Jacobs is a bit of an antihero on the live music scene, a Robin Hood character whose impact will soon be immortalized. Though unauthorized distribution of live performances is usually strictly verboten in the industry, Jacobs’ efforts have amassed a mythology all their own. The native Chicagoan’s adoration for concerts has become something of a galvanizing symbol for younger fans, his refusal to charge listeners an ode to the purity of the art form. Though he ran into security roadblocks at the beginning of his efforts to record every show he attended live, he eventually became a sort of cultural institution in the city, a beloved eccentric whose dedication earned him free tickets and local acclaim.
Jacobs’ collection is vast. Focused primarily from the mid ‘80s to the early 2000s, the tapes track the growth of the burgeoning indie and punk rock genres through Chicago and other U.S. cities. A stroll (or, rather, a scroll) through the part of the collection already online shows that it boasts artists from Hüsker Dü, Camper Van Beethoven, and Fugazi to Neko Case, Depeche Mode, and John Cale. Jacobs also recorded pivotal early-career performances by Nirvana, Sonic Youth, the Cure, and the Replacements, and more. (The Replacements loved his recording so much they actually released a mix of it in a 2023 live album.) His is the eye of a non-discriminatory music lover: Boogie Down Productions, Dinosaur Jr., and Belle and Sebastian might be seen during a single 10-second scroll of the archive. He started with a Dictaphone borrowed from his grandmother; he graduated eventually to a Walkman, and more than once his home console cassette machine.
Now, volunteers across the United States and Europe are sharing Jacobs’ gifts with the world. It’s no easy task; song titles are often unclear, and the pressure to accurately document setlists from decades ago is intense. But getting to hear Liz Phair belt “Divorce Song” at an unpublicized 1999 Lounge Ax show, R.E.M.’s 1987 rendition of “I Believe” with hundreds of fans singing along, or even a snippet of Fred Armisen doing improv for 24 hours straight (if that’s more your vibe) makes it all feel quite worth it. And the hundreds of smaller artists catalogued by Jacobs and his volunteers are sure to keep curious listeners occupied for a long time.
