According to Gizmodo …
Aadam Jacobs first took his Dictaphone to a show in May 1984, when he ventured to a venue called the Arts Bar to see British free jazz psychonauts AMM. It was the first of hundreds of shows he’d record over the coming decades, and his extensive library of bootlegs live recordings is now in the process of being digitized and uploaded to The Internet Archive. As of April 2026, there are 2,443 recordings available, with many more to come—as per ABC News, Jacobs’ complete archive contains over 10,000 recordings, which represents a lifetime’s worth of truly heroic gig attendance (and has us worried for the state of his knees).
Even Jacobs’ very earliest recordings are of surprisingly good quality, despite being recorded on what was essentially a Dictaphone. By early 1985, he’d apparently invested in a Sony tape recorder and was also given to using a full-sized tape deck, which he would bring to shows in a backpack on the off chance that the sound guy would let him plug it in.
And here’s a few gems I’ve discovered this afternoon!
- Liz Phair Live at Lounge Ax 1999-03-14
- R.E.M. Live at UIC Pavilion 1986-10-19
- Jonathan Richman Live at Lounge Ax 1996-10-02
- The Replacements Live at Riviera Theatre 1987-08-07
- The Cure Live at The Bismarck Theatre 1984-11-09
- Alex Chilton Live at Cabaret Metro 1987-12-19
- Smoking Popes Live at Elston Avenue Sausage and Music Fest 2016-06-25
- The New Pornographers Live at Hideout 2001-02-25
- Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Live at Cabaret Metro 1986-10-24
- Camper Van Beethoven Live at Cabaret Metro on 1988-07-15
Thanks!
The Richman one really works for me.
I listened to some of the CVB, New Pornographers, ‘Mats and Cure and found it all muddier than I like. It’s great to get live versions of things, but I’m probably spoiled by years of hearing/watching incredibly recorded live material on YouTube.
Varies with the band of course. I like my New Pornographers as pristine as the lord intended. But the Replacements are fine through a ragged sound system and auditory processing warped by blood alchohol level.
I saw REM in person two weeks before the show taped above. I had a conflict and couldn’t see their originally scheduled concert but it got rained out and rescheduled to a much better date for me! They opened with a cover of CCR’s “Who’ll Stop The Rain” which was a nice touch.
I saw them in NYC that year, and they played WSTR there as well. Don’t remember whether it was the opener.