James Brown Live At The Apollo

Hit me! Two times!! Uh, uh!!! The Godfather of Soul live on stage at the Apollo Theatre is like capturing a moment on wax for all of us not lucky enough to be there, but to feel like we were. A tight listen to early James Brown before he really funked it up (in the best way possible). 4.5⭐️

I like James Brown but I don't get how this is as highly rated as it is

Lindo disco de james brown. A pesar de ser un disco en vivo, sumamente disfrutable. Sendos temazos. El señor del soul.

This was good. Didnt finish though. Would though!

Fun listen.

FUCK YES!!!

I like james brown but can’t say this live album is my favourite.

Can’t believe he sounded like this in 1963. This man is one of a kind. The tracks run so smoothly into each other too. Just a great performance all around.

Really fun and solid. James emits energy and enthusiasm the whole time. I went into this not being a huge James Brown fan and left it listening to him in the background at work the rest of the day.

I’m not usually one for live albums but I really liked the energy of this. It sounded intimate and sweaty and entertaining and he was some performer. Terrible person but that’s not the point of this exercise

This is pretty much a jam

Very nice

man i wish i had his stage presence

My mother always complained "he's just up there screaming" and most of it is James "screaming" in his signature style. The emotion comes through most of it and really his the right balance. While there is some performative howling, the emotion is unmistakable.

3 - I know this album has a lot of historical significance. I did enjoy the album but felt you needed to be in the right mood to enjoy it. This isn't something I could listen to on a whim. While, this listen caught me in the right mood I would give it a 3.5 but not strong enough for me to round up in it's favor.

- The musical equivalent of a drive-by. A short, frenetic burst of energy that practically forces you to dance. - Everything is solid; "Lost Someone" is simply unreal, though. - Brown is such a master of levels. Levels of pitch, levels of volume, levels of emotion -- no surprise he started in gospel.

Good album but just not really my vibe. Bit slow for me, would prefer something a bit higher energy. The live crowd seemed to add for some songs but took away from others.

Solid throughout without being anything too special.

Live albums aren't always well-received, but that changes when it comes to the King of Soul, James Brown. There's not much I can say that hasn't been said before other than that James Brown didn't play ONE show. He was THE show. Period.

Hell yeah

Funk standard set. Will revisit. Essential listen.

Pretty good music but I didn’t enjoy the screaming. The other “live” elements were cool though and I enjoyed the “hot summer soul vibes”

sounds like they had a nice time

Self indulgent making me listening to some old cunt get some girls to scream at him. I don't care

James Brown is great and I would have loved to have seen him live in his heyday … But this album isn’t great.

I just love James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub. Seriously though, can you imagine how lit James Brown at the Apollo would have been? It DOES sound like a line recording from the 1960s though. And the crowd noise sometimes sounds like it was added in post. But get that these tracks are live, no dubs, no retakes, this band is right. The hardest working man in showbiz gets three stars.

Итс... окэй. Лучшая песня - Try Me.

Adorable.

I’m not the biggest James Brown fan, but I’ve got to give credit where it’s due—his energy on Live at the Apollo is off the charts. The crowd’s hype, the band is tight, and James Brown clearly knew how to put on a show. That said, it didn’t totally pull me in. The performance is impressive, but if you're not already a fan of his style, it might wear a little thin. Still, a historic live recording that helped shape soul and funk.

írják emberek a reviewkban, hogy zavarja őket a background screaming, pedig nekem az volt a kedvenc részem. 62ben (jóeg még a beatles se volt akkor) ez olyan botrány lehetett, hogy ez az egyetlen helyes reakció kb.

I enjoyed the horns and the swing style of a good portion of the tunes. I like Brown’s later work better though. These songs just did not do it for me. 4/10

**An ok album. Too much screaming for me, but understand that it’s James Brown style.

It's fine. James Brown has a great, classic & recognizable voice and the band behind him is good. I can't understand wtf he is saying half the time though. Not a huge fan of R&B/soul music either, so just overall average for me.

This is an easy 5 stars for me. Incredible vocals and it lives at the intersection of rock and roll, funk, big band, and Motown. It's like this album was cooked up in a lab to tickle my eardrums. Some of the songs went a little long but I enjoyed them all the way through. The few of the songs toward the end also sounded too similar. Altogether tho it slapped and magically improved my mood.

Livealbum

This is a lot of fun. I don't think the live aspect adds much, but it doesn't take too much away either. For some reason, despite James Brown's massive influence, the album doesn't quite do enough for me to give it a 5. I'm not sure entirely why, it is very good, but I like it rather than love it.

May be a classic in due to historical context, but I don't find it all that amazing to listen to. It is still OK though.

I feel like I'm missing half of the show with not being able to witness James Brown's performance on stage. Also, could this be any shorter? But, I enjoyed it none the less. I just wish there was more of it.

While I usually enjoy James Brown when I hear it, this album seemed underwhelming to me and very short. I couldn't feel the energy that usually comes from a JB album

One of the great live albums. Imagine how wild this sounded in 63.

7/10

3.75

If there’s one thing I picked up from this list is that funk music is incredible. This list got me to seriously listen to bands like War, Isaac Hayes and Sly & The Family Stone and that became some of my favorite music. James Brown is the originator of this style of music. The man who single handedly created this musical vocabulary. This show includes the essence of the style. Its jazz origins, the evocative vocals, the rhythmic styling. It’s all there with a great performance to cap it. I’m giving it four stars because I think Funk music has gone on to even greater heights since but this is a great listen.

Funny thing about music genres. I love jazz and blues, but are just outside soul for some reason. The kind of featured voice of James Brown is certainly interesting to listen to, but for me, it was a little too much about "the voice" and not the rhythm and blues and all the rest. I am sure it is great and all, but for me I like that whole band thing more. I think a voice is either the entire deal or it accompanies the band as a group. I have never loved the unacknowledged band. But this is not to be overstated! James Brown is great and all, it just isn't my direction in jazz per se.

I thought this was bobbins, it's a 1 from me. Just not a fan of the slower ballad-y songs, disappointed it didn't go harder

Thought this would be better. Good moments but I wanted the James Browne we see in Rocky strutting around singing I Feel Good.

It was fine but I'm not going to listen to it again

The screaming is fun but a bit much. When i went to see Red Hot Chili Peppers at hyde park in...05?06? something like that - James Brown was booed off the stage.

Meh, was expecting so much more from this. The screaming ladies save it from a 1 star

Not enough energy for me

Short but good.

