Electric Light Orchestra/CA, USA 1978

Joe Wizard’s master collection is causing a major shock in the collector world in 2021. The latest work, the Golden Age ELO edition, is being discovered. [Wizard Master who recorded the moment of his heyday] What is recorded in this work is “Anaheim performance on August 26, 1978”. This is the best audience recording. The biggest point of this work is the sound by Wizard Master, but the show itself is also perfect. After all, at that time they were in the middle of the “OUT OF THE BLUE Tour” which was the highlight of the 7-member era. Also, speaking of ELO in 1978, it is also included in the official live work “LIVE AT WEMBLEY ’78”, and we cannot forget the one and only performance in Japan. To remember this situation, let’s first look back at the schedule at the time. ・January 25th – February 17th: Hawaii/Oceania (11 performances) ・February 22nd – March 2nd: Japan (7 performances) ・April 22nd – May 18th: Europe (21 performances)・June 2nd – 16th: UK (10 performances) ← *Official LIVE AT WEMBLEY ・June 30th – July 19th: North America #1 (13 performances) ・August 10th – September 29th: North America #2 (32 performances) ←★Here★ This is ELO in 1978. The album “OUT OF THE BLUE” was released in October 1977, but the tour did not start until 1978. It suddenly started with the Pacific Rim, and as part of that, a performance in Japan was also realized. The Anaheim performance of this work was the 11th concert of “North America #2” at the end of such a world tour. [Excellent sound that brings out the “growth” of the original sound] Now, this work recorded by John Wizard, who was present at the show, is a superb sound that awakens your eyes with its wonderful clarity. To be honest, the original sound that appeared on the internet seems to be said to be “ELO has high sound quality, but the others are even more amazing”, but the true value of this recording was the “growth” that was hidden in the original sound. Yes, when we applied our own mastering, it was reborn as fresh and clear as if it were a separate recording. As I have said in various places, the rapidly advancing digital technology is by no means magic, and it does not mean that any recording will be good. What is important is the individuality of the recording itself; some recordings can be dramatically improved with a little work, while others become unnatural the more you mess with them. And, this work was a recording like a sample of the former. In fact, what flows from this work is a brilliant sound. If you have experienced the net original sound, you may have thought that it was a bit cagey for a wizard, but this work quickly clears up that. Actually, I haven’t made any major changes, but even with a little adjustment, the edges stand out in an interesting way and the sharpness improves. When this happens, the delicate details that were originally there will shine brightly, and the strong core will come through clearly and directly. What’s more, the physical processing is minimal, so the natural feel is not compromised, and even though it is a large family that also has violins and cellos, the notes have a great sense of separation and do not mix even when folded. That is the best sound that even comes close to the official live album “LIVE AT WEMBLEY ’78”. I unintentionally referred to “LIVE AT WEMBLEY ’78”, but the show drawn with that sound surpasses the official work. That official version was edited to about 1 hour, but this work is an audience recording that goes all at once. It is a two-disc set with plenty of famous songs. In order to get a feel for how gorgeous it is, let’s organize it by comparing it with the official work. Aurora’s Savior・Tightrope／Telephone Line／Rockaria!／Do Ya／Livin’ Thing Out of the Blue・Standing In The Rain／Night in the City／Turn To Stone／Mr. Blue Sky／Sweet Talkin’ Woman Others Classics・ELO2: Roll Over Beethoven・Dawn of the Third World: Showdown/Ma-Ma-Ma Belle (★)・El Dorado: Can’t Get It Out of My Head (★)・Face the Music: Strange Magic ( ★)／Evil Woman (★) *Note: Songs marked with a “★” cannot be heard on the official work “LIVE AT WEMBLEY ’78”. …and it looks like this. The official work was also a concentrated reduction of the blockbuster hits “A NEW WORLD RECORD” and “OUT OF THE BLUE,” but this work includes an even wider variety of classics. The number of famous songs that have become standard to this day has been increased, making it an even more colorful greatest hits show. Even more delicious are Miku Kaminsky’s violin solo and Hugh McDowell’s cello solo. It’s great as an ensemble of famous songs, but the thrilling solos that come from official members greatly raise the scale of the show itself. Gorgeous hit songs, the momentum of the heyday, and the wild dancing of the strings…this is the flavor that can only be found on the “OUT OF THE BLUE Tour”! It is a masterpiece of a live album that can be enjoyed. The 1978 ELO captivated the world with its spacey and gigantic scale. This is a masterpiece of a live album that allows you to experience every detail of the magnificent ensemble of the seven-member era. The true value of Wizard Master should be experienced by those who are underestimating the original sound on the internet. The best audience recording of “August 26, 1978 Anaheim Performance”. The net strings digitized from John Wizard’s original cassette have been further refined with original mastering. The sound has a sharp edge and improved clarity, and the fine details shine, and the powerful core is crisp and direct. It has been reborn as a superb sound that even comes close to the official live work “LIVE AT WEMBLEY ’78”. It is a masterpiece that allows you to fully experience the magnificent ensemble of the 7-member era in detail, including many classics that were cut in the official work. Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California, USA 26th August 1978 PERFECT SOUND Disc 1 (46:14) 1. Intro 2. Standing In The Rain / Night in the City 3. Turn To Stone 4. Can’t Get It Out of My Head 5. Cello Solo 6. Tightrope 7. Telephone Line 8. Rockaria! 9. Violin Solo Disc 2 (44:54) 1. MC 2. Strange Magic / Showdown 3. Mr Blue Sky 4. Sweet Talkin’ Woman 5. Evil Woman 6. Do Ya (The Move cover) 7. Livin’ Thing 8. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle 9. Roll Over Beethoven Jeff Lynne – Vocals, Guitar Richard Tandy – Keyboards Hugh McDowell – Cello Melvyn Gale – Cello Mik Kaminski – Violin Kelly Groucutt – Bass Bev Bevan – Drums, Percussion Jake Commander – Backing Vocal