The Kinks Album: “Live at Kelvin Hall”

I first heard this album when I purchased it in 1983. I had already taken into account the possibility that it could sound a little rough due to the recording equipment (live) in use at that time. However, nothing could have prepared me for the numerous delights contained in the grooves of this positively delightful LP.

Among it's best features is the use of such a steady rocker as "Till the End of the Day" (originally the closer to side 1 of their "Kontroversy" album) for an opening song. It's alot of fun too, hearing Ray persuading the audience to sing a fair size piece of "Sunny Afternoon." And what a perfect match to have probably the coolest band in the world singing the theme song to one of the coolest TV shows of all time! Also fun to hear is the band tuning. You hear this alot throughout the album. Granted, it's not a treat for the ears when you listen to anybody tuning an instrument, but what's interesting (and you'll hear this in "Sunny Afternoon") is that it's almost as though Ray thought: "Hey, let's let the audience sing!" So he goes right into it while Pete and Dave are trying to tune.

My personal favorite on this album though, has to be "I'm on an Island." This particular version has something more, at least to my ears, than does the studio version from "Kontroversy." Even though none of the band could hear themselves (no monitors), it's a great performance of the song, and I think it stands up quite well with their best work! I always appreciate hearing Quaife's deep bass notes on the chorus. It's really fun.

And there it is in a nutshell. Some of the reasons why "The Live Kinks" is well deserving of a spot in anyone's collection. If you're a Kinks fan, you'll kick yourself in the drawers if you pass it up.

This album catches the Kinks at their peak during their initial incarnation of the original prototype heavy, punk, garage band. Unlike the remixed "live" albums that were released by their peers...The Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc....where the crowd was toned down and the magic of the studio brings the music to the forefront, the Kinks mono version shows what a force to be reckoned with...that they were at the time. The sounds are real. The crowd chaos is there in full force. The Kinks' miscues, out of tune notes and incredibly sloppy but gut- wrenched rock and roll chords make you feel the experience of a live 60's gig. The sheer power of the opening chords of "You Really Got Me"....makes you wonder what other bands must have felt like when they had to compete with these guys. The ferocious medley of "Milk Cow Blues", "Tired of Waiting For You" and "Batman"....is creative, exciting and takes the teen angst that Nirvana thrived on in 1991, back 24 years to the originator's of that genre. The Kinks may not have been the most popular band to have come out of the british invasion...but they sure were the most exciting and their catalog, which spans over 30 years of music...lends evidence that they very well may be the best band of the era as well.

Forget the Stones 'Got Live...' with it's studio songs with live audience dubbed in. The Beatles, never really released a good live album from the Brit Invasion period. No, this is it.

OK, don't look for beautiful slick production and perfect playing, this CD is a historical document that rocks! the screaming girls (drowing out the band sometimes), the frantic, if sometimes sloppy, playing just add to the energy that makes this great. The songs are some of the Kinks best, man I love this album!

This is a US issue of "Live At Kelvin Hall" mono version, with a different cover. Same primitive sound, but ever so Kool. The BBC sessions are live in the studio, but with no audience. Better sound, but less authenticity. Kinks long before on-stage fist fights (I actually saw one of those-Avory's drumsticks flying at the Brothers Davies as they yelled (off mike) and wrestled a bit.)