This is a really interesting album. The first thing I noticed when scanning the tracklist was there’s none of the big iconic songs here. No I Feel Good, no Sex Machine or Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag. I wasn’t really familiar with any of the songs bar one. The album starts with an MC announcing James Brown. The audience shrieks in anticipation, and then - the music starts, and it’s immediately the funkiest most irresistible groove I’ve heard all year. And it carries on like this really. This is a band that are basically untouchable. There’s the screaming fans, who occasionally reach such a pitch that you guess Mr Brown has just busted out one of his most famous moves; there’s that gravelly voice; and there’s that brass section, soulful as all hell, backing it up. It’s a short album, 30 minutes, and honestly I could’ve listened to another 30. Might go and dig out that Greatest Hits CD I know I have somewhere…

I think I've mostly hear James Brown's hits and later work, but I really like this early 60s R&B sound. The band it tight as always, his voice is killer, and it sounds great.

Ow! So fun.

This is very awesome. The band has such good energy and the sound is great. It captures the energy of the crowd as well.

Entertaining listen and introduction to James Brown.

was high

hell yeah

the hardest working asshole in the show business delivers on one of the best live albums. 4/5

fun and enjoyable live performance

Many live albums end up feeling sterile and have worse sound quality. This album feels alive in the best way. It opens a window to an authentic night with James Brown. The crowd is electric and happy to be there, and James is giving the love back to them. I'll never know what it is like to be live at a James Brown show, but this album gives me a whiff of it, and for that reason, it is special.

not bad, classic JB, not my thing tho

Är bra, känns som man måste vart där, vet inte gillar ett gott skrik men känns överdrivet ibland.

Hide your daughters. The GOAT is in town!

Recording quality a bit distracting. Horns - LOUD! Crowd noises - LOUD! James Brown is James Brown, great singing/charisma Bouncy bass = fun Repetitve instrumental - soothing Stop trying to fuck the crowd it's weird Soul is good, soul feels good Themes of longing/yearning are well executed. Worth a revisit. Fave track: "I Don't Mind" Least fave track: "Try me"

I feel like I'm being railroaded here. I question whether a live album is appropriate for the list (even for the greatest live performer on earth) and I feel like I'm doing Mr. Dynamite a dirty by not giving this a five. Anything from Brown's JB's era is an easy five, as are some of the later Famous Flames albums (love The Popcorn) and while this is an amazing performance it doesn't actually translate to that great an album. The album starts with an intro to the set by Fats Gonder, promising some high energy R+B before dropping into Try Me - a fairly low energy doo wop number. Things pick up with Think, great horn cadenzas but it has nothing on the Lyn Collins number. I Don't Mind then goes back into a low energy soul number about not loving too hard. Lost Someone stays low energy and plods along for over 10 minutes. The players are fine but you really feel Brown carrying the tracks with his unique vocal style. There are full minutes of essentially the same phrase. Please Please Please is a great soul number and the crescendo at the end of I Found Someone is a terrific counterpoint to Lost Someone. Night Train finally closes us out with three and a half minutes of proper R+B to get you grooving but the payoff takes way too long. The saving grace of the album are the little vamps and hyping by the MC. You can visualise Brown sweating out each of the songs but you mostly just feel jealous that you weren't there on what must have been an iconic night - Brown basically staked his faltering career on this performance. Its an absolute travesty that this is the only James Brown album on the list. Surely one of the interminable prog bands could have made some more room for his later work.

p63. 1963. 2 stars. Not a fan of live albums, especially ones that have overdubbed applause. Good sound, but didn't hit the sweet spot for me.

very fun, i liked try me a lot

Way too much filler and enthusiasm for me

I usually don’t like live albums. I find that the studio albums sound better, and a recording just makes me sad that I’m not at the show since live music is the ultimate experience. But there are exceptions, and this is one of them. I think part of the enjoyment is the audience often brings just as much energy as James does. And all the hits are here. I like every song except the medley toward the end of the album. Toward the end of “I Don’t Mind” James sings the impassioned lyric “You’re going to miss me”, and coming from the audience a enraptured woman chimes in response “Yes I will, baby”. All these years after his death, she ain’t lying. I got to listen to this on King Records 1966 repress, which sounded great. I give it five out of five stars.

Nothing I'll ever seek out again due to personal preferences, but I'm glad it was on this list. Sounds like it was a religious experience for those in attendance, and James Brown was clearly a hell of a performer. 2.8

Classic. Very easy to imagine his energy on stage.

I thought this album was overrated at first, but I did have a wonderful and hypnotic time while listening to it. I did not want it to end, and that speaks volumes of its quality.

This album is the definition of soul, while laying the bricks in the foundation of Funk.

Introduction to James Brown and The Famous Flames n/a I'll Go Crazy 3.6 Try Me 3.7 Think 3.5 I Don't Mind 3.7 Lost Someone 4 Medley: Please, Please,Please/You've Got the Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Wany You So Bad 3.6 Night Train 3.5 Score: 3.657142857

