Best live versions of song X

[Jelger]

I was just listening to the bootleg of Hurricane festival in 2011, and I realized that version of Punch Drunk might be my favorite ever.

Of course the fact that I was there, helps. But what I love most is that during the bridge you can hear this ambulance siren in the background (at the festival I think I saw the ambulance about 15 times on the grounds to carry of drunk German people) and Mike tries to copy the sound of the siren at the end of the bridge. It is a minor thing, but it gives this live version something special to me.

The live version of Look Alive in Kuala Lumpur is the best of that song in my opinion. Very energetic, almost ferocious. Same goes for the Las Vegas 2012 version of Sick Sad Little World. Ben and Mike absolutely destroy the bridge, it's so good.

Are there any live recordings of certain songs you think are the best?
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30 May 2008 | 18 June 2011| 10 July 2012| 16 June 2015 |
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[torres]

I love this thread and its potential. From the top of my head, I'll go with these...

Sick Sad Little World feat. Tom Morello (Live in Detroit 2011)
Drive (Alive at Red Rocks)
Are You In? (Bridge School Benefit 2011)
Mexico (Live in London 2004)
Look Alive (Live at Echoplex 2009)

When I get time to sit down on my laptop, I'm gonna to link up audio and/or video for each song I come up with.
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9/30/04, 1/22/07, 8/30/07, 8/15/09, 8/18/11, 8/22/11, 8/13/15, 8/14/15

[Jelger]

I got to give some credit to the miner show in 2010 too. The crowd makes that whole show awesome, but especially songs like Anna Molly, Pardon Me and Megalomaniac seem to get a fresh sound thanks to the fans.

I never really cared for the Detroit-version of Sick Sad Little World. I don't think the guitar style of Morello fits the song.
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30 May 2008 | 18 June 2011| 10 July 2012| 16 June 2015 |
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[Ty]

Great thread! Here are a few choices of mine:

A Certain Shade of Green – 2004/05/14 Manchester:

Kil’s solo incorporates Whole Lotta Love by Zeppelin the whole time, good stuff. Jose was also doing an awesome beat during the verses for a little bit during this tour and its definitely my favorite he’s ever done during the long history of this song.

Summer Romance – 1997/12/17 Los Angeles:

Jeremy of Hoobustank was at this show and threw down his saxophone solo just like the studio version.

The Warmth- 2001/10/23 New York City, Morning View Release Party:

Of all the versions of this song, this one has it all. I love that it was part of a DVD too. Everything is on point & I haven’t come across a better version.

Stellar and Make Yourself- 2000/12/16 KROQ Almost Acoustic Xmas:

The editing and the crowd can be a little distracting during this set but the guys had a 6 piece orchestra with them for these 6 songs and Stellar & Make Yourself are, in my opinion, two different songs (in a good way) with the strings. In fact, I can’t listen to any version of Make Yourself without hearing the string part in my head. I wish they’d do something like this more often.

Pardon Me- 2011/08/17 Red Rocks:

Might be for sentimental reasons, but besides being lucky enough to be there for this show, I just think the energy brought by the fact that its Red Rocks, it’s the show opener but also the tour opener brought something special to this version. All 5 guys sound great and its definitely my favorite version of Pardon Me.

Nice to Know You – 2012/08/24 Tinley Park, IL:

Another version of a song that may be due to sentimental reasons, but the intro that they did on this tour was amazing and this version in particular between Ben and Jose is just fucking rad. Far and away my favorite version of NTKY.

Wish You Were Here – 2011/08/17 Red Rocks:

Again, a little biased perhaps but I think it says a lot about how tight the guys are musically these days…the past three songs have been ones they’ve been playing for 10+ years and yet I think they’ve sounded their best on the most recent tours.

Are You In? is a 2 way tie

2004/03/16 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:

Easily the LOUDEST I’ve ever heard a crowd at an Incubus show and the guys just feed off of it. You can hear the entire crowd singing every word through the whole thing and when it gets to the bridge, it gives me goosebumps every single time.

2011/06/17 Berlin, Germany:

Definitely not the only version of this song where they threw in “Riders on the Storm” during the bridge, but my personal favorite for whatever reason. I think it flows so damn well. Love hearing it.

Aqueous Transmission – 2007/07/25 Chicago IL:

Another biased one I think, but being there coupled with the Look Alive DVD solidifies this version as my favorite by a long shot.

Sick Sad Little World- 2007/07/25 Chicago IL:

See above. The solos during this version are so friggin solid. I love when they used to spend 10+ minutes on this song.

Also, as Torres said 2011/08/23 Noblesville, IN:

Having Tom Morello come out and play 5 feet from Jason and I for this one was absolutely unforgettable.



Pistola – 2012/08/25 Noblesville, IN:

Another sentimental one, but the way they threw Tom Sawyer in the middle was absolutely awesome. I’m sure a bunch of you got to see this as well during the 2012 tour.

Quicksand/AKTSUO – 2007/07/25 Chicago, IL:

Again, the Look Alive show was super special for us Chicagoans. Every time I hear these songs I can’t help but picture the skyline and the pit all jumping as one during the start of KTSUO

Dig – 2007/07/25 Chicago, IL:

Look Alive show, however when the boys were in Chicago for the small theater tour in Feb 07, Brandon was just getting over being sick (they had to cancel the two shows before this one) so they opted out of playing Dig. This was the first we got to see it.

