I was that surprised Alexis Petridis overlooked Leonard Cohen Live in London (2009) in his list of the greatest live albums (From Dylan to disco, Beyoncé to Bob Marley: the 30 best live albums ever – ranked, 15 January). The recording captured Cohen’s sublime performance at the O2 Arena in July 2008. Cohen quipped that it had been “a long time since I have stood on a stage in London – it was about 14 or 15 years ago, I was 60 years old, just a kid with a crazy dream”. I’m sure dreams came true for many in the audience that night.
Mike Pender
Cardiff
• Alexis Petridis says of the seventh-placed The Who – Live at Leeds that it offers “no songs from Tommy”. On side two of my vinyl copy, bought from a school classmate not long after the album was released in 1970, I have many times enjoyed how My Generation switches into a Tommy medley, beginning with the glorious “see me, feel me” from Tommy’s closing track, We’re Not Gonna Take it.
David Sutherland
Chiddingfold, Surrey
• No place in your list for the Rolling Stones’ 1970 live LP Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out? If for no other reasons, it should be listed for Mick Taylor’s sublime guitar work and Jagger’s cheeky asides to the audience.
Lance Hodgson
Streatham, London
• No place for the Allman Brothers At Fillmore East or, even more of a transgression, Deep Purple’s Made in Japan? Shame on you!
Andy Cooper
Rochdale, Greater Manchester
