I’ve never known energy as much as TV On The Radio throw into every second of this performance of Wolf Like Me for Letterman. To the point that the album version leaves me cold.
Pearl Jam playing “State of Love & Trust” and “Baba O’Riley” at the MTV Singles premier party. Holy shit. It really solidified my love of the band and to this day captured everything I love about them.
Fieri Consort performing O Magnum Mysterium by Tomas Luis de Victoria. I have a big soft spot for renaissance vocal music, and I think it’s even more impressive when performed by small vocal ensembles like this one. Also, this song is easily one of my all-time favourite pieces of music ever.
Not sure if this qualifies, but Jeff Rosenstock and Andrew Jackson Jihad did a back to back cover song compilation jam session for AV Undercover. In it Jeff Rosenstock’s cover of Bizarre Love Triangle by The New Order is amazing. It got so much positive reception that people were requesting that he make an official full cover. Eventually he threw out a monetary value to get him to record it ($6k) and a fan was like where do I send the money? Jeff ultimately backed out saying he was just joking and has never made a full cover.
It’s by far my favorite version of the song because it’s so much faster and energetic than other versions, but it’s so short. I probably watch the full jam session around once a month and I love it.
https://twitter.com/jeffrosenstock/status/1222288164225634304?lang=en
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense. It has my favorite version of Life During Wartime.
That TV has to be one of them. Also some of their live performances of DLZ or Blues from Down Here rank at the top. No wonder they stopped recording. Those songs are hard to sing and remember. Such complex lyrics.