Best Live Albums Ever
Deep Purple's Made in Japan is an great underrated gem from a group whose internal frictions got worse due to massive overwork(management sending them out on 4 US tours in 1972 alone), promoting Machine Head. Ian Paice quoted his "The Mule" drum solo on album is one of his(and group's) best performances recorded and ironically, he belives it could've easily come from one of dozen other shows besides the version on Made in Japan during those tours.
I'm actually stunned that it took 21 posts to get to this - one of the most amazing live recordings (by one of the most amazing live bands) ever.
AC/DC's If you want blood, Thin Lizzy, Zeppelin's How the West was Won and Frampton also are due the credit they are getting.
I'm a big fan of live albums and other live recordings (to me the best bands are at their best live - anyone can make good music in the studio given time). Some other gems that are worth noting:
Rare Earth In Concert
Johnny Winter Captured Live (although almost anything by JW live is pretty darned good - and, sadly, I haven't heard them all... yet)
Joe Walsh - You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind
Bloodrock Live (a truly amazing album by a very underrated group)
Steppenwolf Live
Grand Funk Live (another band that was much better in concert than in studio)
The Guess Who Live at the Paramount
Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus
And let's not forget David Bowie's Spider's from Mars video
Of course, most of these didn't get the studio treatment that most live albums get today. Personally, I like that. I'd rather hear a band turn a 5 minute song into a 15 minute+ jam with all sorts of improv that will never be heard again recorded with a couple of mics 20 feet back than have every amp double miked and mixed down with studio effects later. I also hate the bands that insist on making their live performances note for note like the studio (Do you hear me Eddie Van Halen!? - although I have to admit that they were better than some of the stuff that's out there now). Granted, the audiences these days seem to want to hear their bands sound exactly like the CD. Somethings lost in that, IMO. Give me Grand Funk Railroad extending Into the Sun out for 20 minutes then adding on an extra 10 just because they felt like it at that moment.