Live At Massey Hall

Space August 14, 2008, Matthew Good

For those of you that have been speculating as to whether or not a live album will be released – one is on the way. So make sure to check back in the weeks ahead for an announcement regarding a release date. One thing I can tell you is that initially the release will be an iTunes exclusive. Some time after that a limited double CD version of it will then be made available.

I’ll not lie, I haven’t heard a note of it, and it’s going to stay that way. I always swore that if I released a live album it wouldn’t be messed with, that I wouldn’t go into a studio and overdub anything that might sound suspect. The Who didn’t do it - Live At Leeds is untouched, and that’s something that I have always believed in when it comes to live albums. These days it’s far too easy to jump into a studio and overdub performances to make it sound dramatically different, as if you were listening to a normal CD. The reality is, live records don’t sound like polished releases, that’s why they’re referred to as ‘live records’. One can only imagine what would have been lost had Pete Townshend redone any of the guitar on Young Man Blues had he the ability to at the time. Not that this will come anywhere close to being in the same galaxy, mind you.

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  1. Reply to this comment
    Tyler M. said 147 days ago:

    Yes.

  2. Reply to this comment
    akramer said 147 days ago:

    Outstanding!

  3. Reply to this comment
    young305 said 147 days ago:

    this is hot stuff right here. You guys were solid all tour, so I think it’ll turn out great.

  4. Reply to this comment
    young305 said 147 days ago:

    also, would this be iTunes US as well, I’m assuming?

  5. Reply to this comment
    Phaedra said 147 days ago:

    Sweet! I love the raw sound of a live show.

  6. Reply to this comment
    jenn said 147 days ago:

    A new matt good cd - live to boot - can’t wait to buy it! My current collection has been listened to so much they’re skipping :-)

  7. Reply to this comment
    Jenny in Toronto said 147 days ago:

    This news gets a rarely used but well deserved ‘FUCKIN’ EH!!’

    Can’t wait!

  8. Reply to this comment
    margo_0 said 147 days ago:

    i cant wait for this! thank you so much Matt! that show was spectacular, it absolutely blew me away. this just made my day. again, THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU xD

  9. Reply to this comment
    Moonlight Graham said 147 days ago:

    NIce!!! I won’t lie, a live release from your solo acoustic tour would have been even better, but this still fantastic.

  10. Reply to this comment
    Live at Massey Hall. « Are you drowning or waving? said 147 days ago:

    [...] Matthew Good (read more) Blogged with the Flock [...]

  11. Reply to this comment
    Patrick Pitt said 147 days ago:

    Massey Hall…that place sounds familiar…

  12. Reply to this comment
    Sebrina said 147 days ago:

    Yay! I can’t wait!

  13. Reply to this comment
    savage said 147 days ago:

    Yes!

  14. Reply to this comment
    Duane Storey said 147 days ago:

    Sounds awesome. Looking forward to hearing it.

  15. Reply to this comment
    Susan H. said 147 days ago:

    This is great news! One of the best concerts I’ve attended.

  16. Reply to this comment
    mattd2222 said 147 days ago:

    OH YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been dying to know if this was actually going to happen or not! Thanks for giving me something exciting to look forward to.

  17. Reply to this comment
    Jenny in Toronto said 147 days ago:

    [quote comment="61659"]NIce!!! I won’t lie, a live release from your solo acoustic tour would have been even better, but this still fantastic.[/quote]

    I agree a live release of a solo acoustic show would totally rock as well… may I suggest the upcoming Aug 30 show at the Jackson Trigg’s Vineyard? Although, it may be difficult to actually hear Matt over my cries of orgasmic bliss.

  18. Reply to this comment
    angelboo said 147 days ago:

    SWEEEEEET!!! It was an AWESOME show!!!

  19. Reply to this comment
    tracy(L) said 147 days ago:

    “…and that’s what you are holding in your hands, all of the material is very raw, there are out of tune guitars, off key notes and very, very bad jokes.. but it’s honest and I hope that is how it comes across…”
    That’s what Dallas Green wrote in the liner notes of his Live album. Live means live.. not ‘I didn’t like the way that sounded so I fixed it’ live.

    Should be good though, can’t wait to hear it. =)

  20. Reply to this comment
    Rachel Lavrisa said 147 days ago:

    cannot wait

  21. Reply to this comment
    blk7 said 147 days ago:

    Don’t forget the Australian iTunes store.

