1001 Albums Generator
Live At The Regal by B.B. King

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

1965
3.66
Rating
29342
Votes
1
2%
2
8%
3
33%
4
38%
5
20%
Distribution
Genres: Blues Styles: Electric Blues, Live

Reviews (page 3 of 14)

What’s with all the live albums? Yeah, I just don’t know. This is the only B.B. King. And… well, it’s strong. It has all the strengths that this exercise has made me see in the live album. The feeling of a moment. The feeling of the performer AND the man. But, a studio album really does have advantages in quality. Arrrgh. 4 Boolean:True

Usually don’t care for live albums but this one was quite fun, lotsa swing

Wait big band with BB King? Frikkin cool

Blues at its best! Killer energy from BB and his band, and from the crowd

Previously unknown. A good time.

I think live albums are a tough category for me.

The king.

Blues af øverste kaliber fra den legendariske B.B. King. Med sin historiefortælling og fantastiske vokalpræstation akkompagneret med hans signatur guitar sound og spil, viser han på mesterlig vis mange af bluesens facetter frem.

really lovely

Bom álbum do King, não é meu favorito, mas é bem agradável

Hot hot hot. El blues tiene algo que suena dos segundos y ya te dan ganas de tomarte un vino y ponerte a repartir besos. Muy bueno. Lo escuché tres veces al hilo.

I haven't listened to him enough. Didn't know any of these songs, but they're all great.

Easy and fun listening although blues is not a genre I regularly listen to. Usually I dislike live albums but the crowd is a great addition on this one. Incredible to hear the energy and emotion in the room from a show in the 60s.

Erg goede live blues plaat. Goede uithalen in de zang. Soms opzwepend; niet die hele langzame blues nummers, maar lekker up tempo. Blues is best gaaf.

Masterclass in performance✨

Not my favorite

Enjoyable but not one I'm likely to revisit.

Have to admit that Blues tracks all sound the same to me. This was great but in the end it's just generic blues.

Its ok....

B.B. King is the man and listening to him play the blues is a joy.

I liked this. High energy, and sounded great. Not sure I’d be able to distinguish it from other albums of the same genre. He does have a great voice though and I would have loved to be in the regal theatre in 1964 while this was being performed.

This was alright, just not really my thing. I can appreciate the excellent voice and showmanship.

I can see why it's widely viewed as an iconic live album. Sensational vocals, great backing band and the crowd sure seemed to enjoy it. 7/10

Brilliant stuff. I love hearing the crowd going crazy for it.

Sympa mais j'ai du mal à distinguer les différentes musiques de l'album entre elles

I expected going in I was going to like this more than I did. Not sure if it was te live recording or what

Straightforward blues played to an ecstatic crowd. Fun to hear that Primitive Radio Gods sample in its natural habitat

gore dolu

A live document of a legendary talent. What more is there to say.

One of the greatest live albums. BB King at the top of his game.

blues king!

Such a good listen

Correcto

Don't beat your wife fellas.

not my type

The music is awesome and so is his stage presence. He’s the King

I think this is one genre that is almost always better with a fully live setting, just feeding off the energy of the crowd.

i bet that was a good show

Best in class Blues.

Nothing too unexpected here, but solid execution of a tried and true style. For me, This album represented the duality of the live album format, because on one hand, the live atmosphere adds another layer of immersion and excitement, but the cynical side of me starts to get annoyed by the young women who hoot and holler between every phrase lol. It's also mind-boggling to consider that this is the kind of music that young people listened to at one time. Better times, I say. Both of the atmosphere and the lyrics evoke an image of a time where men and women needed each other for their respective strengths, as opposed to our post modern capitalist work machine where love has died

This is another tough one. I think I'll give this one a "high" 4 stars, although 5 stars is tempting, in part because of 3 kind of sentimental reasons: 1) Chicago connection: the Regal Theater was a musical landmark, on Chicago's South Side, 2) Granddad connection (I recall that Granddad told me that he is quite fond of track 4, "How Blue Can You Get" - the live version from the Regal that's on this album, and 3) this is another album where I now own the album that Granddad owned. The music is blues, of course, but slick, modern (as of 1964, anyway), electrified blues. I think that slickness is part of what keeps me from liking this album enough to give it 5 stars. And yet, I must admit, it was probably a very entertaining show at the Regal, on November 21, 1964, and I envy the people who were there to hear and see it. So, as I said, I give this a "high" 4 stars.

I like the use of space, allowing the guitar and vocals to breath. I like how the guitar "talks" I thought I would never give a live album 5 stars, but this music really feels like it's meant to be live. A storyteller needs an audience. I enjoyed hearing the feedback between King and the audience. It really brings the songs to life, like someone complaining about their blues to their friends. The music is raw, refined, and fun. I appreciate that the blues isn't more complicated than it needs to be; they only use the notes they need to be effective

BB has such a presence. A great live blues album. 3.7/5.

Não é o meu estilo, mas consigo ver a importância do álbum na música.

Not a fan of live records, but it's alright. A bit short maybe.

BB King is a legend and everybody needs to hear him. The audience, not so much.

