Until my tape of Live Two Five wore out, I listened to it constantly. I think the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band enjoyed making this record, and it showed.

The highlights are numerous. My favorite cut is "Mr. Bojangles". Jeff Hanna sang great on NGDB's 1970 version, which is on the band's Uncle Charlie album. The song in my opinion sounds even better live. In addition to Hanna's singing, Bob Carpenter's stellar piano and accordion work highlights this track. Another older Dirt Band tune which is featured is Jimmy Ibbotson's "Ripplin' Waters", which originally appeared on NGDB's 1975 album Dream. This is a well-written, excellent song which in my opinion is often overlooked. On the live version, the Dirt Band plays all of their instruments except the accordion. Also, Ibbotson and Hanna both do some fine lead guitar work on this one, and Carpenter contributes a piano solo which had me mentally exclaiming, "Awesome!" the first time I heard it. The live version of "Ripplin' Waters", in my opinion, sounds better than the original studio version--and the original was a great song to begin with.

A third highlight is "El Harpo", an instrumental featuring Carpenter on piano and Jimmie Fadden on harmonica. Fadden's harmonica is heard frequently on Live Two Five, but on "El Harpo", a rollicking, bluesy number, he especially shines. Carpenter and Fadden practically outdo themselves on this one.

Besides the three previously mentioned songs, the Dirt Band does a lot of their other classic hits, among them "High Horse", "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", "Fishin' In The Dark", "Long Hard Road", "Cadillac Ranch", and "Partners, Brothers and Friends". They sound to me as if they are really enjoying themselves.

I have been a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band fan ever since I was in college in the 1970s. The guys in the Dirt Band make excellent music and have fun doing it--and when they get on stage, as they did when they made this record, they are awesome. From start to finish, Live Two Five is a great album.

I got this cassette at one of their concerts and played it until it wore out. It helped me through some tough times in my life...I listened to it each night when I went to bed and their songs, especially 'Stand a Little Rain', helped me face each new day. If you haven't made the Dirt Band a part of your life, this collection is a great place to start. A must-have!

Music gets you swinging your body. The songs have plenty of zip to them. Good for oldies mover. Buy again.

Recommend

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems that ALL the tracks were recorded/copied at a faster than normal speed on this cd. I've listened to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band since Jeff Hanna started recording albums,

I had the privileged opportunity to attend one of their recent concerts here locally.

To my recollection, I have never heard them sing & play at this goofy speed as on this particular cd. Played it on another cd player with the same result. Maybe it could have been, this was a cd import?

Overall, these are the finest music selections, all on one cd.

This live set captures the essence of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and the connection they've cultivated over these many years with their fan base. Typically someone not enamored with "Live" albums, I found myself fully engaged by the artfully delivered performance of the NGDB captured at Red Deer. Their unique blend of country, folk, and rock is an enjoyable experience for all.

There are a lot of great songs on the disc, and picking a favorite often depends on what I'm needing to listen to in that moment. The songs are fun, inspiring, and easily turn around any frown I may have had. Some of my favorites are "Stand A Little Rain", "Dance Little Jean", "Fishin' In The Dark", and... I could list them all actually.

I've had the pleasure to experience the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band live twice in my life. Once as a young child and again in my adult years. To this day they remain two of the most memorable performances in my mind. This disc brought those memories back vividly. NGDB is great at connecting deeply with each individual during their performance while also spreading an infectious wave of fun throughout the audience. For that reason "Live Two Five" keeps a prominent place in my CD changer.