Man who recorded over 10,000 live concerts is releasing them all online for free

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A music lover in Chicago is sharing his amazing collection of live concert recordings – gathered over forty years – by putting them online.

Aadam Jacobs, currently 59 years old, started recording live concerts in 1989, beginning with a Nirvana performance. A friend suggested he record shows as a way to enjoy the music again and again without cost, and he’s been doing it ever since.

I used to go to so many shows every week, and my friend Jacobs had this great idea to start recording them all. At first, some of the club owners weren’t thrilled about him bringing in recording equipment – they really didn’t like it! But eventually, Jacobs became such a fixture at all the local shows, everyone knew him as the “taper guy,” and a lot of places even let him in for free. He really became part of the Chicago music scene.

Jacobs’ collection spans four decades of rock, hip-hop and more

A dedicated group of volunteers in the U.S. and Europe is working to preserve a remarkable collection of over 10,000 concert recordings. They’re carefully cataloging, converting to digital format, and uploading each tape to the Internet Archive, founded by Brewster Jacobs.

I’m always amazed by the dedication of volunteers like Brian Emerick! Every month, he picks up around 20 boxes – and each one is packed with 50 to 100 audio tapes! – so they can be turned into digital files. Then, other volunteers jump in to polish those files, mixing and mastering them before they’re finally uploaded to the archive for everyone to enjoy. It’s a real team effort!

This music collection offers a diverse range of genres, including indie rock, punk, alternative, hip-hop, rap, and experimental sounds. You’ll find artists like Phish, Sonic Youth, R.E.M., The Cure, and Pixies within the archive.

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2026-04-11 20:48