Wasn't for me

Lively and energetic. The Blues is not a favorite genre of mine because it all tends to sound reallllly similar to my ear. Live At The Regal fell into that same category, unfortunately. However, the saving grace of the album for me was the energy of his performance and the live audience. You could tell he had a lot of fun on stage that night with his little cheeky comments. This was good, I wouldn't come back to it though. Favorite Tracks: Every Day I Have The Blues How Blue Can You Get Worry, Worry

I've Been Down Hearted Baby 1001 Albums Generator 301 (5/28/2026) I really didn't think I was gonna like this, since I haven't liked a lot of the straightforward blues that I've had on this list, but there's something special about B.B King's energy on this thing. His guitar playing is extremely tight when it needs to be and loose when it can be. His voice is strong and soulful at times. And the way that this is recorded really emphasizes the sound of the crowd, which makes you feel like you're really there. It's still got the basic blues format (12-bar, etc), but it's definitely done very well. The horns are also worth a shout out, especially on How Blue Can You Get? B.B. is also pretty funny on this thing, notably on Worry, Worry, which is funny in a kind of dark way. Looses a bit of steam at points, but still makes for a relatively enjoyable listen with its energy. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Every Day I Have The Blues Worry, Worry Woke Up This Mornin' Least Fav: You Upset Me Baby

surprisingly fun

Was okay to listen too just wasn’t really my thing.

Simple raw lyrics sung sweetly and powerfully over smooth guitar and horns.

Pretty cool

no voy a ser si la uña de este tipo no importa cuánto intente tocar

Wow, that's so... I don't think I have anything else to say.

It's a nice short blues album of one of the best blues players. Good energy, but ultimately, all blues start to sounds similar

This is a classic blues album, and the sound quality was surprisingly good for a live recording made in 1964. The album was recorded at Chicago’s Regal theatre. Included on this record is one of BB’s big numbers, “Sweet Little Angel”. Overall this some quality old music.

Question: What's B.B. stand for? Answer: Blues Boy. That tells me all I need to know about one B.B. King! And a live album, too. Actually, this being a live album probably made me like it more, because at least there's a tiny bit of spoken stuff to entertain me (that is, a tiny bit of non-blues content). But the crowd cheering can go right in the trash. Also in the trash: if I asked somebody for a nickel and they gave me a 20 dollar bill, I'd be so mad. Not in the trash: 'Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand' samples a line from BB's 'How Blue Can You Get' ("I've been downhearted baby / Ever since the day we met"). That's fun.

Aujourd'hui, on s'attaque à un monument sacré de l'histoire du blues américain. Un de ces disques prétendument intouchables que toute la critique officielle encense. Le fameux Live At The Regal de B.B. King, gravé lors d'une soirée de novembre 1964 et sorti en 1965. Cet album figure en bonne place dans la liste officielle des 1001 disques à écouter et on nous le présente partout comme le Saint Graal absolu de la musique live comme l'enregistrement de concert ultime. Ouais... mais comme je suis du genre à refuser catégoriquement de gober les vérités toutes faites des encyclopédies. Je vais faire ce que je sais faire de mieux, je vais poser simplement la galette sur le plateau de la platine et juger sur pièce en poussant les potards de l'amplificateur pour écouter la vérité brute du sillon. Et la vérité pure de cet enregistrement est surprenante pour les oreilles car elle bouscule violemment les certitudes historiques et les louanges unanimes. Ce voyage sonore à Chicago n'est pas du tout la lune de miel annoncée. C'est une confrontation directe avec un travail d'enregistrement très problématique, un grand moment d'histoire capturé malheureusement dans des conditions discutables. Dès les premières secondes du disque, la surprise est totale. Malheureusement ce n'est pas une bonne surprise sur le plan artistique, c'est même une douche froide particulièrement désagréable car soyons parfaitement honnêtes, le mixage de cet album live est loin d'être génial. Pourtant on parle d'une sortie officielle majeure d'une grande maison de disques mais le rendu sonore global est d'une pauvreté technique assez affligeante. J'ai d'ailleurs eu au début de mon expérience l'impression persistante et immédiate d'écouter un vulgaire bootleg. Vous savez un de ces enregistrements sauvages réalisé clandestinement depuis le milieu de la fosse, avec un matériel rudimentaire caché sous les vêtements d'un fan un peu resquilleur. Le son manque cruellement de relief, de véritable dynamique et de clarté instrumentale. C'est un choix de production totalement incompréhensible pour le milieu des années 60 car même à cette époque reculée, les ingénieurs savaient faire bien mieux en concert. Le grand responsable est d'ailleurs facile à identifier car il s'agit du public du Regal Theater de Chicago présent ce soir-là dans la salle. Certes, un album live a besoin de ressentir la chaleur humaine de la salle et il faut entendre l'échange permanent, les applaudissements spontanés, la vie du club. Mais dans cet enregistrement précis, les proportions choisies sont totalement délirantes car le public est beaucoup trop présent du début à la fin de la bande magnétique. Fort heureusement, au milieu de ce brouhaha, il y a un homme, un géant imperturbable qui sauve le disque du désastre. Sur ce plan précis, B.B. King est absolument égal à lui-même du début à la fin. C'est-à-dire immense, souverain, d'une droiture artistique absolument exemplaire et il nous offre une prestation scénique de très haute volée historique. Une masterclass absolue de feeling et de maîtrise de son art distillée avec classe. On ressent toute la puissance et la finesse de son jeu de guitare légendaire. Évitons au maximum de détailler chaque morceau inutilement et allons droit au but. Le cœur battant et la seule réussite de cet album résident dans un élément magique. Ce dialogue extraordinaire et fusionnel entre le maître et sa guitare fétiche, sa fameuse guitare Gibson noire que tout le monde connaît sous le nom de Lucille. Quand B.B. King fait vibrer ses cordes métalliques, Lucille se met littéralement à parler. Elle pleure, elle crie, elle raconte des histoires poignantes d'amour déchu et de misère. Le phrasé de la guitare est d'une économie de notes et d'une beauté désarmantes. Pas de démonstration de vitesse inutile ou de démonstration technique purement stérile, non juste la note parfaite, posée au bon moment, avec le bon vibrato caractéristique. À cela s'ajoute la performance vocale tout simplement bluffante du grand bluesman. Sa voix de stentor, chaude, habitée, est pleine d'ironie et de douleur rentrée. Il chante le blues comme s'il jouait sa propre vie à chaque couplet interprété. Son phrasé vocal répond au phrasé de sa guitare avec une fluidité déconcertante. C'est un aller-retour permanent et savoureux entre la parole humaine et l'instrumentation. Une symbiose parfaite qui s'exprime pleinement sur les grands classiques du répertoire. Mais une fois cette performance artistique saluée, le constat global reste inchangé. On ne peut décemment pas occulter les défauts majeurs de cet objet sonore, et à la fin de l'écoute complète, on reste sur une impression profondément mitigée. On est constamment tiraillé entre l'admiration artistique et l'agacement technique profond. Admiration pour le génie musical qui s'exprime sans fard sur la scène du Regal. Agacement pour ce travail de production qui gâche le plaisir de l'auditeur moderne. C'est un paradoxe frustrant qui empêche de savourer pleinement et sereinement l'œuvre. Pour résumer ma pensée de manière claire, nette et directe sans tourner autour du pot. Live At The Regal reste un bon album de blues traditionnel, c'est une certitude. La qualité intrinsèque des compositions présentées et de l'interprétation du King est indiscutable. Mais les faiblesses techniques criantes sont beaucoup trop lourdes pour être ignorées aujourd'hui. Ma note finale pour ce concert mythique mais gâché par la technique est de 3 sur 5. Une note de milieu de tableau, synonyme d'une frustration auditive bien réelle à l'arrivée. Un grand coup de chapeau légitime à l'artiste, un grand coup de griffe nécessaire au mixage.

