Almost Great
BC2112 | United States | 05/05/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ok, first The Bad: The quality is OK. A little mastering, and the rumbly bass and high-end hiss could have easily been eliminated (I know this for a fact since I did it myself on my home studio). Wetton's voice is a little ragged, and the backing vocals are always off-key. The beginning of "Heat" is inexplicably lopped off. The packaging is chintzy, and the whole thing would have fit on one CD.The Good:WHEEEEEEEE!!! We finally have the original (and for most of us, the ONLY) line-up of Asia in a live soundboard recording. The musicianship is incredible -- you can hear most parts clearly, and Geoff and Steve's soloing (and Carl too) is stellar. The performance is exuberant most of the time.Get this disk -- you'll love it."
Intriguing...a definitive collector's item!
BC2112 | 04/13/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Fans of the original lineup can finally enjoy one of the first concerts from the 1982 tour. The sound quality (considering the source) is superb...especially in their renditions of "One Step Closer", "Without You", and "Wildest Dreams"...raw and powerful. This CD is the only live, original lineup recording to own...the others are insulting at best.Quirks include John Wetton forgetting the lyrics (but recovering nicely) during the intro "Time Again", the fade out at the end of "Only Time Will Tell", and the missing beginning to "Heat of the Moment" (song starts in the second verse)...but fans should easily overcome these shortcomings."