Fabulous

i have quite literally no notes

Il y a des disques, des monuments, des piliers, des trucs qui figurent en gras dans toutes les encyclopédies du rock, de la soul, de la musique populaire, de la vie, de l'univers et du reste. Le "Live At The Apollo" de James Brown, est de cette trempe-là. Un disque tellement légendaire que le simple fait de le posséder dans sa discothèque semble vous conférer un brevet de bon goût, une sorte de certification "connaisseur" à accrocher au-dessus de la cheminée. Le livre "1001 Albums" le place là, en bonne position, et qui suis-je pour contester l'Histoire ? Personne. Juste un type qui, après une énième écoute, se dit que l'Histoire, parfois, c'est un peu chiant. Voilà, c'est dit. J'entends déjà les puristes : "Comment ça, chiant ? C'est l'énergie brute ! La naissance de la soul ! Le Godfather en pleine possession de ses moyens !". Oui, oui, je sais tout ça. J'ai lu les mêmes bouquins que vous. Je l'ai même vendu quand je bossais au magasin, en le recommandant chaudement comme un "indispensable". Mais l'honnêteté, merde ! C'est le but de ce blog. Et en toute honnêteté, ce disque est une épreuve. Je vais être clair : je ne remets pas en cause James Brown. Le bonhomme est un génie absolu, un titan dont l'ombre plane encore sur tout ce qui bouge, du funk au hip-hop en passant par le rock le plus basique. Prince, Michael Jackson, Public Enemy... tous lui doivent quelque chose. Son influence est aussi indiscutable que la connerie humaine. Mais ce disque... ce "Live At The Apollo" de 1962... est-ce vraiment le meilleur moyen de s'en rendre compte ? J'en doute fortement. Pour moi, cet album est le parfait exemple du "il fallait y être". J'imagine sans peine la folie furieuse dans la salle ce soir-là, à Harlem. La sueur, les cris, la transe. Brown qui se donne comme un damné, le groupe qui envoie la purée avec une cohésion de régiment prussien sous amphétamines. On l'entend, cette ferveur. On la sent presque physiquement. Le problème, c'est qu'une fois transposée sur une galette de vinyle (ou un CD, ne soyons pas sectaires), cette énergie brute se transforme en un brouhaha parfois difficilement audible. Ça braille, ça crie, ça souffle dans les cuivres, la foule hurle à s'en péter les cordes vocales. La prise de son est... disons, "authentique". Pour être moins poli, c'est un bordel sans nom. On a l'impression d'écouter le concert depuis les toilettes, avec la porte entrouverte. Les medleys s'enchaînent à une vitesse folle, les morceaux sont à peine esquissés avant de passer au suivant. On ne savoure rien. On subit une décharge électrique de 30 minutes qui, au lieu de vous réanimer, vous laisse juste avec un mal de crâne et l'envie de mettre un truc un peu plus... carré. Et c'est là que le problème. Moi, du haut de mes 55 balais, ce que j'aime chez James Brown, c'est la précision chirurgicale de sa machine funk. C'est le groove implacable des J.B.'s des années 70, ces rythmiques tellement parfaites qu'on pourrait régler une horloge atomique dessus. C'est "Sex Machine", "The Payback", "Funky Drummer". Des titres où chaque coup de caisse claire, chaque note de basse, chaque riff de guitare est à sa place, au millimètre près. Le chaos organisé. Ici, dans l'Apollo, on n'en est pas encore là. On est dans le R&B survitaminé, dans la performance pure, dans le show. Et le show, ça se regarde. Ça ne s'écoute pas forcément en boucle dans son salon. C'est un document, un témoignage historique inestimable, je veux bien le concéder. C'est la photo d'un artiste en train de devenir une légende. Mais un album que je vais me repasser pour le simple plaisir de la musique ? Non. Quand un client entrait dans la boutique et me demandait LE disque de James Brown, je lui tendais une compile de ses années Polydor. Le Star Time, par exemple. Là, tu as tout : la sueur ET le son. L'énergie ET les chansons. Le "Live At The Apollo", c'était pour le puriste, le collectionneur, le mec qui voulait se la toucher en disant "moi, j'ai les racines du truc". Grand bien lui fasse. Alors oui, c'est dans le livre. Et il doit y être, pour l'Histoire. Pour comprendre d'où vient cette force de la nature. Mais ce projet, c'est "1001 albums à écouter avant de mourir", pas "1001 cours d'histoire à ingurgiter". Et pour moi, ce live est un cours magistral un peu trop poussiéreux. Je reconnais l'importance du professeur, mais j'avoue avoir regardé ma montre plus d'une fois pendant la leçon. Pour le document, pour l'énergie palpable et pour ce que ça représente, je lui accorde un 2/5. Mais si vous voulez vraiment savoir pourquoi James Brown est Dieu, allez plutôt chercher du côté de ses forfaits studio des années 70. Là, vous entendrez non seulement un homme crier, mais aussi une machine groover. Et la différence est de taille.

Listening to this album feels like watching a black and white video of the early 60s. At the bare minimum, it is an ultimately cool piece of American History and should be celebrated as such. I mean cmon now, its James Brown! 7/10

'The Godfather of Soul' laat horen waar hij die titel aan te danken heeft. Dit helpt ons er aan herinneren dat hij - voordat hij de 'Godfather of Funk' werd - echt het soul genre revolutioneerde. James Brown wordt ondanks zijn eervolle bijnaam toch vaak herinnert om zijn stevige funk-werk met de J.B.'s, en minder om zijn pure soul. En hoe puur is die soul op dit live-album? De man stopt zoveel levensenergie in zijn werk, en deze show is daar een ultiem voorbeeld van. De switches tussen innige slow-movers en de snellere rock 'n soul zijn fenomenaal, en de korte bridges zorgen voor de juiste lijm. Kantje één is alleraardigst, maar wordt volledig overschaduwd door het laatste deel. Van de slow-burner 'Lost Someone', via de iconische medley, naar de funky rendition van 'Night Train'. Een perfecte afsluiter van een show die het soul-, en daardoor ook het funk-genre, op zijn kop zette. 8,5/10 Highlights: I Don't Mind Medley Night Train

Amai wat een stem. Mooi zo even terug te gaan naar de early days van James Brown. Voordat hij ging funken. Wat een soul. Live album dus de vraag... Ja hier had ik wel bij willen zijn geweest. 7,5/10 Highlights Medley

James Brown is fine, I just dislike live albums. They're pointless.

This was entertaining enough, was a bit less funky than I was expecting. Didn’t know any of these tracks (at least not familiar with them). I’m guessing there would be better JB albums to put on this list, and maybe there are more. 3.25/5

This album is a lot of fun. It is very good at capturing the energy of a live show while not sacrificing the mix. James Brown is a GOAT for a reason, and this album proves why.

Only 31 minutes? I could’ve listened to this all day!

ок

I've always liked a good live record and this one is no exception. James Brown is not only a fantastic singer but he electrifies his audience!!!

Energy x5; Soul x10. The Godfather reigns supreme.

I'll be honest, I've never been a huge James Brown fan.. I respect the fact that he was one of the last people to see Apollo Creed alive, and has some undeniably good songs. None of those tracks were on this album however. This album is exactly the James Brown I think of when his name is mentioned. Not the cool, soulful, and dare I say it semi-coherent artist that showed up to make "The Boss" and "Living in America".. No, instead you get this screeching lunatic that looks more like a Madame Tussauds waxwork of someone's Auntie, than an RnB star. A guy who comes crashing onto tracks with near incomprehensible vocals. At some points it genuinely feels like bad scat music.. at other points he just sounds like an actual spastic. (Listen to him shout "All Aboard" at the start of Night Train and tell me I'm wrong). Going back to the point about scat music, the irony is that had this actually have been scat I'd have probably enjoyed it more, because after several minutes of incoherent jivey squawking, accompanied by the wet pantie brigade in the front row drowning out any remaining chance of a decent listening experience, I couldn't help but think the sound of heavy, wet shit getting carelessly slopped against a concrete wall would have provided a comparatively blissful release from the relentless rectal pebble-dashing this album was for me. 2 stars overall, only because I know I'm in the minority when it comes to James Brown, so there's a chance it's a me problem more than anything else (it's not.) That and the fact the album was probably hampered by the incessant crowd noise.. which again is technically JB's fault for being such a provocative wailing godauntie of soul. Throw the damn towel, I'm done.

boring, but wasnt shit i suppose

I hate a live album, especially from way back. At least newer live albums benefit from better sound. I wasn't there. I couldn't see James's glistening sweaty brow, or whether he was wearing a magnificent robe, or whether he was sacking one of his musicians for bending a note.