  22. Reply to this comment
    Marc Rocheleau said 147 days ago:

    I understand you love apple’s products and that iTunes has been very good to you Matt but I just need to share my disappointment with the initial iTunes exclusive-only status of this release. Being a visually-impaired user I find it frustrating that an increasing number of artists — including yourself — continue to provide the online retailer with content that can’t be purchased anywhere else. The iTunes software is not accessible in the slightest and none of Apple’s products have even made an attempt to be narration-software friendly. I know one of the operating systems (was it Leopard?) had narration software but I am not going to go out and buy a Mac just for that — especially when PCs are a million times more capable of supporting narration software like Jaws.

    I realize the album will be released as a double-disc eventually and I just need to have patience but it’s frustrating that so many artists choose the iTunes exclusive route without providing an alternative too. It just feels like since visually-impaired users are in the minority, our voices are rarely heard.

    Don’t get me wrong though, I am looking very forward to this release and plan on buying the double-disc on its release date! I ended up missing the London show due to my girlfriend’s pepe being on his death bed so it’ll be nice to have this CD as a small consolation prize!

  23. Reply to this comment
    sab said 147 days ago:

    Marc Rocheleau, you should get a friend to download it for you and send you the files, or burn it onto a disc for you. From that point you can just listen to the cd on a cd player or your computer, or even rip them back into mp3s. I haven’t done this myself, but I assume it works.

  24. Reply to this comment
    Size said 147 days ago:

    Sounds good. I love live albums. Its better than a greatest hits CD because its a variation of songs already released and sounds different.

  25. Reply to this comment
    Dale Mugford said 147 days ago:

    About. Bloody. Time. I predict a hotcakes sale.

  26. Reply to this comment
    polarbear said 147 days ago:

    [quote comment="61669"][quote comment="61659"]NIce!!! I won’t lie, a live release from your solo acoustic tour would have been even better, but this still fantastic.[/quote]

    I agree a live release of a solo acoustic show would totally rock as well… may I suggest the upcoming Aug 30 show at the Jackson Trigg’s Vineyard? Although, it may be difficult to actually hear Matt over my cries of orgasmic bliss.[/quote]

    I second that Jenny.

  27. Reply to this comment
    railgrinder said 147 days ago:

    Kewl….

  28. Reply to this comment
    TanyaS said 147 days ago:

    Rolling Stones “Stripped” = untouched?

    OMG I have never heard of this before….. I thought Live meant Live / untouched… man, I’m so naive.

    Yay, can’t wait though!!!!!!

  29. Reply to this comment
    disappeared said 147 days ago:

    Thanks for deciding to do a live album Matt. Can’t wait.

  30. Reply to this comment
    redbaron said 147 days ago:

    Just give it away free via your website. Live music is great! It rocks! I’d go see that over anything else!
    Never bought a song on iTunes.
    I was gonna buy the Bad Religion album w/ Matt’s cover of Moon Over Marin and it took so damn long to find it I gave up. . .

  31. Reply to this comment
    Orangepekoe said 147 days ago:

    I think I just had a heart palpatation. Is it done yet? Is it done yet? Is it done yet?….. You get the picture.

    THANK YOU Matt!!!

  32. Reply to this comment
    TOflat said 147 days ago:

    I have been waiting for this ever since you hinted that theres going to be a live recording. One would only hope the conversations pertaining to the Canadian tire guy are all on there as well.

  33. Reply to this comment
    Monkey said 147 days ago:

    Yay!

  34. Reply to this comment
    Anna said 147 days ago:

    Matt, this is EPIC.
    I’m so glad I made the drive to Toronto to be there that night. It was an awesome show. I can’t wait for the CD. Thank you so much.

  35. Reply to this comment
    Stephen K said 147 days ago:

    I like it; same venue as Neil Young 1971.

  36. Reply to this comment
    Brent MacLean said 147 days ago:

    “Some time after that a limited double CD version of it will then be made available.”

    Any idea how limited? 10, 000? 50,000?

  37. Reply to this comment
    Scott Armitage said 147 days ago:

    iTunes. Blech.