Didn't get the title of King for no reason.

Bit pedestrian but nothing wrong with a little B.B.

Don't mind a bit of Blues, a good album

Not normally my thing but this has such infectiously positive energy that really carries it forward. Love how much of the crowd you can hear too

live blues album was good for this rainy saturday.

Mmm unsure on this sometimes I struggle with live albums

BB King is great live, who knew?

Oppenheimer with the goggles meme but its a white person unknowingly stumbling into this concert

I enjoyed this more than I expected to. I don't know if I would listen to this style of blues on my own but I'm glad I did. I enjoyed the live version likely more than I would a recorded version.

My biggest issue is that there isn’t more BB King. 34 minutes is criminally short.

#362/1001. If there was a blueprint album for blues, I guess this would be it. I'm not a blues fan, but I can see the importance and influence of King & Lucille.

This was better than I anticipated. BB King was funny and engaging. Songs were fine. I wouldn't rush back to it, but I enjoyed the time I spent with it. It's music from another time. 4 stars

Despite not being a big blues fan, this is enough of a raucous good time for me to still get on its wavelength.

2 live albums in a row and a rather big quality gap between them

good energy and momentum great instrumentation energetic crowd smooth voice of bb king

Clearly this is better than a 2/5 but I have just never had a love for recorded blues. Live is fun, and the bits of guitar playing here are interesting to me, but I sorta glaze over after 1.5 songs. It’s a “me” problem!

I’m a sucker for blues music, and this was a good one. IMHO, blues is best in a live setting, so this is one of the few live albums where I don’t care about the crowd and the banter; that’s all part of the experience and the raw quality of a live blues musician. ‘Sweet Little Angel’ was the best track, but most of them are pretty solid; didn’t care for ‘Please Love Me’ though. Overall, a good (almost great) listen that will garner a 4/5

Excellent

Overall: 3.75 (rounded to 4) Consistency: 4 Enjoyment: 4.5 Virtuosity: 4 Originality: 2.5 1. Every Day I Have the Blues – 5 2. Sweet Little Angel – 4 3. It's My Own Fault – 4 4. How Blue Can You Get – 5 5. Please Love Me" – 4 6. You Upset Me Baby" – 3 7. Worry, Worry – 3 8. Woke Up This Mornin' – 3 9. You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now – 4 10. Help the Poor – 5

This isnt an Album, it's a window to a time long gone

The world needs more BB King.

Wahnsinn, wie alt das klingt. Aber immer noch gut

Can't have this type of list without at least 1 BB King album. Not the biggest fan of Live albums but can't deduct from the awesomeness of BB for that.

Indrukwekkend concert.

Heel tof, ietsje chaotischer dan ik meestal aangenaam vind bij jazz, maar kon er toch goed op werken en ondertussen wat mee swingen

ei näitä livelevyjä

Tarttis ehkä olla livenä paikan päällä että tätä vois arvostaa.

Joo, ihan tiukkaa soittoo.

Kovaa ajoa, mutta ei nyt varsinaisesti mitään kauheasti mieleenjäävää meininkiä.

Pas tant mon style mais tu sens que c'est bon

Everyday I Have the Blues - prato da bateria, guitarra (BB king) e baixo envolvendo. Sweet little angel - solo de guitarra, com o prato (Sony Freeman), órgão baixo (Duke Jethro), música cresce com Saxophone (Johnny Board/ Bobby Forte) e Trumpet (Kenny Sands), fecha com solo de guitarra. How blue can you get? - o saxofone fazendo dueto com a letra da música e o prato/bateria dando cadência. A força na qual ele canta o encerramento parte da música. You done lost tour good thing now Help the poor A forma que a história é contada, a conexão entre as músicas - uma experiência blues. B. King faz piadas, pede atenção para suas letras, faz diversos comentários e ainda dá conselhos pra homens e mulheres, com gritos do público indo a loucura.

