This 1978 set captures Nelson and his seven-piece band live at Harrah's casino showroom in Lake Tahoe, California. Those expecting a concise recitation of Nelson's songs - a typical country music show - will be in for something of a shock. In addition to reworking his early hits away from the straightjacket of their original Nashville arrangements, Nelson clearly looks at all of his songs as launching points for a live show, rather than sacrosanct icons.

His touring band includes a potent double-double rhythm section, with two drummers and two bassists, his sister Bobbie on piano (whose saloon style playing on "If You've Got the Money" and "Under the Double Eagle" is especially fine), Mickey Raphael on harmonica and Jody Payne on guitar; all in addition to his own nylon-string picking. Nelson leads the band through his rich catalog of material, ranging from early tunes like "Crazy" and "Hello Walls" and a medley from his then-latest triumph "Red Headed Stranger."

The show feels like an extended jam, with Nelson segueing his songs together, with the band following along as he typically rushes and lags the beat. This 25th anniversary reissue (which also celebrated Nelson's 70th birthday) adds a pair of tracks to the original twenty-nine, alternate versions of "Till I Gain Control Again" and "George on My Mind." These aren't definitive versions of Nelson's catalog of gems, but they paint a vivid portrait of the artist as a performer. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]

Excellent, warm sound on this expanded 2003 CD reissue of Willie Nelson's April, 1978 concert recording from Harrah's at Lake Tahoe, New York.

It adds two bonus tracks, both of them from the same show, bringing the already lengthy track list up to a whopping 31 numbers, and Willie Nelson is in firm control all along.

Disc one opens with a gritty "Whiskey River", which features some great, ragged harmonica playing by Mickey Raphael.

Other highlights include Nelson's own self-penned classics "Crazy" and "I Can Get Off On You", the inevitable "Mammas [sic] Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys", and a wonderful "Red Headed Stranger"-medley which includes "The Time Of The Preacher", "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain", and one of Willie Nelson's wonderful acoustic guitar solos. And sister Bobbie Nelson plays some inspired piano here and there, too, like the brief but memorable solo on "If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time".

Disc two features two different renditions of the beautiful "'Till I Gain Control Again", "Bloody Mary Morning", "Hello Walls", a tounge-in-cheek "I Gotta Get Drunk", and an up-tempo performance of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", among other highlights. Nelson's highly personal reading of "Amazing Grace" is equally memorable, as is his take on "Georgia On My Mind".

The redheaded stranger's instantly recognizable vocals are strong and confident all the way through, and his late-70s backing band was among the best in the business at the time. Critics weren't too fond of this one, but I was pleasantly surprised.

My dad had this album when I was a kid, and that is how I learned about Willie Nelson. I think Willie is better live because he loves to be on stage so much. The songs are clear and the songs are priceless. I think he was at his best at this stage of his career and the band is great.

This double live album, along with 'Red Headed Stranger' and 'Tougher Than Leather' are must-have Willie Nelson works. This recording really catches Willie, his band, and the rest of the "family" at their peak in 1978.

In the mid-to late 70s, a live recording was, seemingly, a necessity for prominent(and not so prominent) artists. I call it the "Frampton Factor". Regardless, the quality of the vast majority of the stuff released during this era was quite dismal. This album is the exception.

Want hits? You got 'em here. Want guest stars? Emmylou Harris and the late Johnny Paycheck appear. But the real strength is Willie and Family, on the road again, doing what they were born to do--perform these wonderful songs in a live setting. These are the songs that made Willie who he is today. At his peak, in my humble opinion. Many of the song versions that appear here are superior to their original, studio recordings. My two cents, folks. Buy this thing. It don't get any better than this...

...just buy this CD. Don't think about it. Don't debate about it. Just buy it. Put it in your cd changer or your iPod and it will stay there forever. Every song is a knockout! This is our Daytona 500 go to cd every single year...I'm surprised I haven't worn mine out!