Allman Brothers Band - 'Fillmore Shows'

 

The other day, I was grocery shopping at my local supermarket, where the usual mix of 60s and 70s rock and soul (the new elevator/supermarket music) was playing, when all of a sudden I heard the opening bars to "Whipping Post" start to play.  This caused me to look up at a ceiling speaker, and say, "What the actual fuck...Whipping Post in the supermarket, really?" I said it louder than I thought, and a couple near me heard what I said, laughed and the guy said, "Somewhere Frank Zappa is laughing his ass off!" I smiled, and shook my head in approval, said, "Right?" and went about the business of grocery shopping.

Walking home, I thought to myself, "The blog needs some Allman Brothers".  So I thought, I'd do a post about 'At Fillmore East'. Looking through my CDs, I found several different releases/versions, and couldn't decide which one to upload?

That evening, I was having dinner with some friends (whom I haven't told yet about the blog), we were talking about music, I steered the conversation to Southern Rock, and asked my friends what they thought was the definitive release/version of 'At Fillmore East' was?  Now I should point out, these friends are musicians, fellow audiophiles, and know of what they speak.  By the time the dessert course, and coffee came, the conversation became heated, and made the 'Lincoln-Douglas Debates' sound like two lovers whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears.  And yes, alcohol was involved.

So I thought I upload a few different versions, and let you: the freeloaders decide. All three sound excellent, but they do sound different.

First up is the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's version, from 2015.
'At Fillmore East'
This is from their 'Ultradisc UHR' series, it's a SACD, Hybrid, which means it has a standard CD audio format on the top layer of the disc and the higher-fidelity SACD format on the bottom layer. For our purposes, the upload will be in CD format.

 

  

Tracklist:

1. Statesboro Blues
2. Done Somebody Wrong
3. Stormy Monday
4. You Don't Love Me
5. Hot 'Lanta
6. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reid
7. Whipping Post

Next is a 1992 release from Polygram Records.
'The Fillmore Concerts'
This is a 2CD set, that combines 'At Fillmore East' and the live tracks from 'Eat a Peach'. The legendary, Tom Dowd produced this, and it has a very different mix, from 'At Fillmore East'.  Also, the songs are in a different running order, and "One Way Out" is from a Fillmore show from a couple of months later. 
[I'm not crazy about the colorized cover. - Ed.]
 

Tracklist

CD: 1

1. Statesboro Blues
2. Trouble No More
3. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
4. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
5. One Way Out
6. Done Somebody
7. Stormy Monday
8. You Don’t Love Me

Disc: 2

1. Hot ‘Lanta
2. Whipping Post
3. Mountain Jam
4. Drunken Hearted Boy

Lastly, we have a Japanese version of the Capricorn Classics Remaster Edition, from 1998.  This has the same mix as the above Mobile Fidelity, but it does sound different, and has 20-bit remastering.
This is a very cool release, I came across at a record fair a few years back.  It's a promotional copy, mini LP replica with folded insert and cotton inner sleeve. Not that any of this has anything to do with sonic quality.

 

Tracklist:

1. Statesboro Blues
2. Done Somebody Wrong
3. Stormy Monday
4. You Don't Love Me
5. Hot 'Lanta
6. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reid
7. Whipping Post

So, to get this multi-disk freeload, tell us about albums that over the years, you have bought and rebought, due to wearing out the vinyl, bought in different formats, remasters, etc. etc. 

Also, if you do freeload the disks, I'd love to hear which version sounds best to you.  Keep the one you like, and return the unused portions of the ones you don't like, and I'll issue a full refund, minus a restocking fee. Some restrictions apply.  Void where prohibited.  Do not remove this disclaimer under penalty of law.