Shane McGowan (The Pogues)

In the early 90's there was a wide variety of local New Yorkers who served as a springboard for famous musicians. One was the Sin-é, a classic music of the East Village bar which made it to enjoy the talent of Sinead O'Connor, Shane McGowan (The Pogues), PJ Harvey and our hero of the day today: Californian Jeff Buckley.

The son of the folk myth, Tim Buckley dropped by 122 from St Mark's Place two different evenings in the summer of 1993. I had not recorded their debut album - "Grace", 1994 - so both evenings, made specifically on 19 July and 17 August of that year, served as a tasty snack of that great album that was coming to captivate the world.

The material was recorded within the four walls of the local East Village New York went on to achieve such a level of excellence that the Columbia did not hesitate to release it as PD (and years later as a double live album) in December 1993. With a setlist consisting of a total of 45 subjects, Buckley played both their perennial classics as some tasty covers of proven quality cuts of artists by the name of Nina Simone, Van Morrison, Led Zeppelin and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It's really hard to highlight some of the interpretations made in both New York hot summer evenings, but even so, we may venture to say that the direct 'Hallelujah' is the best we have enjoyed to date.

I must admit that I certainly can not describe the feelings that generates listening to this. In 'Hallelujah' is there so much anger, so much passion and so many flashes of great integrity and insecurity duality that one is unable to deserve adjectives like one of the best productions that have ever made. The direct issue brings you good just to enjoy it. With this release something unprecedented happens: you feel being there, just a meter from Jeff. You even get to inhale the smell of the freshly painted white walls of the Sin-é, or perceive the superlative admiration professed by the fortunate few, silent, witness the historic evening.

From Binaural.es I can only listen to recommend strongly that the 'Hallelujah' Sin-é as best they deserve. Close your windows. Lights out. Increase the volume on your mini system. And fly away, let yourself go. This is the world of Jeff, and he, from heaven, I remember that reigned magic of music for two hot days of summer 1993. And thanks to "Live At Sin-é" will remain in our memories. For the rest of our days.