Not a lover of live albums and having seen the King play live this doesn’t really do the great man justice. It’s better to be there to be fair!

Late night listening.

This was ok. Got a bit boring a few songs in though. Obviously, a fantastic guitar player and a legend. Just not really my thing.

What a great time. Favorite Songs: How Blue Can You Get?, Please Love Me

I enjoyed this album, but not really something that I would seek out to listen to again nor would I purchase this album. Typical blues, live recording, but very good.

I don’t get blues. But he’s good at guitar.

299/1001 B.B King - Live At The Regal Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ Another outside of my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed regardless. However, I'm just not sure when the desire to return to it would be...

Digamos que simpático. Yo sé que es una leyenda y se nota. Dicho esto Nota: 3.0

John Lee Hooker is the greatest, BB King's albums are always a miss

it was fun, but i wouldn't choose to listen to it again

This is one of the blues greats but this is not the great blues...

B.B. King is a straight up entertainer, music is forcing you to move

This is a killer live album. His voice is on point & his guitar playing is fire! A must!

Мне это трудро

The band is super tight, and King's guitar and voice sound excellent, but there were at least a couple of places on this album where it transitioned from one song to another only for the new song to sound more or less identical to the first.

A bit too slow

Loved this, captured the spirit of live music Playlist add: "Worry, Worry"

BB is amazing whenever you listen to him but this shows him at his most powerful. Stunning

Each song blends into the next. Can sink into this album like a comfy couch

I didn’t really listen oops

Fantastic intro to blues

Love this album. The crowd actually makes it fun, i don’t always love live recordings especially older ones. Sweet little angel is one of my favoritesss

king of blues 4 a reason!!!!!!!! fuck elvis!!!!!!

This is pretty cool.

Blues are nice, this is nice but very little stands out to me

Det va gøy! På den måten jazz e gøy gøy gøy.

It was really good and I love the blues and jazz so I really liked it, but not perfection.

Vaya maestro del directo. Blues crudo de los 60, de esos como James Brown que conviertieron los conciertos en obras de teatro. 3,5/5

He's one of the Three Kings of Blues! Usually don't like Live versions of albums but this has very nice charm to it. Also, the guy did 342 shows in one year!!!! Crazy stuff. Tired work but he made it work cause it was his life. I wonder if I'll see the other Kings show up on my list. Albert an Freddie.

Interesting to listen to a whole live album. I like his commentary between songs

a good time all around ,, so playfully smooth

I really liked this album. I knew BB King was a great blues guitarist, but I didn't know he had such a cool voice. Almost gave this 5 stars.

I’m not really into this album. Not my jam. A great album with a fantastic musician, for sure, just not my preferred vibe.

Amo a B. B. King

REALLY good, but I wouldn't classify it as an "all-time classic album", more of a snapshot of where BB had gotten to that that point.

The Legend. I don't think the album sound quality if very good given the age, but he was a great performer. I had the good fortune to see B.B. King play live a couple of times. I remember once he made fun of a friend of ours for not having a date. Oh what is his name-o?

Good singer: check Entertainer: check Good music: check Relationship councilor: check Funny: check There should be a lot more B.B. King on this list!

Keep telling myself I should listen to more blues...

J’ai peur de trouver ça énervant J’aime bien l’ambiance live, la voix est charmante, la musique est vieillotte mais charmante également Je trouve ça bien, très agréable à écouter, mais aucun son ne me restera certainement. Bb King m’est très sympathique néanmoins !

Fun live blues. It is hard to take away the decades of shite and apprecitae the blues. Being a live album and short helps. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? No Owned: No: 70/281 (25%) Will I get: No

King, indeed.

Gets the blood bumping. Full of energy and King lays it all out there. What a performer. The bands sounds great too, not too loose but certainly not stuffy. The crowd eating it up enhanced my enjoyment. I’m thankful this was recorded so well.

I always think of B.B. King's guitar playing first, but this reminded me that he has rich and inviting voice as well. In true bluesman fashion he tells stories of desire and heartbreak.

I hate the background noise in old recordings. And I firmly believe you need to be a fan in order to love a LIVE album. But god damn it! BB is really the King. I was hating the sound when I started listening to this album and got hooked during the first 20 secs. Entranced by the first guitar solo and enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Music was good, but minus a star for being a live album.

good very fun

This was a DELIGHTFUL and breezy live album. The band and BB are ALIVE and the crowd is having so much fun. Plus us type 1 diabetics gotta stick together.

Better than i expected actually

Risch gut -1 Abzug für den üblen Hintergrundlärm

War cool, hatte es in Dauerschleife an - Weiß trotzdem nicht, ob ich es jemals wieder hören werde

King is a phenomenal perfomer, particularly his vocals, but the heavy use of brass section spoiled this a bit for me. Blues just sounds better to me when it's rawer and carried by the guitar.

Pretty chill. Funky jazz type. okay.

Great blues album. Love the banter.

Sounds great it's pretty incredible that it's live. I don't know much about BB King's albums to know if a studio recorded effort would be worth having on the list. I guess I have more homework to do

Wonderful album, never listen to the blues

BB KING WAS A LEGEND. Man he was so smoooooth. Wish I could’ve seen him play live

Great live concert recording by a legendary blues guitarist and performer.

