News from the R.A.I.N. newsletter:
http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/021506/index.aspBill Graham's legacy as a pioneer of the modern rock concert has been on display for decades through his legendary concert venues and concert artwork. Now, Wolfgang's Vault, an archivist company that controls the rights to much of Graham's artistic estate, is offering rare and exclusive audio of concerts from a variety of Graham's venues and shows through Wolfgang's Vault Radio.
Complete with stage banter, audience cheers and equipment malfunctions, Vault Radio streams tracks from legendary concerts at Graham's venues such as the Fillmores in New York City and Los Angeles and the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Clips from concerts by Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen and Jimi Hendrix, among others, stream around the clock. Wolfgang's Vault streams all of their audio in a CD-quality signal, so the live sound of the shows, which according to the website has been left unaltered and unedited since the time of recording, comes through with exceptional clarity.
Vault Radio's player is simple but elegant. Concert poster art from the show that is currently playing and photos of the artist are the main visual attraction. Track and concert date information and links to other player products and info about the artist and concert fill out the player window. Since Vault Radio streams a determined program of tracks, the player doesn't allow for any sort of skipping around in the playlist, but the serendipity of the tracks is entertaining none the less.The streams are hosted commercial-free, and the line-up of featured shows changes regularly according to the site's programming notes.
The rest of the site is incredibly rich with history and details about Graham's life's work, samples of the famous artwork associated with Graham's shows, and an in-depth timeline that focuses on the musical evolutions that took place on Graham's storied stages.
Wolfgang's Vault makes for something of an online museum tour, and the addition of Vault Radio is an excellent complement to the visual and historical content of the pages. A resource of this magnitude is a real treat to fans interested in recreating a whole musical experience from these periods. Vault Radio does a very commendable job of creating fascinating artifacts of the time, and of educating listeners while providing a very entertaining listening experience.