The introductory interaction with the audience and the fanfare is fun. "I'll Go Crazy" has a very tight groove; I like the backing vocals. I like how the bass in "Try Me" drives most the song. Very smooth transitions between songs. The horn arrangement sounds great, and very rhythmically tied together. The very fast "I Don't Mind" backing vocals give a nice contrast to the slower track. The little instrumental transitions help keep the energy up, and make everything seem like a continuous song/experience. The repeating groove in "Lost Someone" was amazing, and almost spiritual. The audience interaction was genius. The medley that followed was perfect. "Night Train" is a perfect conclusion to the album—it's the most James Brown groove ever. Overall, the album is an incredible experience. All songs transition into each other without becoming repetitive or blending into each other in a bad way. At the same time, the energy is always kept up either thanks to the band or James' singing and the audience. Of course, James Brown is also iconic.

Pretty good, more blues sounding than his more funky later work. Has good energy for a live album

Nobody has a more pleasant scream to listen to than James Brown. This was nice although I got a bit bored near the end. Considered a 4 but didn’t find it quite entertaining enough. Rating: 3

I love how the band kicks in after their introduction. The instrumental bridges are so good. I just know how fun it must have been to see this show or a performer like James Brown. Really interesting to hear a horn part I know from Marvin Berry's band in Back to the Future in "Night Train."

Gives you a taste of some live James Brown.

James Brown: Åpner munnen Publikum: ÆÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ Det er i hvertfall et livealbum med skikkelig live stemning, og jeg tviler ikke på at det var en fantastisk kul konsert å være på. Han synger jo vanvittig bra, og det er kule rytmer. Men jeg synes ofte det er vanskelig å like live-album, får mye mindre dybde i musikken hvis det gir mening. Og skjønner virkelig ikke hvorfor Lost Someone tenkte å fylle halve albumet, den er ikke spesielt bra

Still haven’t had a live album in this project that has been worth the time. This period of James Brown just isn’t as iconic as his later 60s/early 70s output.

Nah

Genijalan vokal. Solidan live, medutim na momente se vokal gubi (vjv James Brown leluja po pozornici😅). Crowd work ponekad predug i/ili oduzima od dinamike pjesme. 6/10 = 3+

The Godfather of soul has a lot of great hits throughout the years. A few of them are on this album. It is however live and an artist I don't listen to a lot. That made me appreciate it less. It was an ok listen but if I want to hear James Brown I wouldn't choose this album.

Loved it, made me wanna get up and dance. I've never listened to his live performances before and it was amazing

Oozes history through its paws. Decent.

Auuuuuggghhhh!!!!!

When I was a kid I loved Eddie Murphy on Saturday night live. I kept wanting to hear JB say it's time to get into the hot tub... & getting hot in the hot tub. Other than that anticipation...it was just ho hum.

I don’t know what they were doing in 1963 but the frantic hype sounds like cocaine. I dig the instrumental interludes and every song is top notch. Moderation though, this album all at once is too much.

3,5/5

When crowd work isnt just for comedy shows. The backing band is so good, and James Brown is electric, but holy shit does this album give you whiplash with all the stops and starts. Although JB's call and responses are great.

It’s a Live album so that’s already a minus 1 Star. The songs are, for the most part, so short that they’re over before you really get a chance to groove on them or in one instance… so long and meandering that it makes you wonder how it made the cut. The band sounds amazing (as to be expected) and JB commands the crowd like no one else can. But it’s a LOT of Mr Brown screeching and the crowd screaming so even if you’re digging the music there’s not a lot to return to. I was pretty disappointed with this one and I’m a huge James Brown fan.

Inte min stil, icke live-vesionen kanske är nice att ha på där hemma

6/10 Live album boo, although James Brown has a bit more energy live I'm sure. James Brown is fun if nothing else. 1-17-2025

Loved the audience participation in particular

Can see how it would have been a revelation at the time. In 2025, just okay.

It was alright

Liked it, live was pretty fun, lots of screaming fans

Good music, I just don't enjoy the crowd noise in live albums.

Peakkkkkkk one of the best soul records I have ever heard and I am a fan of soul music, debating which is better, the Electric Blue Orchestra record or this, originally my thoughts were with the EBO but I think this album has taken it as my current number 1, fantastic, an album repayable in almost any situation, this was the first record I hadn’t heard a song from yet and it was do worth the listen, going in with 0 ideas of what I would think, and coming out SHOCKED especially as this was a live record, amazing, I could talk about this for hours, but it’s 2AM so I won’t

Beatiful instrumentals and James brown's vocals performances are very good. The whole atmosphere made me feel like I was present at the live

Good stuff

funky. love and hate the crowd screaming.

I'm a bigger fan of later funkier JB, but this is a great live album, probably among my favorite. Live JB is amazing in any era.

4 Stars!

Great but short! It's lovely to hear James Brown pre-funk. The audience if going wild and he has them in the palm of his hand. The trumpets sound so fat.

Wow what a record!!! The crowds and James browns frenzied energy is genuinely insane and doesn’t falter throughout the whole show. A new favourite

Me ha sorprendido por completo. No conocía muy bien este género pero me ha encantado, con los otros albumes que he escuchado he desgranado por que no me gustan del todo pero de este no tengo nada, sublime. Además por que no conozco bien este género. Es por albumes como este que decidí empezar este reto.

I don't know why, but on this album I wasn't bothered with hearing the audience. Really liked the concept of the instrumental bridge being their own track. Never seen that before. Night Train was probably my favorite track, beside the instrumental bridge's.

didnt like it

Solid live record, great vocals and energy.

Some of the girls in this audience need to chill out before they hurt themselves. Tight instrumentals but none of the songs are particularly memorable.

I typically love funky stuff but I didn't love the live aspect of this album. James Brown isn't really my favorite either.

Sexy and fun. James Brown brings the soul!

Pretty good. Im not a huge funk guy, but I can appreciate the greats

Overall pretty solid but it ended up being a bit underwhelming for me. I was like "oh hell yeah live album of the No. 1 R&B Start of 1962?? I bet this has some sweet energy" and then other than I Don't Mind, nothing really caught my ear.

I really wanted to like this one more than I did. On one hand, its a classic artist in one of the most important and famous venues of all time. You can really feel the energy of the crowd and the band. His vocals and kind of screaming that he does, is really fun and interesting. His band is really tight and I like the music, but I think there are probably better James Brown albums out there.

Rockin

Made James the star that he became.

Recorded in late 1962, and released in the middle of 1963, this recording represents two unique inflection points in James Brown's career. As heard here, he is at the absolute apex of his career as a soul and R&B singer. In 1962 and 1963, Brown is the most beloved entertainer in the Black community and it isn't remotely close, even with the ascendancy of Motown - Little Stevie Wonder's first big single, Fingertips, came out the same month as Live at the Apollo - happening in Detroit. It also captures the last moments before Brown reached a crossroads that would make him the most popular (and influential) solo artist on the planet. By mid 1964, JB would begin the history-altering pivot, effectively creating the funk genre with "Out of Sight". While Live at the Apollo doesn't include live renditions of any of the peerless funk jams he became most widely known for (you'll want 1970's Sex Machine for that), it's a remarkable performance that shows an incredible performer whose talents could (and excesses) could not be contained, and who was about to springboard to mythical status, and for all those reasons, it's absolutely worthy of a 5/5

Not his best

Live audience was too involved, and some songs went foreeever. But some highlights, overall good

Definitely a vibe. A little bit slow for me, but that’s probably just my poor attention span. Still some good songs and snapshot of it’s time, should probably go back and listen a bit more.

