Brian Poole & The Tremeloes - Live at BBC 1964-67 (2013)

BGO's 2013 compilation Live at the BBC 1964-67 is quite generous, running 37 tracks that spill over two CDs. Some of these tracks are interview clips, some begin with a BBC introduction, but that's the appeal of the set: it's a time capsule of the peak of the Swinging London scene. Brian Poole & the Tremeloes naturally play several of their hits -- "Twist & Shout," "The Three Bells" -- but also cover "Walk Right In," "She Said Yeah," and "Like a Rolling Stone," touching upon folk-rock and R&B that didn't always show up on their records. Live, the Tremeloes sound perhaps a little more polite than expected -- something that's especially notable when they're singing the Stones, whether it's "Time Is on My Side" or that cover of Larry Williams' "She Said Yeah" -- but that stiffness is also rather endearing, as it showcases a band which was earnest, but despite the guitars they wore, they were a pop band, not a rock band…which may be why they weren't able to withstand the shifting fashions of the late '60s. Nevertheless, this is a nice snapshot of the group when they were at their peak.