Pearl Jam – Chicago 1995 Volume 1

This is a very famous recording of what is considered Pearl Jams greatest ever performance, that has been tampered with. Originally broadcast on "Monkeywrench Radio", a FM broadcast truck set up in the carpark of the stadium, it was a direct mixing desk feed and transmitted in MONO. It naturally had little audience sound as it was the PA feed. Later to make this album (Volume 1 and 2) some genius then sloppily decided to "enhance" the recording by mixing it together with a stereo audience recording. Unfortunately what resulted is phasey sound where frequencies cancel each other out giving the impression at times that the sound is coming via a twisted train tunnel and then sand-papered...and the dood with the audience mics spiraling and swirling around seemingly in the mosh pit causes an unstable stereo image. Dont try listening in headphones you will feel nauseous. But this is not the saddest part of the story. The genius "enhancing and mixing" these two sources together got the timing wrong, for several songs scattered throughout the 8 vinyl sides of this concert you start to hear double snares like galloping horses getting worse and worse during a song as the audience recording starts to fall behind in speed, you will wonder "what the hell happened here..." more than a few times as the sound just becomes a timing train-wreck. In summary...i do wish they had just pressed the clean soundboard feed. Gutted. Frustrating as hell to listen to. 6.5/10