Seeing him in 1999 was just like this, except his guitar playing was 30+ years better. Outstanding.

I mean, I wish I had been there

good album, but not my favourite. Love to hear though

I’ve never listened to any blues album before. From the jump, this is electrifying. The way the crowd explodes at the end of “How Blue Can You Get?” gave me chills, they’re the perfect accompanient to a band that’s on top of their game. My favorite track, without a doubt, is “Worry, Worry,” where B.B. King’s falsetto shines. King’s vocals as a whole are warm and powerful, taking turns with masterful guitar playing and his ownership of the audience between songs. The call-and-response style of jazz and blues has always been my favorite to play on piano, and hearing it is no different. I feel, more than half a century later, that the conversation King holds with the crowd is still open to us as well. At least, I certainly feel like I’m in the audience.

It’s your standard blues fare from a master, but it feels like old hat. It’s undeniably great, but I don’t see why I’m creaming my jeans yet. Update: patience is a virtue

B.B. Good

Easy listen

In the spirit of classic old recordings, here we have another great example of a great album being a live recording. When it comes to blues music the live atmosphere really is the only way to do it justice. The excitement of performing to an appreciative audience really does feed into the performances of the musicians involved. And wow what a great guitar tone on display here. It really does sing! Maybe would have been great to hear B.B. King backed by some more fiery players but it is all about him after all! There must be some other albums by him worth listening to so I’ll have to do some research. I wonder if he ever made a great studio album?

Pros - super clean, powerful voice; excellent blues music; great live blues performance for sure; and probably one of the best examples of the genre. Cons - it's essentially a greatest hits album; and it's a sound that I don't have a lot of reason (if that's the right word) to revisit too often today, so hard to evaluate it on the same scale as other styles and genres with which I'm more readily familiar. Could be a 5. Maybe.

King was certainly a master of blues guitar. My favorite parts of this record were actually his storytelling/banter between songs. It wasn’t much, but I felt like I was being ushered from one idea to another.

I like the blues and I like BB, but the songs and the album as a whole were just too short. It was just a blues appetizers...

Straight classic blues, King bringing such powerful vocals alongside a band hitting just right. The play between the horns, sax and piano is excellent and the piano and bass keeping everything afloat and moving in the right direction, finally the electric guitar making various appearances to throw some rock in there all comes together to a very enjoyable performance. I missed this era but I long for a dark club with a performance like this on stage.

This was fun but not sure I'd come back to it, nothing really stood out to me even if the energy is exciting.

Nobody leaves this place without singin' in the blues.

A good live album. BB King plays and sings the blues well. These songs are amazing. What really drives this album is the backing band and the horns. They are perfect to complement the guitar sounds that King is playing.

Great fun. Love BB king and this has soul and energy. I just dont see live albums belonging on this list.

This album has earned high praise for 60 years from a variety of critics. It is a pleasing album with even the downtrodden songs featuring a humorous take on the character's plight. When a song deals with immoral behavior, King offers jovial advice to the audience. Adding some grit, King tosses off some stinging, precise single-note runs that helped to put his name at the top of many bluesman lists. Having heard this album, a later live one at "Cook County Jail" and seeing King in person, the above features are all too familiar. King played show after show, and the routine barely seems to have altered, at least in this period, if ever. Like a blues Louis Armstrong, King played a role, perhaps his true persona, over and over for literally 1,000s of shows. It has some fine qualities, but is middle of the road. Sam Cooke took similar criticism for this bland pop when he issued a "Live at the Copa." After his death, "Live at the Harlem Square" came out featuring Cooke cutting loose to show true soul and gospel powers. Maybe a recording exists of King in similar fashion, and I have missed it. It could be that King's slightly less urban take on the jump blues of Louis Jordan and T-Bone Walker is not my cup of tea. The "Cook County" album has more moving moments in it compared to the nightclub stylings and banter here. My apologies to a legend, but thumbs down.

Did B.B. ever try his hand at stand-up comedy? Made me shimmy my shoulders with the music and shake my shoulders with the jokes. The audience is an additional instrument within the music, showing how to truly make a great live album. They shout, they laugh, and they participate in the music as much as a back-up singer would. Personal favorite: "Worry, Worry" for B.B.'s "A wife, woman, or whatever you want to call her, she don't do like you think she should, don't go' upside her head. That don't do but one thing, that make her look smarter, and she won't let you catch her the next time."

B.B. King's vocals and guitar are incendiary at points on this live recording, but electric blues has never been my thing and I want to like this album more than I do.

In lots of ways right up my street and the sort of thing I should really love. But something about it left me not ever getting in to it as much as I might have liked to. Maybe its the live nature, which is odd as I tend to enjoy live albums. Maybe there was just a bit too much fiddling around? So, this was fine with some nice bits and pieces on it.

3 estrellas porque me da cosa ponerle menos pero la verdad no me terminó de convencer, me pareció muy monótono.

I love a bluesy album, but a lot of these songs run together. Not a lot of stand-outs, but still a pretty good album.

beautiful. the song about how to not beat your wife is good context for the time even if it's wild by today's standards.

Gonna name my first born son Lucille.

Great singing, great blues guitar playing, great recording. Love it

Good album but not a 4/5 star album for me. Enjoyed it but I’m not pulling this out all the time for a re-listen.

I like B.B. King and I thought I was going to like this album alot more. But it was good!

