Aadam Jacobs' 10,000 Concert Recordings from 1984 Now Free Online via Internet Archive

Aadam Jacobs, a Chicago music fan, secretly recorded over 10,000 live concerts in Chicago and nearby cities beginning in 1984. His archive, featuring mostly indie and punk rock acts, includes early performances by major bands like Nirvana from 1989, Depeche Mode, The Cure, and R.E.M. before they achieved mainstream success. After receiving press coverage and being featured in a 2023 documentary, a volunteer from the Internet Archive contacted Jacobs about digitizing his collection. Volunteers are now retrieving tapes from his home, mixing and mastering them, and uploading them to the Aadam Jacobs Collection on the Internet Archive. The project currently includes 2,492 items, with completion expected to take several more years. Jacobs, who started taping with a dictaphone-like device, improved his equipment and relationships with venue staff over decades, earning the nickname "taper guy." While a few artists have requested removal due to anti-bootlegging laws, most appreciate the documentation. Popular recordings include a Reggie Watts show from 2013, a Phish performance from 1990, and Television from 2005. Jacobs' most recent recordings are from 2019, as health issues have prevented further attendance.