The picture of what a live album should be, capturing the experience.

Very good

A little long and repetitive at parts, probably would be very enjoyable in person though. Overall very groovy and energetic!

Don't care for the album

I've no familiarity whatsoever with the artist, the genre, or live albums in general, but there's no disputing the fact that this music is fantastic and its energy is infectious. I adored listening to Brown's voice, and the band played perfectly. Perhaps the most notable part of this album is how it memorialises the love and fervour of the audience — you can hear their screams of adoration throughout the record. Favourites: Try Me, Lost Someone (3/1001, 11th Jan. '25, 1407h.)

funky delicious

None of the hits 😢

Don’t listen to the haters this is amazing James x

A nice live album, but surprisingly a bit too short.

This is a special type of music, a mix of rock and latin, but I could be wrong. However songs are very pleasant to listen during an activity or just enjoy your Friday morning.

I'm at odds with this. Being one of the greatest live albums ever should make it 5 stars. It is James Brown and His Famous Flames, after all, and lordy what a performance from everyone! The crowd noise is awful though, which keeps reminding me that this is a live album, and I don't like live albums. I'll be magnanimous and just lay it down: five stars. James Brown was one of the greatest entertainers of all time. No crowd noise or limited sonic range can detract from the incredible performance.

I have no doubt that much of the music we have today is thanks to the likes of James Brown. This album is unmistakably a show of great musical talent, especially considered in the context of its time. He is a pioneer of r&b and soul. And yet, despite his influence, I have to admit this album bored me at times.

still hate live albums - high pitched screaming from the audience was soo distracting throughout. In spite of this + considering it was recorded in 1962, it sounds pretty great. loveeed the instrumentals, my favourite tracks were Think, Night Train and of course the Please, Please, Please medley. Drinking game if you want to die : a shot every time James Brown cries 'Help Me'

Good oldies

I wasn't really feeling the heat. It was an OK listen but even as short as it was, I was ready for it to be over. 2.5/5

Easy listening, good early rock

What an incredible voice and band this guy had! A very enjoyable album that was very nearly a 5. Too much screaming sadly for full marks. And also one song went on for over 7 mins and became repetitive! 4 ⭐️

Solid album for 1963....shows all the promise of James Brown. Some catchy songs, but really I just don't think I'm a James Brown fan, especially the live stuff. I know that's sacrilege but I want something more polished from a production standpoint. The music was INCREDIBLY tight, so I can't fault James on anything musically. 4/5.

Hectic fun - crazy soul live shows- feels like you’re in the room and while these are not James Brown’s biggest songs - they are fun and cool.

Nice live album, never been a fan of James Brown’s screaming, but entertaining to have on in the room.

pretty good start,a true performer

Bring back introduction tracks

It's impressive how powerful the songs can be with such simple instrumentation. Sure there's a horn section and an organ, but so much of it is driven by drum and bass. The vocal performance has a chokehold on the audience. The screams are captured so nicely on the recording. At times there's this conversation going between James and the audience, they're participants in the performance. Special. The band is tight, electric, like there was a current running through them and each hit was a burst of energy. Vocal control is off the charts good and gets better as the performance goes on. Gritty when it needs to be, clean when it needs to be. It can be soft and intimate one moment and blaring the next. The moment he launches into the medley of his best known song is so much fun, you can feel the thrill sweeping the audience. It's a textbook on how to design a live performance. Obviously there's tons of great musicality on display here and some great bits of songwriting, but this album isn't essential listening because of the music. It's the experience that you get to be a part of. Live performance at its peak.

Impressed, Never listened to James Brown. Interesting to hear the blues mixed in with what almost sounds like big band, rock and funk!

Tour de force performance that *almost* manages to translate it’s live energy entirely to wax.

Powerful but I wish it included later material when he got more funky. As it is, it’s a neat timepiece but not what I would reach for when I want to hear James Brown.

Too early for me

8.2/10 very good

I feel good in leaving a bad review. Forgettable live album.

É um album bem legal, mas acho que seria mais legal estar no The Apollo em 24 de outubro de 1962

I've been led to believe that this guy's an amazing singer. He's good, but not mind-blowing. His "I Feel Good" vocal is better. The sound here is extremely typical of the 50s, meaning an album released in 1963 is actually a step backward (or at least sideways) rather than forward. A gutsy move, for sure, putting this album on a list of the 1000 best albums of all time – especially considering it's a live album that hasn't reached many people (based on Spotify numbers). Was it the right choice? Well, probably. The influence on both contemporary and future musicians is palpable here, from the soul-rendering vocals to the relaxed, almost jazzy rhythm section and tight horns. It's at once a relic of its time and a clear inspiration for the likes of British Invasion bands, experimental jazz/blues, hard rock, and R&B. Plus, there are some mild standouts here. Most of side 1 is very strong, featuring thematic interludes that don't just talk about "sex, ya know what I mean, brotha?" (as interlude tracks in later tended to lean into). Instead, the interludes are generally instrumental and play off a horn section theme with slight variations each time. It's far more exciting and a solid addition to any live setlist. That being said, it's far too easy to skip these on subsequent listens, because they do interrupt the flow of side 1. Side 2 is marred by the almost 11-minute Lost Someone, featuring an arduous two-chord slog punctuated by Brown and the crowd having a back-and-forth screaming competition. It gets old after the first 5 minutes, and then you realise you're less than halfway done. And it takes up one third of an otherwise fairly strong album. This album was ranked 25th-best of all time by Rolling Stone in both 2003 and 2012, which is surprising. I can definitely think of 25 better albums released in the 60s alone. 3/5 Key tracks: Try Me, Think, Medley

Zoals vaak gezegd, geen liefhebber van Live muziek. James Brown weet wel een sfeertje neer te zetten en dat maakt dit album toch wel leuk om te luisteren. ***

A classic with a ton of funky energy.

Classic and truly an album to to listen to before you die.

I like the slow R&B vibe too it. All ways heard of James Brown and understand why. He has good vocal range going from high pitches to the swinging lows. The band has nice jazz elements to it. The album combines nice slow songs with some good are my favorites

That would have been some gig to be at. Strong selection of songs

Very fun R&Be album, audio quality due to age unfortunately holds it back.

Pretty fun album. Makes you wish you could have been there.

In the words of Ashley Schaeffer, Schaeffer BMW, “I can feel it in my plums!”

A fun listening experience, got goosebumps a few times, just not sure it's memorable enough for me personally.

