Dave Mason: Live at Perkins Palace (1981)

Back around 1981, a decade before MTV Unplugged came along, Dave Mason did this 50-minute show at Perkins Palace, playing acoustic guitar and backed by guitarist/violinist Jim Krueger. It was released on laserdisc by Pioneer Artists in the mid-'80s and became a favorite of fans who were equipped to play the software, but the 2002 CD release is the first chance that most of his audience will have to enjoy the performance. Mason does a nice, relaxed, informal set consisting of most of the songs for which he is best known -- "We Just Disagree," "Feelin' Alright," "All Along the Watchtower," "Bring It on Home to Me," "Take It to the Limit," and "Let It Go, Let It Flow" -- the latter beautifully showcasing Mason and Krueger's voices as well as their playing.