Before the Dawn [Live]
by Kate Bush
  • Record Label: Concord
  • Release Date: Dec 2, 2016
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 30 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 3 out of 30
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  1. rabbitwithfangs
    Dec 20, 2016
    6
    Very underwhelming without the visuals to accompany it. The performances are mostly wonderful, although Bush's voice has a strange hooting sound to it, but the spontaneous bouts of applause and the cringeworthy 'narration' pieces just reinforce the fact that you're only getting a small slice of the actual experience. Bush's description of the album as the 'definitive' experience of theVery underwhelming without the visuals to accompany it. The performances are mostly wonderful, although Bush's voice has a strange hooting sound to it, but the spontaneous bouts of applause and the cringeworthy 'narration' pieces just reinforce the fact that you're only getting a small slice of the actual experience. Bush's description of the album as the 'definitive' experience of the show is... well, disingenuous, to put it mildly.… Expand
  2. Bodacious
    Dec 27, 2016
    10
    Really a wonderful, well-organized, retrospective of Kate Bush's work. But where is the Blu-Ray of the show? How could anyone mount a show such as this, with someone who rarely performs, and not create a visual record of it?!! I just hope its in the works. It will complete the astounding picture of Kate Bush's creative genius.
  3. CharlieGray
    Dec 2, 2016
    10
    One of the best live albums ever released, it's simply magical, it gives every song an unique turn, like the second parts of 'Hounds of Love' and 'Aerial', titled 'The Ninth Wave' and 'A(n Endless) Sky of Honey'
  4. TomekMichal
    Dec 3, 2016
    10
    Epic. Magnificent. Magic. And beyond all this, still ENIGMATIC. Kate Bush happen to release one of the best live albums ever. One important information is one cannot really appreciate it if nit by good loudspeakers. This mudic needs air!
  5. listener
    Dec 14, 2016
    8
    Music itself is great but to put out something like this without visual accompanion doesn't make much sense. Whole affair was theater as much as rock concert. Whenever you hear applause in the middle of the song you're actually out of experience because you're aware there's something going on the stage that you're missing. Also I seriously dislike quality of the sound. Lots of people areMusic itself is great but to put out something like this without visual accompanion doesn't make much sense. Whole affair was theater as much as rock concert. Whenever you hear applause in the middle of the song you're actually out of experience because you're aware there's something going on the stage that you're missing. Also I seriously dislike quality of the sound. Lots of people are satisfied with the it but to my ears this official release sounds almost like a bootleg (situation is somehow better at really high volume but c'mon lady some of us are living in buildings surrounded by other people...and give us a freakin' DVD already for god sake).… Expand
  6. kbsite
    Dec 3, 2016
    10
    Magnificent. BTD is hands down my Album of the Year and one of the best live album ever. It's an "agape" kind of work. Epic really. The mastering is superb... and the pressing is almost flawless. Chapeau
  7. KeithDeWeese
    Dec 3, 2016
    10
    I was very fortunate to see BEFORE THE DAWN in 2014. Had to travel from Boston to London to see it but never was an excursion so very worth it. Though I would like to revisit, via DVD, that personally special night in September '14 when I saw Kate Bush come on stage and let rip her voice, her imagination, her artistry, this recording does take me to that special night unlike any others.I was very fortunate to see BEFORE THE DAWN in 2014. Had to travel from Boston to London to see it but never was an excursion so very worth it. Though I would like to revisit, via DVD, that personally special night in September '14 when I saw Kate Bush come on stage and let rip her voice, her imagination, her artistry, this recording does take me to that special night unlike any others. This recording is the "pinch in the arm" that signals, "You were there! You remember it! You can still see it all in your memory!" For those who didn't see the show, all I can say is: Use your imagination, what you know about Kate Bush, and listen to this recording with a mind open to the furthest reaches of your dreams and you, too, will be at one of those shows. It's magic. 10+ score all the way.… Expand
  8. katebush
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    kinda iconic kinda iconickinda iconic kinda iconickinda iconic kinda iconickinda iconic kinda iconickinda iconic kinda iconic
  9. Bioshock312
    Mar 30, 2023
    10
    Un'album spettacolare , fondamentale direi , da ascoltare insieme alle versione studio delle canzoni. La maggior parte degli arrangiamenti sono anche più incisivi rispetto alla versione in studio :"Running up that hill , Hounds of love, Under ice/Waking the witch(incredibili) Cloudbusting" per l'Hounds of Love , fantastica anche l'introduzione con Lily . King of Mauntain molto meglio dellaUn'album spettacolare , fondamentale direi , da ascoltare insieme alle versione studio delle canzoni. La maggior parte degli arrangiamenti sono anche più incisivi rispetto alla versione in studio :"Running up that hill , Hounds of love, Under ice/Waking the witch(incredibili) Cloudbusting" per l'Hounds of Love , fantastica anche l'introduzione con Lily . King of Mauntain molto meglio della versione studio cosi anche per tutte le canzoni dell'Aerial. Avrei tanto voluto sentire qualche pezzo in più del suo vecchio catalago specie del The Dreaming che insieme alI'Hounds of Love rappresentano l'apice della sua creatività e sono considerati dei capolavori assoluti... Qualche pezzo del Never for ever e avrei voluto sentire anche Misty (un capolavoro) del 50 Words for Snow. Peccato spero tanto che faccia un nuovo tour comunque un disco assolutamente imprescindibile e nonostante non abbia più le capacità vocali che aveva un tempo , la voce resta perfetta e potente. Magico. Arte Rock allo stato puro.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best Album of 2016
95
#95 Most Discussed Album of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. PopMatters
    Dec 6, 2016
    80
    It’s clear that nearly 40 years since her debut single, the creative prowess of one of popular music’s most valuable treasures is undiminished.
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  2. Drowned In Sound
    Dec 6, 2016
    70
    There are moments where the live dynamics allow the songs to hit a few more buttons than the studio recordings did, but ultimately it was an overwhelmingly visual show and it feels like everything here is lacking its USP, no matter how good it is.
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  3. Boston Globe
    Dec 5, 2016
    80
    That feeling of perpetual potential is apparent in even the bleakest of Bush’s years-old songs, which are shot through with clear devotion to constant development of her craft.
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