When to listen: rowdy blues moment. I love the energy. I love the music. It did all blend a bit to me but what fun!

I like the Foo Fighters, but this album was so meh. Surprised me. But I still like the Foo Fighters.

Review - what a great album. Barely 35 minutes long but every track's great. He's such a good singer, I always forget that because of all the attention his guitar playing gets. A great album, not just a great live album. Rating - 9/10 Need to hear? YES

I dont like the blues maybe?

Not a bad live album.

He has a great voice and knows how to get the crowd going crazy. This is a fun album to listen to.

I really enjoyed it. The album feels lively and joyful, and the connection with the audience makes it stand out. It’s not a genre I usually listen to, but it made me curious to explore more blues. I might not fully connect with it yet, but it’s a great introduction.

Solid BB, the usual

Wow. I felt like I was there. This might be my new favourite blues album and the best answer for anyone asking why B. B. King is considered one of the greats.

Electric

Gostei bastante da bateria de b.b king, ele tem uma voz poderosa e os solos de guitarra parece que o instrumento comunica com ele, ponto negativo do album seria ser em live, os gritos constantes distraiam um bocado da perspetiva de tentar ouvir os instrumentos mas por um lado percebo o ponto para se sentir mais como se falasse com o ouvinte dando uma sensação de presença com o b.b king, overall acho um bom album de classico de blues/jazz

I'm sure this was a blast to be at. Favorite track: How Blue Can You Get? 3.5/5

This manages to be an album where there isn't really an individual song I'm hugely into, but the overall vibe and tone is so hitting that I can't not love it. Probably one of the best live albums I've heard, a rare case where the audience adds to the tone.

Los anuncios de Youtube Music me degradan como objeto comercial.

A virtuoso with the electric guitar. Unmistakable craft. Fantastic interplay with the audience. Sweet Little Angel: Yeah, I think that's what he's talking about. How Blue Can You Get?: Gen Xers will hear this for the first time and recall this being sampled. 36 in the bust, 28 in the waist, 44 in the hips.

Pretty boring but not the worst thing I’ve ever heard

It's a very energetic live set from BB King, that brings a different narrative to some like me, who remembers him as his old and slow version. I'm laughing, of course. I liked it. Not much more than other blues records. It's really ok. Not something I'll be coming back to often. Is it a high 2 or flat 3? I'll decide tomorrow morning and let you know. I think it's a two unfortunately... Although there are qualities to it, it just didn't do it for me yesterday...

boring aber gut i guess

This is my first B.B. King album and it was really great. I love how King didn't do a ton of extended jams or tried to show off how well he could play the guitar. It's obvious he can play and his backing band was really good as well. I still don't know if I like the blues, but I have loved music derived from the blues that is featured on this list. This album is no exception. This is also the only B.B. King album featured in this book, which seems difficult for me to believe.

some albums are really meant to be listened to live and i think that's the case here. although blues is a bit of a hit or miss genre for me, i did enjoy this, but i felt like i was missing something huge by just listening to it on spotify instead of being there in the crowd myself. i'm sure if i was there, i'd give it a high 4. the recording is portraying the live experience the absolute best it can, but it'll never reach the real thing also unfortunately i'm a shuffle listener and i don't think any individual track in this album would sound good shuffled in a random playlist. it's a sit down and listen to the whole thing in one sitting experiences fave track: worry, worry may 28 2025 edit girl idk what you're yapping about this is great 4 ⬆️

Perfect in its style.

These old live albums so fun, just wish they were longer BB da only king

Good, but not notable

Nice 🎸

It’s a live blues album that was quite enjoyable at times, yet felt average overall. The songs tend to blur together and can come across as a bit repetitive, and the messaging occasionally feels a little preachy and surface-level. That said, his deep, raspy voice is consistently captivating and easily the highlight throughout.

Oooohh, baby I've got the blues. Thank God for Mr. B.B. Otherwise I might never come out of it. Probably just about as good as the blues get. Fantastic showmanship, playing and singing. No notes.

Definitely not my favorite but it is great though.

That is a man who knows how to make it happen.

Das Album zeigt B.B. King in starker Form, mit warmem Ton und souveränem Publikumsspiel. Die Energie ist hoch, doch die Setlist wirkt stellenweise zu gleichförmig, sodass der Funke nicht durchgehend überspringt. Ein gutes, aber nicht überragendes Live‑Dokument.

для любителей блюза.

Amo la música, me encanta B.B. King, pero no disfruto los albums grabados en vivo

Fue algo nuevo, bastante sensacional, sin duda el transfondo de la música y sus sonidos prevalecerán en la historia del blues

An exhibition of a master of his craft. There may be little variation in the foundations of the songs but the tightness of the band and the atmosphere lift it all.

Le genre d'album agréable qui s'écoute tout seul. Je suis rarement déçu par ce style de musique, en particulier celui du King avec sa voix et sa maîtrise de l'instrument.

J'ai eu le temps de l'écouter plusieurs fois, le côté live ajoute beaucoup sur la performance au global avec une bonne répartition musique / voix de la foule Les musiques sont très bonnes mais je n'ai pas trouvé que, au global, la proposition était vraiment marquante

I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite album but it was fun to listen to. for me there was a bit too much speaking during the songs but it was a live performance so it makes sense why it’s like that. But it was also groovy in a way and I appreciate it because I like this type of music

Enjoyed this. It did sort of merge quite a bit, and I couldn't tell you any particular song stood out. Still a good live album.