    Sorry, Matt, but I have absolutely no intentions of supporting the iTunes music store. Be careful with this “at first” stuff; if you ever release anything “iTunes only” (period), then I will not be able to pay you for it.

  38. Reply to this comment
    Ceiltsei said 147 days ago:

    Sounds great but now I am a bit worried. How limited will this release be? I am anti-itunes (although I am grateful at how it helps most artists) and purchase cds or LP’s only.

    Congrats to your first live album! I hope theres more to come, maybe you will release a dvd sometime too!

  39. Reply to this comment
    Morglor9 said 147 days ago:

    I find it absolutely unfortunate that the release will originally be limited to iTunes, with a CD to come later on. I agree with Scott, as I currently am both unable and unwilling to pay for MP3 downloads, but more than willing to buy a CD (no credit card/method to pay online, MP3’s are very compressed and thus not worth the money, and I prefer to have something tangible when I buy my music, case, cover art, etc).

    As he said, be careful with the internet only releases. It looks like it could be a great way to alienate some of your fans.

    Other than that, I’m absolutely excited and look forward to that double CD release!

  40. Reply to this comment
    Morglor9 said 147 days ago:

    [quote comment="61687"]Just give it away free via your website. Live music is great! It rocks! I’d go see that over anything else!
    Never bought a song on iTunes.
    I was gonna buy the Bad Religion album w/ Matt’s cover of Moon Over Marin and it took so damn long to find it I gave up. . .[/quote]

    That would be because Moon Over Marin is originally by the Dead Kennedys, not Bad Religion.

  41. Reply to this comment
    Eva said 147 days ago:

    Woooooooooooooooooo!

    Should be awesome! :D

  42. Reply to this comment
    Laura said 147 days ago:

    Wahoo!
    I think at this moment, I’d choose a live cd than new material anyway….I’ve been reliving the Halifax concert for a month!

  43. Reply to this comment
    Anne Shebib said 147 days ago:

    yey!!!!!

  44. Reply to this comment
    TanyaS said 147 days ago:

    [quote comment="61701"][quote comment="61687"]Just give it away free via your website. Live music is great! It rocks! I’d go see that over anything else!
    Never bought a song on iTunes.
    I was gonna buy the Bad Religion album w/ Matt’s cover of Moon Over Marin and it took so damn long to find it I gave up. . .[/quote]

    That would be because Moon Over Marin is originally by the Dead Kennedys, not Bad Religion.[/quote]

    Oh my god, I have been mulling over this one for about an hour now.. Thank you. Eyebrows go back to normal now….

  45. Reply to this comment
    k said 147 days ago:

    Sweet fucking jesus (or whatever) hallelujah!

  46. Reply to this comment
    Stephen K said 147 days ago:

    I don’t use I-tunes either. i don’t mind waiting a bit for the CD to come out though, just like I did with Radiohead’s In Rainbows.

  47. Reply to this comment
    Jon Hutcheon said 147 days ago:

    Very excited. I was at the show and it was probably the best show I’ve ever seen. A vinyl release would be awesome to go with my Avalanche one!!

  48. Reply to this comment
    Melissa said 147 days ago:

    SWEET!!!!! Just the kind of news I needed today!

  49. Reply to this comment
    Jane Smith said 147 days ago:

    “Not that this will come anywhere close to being in the same galaxy, mind you.”
    I beg to disagree there sunshine, off-key notes and all. Can’t wait to hear you naked and in the raw, so to speak ;0p

    And thank you so very much for making this possible Matthew: it is a privilege and a wonderful gesture for those of us that can’t get to see you as often as we would love too. I trust it will be available on the UK store? Must also get my mitts on the CD version too though, so save one of those Ltd. Editions for me… xx

    [And to the ungrateful person who commented that you should put this up for free – get off the moon, man...what do you want, the shirt off his back too??]

  50. Reply to this comment
    Shane said 146 days ago:

    Well this is a shitload of awesome to read after getting home from work.

  51. Reply to this comment
    girl friday said 146 days ago:

    You just made my day!!

  52. Reply to this comment
    TomKr said 146 days ago:

    Amazing, but I’m betting it won’t be in the Dutch iTunes store. :( Ah well, CD release it is then.

