The first half of Tangerine Dream's sold out London show at Shepherd's Bush Empire on November 6th, 1997. Subtitled the 'Vintage Set', it contains 10 of the best from their illustrious past, including 'Poland', 'Le Parc',... more » 'Stratosfear 95' and 'Warsaw In The Sun'.« less
The first half of Tangerine Dream's sold out London show at Shepherd's Bush Empire on November 6th, 1997. Subtitled the 'Vintage Set', it contains 10 of the best from their illustrious past, including 'Poland', 'Le Parc', 'Stratosfear 95' and 'Warsaw In The Sun'.
"Exceptionally well recorded and mastered, this live performance showcases the versatility and consistency which hallmark Tangerine Dream's 30+ years of excellence. This could easily be called a "Best Of" album."
Disappointing performance
Steve Benner | Lancaster, UK | 06/06/2000
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Time was when Tangerine Dream's concerts would be platforms for the band to showcase new ideas to the fans, as well as places for the band members themselves to experiment with new ideas in a live improvisatory setting. Judging from the contents of this disc, together with its partner "Tournado" (which features the second half of another concert from the same tour), Tangerine Dream concerts are nowadays just an excuse to trot out the same tired old tunes before an audience happy to play 'spot the golden oldie'! Time was when Tangerine Dream's live recording releases used to be carefully honed creations, providing fresh material for fans new and old to savour and admire. Nowadays, it seems like it's all too much effort to craft anything new from the endlessly recycled material. Maybe Edgar and Jerome have finally succumbed to commercial pressures? Maybe they've seen the burgeoning bootleg market that profits so handsomely from their labours and have decided it's time to cash in themselves? Maybe they've just dried up?Whatever the reasons, though, this disc presents nothing new (or even anything particularly interesting) for the long-time fan. The ten numbers played here span the band's output all the way from "Sorcerer" to "Oasis" but it is all played in such a uniformly lacklustre way that anyone who knows what the band used to be capable of in live performance can only be bitterly disappointed by this release. Even 'Stratosfear 95' limps home with no great show of enthusiasm. "Tournado" is something of an improvement on this release. At least it contains some sort of fire - something that is just altogether lacking here. Textures are also so muddy that my ears were definitely tired by the end. What a shame! Maybe you had to be there...?"
Great Album
dan_ehrlich | 08/21/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a life-long TD fan and former youngest member of the now non-existent Tangerine Dream International Fan Club, I reckon this live album is absolutely great. I generally am a big fan of TD of the 70s and early 80s, and much less enthusiastic about the 90s stuff. I think it is great that TD at times play some of the old material using the original tunes in their recent performances (e.g. 'Betrayal' or 'Poland' in this album), but also throw into the mix some of the newer stuff as well. I would have been thrilled to be in the audience for such a performance. Tournado and this album are both great, in my opinion their best live albums since Poland of 1984."
Getting it up again
01/19/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Who would have thought that after all these years of emptiness, they still can play some good electronic rock of the past? Who cares if it's a little mangled, performed without the nerve the once had - when you are present at such concert, if you are lucky to catch them when once every ten years they decide to treat us with golden oldies again? I don't care. For this little pleasure of hearing the cheer of the audience again, of other people as happy as moi - it's worth spending money on this album. For "Valentine Wheels" is a nostalgic journey into the past.The album begins by a bang, like an old ferro cassette you recorded froma radio. Where were the sound engineers? Anyway, the band delivers 'Waterborne', a good misty track from Oasis of 1995. Next, we are treated to the only official live recording of 'Sorcerer's Theme' of 1976. I can't say that I was set on my knees with the way it was performed, but the tune is like balsam for the soul. You can't deny that, can you? Then, we briefly enter 'Poland' of 1983. A little lukewarm, but still, the same comment applies. Unfortunately, the next number, 'Sundance Kid', is taken from the shallow recent era, to transform swiftly into 'Silver Scale' known from an excellent soundtrack album "Wavelength" of 1983. Beautiful melody of that Schmoelling track is somewhat spoiled by Froese interpretation, but nevertheless, it was a great surprise. I have never heard "Wavelength" live! 'Warsaw in the Sun' - of course they chose the least attractive part of "Poland" album to play! fear not, the next composition is 'Stratosfear', not the original version of 1976, but the one from "Tyranny of Beauty" of 1994. Still, Zlatko Perica made a very good job of recreating the original sound of Froese's Les Paul guitar, and even added some! It's one long guitar solo. Awesome. The band fills the space between this rocket of a tune and the next one with some unimaginative muzak, but fortunately, it's a short break, so we can endure it. What happens next is 'Dolphin Dance' - and we are jumping back to 1986. This Christopher Franke composition is bland in comparison to Franke's own version played on "The London Concert" of 1991. Sorry Edgar! After a while, the band increases an already fast tempo to match 'Le Parc', a dynamic composition from the beautiful album "Le Parc" of 1985. Sadly, "Valentine Wheels" end much too fast with 'Beach Theme' known from "Thief" of 1980. I agree that the performance does not stand up to the comparison with the old times, but still, after tears of boredom we shed in the recent decade, this is a treat, a journey back in time, which is always welcome. Everything must end somewhere, everything must pass, as George Harrison would have said if he were alive."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1
