The J. Geils Band made many fine, sometimes great, studio albums but where they really captured their full, thrilling potential was on the concert stage. Most live albums tend to be a poor excuse for actually being at the show in question, but
the Geils Band's live albums jump out of the speakers with so much joy, fun, and unquenchable rock & roll spirit that you might as well be there.
"Live" Full House was their first live record, and it is a blast from start to finish. Recorded in 1972 at Detroit's Cinderella Ballroom, the group runs through songs from their first two albums,
The J. Geils Band and
The Morning After, kicking out the jams on rockers like the Motown chestnut "First I Look at the Purse,"
Otis Rush's "Homework," and one of the group's first self-penned classics, "Hard Drivin' Man," as well as positively scorching through an incredible version of
John Lee Hooker's dark and evil blues "Serves You Right to Suffer." It's easy to overlook
J. Geils himself on guitar when you have a magnetic frontman like
Peter Wolf or the unstoppable force that is harp player
Magic Dick (check "Whammer Jammer" for proof of his greatness), but his soloing on this track serves notice that he could tear off a ferocious solo with the best of them.
"Live" Full House is a short, punchy shot of rock & roll genius by one of the great bands of the '70s and one of the best live albums ever recorded. ~ Tim Sendra