  53. Reply to this comment
    Fearless4 said 146 days ago:

    This is fabulous news. I wish the actual, tangible CD was coming out at the same time as I-Tunes. I’m old fashioned and like to show up at a store on the release date, run to the “New Releases” aisle, grab the CD, touch it, smell it, roll it around in my hands, and do some kind of ridiculous, celebratory dance in the parking lot before shoving it directly into my car CD player and not moving for a little while. Oh well, I shan’t “look a gifthorse in the mouth”. (I really don’t know what that means)

    I couldn’t wait for “In Rainbows” so I downloaded it. I won’t be able to wait for this either.

    Thanks Matt. It’s a brilliant idea at a perfect time.

  54. Reply to this comment
    casualgirl said 146 days ago:

    Beside myself with excitement!

  55. Reply to this comment
    Jane Smith said 146 days ago:

    [quote comment="61677"]About. Bloody. Time. I predict a hotcakes sale.[/quote]
    So do I. Save me a CD please Dale :0)

  56. Reply to this comment
    aketch said 146 days ago:

    Alright! It’s about time…I was so bummed I missed that tour, at least I can have an album.

  57. Reply to this comment
    KET said 146 days ago:

    !!!!!!!!!!!!

    (Yay on the non-retouching. Overdubbing feels like cheating.)

  58. Reply to this comment
    lisa00 said 146 days ago:

    Yeah!
    I am so excited for this album and I’m so glad that I was there to hear it in person! It was the greatest sounding show I’ve heard in a long time. Now I can listen to it all again… without having to sit in the second balcony with seats not meant for people taller than 4 feet! haha.

  59. Reply to this comment
    Buffalo Seven said 146 days ago:

    [quote comment="61677"]About. Bloody. Time. I predict a hotcakes sale.[/quote]

    HE’S IN IT FOR THE MONEY!!!!

    **PUN**

  60. Reply to this comment
    tina said 146 days ago:

    This is the best news I’ve heard today … and I’m due for some

    This is very exciting!!!

  61. Reply to this comment
    pamwoz said 146 days ago:

    can’t. wait.

  62. Reply to this comment
    CreativeNige said 146 days ago:

    Now there’s a great way to start a Friday morning!

  63. Reply to this comment
    angelboo said 146 days ago:

    [quote comment="61721"]“Not that this will come anywhere close to being in the same galaxy, mind you.”
    I beg to disagree there sunshine, off-key notes and all. Can’t wait to hear you naked and in the raw, so to speak ;0p

    And thank you so very much for making this possible Matthew: it is a privilege and a wonderful gesture for those of us that can’t get to see you as often as we would love too. I trust it will be available on the UK store? Must also get my mitts on the CD version too though, so save one of those Ltd. Editions for me… xx

    [And to the ungrateful person who commented that you should put this up for free – get off the moon, man...what do you want, the shirt off his back too??][/quote]

    I will get you one Jane, don’t you worry.. When I cross the border for the release (as I assume it will be a Canadian release before it’s ever in the states), I will be sure to pick up a copy for you and me!!!! :D

  64. Reply to this comment
    Nothingman said 146 days ago:

    [quote comment="61697"]iTunes. Blech.

    Sorry, Matt, but I have absolutely no intentions of supporting the iTunes music store. Be careful with this “at first” stuff; if you ever release anything “iTunes only” (period), then I will not be able to pay you for it.[/quote]

    Yup, I think I’m in the same boat. Call me old fashioned, but I don’t like paying money and having nothing to show for it afterwards. I want a physical copy of an album that I can bring around with me without having to burn it myself or worry about it somehow getting erased from my hard drive. Who knows, I may be forced to change my stance in a few years when that’s how all albums are released, or I may simply lose interest in purchasing music altogether. I guess for me the music “collection” is almost as important as the music itself.

  65. Reply to this comment
    Angela said 146 days ago:

    I’m SO freakin’ excited!! I’m glad that this Live cd will be untouched….you’re absolutely amazing live…. Can’t wait until it comes out…I’ll be first in line :)

  66. Reply to this comment
    Shane said 146 days ago:

    I was thinking about what Matt said about not going into the studio to do overdubs because live albums (and in my opinion, live performances in general) aren’t supposed to sound polished. One of the things that bugs is when I hear people talking about a concert, saying “oh my god they were sooooo goood! They sounded exactly like they do on their albums!”

