Boston Gardens


Format: 2CD
Catalog: Space Music PF001/2
Misc.: Audience, 2-CD slim-sized jewel box
Produced: Back cover claims "Made in Germany"
Date: 750618
Cover:
Front: Warholishly colorized "Meddle" photos of the band Back: Same with song titles Booklet opens up to reveal vertical picture of David Gilmour biting his lip. Back cover of booklet is 1971-era band Inside of back cover is color photo of Syd printed wrong--the turntable visible on the left side makes this clear.
Sources: 18 Jun 1975, Boston Gardens, Audience tape.

Tracks:
Disc 1
1. Raving And Drooling 09:24
2. You Got To Be Crazy (sic) 13:55
3. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-5) 12:08
4. Have A Cigar 05:02
5. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 6-9) 10:49 6. Speak To Me 03:14
7. Breathe 02:45
8. On The Run 04:58
Total 67:14

Disc 2
1. Time 04:52
2. The Great Gig In The Sky 05:54
3. Money 08:02
4. Us And Them 07:12
5. Any Colour You Like 08:26
6. Brain Damage 03:52
7. Eclipse 01:57
8. Echoes 21:50
Total 57:13

Band:
  • David Gilmour (guitars, vocals)
  • Nick Mason (percussion, vocals)
  • Roger Waters (bass, vocals)
  • Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals)

    Boston Gardens Once again, a generally nice recording marred by some very annoying editing:

    RaD fades up SOYCD I has a tape cut SOYCD II fades down and up and the CD track mark is wrong Later, SOYCD II features yet another cut UaT is missing a bit at the beginning due to a fade.

    It's also annoying having a disc change in the middle of DSOTM, but I suppose that was the only way around putting the set on three CDs. This is presumably the same material as Crazy Diamonds, but I haven't heard that version and can't compare them.

    After they begin playing SOYCD, Roger decides to introduce it by name, but interrupts himelf to make bizarre choking noises: "This one...[strangling noises]...this is called 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'."

    This is the same "Echoes" as Total Eclipse, but here it's presented with the beginning and ending completely intact.

    Some of the best stereo I've ever heard in an audience tape. The cash register at the beginning of "Money" has some very clear separation.

    All in all, a good recording of a good show, but I have a feeling all those tape cuts are going to get very, very annoying in the long run.

    With regard to the Boston Gardens CD, I'd disagree with the VG ratings folk have been giving it. I'd rate it as Ex; would've been better still if it weren't for a wee bit too much hiss.

    Good sound, a little dark (little treble) maybe. There are some very good versions of "Any Colour You Like" and "Echoes" (with a great sax solo). Recorded at the Boston Garden, the first CD to cover a complete 1975 US tour set. Songs a little bass-heavy.

    In as much I was asking about a comparison with the Random Precision CD, the responses I received were more or less given about the shows themselves. All responses were unanimously in favor of the Boston Gardens 16 Jun 75 show over the NY 18 Jun 75 show.

    Many thanks to those who did respond, in fact I'm listening to the Boston Gardens 16 Jun 75 roio as I type and I can attest to the performance at this show as being top notch. While I will agree on the comments in the roio db about the few edits (especially during SOYCD) as somewhat annoying, the sound and performance is better than I had hoped and more than outweight the deficiencies listed. I would even go so far as to say that if the NY 18 Jun 75 show is near the level of this show it would be a worthy one to have as well.

    Avoid this CD like the plague. The edits are annoying, to say the least. I have the Crazy Diamonds version of this concert, and the edits are not there for the most part. The maker of this CD apparently thought it would be cute to have a fade out at the end of each track and a fade up at the beginning of the next. The problem here is that, with material like Dark Side of the Moon, it is absolutely essential that the music be continuous. This doesn't happen on Crazy Diamonds (except in a couple of places).

    And, if memory serves, this seems to be two concerts edited together. The Raving and Drooling and You Gotta Be Crazy tracks are taken from one show, and the rest of the show is taken from another. R&D and YGBC are from the 16 Jun 75 show at Nassau Coliseum, while the rest of the show is from Boston Gardens (I checked them against Total Eclipse to be sure.).

    It sucks, trust me. Find Crazy Diamonds if at all possible.

    I just wanted to say something to Boston Gardens. It's very good, but the editing makes it just okay. It really cuts a large part of it out and almost ruins the ROIO. But overall, it's okay.

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