Mid live album that doesn't do justice to what a REAL James Brown concert would have been, since you can't see him, most of the appeal is lost.

* Incredibly charismatic performer, even if a tad long imho

I kind of liked it. This entire process is making me realize how much vocal mixing / balance matters to me -- the vocals are obviously the main thing here, but I don't really particularly love them. The band sounds amazing but they're constantly covered

I love James Brown, a lot. But this is such a weird album of his to pick. Live albums just don't really do it for me. The screaming in the background only takes away from the music.

Awesome. 👏🏻 how I wish I could have been there!

the iconic apollo. i’m a hater here but still objective

FUNKY! Wish I could see this show to go along with it. You can hear his transition from R&B to hard funk happening which is really cool

Regarded as one of the all time best live albums by many. You can't argue with the Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness!!

It's okay.

I like the sound, it gives me good vibes.

Giacomo marrone live meglio di altri un studio

Primo 5/5 politicamente corretto della storia

If you want to understand why James Brown is so highly regarded. Here it is. I am only giving it a four star because I now live in regret of never being able to see him live.

Hardest working man in show biz. He’s an icon as is The Apollo, buuuuut he sounds better in the studio.

This is beyond impressive on its own, and then finds itself on a whole different planet when you compare it to the other stuff that was popular in the early 60s. I could listen on repeat for weeks. Tight, crisp, and doesn’t miss a beat. JB was a pro. So many of these are objectively 5 star albums (some might even call them the 1001 greatest ever), so I’ll be a punk and split hairs. The recording quality itself sounds a little hollow at times and seems to fade in and out, especially towards the end. So, like, 4.49999/5.

Very entertaining with good performances. 32 minute runtime helps as well.

i really enjoyed the majority of this album. the instrumentation is on point and the sound quality is good. that said, the song "lost someone" perfectly encapsulates what i hate about live albums. they took a 3 minute track and stretched it out to 10 minutes by repeating the same motif over and over while James rambles and provokes the audience to scream and shout. with the exception of that track and the medley that immediately follows it, the crowd noise isn't too bad but those two tracks really brought down the rating for me.

I don't really feel the funk. I can appreciate it, bop my head a bit and feel the vibe for a moment. But it does nothing to me like other genres do. At first I felt bad but not anymore, there's so much music for everyone, you don't have to like what everybody else does. This is objectively good, but just.. not for me.

phenomenal

The presence and ability to entertain is seriously impressive. The audience response is immediate, throughout the record. I wasn't blown away by the quality of the songwriting, but I don't think that was the intended purpose. It is clear that the live album gives you a glimpse into the energy of a true live James Brown performance. It is interesting though to hear blues based music sung by a gospel singer. The backing band is so incredibly tight and they follow James Brown into his fast changes, songs go from emotional, romantic ballads to wailing, rocking, call and responses in the blink of an eye, and the band does not miss a note.

I have heard high praise for this record, which is hailed as one of the greatest live albums ever made. I've even skimmed a few lists to find that it is even sometimes listed as one of the best albums ever made, live or not. Going into it, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect other than it just being a solid live performance from the early '60s. This was especially the case because my only real frame of reference to Soul or R&B in general were all female artists such as Etta James or Aretha Franklin. While it did not strike me instantly as "THIS IS IT, THIS IS MUSIC AT ITS FINEST," as some lists and reviews claim - it is extremely unique. The album is sprinkled with Brown speaking and audience chatter, which makes for a listen that reminds you that you aren't actually listening to an "album" album. Now it's up to you if that takes you out of it in a good way or bad way, really. I could really take or leave it, but for the most part I found it pretty neat every time. I believe this record is very fascinating in that it is a perfect time capsule for the time when James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," was at a peak. Sitting there in my room listening to this thing feels like I am there watching the man himself at a concert, complete with an intro, instrumental breaks, a great backing band, audience cheers, and a stellar melody to cap it off as artists do, even today. All of that packed into 30 minutes of music is quite the show, and it's extremely enjoyable. Soul as a genre is something I can appreciate but never fully immerse myself in like I can with other genres, mainly because I am just not as knowledgeable of the scene and timing of the fruition of artists. For example, "Lost Someone -Live At The Apollo Theater, 1962" isn't making the top of my On Repeat any time soon. However, that's not to say that the album as a complete work is not worth revisiting in a year or two. The performance is capped off (almost) by a stellar rapid-fire medley that I enjoyed more than anything else. Brown's band shines here. That being said, with only a track or two I would skip over and maybe a mild annoyance over time with crowd reactions (only the screaming; the real interactions between Brown and the audience are great), I enjoyed this album. I'm still torn to rate it against other studio recordings I love that were meticulously thought out and produced, but if every album was "easy" to compare then I wouldn't enjoy listening to records as much as I do. Favorite: Medley Least Favorite: I Don't Mind

The king of funk soul. 'Nuff said. 4 stars for this as its just before the king started flying out some real face melting bangers.

Cleary skilled and knows how's to work the audience until a frenzy. Fun listen but would've been a hell of an experience live. This is almost 50% music, 50% style or showpiece.

James Brown sets a high bar for charisma. The band is tight, which gives him the ability to improv with ease. This sounds great for a live album. I'm just not a big fan of live albums.

The live aspect didnt do much for me but it was still really good. The best songs on here are Ill go crazy and Night Train and there was no worst song on here either.

Liked the live album and interaction with the crowd was solid. James is an entertainer and this being a live album helped that shine through.

I’m not much of a live album guy but he did a solid job and made it more enjoyable than other artists live albums

I think I'll give this a 4 just cause it has such great energy. Normally don't really like live albums but this one I really liked the crowd interaction, they clearly loved them some James Brown. Did not like how hard it was to understand or hear him on some tracks. Otherwise cool album.

I thought I would like this a bit more. instead it was kinda meh. too much of his "wow", "ow", or various squeals. detracted from the music

Good good jazz

I can appreciate it, but its not my thing

I didn't much care for this album, but I'm not sure if it was because I actually didn't like the music (which is definitely part of it) or if my perception of him as a garbage person played a part (likely). Either way, it's over, and no more James Brown for me, thanks.

If I'm to just judge the music from the album, and not the James Brown himself, I'd give it a 3. There wasn't really a time where I thought the music was particularly bad. His performance was definitely over-the-top, in a good way. He shows a lot of energy throughout the performance. But would I come back to this album and listen to it on my own time? No

This was disappointing. Yes, a lot of energy, but the songs are pretty weak and the backing band seems to rely on just a couple of riffs too often.

This album felt a little insubstantial to me. I can’t say anything bad about JB’s music, but I’m not sure what makes this better than other entries in his catalogue.

Ganz und gar nicht meins!

