Van Der Graaf Generator Van Der Graaf Generator/NY, USA 1976

VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR reunited in 1976, and they were on a roll, releasing a string of historic masterpieces. Here is a superb live album that lets you experience their first American performance. This work is recorded from the “October 18, 1976 New York City performance”. It is a legendary audience recording. The reason why this recording is legendary is because the show is so special. After all, this was VDGG’s first American performance. Moreover, there was no US tour after that, and it was the only American performance until 2009. It was a very heavy show, but what position will it have in VDGG’s history of admiration? Speaking of 1976, it was the time when “STILL LIFE” and “WORLD RECORD” were released in succession, so let’s take a look at the schedule from that time, including that. {April 15th: Release of “STILL LIFE”} April 18th – May 9th: UK #1 (6 shows) {May 10th – 30th: Production of “WORLD RECORD”} May 31st – June 12th: Europe #1 (8 shows) July 27th – August 12th: Europe #2 (5 shows) August 28th – October 2nd: UK #2 (10 shows) October 6th – 18th: North America (8 shows) ←★Here {October: Release of “WORLD RECORD”} November 8th – December 9th: Europe #3 (24 shows) This is VDGG in 1976. They landed in the New World in October, when “WORLD RECORD” was being produced and was about to be released. In fact, it was a mini tour of 8 shows in total, most of which were in Canada. Only the final day, “October 18th”, was in the USA. This work, which was vacuum-packed from such a one-off scene, is a wonderful and superb recording, even ignoring its rareness. When played, it starts with a band introduction by the DJ, and you can hear every word of the historical words clearly. That alone is surprising, but when the performance begins, you will be surprised twice. The core is extremely thick and powerful, with almost no sense of distance. And the freshness of the freshness is such that even the finest parts are not crushed. Although it was released as “LOW Gene” despite being of unknown generation, it is not the original… Speaking of vintage recordings from the 70s, it can’t be helped if they are rough and bouncy, but this work has a crisp outline and is much clearer than any FM broadcast. The rare and beautiful sound depicts the most valuable scene in the history of VDGG. Speaking of stages from the 70s, the official version “MAIDA VALE” is popular, so let’s organize the set by comparing them. Classics: Creation: Killer (★), Pawn Hearts: Lemmings (★), Man-Erg, Others: Gog (★), God’s Bluff: Arrow (★), The Sleepwalkers, Still Life: La Rossa, Still Life, World Records: When She Comes, Meurglys III, The Songwriter’s Guild (★), Masks. *Note: ★ marks songs that cannot be heard on “MAIDA VALE”. …And so it goes. From the great album “H TO HE WHO AM THE ONLY ONE” to the soon-to-be released “WORLD RECORD”, a wide selection of five masterpieces has been selected. This set has been the “one and only American VDGG” for over 30 years. And the show content is also extremely wonderful. The ensemble is similar to “MAIDA VALE”, but perhaps because they just landed in America, the tension is high, and Peter Hammill’s versatile vocalization is also very clear. What’s even more surprising is how well received the audience is. The audience at the venue probably didn’t know that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, but they were already in high spirits from the start of the show, and even the band introduction was met with a huge cheer. It’s like the long-awaited Japanese audience welcoming a band for the first time. Of course, that reaction is also fed back to VDGG on stage, further raising the temperature of the performance. It’s strange that the North American tour didn’t happen until 1976, but even more strange that they didn’t return until 2009, it’s such a successful live show. In any case, it has the most significant historical value and the super clear sound that goes beyond the common sense of the 70s audience. It’s an important work that is indispensable in the VDGG collection. It’s a piece that allows you to experience a historic show in the middle of a welcoming atmosphere. A legendary audience recording of the only US performance in the 1970s, “October 18, 1976, New York City”. Even if you ignore the preciousness of the superb recording, it is a wonderful superb recording, with a thick and powerful core and almost no sense of distance. And the freshness of the freshness that does not feel crushed even in the fine details. Speaking of vintage recordings from the 1970s, it can’t be helped if they are rough and bouncy, but this work is crisp to the contours and much clearer than any FM broadcast. In addition to the masterpieces that can’t be heard even in “MAIDA VALE”, it is a cultural heritage album that makes you sigh at the historical weight that resides in each song. Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY, USA 18th October 1976 TRULY PERFECT SOUND Disc 1(62:08) 1. Intro. 2. When She Comes 3. Lemmings 4. La rossa 5. Arrow 6. Still life Disc 2(77:16) 1. MC 2. Meurglys III (The Songwriter’s Guild) 3. Gog 4. The sleepwalkers 5. Man-erg 6. Killer 7. Masks Peter Hammill – vocals, guitar, keyboards Hugh Banton – organ, bass pedals, bass Guy Evans – drums David Jackson – saxophone, flute