Paul McCartney - Driving USA concerts

I've put down an indication of the sound quality of a show:

Fair (no fun to listen to but it's there...)

G (listenable)

VG (more listenable)

Exc (well...very listeable)

Of course the ALD recordings are the best!

...but please don't pin me down on a qualification. Sometimes, when again I listen to a (part of a) show, I might think it's G instead of VG or even Excellent instead of VG so try to see it as an indication only.

date	city	state	venue	source/quality	discs
2002-4-1	Oakland	CA	Oakland Arena	audience/EXC	2 discs
2002-4-3	San Jose	CA	Compaq Center	audience/VG	2 discs
2002-4-3	San Jose	CA	Compaq Center	audience, *VIDEO*	3 VCDs, play in DVD player (disc 1: pre show only)
2002-4-5	Las Vegas	NV	MGM Grand Arena	audience/VG-	(TB-01/02) 2 discs
2002-4-6	Las Vegas	NV	MGM Grand Arena	audience/VG-	(TB-03/04) 2 discs
2002-4	Las Vegas	NV	MGM Grand Arena	audience, *VIDEO*	3 VCDs, play in DVD player (disc 1: pre show only)
2002-4-10	Chicago	IL	United Center	audience/VG-	2 discs
2002-4-13	Toronto	ONT	Air Canada Centre	source 1: audience/VG-	2 discs (gaps of silence between tracks)
2002-4-13	Toronto	ONT	Air Canada Centre	source 2: audience/G	3 discs (w/pre show and radio show)
2002-4-16	Philadelphia	PA	First Union Center	audience/EXC	2 discs
2002-4-16	Philadelphia	PA	First Union Center	audience, *VIDEO*	2 VCDs, play in DVD player
2002-4-17	East Rutherford	NJ	Continental Arena	audience/VG	3 discs (w/pre show)
2002-4-17	East Rutherford	NJ	Continental Arena	audience/Fair	2 discs
2002-4-19	Boston	MA	Fleet Center	audience/G-	3 discs (w/pre show)
2002-4-21	Uniondale	NY	Nassau Coliseum	audience/VG	2 discs
2002-4-23	Washington	DC	MCI Center	audience/VG	2 discs (short gaps between tracks)
2002-4-24	Washington	DC	MCI Center	ALD/EXC-	MP3 disc
2002-4-24	Washington	DC	MCI Center	ALD-audience/EXC	2 discs (Mirror Spock)
2002-4-26	New York	NY	Madison Square Garden	source 1: audience/Fair-	2 discs
2002-4-26	New York	NY	Madison Square Garden	source 2: audience/VG-	2 discs
2002-4-27	New York	NY	Madison Square Garden	source 1: audience/VG-	2 discs (gaps of silence between tracks)
2002-4-27	New York	NY	Madison Square Garden	source 2: audience/Fair	2 discs
2002-4-29	Cleveland	OH	Gund Arena	audience/VG	2 discs
2002-5-1	Detroit	MI	Palace at Auburn Hills	audience/G	2 discs
2002-5-4	Los Angeles	CA	Staples Center	audience/G	2 discs containing 1 large track
2002-5-4	Los Angeles	CA	Staples Center	audience, *VIDEO*	3 VCDs, play in DVD player (disc 1: pre show only)
2002-5-5	Anaheim	CA	Arrowhead Pond	audience/VG-	2 discs
2002-5-7	Denver	CO	Pepsi Arena	audience/VG	2 discs
2002-5-9	Dallas	TX	Reunion Arena	audience/Fair	2 discs
2002-5-10	Dallas	TX	Reunion Arena	audience/G-	2 discs
2002-5-12	Atlanta	GA	Philips Arena	audience/G	3 discs (w/pre show)
2002-5-13	Atlanta	GA	Philips Arena	ALD/EXC	2 discs
2002-5-15	Tampa	FL	Ice Palace	ALD/EXC	2 discs (excl. Can't Buy Me Love)
2002-5-15	Tampa	FL	Ice Palace	ALD/EXC	2 discs (LC 024/025) (Can't Buy Me Love inserted from 4-24)
2002-5-15	Tampa	FL	Ice Palace	audience/Fair	2 discs containing 1 large track
2002-5-17	Ft. Lauderdale	FL	National Car Rental Center	audience/G	2 discs
2002-5-18	Ft. Lauderdale	FL	National Car Rental Center	audience/G	2 discs

The Washington show from April 24, the Atlanta show from May 13th and the Tampa concert from May 15th are 'ALD' recordings. Here's an explanation (thanks Jerry!)

An ALD is an Alternate Listening Device. As per US government regulations regarding the hearing impaired, these devices are offered where available to disabled persons at the arena site. I don't know the particulars, but most modern hockey/basketball sized arenas offer the service. I haven't seen it offered in smaller performance art theaters that typically house opera, symphony, musical theater, and concert performances.

The hearing impaired person is given a headset and receiver at the venue. From the soundboard, a low frequency FM radio type signal
available only in the venue through use of the headset is received by the hearing impaired person.

Needless to say, through whatever means available, tapers in some venues have gotten access to the devices and plugged the ALD jacks into
their DAT recorders.

The sound on ALDs varies -- it can be quite good or suffer from static and/or a bad mix. I don't know for sure, but I think some bands now
have found ways to scramble the sound to foil tapers.
Some of the more technically inclined traders have taken to doing their own mixes of ALD and audience recordings. You get the clear, crisp sound of the ALD with the audience ambience that an ALD alone normally doesn't offer. (example: Washington 24 April by Mirror Spock).