    Who wants to pay money to go see a band play when they sound like they do on the albums? Why not just stay home and listen to the CDs? My favorite part of live music is the fact that it DOESN’T sound like it does on the records, at least none of the bands I’ve seen live.

  67. Reply to this comment
    mannyd said 146 days ago:

    finally…..and i look forward to the new album even though i missed the sample posted several weeks back;……….only question i have is will it be in every store or only certain ones……

  68. Reply to this comment
    redbaron said 146 days ago:

    WHOOPS! I’m a total friggin’ tard. . I meant DK
    The point is to coerce Matt into giving the album away for free (like NIN or Radiohead).
    More than one person read my comment wow.

  69. Reply to this comment
    MPalazzo said 146 days ago:

    Very excited about the new release. I will be in line for the limited double CD version for sure. Please Please Please give everyone here the chance to get a copy of the actual CD before they sell out, as they surely will. If the Massey Hall performance was anywhere near as awesome as the Orpheum performance then it will be an exceptional album.

  70. Reply to this comment
    MiggY said 146 days ago:

    YESSSSS!!!

  71. Reply to this comment
    Scott Armitage said 146 days ago:

    A couple people have quoted me saying they agree that they would prefer something tangible. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with internet releases in general.. I just have two more specific problems.

    First, I have no desire to support iTunes the music store, nor Apple at all for that matter (Jobs just doesn’t “do it” for me).

    Second, CD-quality FLAC or greater, please. MP3s are a waste of customer’s money, especially for the audience of someone as dedicated to the actual music as Matt is.

    I purchased NIN’s Ghosts I-IV online, as well as Radiohead’s In Rainbows; I was disappointed with the MP3 nature of In Rainbows, however Trent gave me exactly what I wanted: CD-quality FLAC, plus a bunch of pretty pictures and a nice PDF.

    In summary, my main beefs are with compressed music (which I don’t like) and iTunes (whom I won’t support). Other than that, internet releases are great!

  72. Reply to this comment
    grinchbc said 146 days ago:

    agreed … I - Tunes is useless … it’s the McDonalds of internet music … give me Flac files …

  73. Reply to this comment
    julz said 146 days ago:

    Fantastic news! Please please please post news of the CD release as it becomes near, so we collectors don’t get caught in the dark.

  74. Reply to this comment
    Emily Plunkett said 146 days ago:

    Ah, Live at Leeds. When I was in Victoria, I visited a record store that had the original five song copy on vinyl for $7. When I brought it up to the counter, the store clerk asked me if I wanted to order in the extended delux edition on vinyl, and I told him I was just fine with what the world got to hear first. :)

    PS: I don’t think it would be Townshend who you would have had to worry about messing with any live tracks. Now, ENTWISTLE…well, rumour had it that would have gone back and re-recorded everything in the entire Who ccatologue if he had the chance.

  75. Reply to this comment
    mstjean said 145 days ago:

    A few years ago I found a vhs recording of MGB at SnowJob ‘99
    Ripped it to CD and have come back to listen to it through and through many times. Honestly that is one of the best recorded rock performances that I have come across.

    “There it is, kids.”

  76. Reply to this comment
    Jane Smith said 145 days ago:

    [quote comment="61778"][quote comment="61721"]“Not that this will come anywhere close to being in the same galaxy, mind you.”
    I beg to disagree there sunshine, off-key notes and all. Can’t wait to hear you naked and in the raw, so to speak ;0p

    And thank you so very much for making this possible Matthew: it is a privilege and a wonderful gesture for those of us that can’t get to see you as often as we would love too. I trust it will be available on the UK store? Must also get my mitts on the CD version too though, so save one of those Ltd. Editions for me… xx

    [And to the ungrateful person who commented that you should put this up for free – get off the moon, man...what do you want, the shirt off his back too??][/quote]

    I will get you one Jane, don’t you worry.. When I cross the border for the release (as I assume it will be a Canadian release before it’s ever in the states), I will be sure to pick up a copy for you and me!!!!

    :D[/quote]
    Thanks hun :0p

  77. Reply to this comment
    Taylor said 144 days ago:

    (Mr. Burns voice): Excellent.

  78. Reply to this comment
    marlena said 140 days ago:

    I CANT FREAKING WAIT……I am sooooo excited I missed the opportunity to go see the show this year so this is just perfect I can’t wait. I will be getting the cd’s

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