Honorable mention: The acoustic versions during the 2009 tour were phenomenal!

Anna Molly – 2007/07/25 Chicago, IL:

See above

Pendulous Threads – 2012/08/25 Noblesville, IN

They need to play this song live more often!!

Punch Drunk – 2007/07/25 Chicago, IL

If Not Now, When?

There might not be a crowd for this one but its still my favorite.





Alright, I probably took this way too far. Maybe its because I’m so excited for the shows this summer! Can’t wait!!

[Jelger]

You certainly are way better at this than I am, Ty.
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30 May 2008 | 18 June 2011| 10 July 2012| 16 June 2015 |
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[Ty]

[AlexMan]

wow Ty went all out lol.

A few I really like are:

Under My Umbrella - Reading Festival 2005
Mexico - Santiago, Chile 2010. Pretty sure that was the miners show.
Warning - Hove Festival 2007
The Warmth - Bizarre Festival 2002
SSLW - Not sure of the show but I love the version from the Look Alive DVD.
Summer Romance - MTV Unplugged Acoustic set.

Obviously a lot more but that's just a few I can think of. Cool thread idea.

[Ty]

[Look_Alive]

I really like this version of ACLOTM, purely because the crowd are so into it at the breakdown - https://youtu.be/pjx37Fofjr4?t=1h1m43s

The Bridge School version is brilliant, too, though.

I do love the Alive at Red Rocks version of Pardon Me and Drive.

There used to be a high quality video of SSLW at Brixton in 2012 on Youtube by a drum magazine - it looks like it's been taken down now but it was superb, as the energy of the band was amazing. Although that may be sentimental value as I was there.

I Miss You from Manila is really good, purely for the audience.

When I saw them in Manchester, Mike and Brandon did an acoustic version of Warning that was pretty cool (I still think it was one of the best setlists they played in a while: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/incubus/2011/o2-apollo-manchester-manchester-england-bd185aa.html )

Switchblade at Incubus HQ was good, too.
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Ebbsfleet United fan.

[Ty]

[Look_Alive]

I edited the hyperlink so it should work now - it's not as good as the metrosexual set but there's just the right mix of mellow to rocking in there.

I'm pretty sure 3 weeks' time is the first time they've played at Hammersmith since the Metrosexual set, so it could be special.
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Ebbsfleet United fan.

[Rickety Cricket]

Really super don't care about live versions of songs when its nothing but a lower sound quality version of the studio or with a slight tweak. What I do like is when they try something completely different with a song. Like the remixes on Redefine / Dig or the bridge benefit version of are you in.

I wish that they would just release the remixes with better sound quality.

[Jelger]

Definitely, I got an audio rip of the Redefine - Look Alive version, but would love an EP with just remixed versions of songs. Studio quality: Are You In Bridge Benefit style, New Skin, Dig (one of even two of the versions they've played over the years), Redefine and one I am forgetting. Would make a good EP for fans.

Also, I really like Stellar with De do do do, de da da da incorperated.
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30 May 2008 | 18 June 2011| 10 July 2012| 16 June 2015 |
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[redonkulousemu]

Man, I had a playlist where I listened to all the versions of each song they released on the live bootlegs collection and picked the best one. Unfortunately, I don't have those playlists anymore, but this is by far my favorite version of Are You In? The Intro totally makes the song and random breaks in the verses.

Rock Am Ring 2008
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Incubus: 7/9/09, 10/16/10, 6/25/11, 7/1/11, 7/5/11, 8/10/11, 10/8/11, 10/15/11, 4/27/12, 5/25/12, 5/26/12, 9/8/12, 9/10/12, 12/13/14
Ben Kenney: 10/8/11, 6/19/13, 6/22/13, 6/23/13, 7/19/14
Willie's Nerve Clinic: a shit ton of times
Chris Kilmore: 9/9/12, 6/22/13, 2/12/14
Brandon Boyd: 2/12/14

[Jelger]

I never noticed that intro. Really cool. That whole show is so good. The band was on fire on every song.

Speaking of intro's, this is far from my favorite rendition of Kiss to Send Us Off, but the sudden stop-and-go in the intro is really cool: https://youtu.be/ITJ9zOfpwXY?t=239
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30 May 2008 | 18 June 2011| 10 July 2012| 16 June 2015 |
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[slamhole]

The KROQ 06-07 version of Dig. I don't think they've ever sounded much better than this show; there's a version of Warning that's tremendous, and a performance of SSLW in which Mikey damn near channels the holy spirit.

This performance though, is great - Brando sounds tremendous, and I love it when Mike does something for a solo that changes the dynamic from what's on the record:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2r3gyXkse8

[Ty]

[Blind Melon]

[Jelger]

Since Zee Deveel has only been played 8 times in concert and only a few of those times we got to hear it, this is probably the best version we know of. But hearing this, I'm wondering why it doesn't show up in setlists more. Sounds good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eN-NvYjqr0
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[Rossitron]

In The Company of Wolves - 08-23-11 - Indianapolis, IN
Mikey fucking shreds on this.

Punch Drunk - has to be on the 2009 tour. Sadly I don't have any recordings of that tour. I just remember them ad-libbing the hell out of the song with lots of jazzy goodness.