WHY WOULD YOU RECORD A LIVE ALBUM?
I admit I have a love hate relationship with live records.
I know they aren’t meant to be perfect but sometimes the imperfections ruin what I love about the song.
I’ve also done so much live recording myself that I know how humbling it can be.
So for both reasons I’m hesitant to recommend it.
But I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t.
I’ve got to say though that something extra happens when you marry that live recording with visuals.
I’ve always been drawn to that combination. Bobby McFerrin’s Spontaneous Inventions, Coldplay’s Rush of Blood tour DVD, Mute Math’s Flesh and Bone, Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveShow, and Jason Mraz’s Live at Eagle Ballroom — all of them have left a mark on me.
So, when is the right time to record your own live show?
Honestly, the answer is: right now. But maybe not for release — at least, not yet.
Since I first started gigging, we’ve recorded almost every live show. Back then, we’d take a stereo feed from the venue’s tiny analogue console and track it to a MiniDisc recorder. Nowadays, it’s even easier. Whether or not you release them, these recordings are gold for learning. Always record your shows. Listen back. If you can, film them. Watch yourself grow.
This habit eventually led me to gather a 12-piece band in a 19th-century sandstone chapel to record and film a live EP. But that’s another story.
Maybe you’ve just come off a tight run of gigs. Maybe your songs only bloom in front of an audience. Maybe you want to capture something raw, honest, and full of room tone. Maybe you want a snapshot of what it felt like to sing those words then, before everything changed.
Live albums aren’t for everyone. But for some artists, they’re the most meaningful recordings they ever make.
Sole Canopy has a long history with live recording, and close friendships with some of Australia’s best live-to-studio engineers — people who’ve worked with the Triple J Live Recording Team, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Phoenix Central Park.
And it’s not just the engineers. We have also been collaborating with Artisma Creative Co — a boutique film company made up of artists themselves, for over a decade. Their intimacy, style, and delivery are unmatched.
If you’re contemplating a live recording — for any of these reasons, or one all your own — please get in touch . We’ve got the gear, the team, and the experience to help make it happen. And even if Sole Canopy isn’t the right fit, I’d love to support your vision in any way I can.