It was aight

Love the riff on the last song

I was a bit disappointed in this one. I had high hopes for a live album from James Brown and this just felt short and disjointed to me. It wasn't "bad" by any means but there are really only seven songs here. James Brown should absolutely be in here and this is the only representation I am aware of, so I can't give it a "2," but I don't know if this is the best representation of his influence and career. I'm not asking for "Living in America" or anything but it would be good to have some of his more influential hits on here.

[insert soul artist] Live at [insert venue] is basically an automatic 5 stars for your boy

I wish artists still released live albums. This one wasn't particularly special to me, but the atmosphere was great and it's fun hearing artists perform live.

po o james brown mandava demais ce tá doido

super gostosim e dançante. o mano era bão hein o show dele devia ser pedrada de ver ao vivo.

Lots of energy (and screeching) from The Apollo. Live albums seem to have an easier time making the 1001 list and this one’s a good example. I think this album does a good job capturing the 1963 event which is likely why it made the list. And James didn’t change his sound much over the years. The time in prison slowed his career, kinda never heard from him once he went in. He’s better in small doses, I give Live At The Apollo (2.5*s)

James Brown is fine but this album is very underwhelming. It sounds a bit tinny and the live format really takes away from the production value. Even with the screaming fans, this setlist does little to capture his energy and it just doesn't work. Why are there so many live albums on this list anyway? Meh 1.75.

Another live one from the list. I don't think these should count since they are really compilations of hits. Maybe there should be a list of 1001 live shows you should have been at. As for JB, does get down a bit here but hadn't really busted it out yet. The Apollo is a famous joint but I bet better shows have passed through. Really confused as to why this album made Christgau's top albums of the 70s when the concert/album release was in the 62/63. Screaming girls, alright back up band, and a few owws from the GF of soul put this one at 1.63.

While I'm only familiar with a handful of his hits, James Brown is an icon of stage presence and performance showmanship. Unfortunately a lot of that doesn't translate through on an album, especially this selection from his early career. Overall it wasn't 30 minutes wasted, but I'm scratching my head as to why I needed to hear this before I die. I think my time would have been better spent watching some performances of James Brown on Youtube. This albums really seems like a "you had to be there". 1.86 stars

The godfather of soul himself, James Brown. This is such a great example of an excellent live album. Every single musician is right on time. The whole album is tight, funky, and absolutely dripping with soul. The instrumental bridges being listed as their own tracks is super interesting too. It’s short, but it’s sweet. At 31 minutes it certainly comes nowhere close to overstaying its welcome, and I found myself wishing it was a little longer. While it’s certainly not my favourite album we’ve listened to on this list, it is undeniably great. James Brown is one of those influential figures in so many different genres of music, a true legend. 5*

As a document and a piece of musical history, this album is really a gem. James Brown, 1963, the Apollo in Harlem… wow. The inclusion of the crowd noise really works here as well, and you can really imagine being there and practically see the sweat falling from Brown’s brow. The musical content is also delightful, with Brown more on the crooning side of soul rather than the funky side that would become such a huge part of his legacy. Still, his performance is electric and his talent seeps from every note he sings. I don’t think any single song really stands out to me above the experience of it all. What a wonderful record to exist. I only wish it were longer. 10/10

He's hard working. He's got energy, but this wasn't my favorite. Good, not great.

Not my jam

Another live album I liked. Sometimes you get terrible live performances. I'm glad this one wasn't one of those. Brown gave his all through this concert. However, the songs could have been better. 3 stars for "James Brown Live at the Apollo"

There's nothing like James Brown live. Apparently. Because he's dead.

Possibly the greatest live recording ever made! I could listen to this on repeat all day.

Never realized James Brown had such a huge vocal range. This would be better - not that it's bad - if I could SEE what was happening. The music gets interrupted A LOT by the audience interaction. So it sounds like a wildly entertaining live show that doesn't translate too well to a recording. Sound quality kind of suffered as well. That said there are some great moments on here, the medley at the end leading into Night Train are excellent. And you can definitely feel the energy. Proto-funk. Interesting transitional stuff, takes us from R & B/Jazz/Jump Blues into a heavier place.

Didn't get much time to appreciate this, but sounded like they were having a good time.

Okay.

yeahhhh ive got a hounddog and a runaway trainnn

A triumph of showmanship over substance. … that was a compliment. In case it was unclear.

Very solid

Quite a fun album and great voice but nothing stand out

very good live performance, had the crowd begging for more James Brown. solid piece that should have everyone listen to in regards of a live album.

I can picture how sweaty James Brown was while recording this.

Overall this was a good album. The lyrics and music were good. But what really sold this album for me was its background feel. It really is a good sound to listen to to just listen to. overall definetly recommend this album.

I like the beat i love it i give it 5 out 5. really recomend it i also love the lyircs.

Do you like short songs? If so then this is the album for you! The songs have a nice beat, and rhythm to them. I also think that his voice is okay, but I really don't like it. The instruments are good too. I don't like how it sounds old though. So that is why I recommend that you do not listen to this album.

If you like Micheal Jackson's music, then you might like this album as well. I highly recommend that you listen to this album.

I like the beat of the songs in the album, but there aren't many actual lyrics. Overall I don't like this album much but I would recommend for people who like older style songs.

Very good, like the cheering

8/10

2.9/3

I was disappointed by James Brown Live At The Apollo because he's such an iconic performer and vocalist with energy and swagger (the guy was a megacunt but that's nothing new on this list) but it doesn't really come across in this performance. It's a little slower, soulful but not full of soul, just feels like it's not representative of his best work, and it's a long way short of the best live albums we've had too. Gets a 3 because it's just fine, but I expected more really.

This was a bit underwhelming, you expect an awful lot from someone reputed to be one of the all time greatest live performers, and it doesn't quite come through on this. There's this great energy at the beginning of most of the songs, that kind of evaporates quite quickly; this is recorded before he has his biggest hits, so we miss out on those, and it's just a bit too short (not often I complain about that). But, some of the energy in places is infectious, his voice is great, and it's a decent ride. 3/5.

3/5. Thought this was just good – no more, no less. I could tell Mr Brown was doing some things that were sending the crowd fucking wild, but all I could think about was how 1) I wasn't there and 2) I couldn't see it. The voice and the energy are iconic, but the neo-luddite in me can't help but think live albums are better when visual. Was really excited when this album was generated for me. Note to self, never get your hopes up.

He showcased his vocals pretty well. Overall, for a live album, I did not love it.

20 minutes of magic from the Godfather of Soul

11/04 never heard of it. A very fun listen. Idk if it really benefits from being a live album but I enjoyed the listen!

Never loved live records. This one desk capture the larger than life experience, but forms come close to a great album per se for me

It’s classic old school James Brown and therefore never going to be bad, but honestly, and especially for a live recording, it just didn’t seem to have the customary James Brown energy.

Lots of screaming & squealing.

