ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
LIVE AT THE BBC 1973/74/76 (1999)
320KBPS

"Live At The BBC" is the second of a pair of new releases featuring the original Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the other being "Friends And Relatives". In many ways this is the more interesting double CD. It covers concerts performed by the band for transmission by the BBC and includes two quite different periods in ELO's development. From early in 1973, when they were still an arty, experimental rock/classic fusion ensemble, we have songs based around the first two ELO albums. Shortly after this period (in 1974), there are tracks from another concert. The later period of the Electric Light Orchestra is represented by a summer of 1976 concert when they were heading towards their most successful rock/pop period and the all-conquering "Out Of The Blue" album.
The audio on these tracks is, quite simply, superb. The BBC engineers captured every nuance, and the sound is crystal-clear. The concerts were performed in front of respectful audiences, and there are nice introductions from the shows' comperes. Although live shows, the sound is much more like in a studio, playing to invited fans, so the BBC must have had mic feeds ahead of the band's own mixing desk. But being live concerts brings us those variations in the set which are unobtainable from normal studio albums. It is these moments which produce the magic of "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" - two versions! The original studio album version of this track always sounded a little flat, but Jeff and the gang really bring it to life on "Live At The BBC".
I would have liked more 'showcase' performances from individual members of the band. Mik Kaminski's "Violin Solo / Orange Blossom Special" seems to be over before it's begun! And the sleeve-notes, while adequate, could have usefully catalogued the albums and respective dates to help plot the progression through the band's various phases. It's best to ignore the repeated quote of "Oh No Not Susan" as a typo.
Of all the live material from the original Electric Light Orchestra which is available on CD, this album has to be about the best. They are terrific performances backed by fantastic sound quality.

CD1
1. From The Sun To The World
2. Kuiama
3. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
4. Roll Over Beethoven
5. King Of The Universe
6. Bluebird Is Dead
7. Oh No Not Susan
8. New World Rising
9. Mik's Violin Solo / Orange Blossom Special
10. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
11. Great Balls Of Fire

CD2
1. Fire On High
2. Poker
3. Nightrider
4. On The Third Day medley
5. Showdown
6. Eldorado
7. Poor Boy (The Greenwood)
8. Illusions In G Major
9. Strange Magic
10. Evil Woman
11. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle

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