The Beauty of Live Music

Recently I was watching "Shine A Light", the Scorcese-directed movie of a Rolling Stones concert at the Beacon Theatre, which I've seen a time or two.  A song came on I had sort of forgotten about.  And I have to share it here.

Whether or not you are a Stones fan, stop what you are doing and just watch this video and specifically listen in to Ronnie Wood playing.



The best thing about music is the live experience.  Live music happens once- that's it. A song is performed by an artist.  The performer may read or feel something from their audience, adjusting the way the song is played - ever so slightly - making it a truly one-of-a-kind experience.  That is the beauty of live music. You'll never hear and feel it that way again. It is a fleeting moment, until the next time you happen to capture it, but in a different way, with a different artist and energy.

Great live videos are a poor substitute, but they can remind us of all the past live performances we've seen where we felt the moment.  Here are some of my favorites. What are some of yours?

U2- Bad at Live Aid, 1985


Joe Cocker- With a Little Help From My Friends, Woodstock, 1969


Billy Joel- New York State of Mind, BBC, 1978


Pink Floyd, Live from the Pulse tour, Take it Back


Pink, Glitter in the Air at the Grammys, 2010 (even if you are not a Pink fan, give it a watch)


John Mayer, In Your Atmosphere, Live in LA 2008


U2, Live at the Superbowl 2002


Billy Joel, Piano Man, 1993