Not my thang

This was super great, but tbh i feel like would be a lot better if i saw it live. He is still the king though do not want it to seem like I'm putting any hate on king james' name, just wasn't the most entertaining thing to listen to.

Very cool!!!! Love to hear some live stuff this shit is tight.

James Brown is (rightly, in my opinion) one of the best Funk and Soul musicians of all time. Is this his best album? Questionable. It definitely isn't the best recording and features none of his greatest hits. Still, early (peak?) James Brown deserves to be on this list.

4-

I typically don’t like live albums, and this album is a big indicator of why. The crowd noise is terrible. Hearing people scream over the songs just takes away all my enjoyment.

Aaagoowh. Probably wouldn't listen again often, but great soul, some good rhythms.

Favorite songs: Try Me, I'll Go Crazy, Night Train.

Already loved this album 1. Introduction Love when live albums start with an introduction of the artist 2. I’ll go crazy Great beginning guitar riff James brown always feels like several genres at once 3. Try me 3/4 almost ballad. Groove in tact So short and sweet 4. Instrumental bridge 1 Love it. It’s like 10 seconds lol 5. Think Brass section going crazy These funk song structures really made hip hop possible 6. Instrumental bridge 2 Just a great quick turnaround 7. I don’t mind Love the bassline and bgv’s Tender voice James brown is underrated 8. Instrumental bridge 3 9. Lost someone The lone long song so far Love the progression and groove Love hearing fan interaction 10. Medley Albums feels much different later in the track list with longer songs 11. Night train Groove is absolutely incredible. Drums and organ crazy

Fav songs: I Don't Mind Great performance from James Brown and his band. Amazing sounding live recording for 1962!

I got to see James Brown play at Woodstock ‘99 and even then he was full of explosive energy. On this recording that energy threatens to overwhelm the tape and set it on fire. What an incredibly badass ensemble he’s got behind him too!

At the top of his game. What a nut job. A soulful nut job.

Previously known to me and a great snapshot of a major artist in their pomp. Not my go-to James Brown, but a great party record and one that I’ll return to infrequently; when the mood is right.

I like a few songs but not enough to sit through a live album. Still not a bad listen.

I know a few James Brown songs, but I’ve never listened to any of his full albums. When I saw this album on the list, it piqued my interest quite a bit. However, most of the live albums on this list have been pretty underwhelming to me, and I don’t think I’m familiar with any of these songs, so this album might be a bit of a coin flip. Well, this was incredibly underwhelming. I’ll give James Brown credit, he certainly knows how to work a crowd, and this album does evoke that visual of him dancing around, and singing into his microphone wile sweat pours down his face, but musically, this album was pretty boring and forgettable. James Brown and The Apollo are both legends, but their reputations far outshine the end result of this album. “Lost Someone” was shockingly the best song on the album, and the thing that makes it stand out is Brown’s crowd work. For an album with so many musicians, the music was pretty hollow, and I felt like there was no energy to the sound. And with that many instruments, the music still managed to sound pretty flat and empty. The crowd work was the best part of this album, but other than that, there’s not much to hear on this one.

This a great performance and the energy of the crowd makes it no contest, but I find the overall songs a bit monotonous sometimes and it’s just not my cup of tea at the end of the day. 3 stars, because I wouldn’t really listen again.

I love the energy of the crowd and the fun grooves, but there’s better things out there from James Brown in my opinion.

Fairly decent.

Starts strong, live blues

Bit boring

True classic!!

I don't really like live albums for some reason, but it's good.

The mother of all live albums? James Brown's iconic "Live at the Apollo" is one of the earliest of its kind on the 1001 list, representing the Godfather of Soul all on its own with abundant swagger, sweat and screams. The suggestion, then, is that this is THE album that popularised this format, encapsulated this brand of R&B, and captured the hysteria around its accompanying live music at the time. "Live at the Apollo" is just half an hour long, with only seven songs (including one lengthy medley) and three jarring, brassy ten-second interludes that play a bit like TV idents or sponsor jingles. For most of its run time, it zips by with such rocket-like confidence that all listeners are engulfed in the flames from its take-off; pulled in by its engines. The band are watertight, with squalling stabs of horns perfectly punctuating the snappiest cuts ("I'll Go Crazy", "Think") or smooth backing vocals swelling underneath the waltz-time ballads ("I Don't Mind", "Try Me"). But this is Brown's show, and his charisma appears unbidden before my eyes throughout: he's strutting, gyrating, leaping right out of my headphones. His crowd are going absolutely wild: let it never be said that Elvis and the Beatles were the only artists who could create this much of a frenzy in people. The screams are omnipresent and insist themselves all over the record, equal parts charming and a little annoying. Brown's audience interaction is on point, knowing exactly how to get the best out of them ("say it a little bit louder"/"I wanna hear you say 'OWWWW'"… pure pantomime). It's a shame that the pacing isn't quite perfect: it's a little odd to have so many short songs followed by a ten-minute ballad "Lost Someone". Although the latter is one of the highlights of the record, with Brown's best vocal performance, I would have liked to have had more of the high energy and momentum from the early part of the disc, and didn't expect so much of the runtime to be taken up with slower material. But these are minor quibbles, and what we're left with is still a rip-roaring ride (especially for 1962). "Live at the Apollo" is not quite my favourite live album on the list so far - that honour still goes to Sam Cooke's "Live at the Harlem Square Club" - but it is a triumph of rock and soul, and a swaggering, thrusting testament to the power of live music.

Whilst I am not typically a huge live album fan I really quite enjoyed this one.

A pleasant enough live experience. Few high-highs, no low-lows. 3/5.

Maybe some hometeam bias but this is a historical artifact in the best way. You can feel the hype in the opening laying out the set to come, and a normally languid B-side is bolstered by a super receptive Apollo audience. No hits but the code is there. Clearly. Lost Someone to the Please Please Please medley solidifies the 5

High 3. Fun live album

Love James Brown, not my favorite album

Mehh

2 problems with this album. The first is that it is a live album. The second much bigger problem is that James Brown was a garbage human. Can you seperate the artist from the rest of his behaviour? I think not.

Spectacular showmanship!

classic

By far not what I had expected. It's nice but not so powerful as the better known songs by JB. Ok but not more.

Okay it’s a James Brown live show. It’s well executed and produced. Not sure it’s all that special.

Ma powerhouse of a performance. The star is Brown’s vocals.

goofy ah

This was really good, can't say I understand the low scores

A live album that’s so aggressive, it feels like being yelled at by someone who doesn’t know when to quit. According to my boredom vs. time analysis, it peaked around the 3rd track. By song six, audiences reported symptoms of auditory fatigue.

wowie zowie, this just might be the best music I've ever heard in my life!! (I didn't type this idk where it came from)

"Lookin' cool Joker!" ahh performance :joy: Maybe a 2.5? It's not bad. Would go crazy as faded out background music in a pool hall or semi-fancy restaurant lmao