Each week, staff members compile a themed playlist and spotlight some of their standout picks. This week, we selected some of our favorite recordings of live performances.

“Friday I’m In Love – Live From Glastonbury” by Olivia Rodrigo

By Julia Green

“Genie – Live” by Crumb

By Natalie Hogan

Live performances bring a whole new life to tracks we already know and love. I am no stranger to stalking the KEXP, Audiotree Live, and NPR Tinydesk pages searching for my favorite bands and artists. Seeing your favorite artist live can be euphoric, and released versions of live songs allow you to relive that experience or get a taste if you missed out. 

After catching my favorite band Crumb on tour multiple times, I was ecstatic when the band released Live!, an album that includes various live performances from their 2024 AMAMA Tour. This album is one of my most played this year, and while each amazing track brings something new to the table, “Genie” is my most cherished.

The original “Genie” is a synth-heavy song that relies on its many electronic elements. This is precisely what makes the live version so beloved: you are taken through the track’s emotions in a much more intimate way hearing the live performance. “Genie” is a great display of the uncertainty of change, mulling on how we sometimes lead ourselves into existential crisis thinking about how our relationships will change as we do. 

During the second verse, lead vocalist Lila Ramani sings “All these roads end up at you / Drive these roads and pass right through / The places that I’ve been before / There’s nothing left for me there anymore” and later in the outro, “You say I’m leaving you behind.” These already heavy-hitting lyrics are only amplified through the intimate setting of live performance. 

Outside of lyrics, there are a few instrumental moments in the live version that keep me coming back. During the pause about halfway through the track, you hear birds chirping on the original and an audience erupting in cheers during the live version. It adds a realness to the music that reminds you of the world around you, just like the birds do in the studio version. The outro of the song has an incredible bass line from Jesse Brotter that is further intensified in the live version with different effect pedals and amplified synth sounds. While you should check out “Genie – Live” immediately, I recommend listening to the entire Live! album in full.

Listen to the full playlist:

Contributors: Amaris Alfonseca, Anna Brammer-Depuy, Julia Green, Maya Eberlin, Delaney Heckman, Natalie Hogan, Pooja Kulkarni, Aya Soussi, Gabe Sullo, Tate Weaver

Cover photo courtesy of Delaney Heckman.