I Thought He Was, James Brown. A fun game I like to play when I'm bored (see above) is to go back and try to figure out which famous people had undiagnosed ADHD in the 60's/70's. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: This had to be one of the sweatier shows that year.

Unfortunately this was everything I hate about Live albums. Sure, James Brown does a great job of working the crowd, but... listening to a load of people just screaming in a call-and-response style is not particularly pleasant. The music was great, and James' voice is fantastic and extremely soulful (if a little shouty). Would have been a 4 if it weren't a Live version. 2 because my ears hurt from the excessive screaming.

I generally enjoyed the music but the amount of screaming from the crowd completely ruined it. 3 lowered to a 2 because of the screaming

The main focus of this live album seems to be James Brown's vocal vamping, which for a lesser singer would just be screaming. Brown manages to stay on pitch and keep his emotional focus, even though he really is screaming. It's impressive. Beyond that though... I just wasn't impressed. Nothing else memorable. I'm glad some of the rest of y'all enjoyed it so much. Not for me.

No le di mucha atención, no me cerro 5/10

Quel dommage que le seul album de JB soit Live... Tout est gâché par les hurlements stridents, insupportables et incessants du public. Les titres en eux-mêmes mériteraient 4 ou 5 étoiles.

Was okay. Mostly covers of things i think? idk, i wasn't the biggest fan.

This album is not bad exactly, but it isn't interesting either.

11 songs in 31 minutes? James Brown really is the hardest working man in show business. Fats Gonder is going to be my new alter ego. I like James Brown in general, but this is not my favorite album. I picture him doing James Brown stuff during the bridges and feel like this album is missing a visual medium. Five two minute songs, a 3 minute song and a six minute song crowded around an 11 minute song. The audience participation is hilarious.

Just not my thing for some reason

1.5 stars Maybe this was something worth listening to at the time. But I would never listen to this again. Live music with low sound quality, songs that have not stood the test of time, and screams from the audience for every wail he makes that don’t translate in the modern era. It’s a historical document that does not provide for an interesting listen.

James Brown has such a recognizable voice, not a huge fan but I can appreciate his music 2.5

2/5

Artiste connu uniquement par le tube 'Get on up', moyennement apprécié. Cet album est plus vieux, plutôt blues. Les parties rapides sont assez entrainantes (+1), et les morceaux sont en général plutôt courts, ce qui permet d'éviter de lasser. Malheureusement les 2 exceptions sont à 6 et 10 mn, et là l'ennui vient vite : "Lost Someone" est interminable et musicalement sans intérêt (terriblement répétitif et lent) ... mais le public semble apprécier. Pas de seconde écoute pour moi. =>2/5

no me gusta cuando son grabaciones de concierto tampoco me llamo la atención

Dobar lajv, ali sam možda očekivala malo više. Nisam prije slušala. 2/5, 3/10

Bit too much audience noise for my taste, but I can see that being a draw for some people.

To be honest, I never really got into James brown because his vocal style never really appealed to me. That said, I thought this was a decent live album. The musical instrumentation stood out the most for me.

In terms of importance and historical interest, this album is amazing. It's very rare to see interaction with audiences feel so real, where the push and oull of stage presence to an audience is palpable, and this record really shows it. As Robert Christgau noted in his review of the album, it estaished "Brown as an r&b superstar and a sales force to be reckoned with, it's a time capsule, living testament of a chitlin circuit now defunct." In this way, the album is important to listen to, and should be listened to for years to come. In regards to the music though? I'm not a fan. The soul and funk that came to define James Brown's work isn't fully developed yet, and while his stage presence and mannerism are immaculate, there are only so many times I can hear him scream, get excited, only for him to switch into crooning mode. It's not terrible, but the songs are not for me, and despite it being a live album there still feels like control is needed, like Brown isn't fully committing style wise (unlike a similar album released around the same period). Overall, it's an historically important album, but not a good album.

I didn’t care for this live show. Not sure how it made this list. Surely there are better James Brown albums than this?

Not his best work

Somehow, this record makes James Brown seem kind of "generic and boring"! What in the world!

James Bram, no doubt, is a talented musician and entertainer, and the musicians on this album are all great. That said I just don't see myself ever putting this album on again. I didn't mind listening to it but it's not something I would probably go back to. Two stars.

Rhythm section merchant. I understand why people would like this but I overdosed

A live album isn’t a best of album, it a best of live performance. Another case of not wanting to put a best of compilation so you give em a live album since they don’t actually have a BEST album.

I had a hard time getting into this one. Couldn’t keep my attention.

Big fan of James Brown and understand the historical relevance of the album. Huge detractors to rate it higher is the length and song selection for the album version; it’s just a sampler of the impact of his live show.

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

-live sounds are kinda cool -feels more about the collective album rather than any individual tracks -not something I like very much but I appreciate the experience of it

Slightly aged. And his screaming/vocals are not always my favour. And - as always - I rate it down just because it is a live album. But I like the cover artwork. 1,5

Meh…too much screaming

Not my vibe

Live album noooo

Das Geschrei im Hintergrund hat genervt

Ужасно тяжело слушать это в 2026 году. Разве что только для академического интереса

too much screaming for me

I didnt like it live, his oww's really started to irritate. I suspect I might have quite enjoyed it if it had been an ordinary album

I'm not sure why this live album was included. James Brown has many quality albums that could be on this list instead.

The music is fine, and if this was a studio album it might have been better, it takes something special to make a good live album & this wasn't it

Didn't quite feel what the audience seemed to be experiencing.

like James Brown but this is meh 2.5/5

Eh not my fav

Zeker niet slecht, zou het niet snel nog eens luisteren.

James Brown has two sides: his early career delivered timeless R&B/soul classics full of raw energy, while his later years, marred by drug addiction, often felt like a diminished, self-parodying version of his former self. In the early 1960s he was best known for explosive hit singles. This is the only James Brown album I’ve really listened to, and it didn’t impress me much.

Fun if formulaic song structures, talented musicians and back up singers and then James and his scrotum squeeze voice. Yeah, I don't think anyone needs to hear this before they die, I certainly didn't.

Groovy, but no. 2

Too much for me