! Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble Imports

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Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

Show's Material - Detailed Reviews

The following information is purely a subjective review by me about the following show material that I own.
Alone in the Ozone:
( see details)		 This is an excellent soundboard recording of a Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble show (circa 1984). The version of Tin Pan Alley from this show is awesome. I have never heard a more unique interpretation of Tin Pan Alley from Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble than I have from this show.

SRV & DT play some other awesome versions from their standard shows - such as Texas Flood, Couldn't Stand the Weather and Mary Had a Little Lamb.

The only problem with my copy is that it is missing the Rude Mood track because it wouldn't fit onto a CD-R.		 Back to main page
Alpine Valley:
( see details)		 I want to be very clear about my review of this show. I would NOT recommend this show if you have very few Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble live shows.

This CD-R set (3 CDs) is a "remastering" of the Alpine Valley show that is often for sale on the net. A member of the TexasFlood found the the "master" of this show which has both SRV & DT's complete set and Eric Clapton's complete set on it. This individual then cleaned up the original mono recording so that it is listenable.

But the problem with this recording of the show is that the sound quality is muddy, the mix is hit-and-miss, and it is overall a poor audience recording. Most folks would be much happier with one of the shows I have rated as ***** and **** (such as First Concert in Europe, Jammed Together - Texas Style, Live at the Metropolitan Center, Stilleto Rain, or The Timothy White Interviews).		 Back to main page
Brotherly Love:
( see details)		 This is an excellent live recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble during the later part of their career together. SRV & DT play a lot of songs off of the In Step CD.

There is an awesome version of Cold Shot from this show. Both Stevie and Reese trade solos back and forth during Cold Shot like I have never heard before.		 Back to main page
First Concert in Europe:
( see details)		 This is an excellent live recording of SRV & DT. This is the famous show where the audience booed and whistled their displeasure about a "white Texas blues band". This show also contains the version of Texas Flood that won a Grammy for Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.
NOTE: I won't trade this CD anymore. You can get a commercial CD called Live at Montreux 1982 and 1985. Don't even ask me to 'give' you a copy.		 Back to main page
Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX - 18 Dec. 1982 This is an 'ok' show. There are two highlights from the show. First of all Johnny "Clyde" Copeland joins SRV & DT for some of the songs. There are two 'unusual' songs on this show, Hideaway and a slow blues jam. Back to main page
Force of Nature:
( see details)		 This is one of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's early shows (Oct 14, 1981). The show includes a lot of traditional blues songs, such as Close To You, Tell Me, Let Me Love You, Shake For Me, and Hideway. Of course these are all played SRV way! There are also a number of hallmark SRV & DT songs on this CD, including: Texas Flood, Rude Mood, The Sky is Crying, Pride and Joy, and Love Struck Baby.

The mix on this show is very good. You can clearly hear SRV voice and the mix of the instruments is pretty clear.		 Back to main page
Force of Nature II:
( see details)		 I have to say that I was very disappointed with this 2 CD set. Although this 2 CD set was recommended to me by some members of the Texasflood as being a very good SRV show, I found that almost all of SRV's vocals to be washed out. I can barely understand a single word that Stevie is singing. Back to main page
Fly on Little Wing: This CD contains a compilation of artists playing the Jimi Hendrix song "Little Wing". While I really enjoy Stevie Ray Vaughan's version of "Little Wing" I am not a huge fan of Jimi Hendrix, so this CD sits on the shelf for long periods of time not being played.

