Saturday 9 June 2012

Van Der Graaf Generator - Recorded Live In Concert At Metropolis Studios, London (2 CDs and 1 DVD)

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My copy of this remarkably cheap release arrived today.  What we have here is a reissue of the recent "Classic Rock Presents" DVD with a new bonus of the concert soundtrack on 2 CDs.  This isn't the only release from the band due this month, there is also an official one, entitled "ALT" and it is apparently all instrumental!  I have a copy on pre-order, so will report on it as soon as I get it.  It's worth stressing to anyone who has lost touch with the band that the line-up on both releases is Hammill, Banton and Evans.  Saxman Jackson has dropped out of the the line-up again and I do miss his presence.  What a shame too that Peter Hammill plays so little guitar live with the band these days.




The concert promotes recent material from the "Trisector" and "A Grounding In Numbers" albums.  Old favourites "Nutter Alert", "Man-Erg" and "Lemmings" are also included.

This triple disc set is on specialist reissue label Salvo, and is joined by similar sets by Bill Nelson, Caravan, Barclay James Harvest (the superior John Lees version), Roy Harper and The Zombies.  All these concerts were recorded live in front of small fan audiences, and were originally scheduled for broadcast on ITV here in England. This album, although not really an official release is available from Peter Hammill's site at http://www.sofasound.com/ as well as the usual suspects.  Might as well get a copy of "Alt" as well!

Packaging is better than you'd expect for a budget release.  This is a large 4-panel digipack, and there is even a booklet with good notes.  At this price this surely is unmissable.  Only reason I could see for not buying this is in case a Blu-Ray is forthcoming.  Right now, that doesn't look likely though.


A generous release of DVD and two audio CDs
This was the original release, just 1 DVD and no CDs!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

just great VDGG collection must have!