On one hand, it demonstrates the band's stage dominance, but it also points to the fact that their two LPs to date have been unable to capture that intensity. This is not to say the albums haven't been vital slabs of modern American punk. More so it reveals the effects of the modern digital age on the underground. Pro-Tools and CDs have spoiled the rural and suburban audience. Production quality has grown crisp, polished and cheap.
Kids can hear more music, faster.
Distribution with the internet and the matured market puts CDs in Wyoming and Andorra. Fans still claim the Clash couldn't make a great record, which seems preposterous these days. But those fans saw the Clash live. Seeing a band live was essential. Back then, attendance and word of mouth mattered more.