The sound quality of this CD varies from song to song since it is a collection from a variety of shows. But as a general rule the quality is good. If you are a big fan of Jimi Hendrix and the people who have covered him then you will want this CD. There are also two tracks with Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana playing Little Wing.		 Back to main page
Front Row Center Show #18: I really don't know anything about this show (where, when, setlist, etc), but I can tell you that it is one of the best recordings that I have ever gotten in a trade. It was one of those unusual trades I made. But the sound quality of this show is so good that I am glad I made the trade. If I knew more about this show I would rate it a **** instead of a ***. Back to main page
G-Ray:
( see details)		 If you like the El-Mocambo video (you can get this at places like Best Buy), you will enjoy this show. This is the audio version of the show. I would highly recommend this show as an excellent example of an early Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble show. Back to main page
Guitar Boogie:
( see details)		 Guitar Boogie is a re-arranged version of the commercial release In the Beginning. There are a couple of songs on this CD that are not on In the Beginning, which is just another example of how the record executives just don't get it. This is an excellent show and should be considered an addition to anyone's copy of In the Beginning. Back to main page
Holiday in Connecticut: Holiday in Connecticut is a very well record show. There are also some early studio pieces on the CDs as well. The sound quality and balance are both excellent. This is also an early incarnation of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble and they just don't sound as "on" as they normally do. That is why I gave the show ** instead of ***. Back to main page
Hound Dog:
( see details)		 Hound Dog is a very well record show. The sound quality and balance are both excellent. But ... Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble just don't sound as "on" as they normally do. That is why I gave the show *** instead of ****. Back to main page
In Memoriam: This is a set of three different shows. IMO, none of these shows are particalarly good. The one advantage is that you get three shows under one 'label'. Back to main page
In the Open:
( see details)		 This is another excellent show from Stevie Ray Vaughan's early career. Some excellent blues songs are a part of this show and many of them show SRV subtle side. There are some ripping vocals by Lou Ann Barton. Back to main page
Jammed Together - Texas Style:
( see details)		 This CD has Stevie Ray Vaughan playing with Albert King at the CHCH Studios (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada - 11/1983). You can hear every note and all of the vocals on this CD. It has a couple of minor problems, the most noticable is the splice of Texas Flood and Stormy Monday Blues. But this is a minor problem in my opinion.

I really enjoyed listening to Stevie and Albert King talking to each other between the tracks. It was also great to hear Stevie playing something other than his standard fair. If you like Albert King at all, then you have to get this boot.
NOTE: I won't trade this CD anymore. You can get a commercial CD called In Session. Don't even ask me to 'give' you a copy.		 Back to main page
Life Without You - Compilation: This is a compilation CD-R of the Stevie Ray Vaughan song, Life without You, performed live at six different venues. The Texas Flooder who made this compilation CD-R picked out some awesome versions of Life without You. But the best part of the CD-R is Stevie "testifying" to the crowd about his new life.
Stevie's "testifying" has changed many people's lives. I know a few Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble fans who have gotten clean because of Stevie's "testifying". A few fans became Christians because of Stevie's "testifying".		 Back to main page
Live at Billy Bob's: This is one of those shows that I have a hard time giving a review to. It is a really excellent show from SRV & DT earlier days. SRV & DT do some jamming to their familiar tones, notably Texas Flood. On my CD-R there are some flaws. The biggest is that Pride and Joy has a number of places where the song gets noisy or the signal gets terribly distorted. The show sounds like it was an audience recording, a very good audience recording. Back to main page
Live at L'Olympia:
( see details)		 This is one of those shows that I have a hard time giving a review to. It is a really excellent show from SRV & DT middle career time-frame. SRV & DT do some jamming to their familiar tones, notably Ain't Gone'n'Give Up on Love. There are some "fun" SRV & DT songs as well such as Superstition and Willie the Wimp.

