bill: for me, this is a quite rare experience. while i have a 2-channel system many might think (as do i) is quite good, it usually bests live performances only when the acoustics of the live venue are poor, the amplification/speakers are lousy or i can get seats only in the nosebleed section. i've attended too few classical concerts of late but had the good fortune to accompany my older son to many great performances in the last year at several venues. seen dylan, phil lesh and paul simon twice each, csn&y, billy joel and elton john, hugh mesakela, cowboy junkies, john hartford, john prine, neil young & crazy horse, rat dog, string cheese incident, the eagles, david byrne, among others. the only times i've felt compelled to turn on my system when i've gotten home is when i've been to a blues/pop concert at the gothic or the paramount. john hammond was definitely better on cd than he was live. so, too, was odetta, the persuasions and iris dement. in each instance the acoustics were poor where i was sitting/standing. otherwise, i just can't match in my home the ambiance, the gut thumpin' bass, the banks of horns, the between-song patter or the sheer joy of just bein' there. -kelly