Possibly check out more; good guitar, King is really good performer also fantastic atmosphere created by the audience tho i feel like the album isnt for my age 2026; songs are kinda repetitive tho its respectable for really old album like this one; 4/5

Day 12 Live at the Regal by B.B. King Second live album in twelve albums so far, and I’m still not the biggest live album guy. But when it comes to artists I don’t listen to often, it actually feels like a great way to get introduced to them. I’m not a huge blues listener either, but I’ve heard about this record for years. My uncle loves blues and talks about this one all the time, so I was definitely curious. It starts off really strong, and somehow the audience actually adds to the experience instead of distracting from it. As the album goes on, you can really hear how influential B.B. King has been on so much music that came after. It honestly feels like records like this laid the groundwork for so much modern stuff, even albums like To Pimp a Butterfly. The instruments sound incredible, and the whole thing flows really well. It’s also pretty short, which helps, and I could definitely see myself coming back to it. Might even make me explore more blues from this era. Wine pairing? A bold, warm red like a Zinfandel or Syrah. Something with a bit of grit and depth, like the music itself. Food pairing? Proper comfort food. BBQ ribs, mac and cheese, something soulful and heavy. Favourite song? “Every Day I Have the Blues”. Vinyl? Yes, I’d want this on vinyl. First listen? Yes. Overall 4 out of 5.

Singin' the blues!

Live blues album- hell yeah!!

I dug the vibe and the bluesy licks, and it wasn't bad by any stretch, but it felt like a bit too much "greatest hits" without any surprises. Still, B.B.'s voice and guitar are a force of nature, and that's worth the price of admission alone. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Sweet Little Angel - How Blue Can You Get - Worry, Worry

Blind album, know the artist by name. Album had a Lotta soul but my soul didn't wanna party so I guess its a no.

Well, I like the blues. I'm not a big fan of live albums, but it's getting better little by little; it's the kind of blues I like.

fun and i like how you cant really tell when a song is over and another pne begins

me gustó, sobre todo por la conexión con el público y esa energía en vivo, pero no siento que funcione igual que en estudio. Se pierde un poco el detalle y el pulido, y como no soy tan fan de los live albums, no conecté al 100. Ojo, no estoy diciendo que suena mal, para nada, suena increíble como siempre pero me gusta que suene más pulido

yes, but the audio quality is poor, which is probably an age thing. but Blues will always speak to me, melancholic, heavy but still melodic

BB with a horns section and full band—-get the hell out of here my word!!! Every single second of this set is perfection!

100% not what I'd ever go out of my way to listen to but it was actually reasonably enjoyable just maybe more of a one off thing.

This guy carries an energy that shows that he really loves what he does. It's infectious and makes me want to dance around the room listening to this. He's super cool, his music is super cool and this album is just a fun listen overall

I honestly loved it. So much soul and somehow happiness in so much soul and blues. Yes blues is repetitive but somehow it doesn't grate to me, each time is different and has so much strength. The guitar is of course amazing. There are some moments that non-live would have been preferred but I can also see where he is really drawing from and speaking to the audience so it builds the strength in the music.

Wow! I usually don't like Blues that much but THIS is fabulous! The live energy makes it extra great and some fabulous playing.

He's got some serious pipes! This had a lot of sizzly energy and I'm sure it would have been so fun to be there. Song wise, there wasn't anything I was really drawn into, but it was still a bluesy good time.

I have never listened to blues genre album before and it is elevated here because a live audience could do more to the experience, but even so crazy with the guitar and the band and he has some powerful vocals I have heard.

Great introduction to a "new" genre for me. You can hear how B.B King and his peers have contributed to the evolution of music. It may not be my favourite to listen to, but it is undeniably influential. I will absolutely listen again

The audience interaction is interesting at first, but after a few songs it starts to feel kind of repetitive. It’s like you already know what’s going to happen next, so it loses that excitement. Also, a lot of the songs sound a bit similar. There isn’t a big change in energy or style, so it can get a little boring if you listen to the whole album in one go.

What a voice, what a vibe and what a hard time for someone like B.B King

I had always thought that, as great as B.B. King is, the truest standards of blues music were Robert Johnson & Howlin' Wolf - that those two touch on the limits of art while King & Muddy Waters were brilliant but containable. I still feel that way about Waters, tho I recognize his genius, but after taking in Live At The Regal, I'm happy to add B.B. to that list of preternatural blues talents. Yes, his guitar playing is superbly nuanced & human, yet what I am most moved by is his singing, especially on 'Worry, Worry.' I don't think of him as a truth-teller, more like a truth-shaker, someone that agitates your foundations w/ a voice that's as sturdy as it is malleable. Maybe it's the live thing, as it is for Sam Cooke at the Harlem Square Club, that brings it out.

If Blues is your thing I suspect this is pretty good.

Instantly accessible and very easy to listen to. All the songs sound the same with near identical structure, but it was fun.

Fantastic voice, trad guitar solos you’ve heard a million times (and which lost their novel appeal long ago), crowd way too happy for the Blues which made it an odd live album. No denying the influence. Think I just prefer your old school bluesman to be more of a solo misery fest; give me ‘Fingerless Boots Johnson’ recorded on wax cylinder in an old chicken coop over this any day.

it was fine? i don't think blues is really my thing, not a massive fan of live albums either

Didn’t know the blues could sound so good. The screaming guitar in this paired with B.B’s voice is so good. Sweet Little Angel was my favourite here. Will be returning to this one for certain

I can go either way on live albums, but this really added to it! I think I’m not a huge blues guy though. This was still really catchy and fun.