The show sounds like it was an audience recording, a very good audience recording.		 Back to main page
Live at the Metropolitan Center: This is the Oct. 25, 1989, Met Center (Minnepolis MN) show with Jeff Beck. SRV & DT are totally on for this show. It is obvious that SRV is on a mission with his guitar playing. SRV just sounds like he is having fun in this show.
SRV & DT really jam on some of their standard songs. For instance, Mary Had a Little Lamb opens with a minute and half of SRV jamming away before singing the song. Personally I have never heard better versions of Mary Had a Little Lamb, Cold Shot, and Life Without You.
The only problem area on the CD I have is that Riviera Paradise has a large number of fade outs and buzzing in during the song.
This is also either a soundboard recording of the show or a very good audience recording.		 Back to main page
Live In Philadelphia: This is an excellent audience recording of a latter Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble concert. The vocals and instrument mix is even enough that you can generally hear Stevie's voice. Back to main page
Live at Stubb's Bar-B-Que: This is an good audience recording of a very early Stevie Ray Vaughan club show. The vocals and instrument mix is even enough that you can generally hear the vocals. This is from '78 and therefore does not have Tommy Shannon or Chris Layton as part of the band. One of the reasons I enjoy this CD so much is that I went to college, Texas Tech University, in Lubbock Texas where Stubbs is at. I never got to Stubbs while I was in college. Another mistake in my life. Back to main page
Live at Winter Island: No review at this time. Back to main page
Look at Little Stevie:
( see details)		 This is one of my favorite shows, Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, PA, 30jun87. Stevie and Double Trouble are totally on for this show. The sound quality is excellent and the mix is just right. This is one of the CDs I would highly recommend getting. Back to main page
Mega Rare Trax, Vol. I:
( see details)		 This is a compilation of a live versions songs that Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played throughout their career. This is an excellent place to start a import collection because you get a variety of show material all in one neat package. If you already have a bunch of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble shows then this isn't as wonderful a trade. Back to main page
Mr. Clean:
( see details)		 This is an excellent live recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, at the Fox Theater in Atlanta GA. The recording sounds like it is from the soundboard or recorded from the radio broadcast of the show. Back to main page
The Night He Couldn't Sing the Blues: Concert at Civic Center, Des Moines, Iowa on May 8, 1987. This is the 'famous' show where Stevie Ray Vaughan had laryngitis. His throat was so raw that he could hardly talk let alone sing. At this particular show, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble decided to put on an almost entirely an instrumental show. Back to main page
Nightcrawlers Studio Demos: This CD contains some very very early Stevie Ray Vaughan work. The style of the music is more blues or rhythm and blues as opposed to the Texas Blues style that Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble made famous in the 80's. Back to main page
Peace in the Valley:
( see details)		 This is the soundboard recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble playing at Alpine Valley on August 25, 1990. This is not the "famous" last show. This is basically the next to last show.

The sound quality on this show is good, although there is some 'unnatural distortion' in places. Stevie and Double Trouble are totally on for this show and it comes through in their playing. The song selection is excellent if you enjoy SRV & DT later stuff. Stevie's panter between songs is a lot of fun to listen to.

There is one problem with the CD-R I have. Track 9 is listed as Couldn't Stand the Weather and Track 10 as being Goin' Down. In fact, Track 9 is actually Couldn't Stand the Weather and Goin' Down. And worse than the track labeling problem the song Goin' Down gets cut near the end.		 Back to main page
Raisin' A Little Sand: Raisin' A Little Sand was put together by a member of the Stevie Ray Vaughan fan base that can be found on the net. His intention is to capture the best version of the songs that SRV & DT played during 1983. He has done an excellent job. Back to main page
Rough Edges:
( see details)		 Rough Edges is full of early Stevie Ray Vaughan material. Most of the tracks were recorded in 1979 (one track is from 1971) and it reflects the time when Stevie Ray Vaughan was honing his licks and stage presence.

