Foo Fighters – Bridge School 2011

The Foo Fighters are one of those fantastic live bands that translates beautifully to an acoustic setting. Their set from Sunday night’s Bridge School Benefit show displays just that.

The sound gets a little muddy when the Foos turn it up, but this is definitely worth a listen. Grab the entire show here, or stream the tracks below.

1. Skin and Bones
2. My Hero
3. Walk
4. These Days
5. Times Like These
6. Everlong

Elton John & Leon Russell – Bridge School 2010

Now this is one of the albums that I somehow missed in 2010. Despite their seeming divergent musical styles, Mr. Russell and Mr. John have combined to create a most perfect sound. Their vocals and pianos weave together so beautifully that both musicians seem like they’ve finally met their perfect bandmate. Billy Joel my ass – Elton John belongs with Leon Russel.

So check out their recent performance together at the Bridge School Benefit, as we continue our One Big Bootleg Holiday.

Buffalo Springfield – Live at Bridge School

For your Sunday night listening pleasure, here’s Buffalo Springfield’s set from the second night of this year’s Bridge School Benefit.

I’d say more, but Peyton Manning is trying desperately to bring the Colts back from a 10-point deficit against New England. Given that both Manning and Reggie Wayne are on my fantasy team, and that I live in Boston but hate the Pats, I’m going to focus on the game, and let the music do the talking this time.

Download the entire show here.

Buffalo Springfield – On The Way Home

Elvis Costello – Live at Bridge School

Punk rock has always been something of a curious genre to me, where the original intent seemed to get lost on later generations of the style. Punk, in its formative years, wasn’t specifically about a style of music. It was more about a mindset that could care less about commercialism, and flipped a big fat middle finger at mainstream music, styles, and ideals.

Of course, the 2nd generation punks decided to copy the music of their forefathers, totally reversing the ideal of originality and doing what you want, to a style that forced you to mimic previous music.

In truth, just like most indie bands are not independent at all, most punk bands are just about the farthest thing from punk. But there are exceptions. Mudhoney. Fugazi. And Elvis Costello.

Elvis Costello? A punk rocker? Well, not Ramones-style punk, but “I don’t care what you think, I’m going to do whatever the fuck I want”-style punk. His style has always been unique, and he’s switched genres enough to prove that this man could care less about what’s popular on the radio – he just wants to play whatever kind of music he wants to play.

So check out this bootleg of Mr. Costello playing at the Bridge School Benefit last month. It may just change the way you look at punk rock.

Download the entire show here.

Elvis Costello – King of America

Pearl Jam – Bridge School Benefit (Night 2)

Sorry to keep you waiting – here’s night 2. Enjoy!

Again, thanks to Yonah and Dirty Frank for the files.

Download the entire show here.

Pearl Jam – Daughter

Pearl Jam – Bridge School Benefit (Night 1)

Yes, that’s right. In case you’re at all interested in Pearl Jam (which, if you read this blog you probably are), you’ll enjoy this one. For the uninformed, over the weekend, Pearl Jam played two nights at the Bridge School Benefit. In addition to being the first shows Pearl Jam played since they turned 20 last Friday, these shows also happened to be quite amazing – as their Bridge School shows tend to be. Eddie truly shines when he’s in acoustic mode, and as usual, Uncle Neil joined the boys onstage, this time for the new opening cut to his album “Le Noise” – Walk With Me. Enjoy the show!

Thanks to Yonah and Dirty Frank for uploading the shows.

Download the entire show here.

Pearl Jam – Intro

Pearl Jam & Neil Young – Walk With Me

Neil Young joined Pearl Jam onstage during their set at the Bridge School Benefit last night to perform Mr. Young’s “Walk With Me” – the opening cut on his new album, Le Noise.

Enjoy!

Also, for those of you Buffalo Springfield fans out there, check out this stellar acoustic version of “For What It’s Worth.”