Felt like having coffee with an old uncle or friend who's already seen the world at a young age

So many classics ofc - will say I found some of the yelling in the live to be a bit annoying but I did love the lead ins

Didn’t even realize I like the blues this much

good album, this type of blues are not my favourites but i like this album.

simplemente BB king

It’s good, but it’s not great, it looses some stars for being a live album.

A revelation. Putting aside the musicianship for a moment—which is across the board excellent here, both from King and his band—despite the songs lyrically being about the worries and troubles so typical of the blues, there is so much joy in BB King’s delivery on this album. There’s no woeful self-pity here, it’s as if King has found freedom and liberation in the dejection. It’s an excellent listen, and five stars for me because this album is I think going to shape how I listen to the blues.

For someone who has the Blues, he sure sounds like he's gotten over it and earned himself some Greens with this Red album (not a bad live album though, such great guitar). I like my Blues to be more depressed.

Trasmite vibras de fiesta totalmente. Junto a las reacciones del público, se nota lo importante y significativas que son estas canciones para su audiencia y eso se capta rápidamente. Me encanta lo acalorado, rápido y festivo que puede ser el blues.

3/5 creo que no le doy más solo porque es mi primer encuentro con este estilo de música y todavía no me encuentro en el. Si es verdad que transmite lo que tod artista quiere lograr y muy pocos consiguen. El hecho de que sea en vivo le agrega un plus increíble.

estuvo lindo, no es el género que mas escucho pero me gusta. fácil de escuchar, pero no me voló la cabeza

Excellent musicianship, but some of the crowd banter felt off.

This is an awesome album… BB King is one of the greats. Live at Cook County is another great live album by him!!!

Excellent look into a legend. I particularly liked how at times one song led right to the next and the band kept playing in the background. BB is a storyteller, with words, song, and his guitar playing. Long live the King!

Veldig snakkete men kul

Brutalidad de álbum, creo que el hecho de que esté en vivo le da otro toque y es una maravilla de blue

I dont see a reason for me to hate blues but i also understand why i don't love it

This is a great jazz/blues album.

Nice and warm performance by The Legend the blues. It was nice interaction between artist and the audience, which made me feel myself like a part of the show. Musically it was “regular blues” with typical hooks, live themes etc

Can't really complain about some proper blues performed in front of an appreciative audience. And the man has a voice. What a voice.

the blues has never been one of my favorite genres but he has an incredible voice and a real stage presence that you can feel even decades later

I've seen BB King a couple of times in the late 90's early 00's so his voice in this throws me off. He's still one of the best bluesmen to walk the planet. The first track was wild as it reminded me of a James Brown show more than a BB show. Gotta remember these aren't the old men I am used to. I've listened to it twice. Great album, the recording is actually great so you don't get a garbage quality album. BB King is one of the greats, the man has the energy and works the crowd. If you are expecting an old blues player this isn't it. This is King in his prime and it shows. The lyrics are blues but with the band it's something else. Great album, go listen to more blues, Buddy Guy still tours, Kingfish, Eric Gales, and Marcus King are out there. Go see them.

I not really a fan of blues music so it’s hard to rate a blue album but I thought the album was alright nothing special but ok

Oh hell yes

Enjoyed it

I'll be listening to this again and again and again. Superb musicians and a great live recording. KING indeed.

2.75. This live album sounds less like a planned setlist and more like BB King just followed where the music led him.

This was a pleasant surprise. Probably the first BB King album I've listened to and while Blues isn't typically my genre of choice there is no denying the skill and passion that went into every vocal and guitar note. No way to rate this one other than a 5.

3.75 - Good stuff. Probably the first time I’ve listened to BB.

12 bar blues baby! Fun vibes very nice very nice

Don't massively like Live music but two of these songs were class icl

pretty good like how the whole album has a fast-ish sound all through out i honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as i did! i’d say that my favorite song from this album has to be “you upset me baby”.

Great Blues Album

I understand BB King’s importance. There’s a lot of blues I like/love, but for whatever reason, BB King doesn’t really do it for me. It’s great, musically, but just not my cuppa tea.

Muy bueno!. 8

Was not paying loads of attention but sounded really really good. Possibly 5 stars but need to pay more attention.

"Worry Worry" glorifies domestic violence

Hei, tämähän oli hyvä levy! Tunsin B.B. Kingin maineelta, mutta en ollut ennen kuullut hänen musiikkiaan. Mieshän on kova kepittäjä, mutta myös karismaattinen laulaja. Livel at the Regal on myös onnistunut livelevynä; B.B.:n yleisölle jutustelu keventää tunnelmaa mukavasti.

Oh, so much Blues! 😎

The album offers pure electric blues performed by a superb band. And yet, at the same time, it contains everything I detest about blues: clichéd lyrics, predictable solos, rigid structures. The “Oohs” and “Yeahs” from the audience complete the stereotype. Yes, the album is certainly a role model for many blues (rock) musicians of later years. But I simply can’t relate to this 12-bar blues structure and the “my baby, she left me” lyrics at all. Because I’ve heard it all a thousand times before and it always comes across the same. If you're a Blues fan, this album is a full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, but for me, as a Blues skeptic it's barely a ⭐⭐ because I have to give some credit for musical excellence.

Me gusto mucho, conocer a uno de los mas grandes del blues y su historia, muy buen album con una vibra muy alegre, me dieron ganas de escuchar blues mas seguido

I mean, just blues, nth special, I fell asleep in a bus to it.