The sound quality on this CD-R is very good. The first twelve tracks do not sound like they were recorded in a bar/club but in a studio. Tracks 13-17 were a live recording. Track 18 & 19 are from early singles that SRV participated in.		 Back to main page
See You Later:
( see details)		 If you enjoy Buddy Guy and always wanted to hear how Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan would sound together this is a good show to get. Back to main page
The Sky is Crying:
( see details)		 "This is an interview with Jimmie Vaughan, along with Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon of Double Trouble, conducted by Dan Neer of Neer Perfect Productions. The excerpts contained here cover the making of The Sky Is Crying, as well as selected quotes highlighting the illustrious but too short career of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. As an added bonus, Dan has included some quotes from an interview he did with Stevie Ray Vaughan." Back to main page
Somewhere over the Rainbow:
( see details)		 Personally I think this CD has some of the best live SRV that I have heard (In the Beginning, Live Alive, Force of Nature II). To my ear the sound quality is very good and I can clearly hear Stevie's vocals, which I can't say for FON II. Back to main page
Southwest Missouri State: This is an audience recording (a good one and my copy is from a third generation copy - so it is pretty clean). There are places where the mix fades in and out a bit. In spite of those problems this is a show that every Stevie Ray Vaughan collector eventually needs to get. Why? It has the only known recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble playing the Jimi Hendrix song Voodoo Chile! I don't mean Voodoo Chile (Slight Return), but Voodoo Chile! Back to main page
Stevie Played a Little Blues:
( see details)		 This CD is a good quality soundboard recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It has a number of classic SRV & DT blues songs, such as Cold Shot and Tin Pan Alley.
NOTE: I won't trade this CD anymore. You can get a commercial CD called Live at Montreux 1982 and 1985. Don't even ask me to 'give' you a copy.		 Back to main page
Stilleto Rain:
( see details)		 Another excellent live CD from SRV & DT. This one was recorded at the Red Rocks Amphitheater and contains some of the clearest and vibrant music that I have heard on a live CD. I am not a Jimi Hendrix fan and I have never been fond of SRV & DT doing covers of Jimi Hendrix's music, but I am very impressed by the Hendrix cover songs on this CD.

There are a couple of minor problems on this CD. There are at least three very distinct microphone squeals, one occassion when you can't hear Stevie Ray Vaughan's vocals and the occassion when Stevie breaks a string while playing Tin Pan Alley. All of these problems add a nice live flavor to the CD.		 Back to main page
Texas Flood - Seattle Show:
( see details)		 This show was part of the Soul-to-Soul tour. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble sound like their are having a good time and their playing is excellent. Couldn't Stand the Weather has an excellent set of solos from Stevie and Reese. Reese also has an excellent solo during the Pride and Joy track.

Bonnie Raitt playing slide guitar joins Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble for a burning version of Texas Flood. Bonnie's solo is one of the highlights of this CD. Of course Stevie does not disappoint his fans when he plays his solo for Texas Flood.

The sound quality and mix on this CD are very good. It sounds like a soundboard recording or from a radio broadcast. In any case, the mix is very good.		 Back to main page
The Timothy White Interviews: If you ever wanted to hear what SRV had to say about his music and the influences that gave rise to his great talent, then you will want this interview. SRV plays a number of songs, or snippets of songs, live on the show. The best and most famous, is his live version of Dirty Pool. Back to main page
Triple Threat Reviews: This is an awesome show which represents Stevie Ray Vaughan's earliest full blown band. On this CD are songs you will not hear on any other show. Back to main page
Unplugged and Jamming:
( see details)		 Unplugged and Jamming implies that all of the material on this CD is Stevie Ray Vaughan doing an acoustic set(s). Seven (7) of the sixteen (16) tracks are in fact acoustic tracks. There is some very good material on this CD, including the MTV Unplugged tracks and three tracks from New Orleans where B.B. King and Albert Collins are jammin' with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Back to main page
Unplugged and Jamming:
( see details)		 This is just a bunch of outtakes from the Soul-to-Soul sessions. Many of the outtakes are partial mixes and spiced songs. This is a TERRIBLE import. As a public service I am telling all the Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble fans don't get this import. Back to main page
Floodin' on the Net - Volume 1: This is a Tribute CD put together by the members of the Texas Flood email list. There are number of reasons why this is an excellent CD. First of all there are a lot of talented people playing on this CD. A few of the folks on the CD play gigs on a regular basis.

Another good reason why this CD is so excellent is the number of accoustic versions of Stevie Ray Vaughan songs are performed on this CD.

Finally it is great to hear other folks who are playing Stevie's material and realize that I can learn how to play Stevie's material as well.		 Back to main page
Floodin' on the Net - Volume 2: This is a Tribute CD put together by the members of the Texas Flood email list. There are number of reasons why this is an excellent CD. First of all there are a lot of talented people playing on this CD. A few of the folks on the CD play gigs on a regular basis.

Another good reason why this CD is so excellent is the number of original songs that have been provided as a tribute to Stevie and his music.

Finally it is great to hear other folks who are playing Stevie's material and realize that I can learn how to play Stevie's material as well.		 Back to main page

David Tannen

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