Ultravox/LA, USA 1980

ULTRAVOX broke through in 1980 with “VIENNA” featuring Midge Ure. A masterpiece live album that conveys the scene is now available. This work includes “1980 yen October 4th Avondale performance”. It is a super best audience recording that records the whole story. The biggest point of this work is the sound quality, which is just as good as the best, but before that, the position of the show. From this tour, we have introduced Kinney’s masterpiece “HAMMERSMITH ODEON 1980”, so let’s check the positional relationship of each from the schedule at that time. 1979《April: Midge Ure joins》・November 2: Liverpool performance・November 19-December 30: North America #1 (5 performances) 1980・January 4: San Francisco performance・February 1st: London performance ・February 23rd-March 20th: North America #2 (38 performances) ・July 5th: Liverpool performance [“VIENNA” released on July 11th] ・August 1st-27th: UK #1 (22 performances) ・September 15th – November 8th: North America #3 (15 performances) ←★Here★ ・December 4th – 13th: UK #2 (9 performances) ← 『HAMMERSMITH ODEON 1980 ” This is the progress from Midge joining to 1980. “HAMMERSMITH ODEON 1980” was a live album that recorded the last show in 1980, but this work was released about two months before that. This was the 5th concert of “North America #3”, which set out to conquer the United States with “VIENNA” in tow. This work recorded at such a show is truly an amazing sound. What’s amazing about it is the direct feeling with zero sense of distance and the super delicate details. To be honest, I can’t believe it, thinking, “This is really the audience!?” The scratchy attack sound of the guitar is very clear, the bass groove is strong, and there is no atmosphere in the sound of the synth. If you listen to it microscopically through headphones, the snare tone may seem a little audience-like, but this kind of tone is common even on FM broadcasts… Between the songs, the applause and the extremely realistic atmosphere of the scene erupted, and while I was confused, I finally understood, “This is certainly an audience recording…” There is no need to say “for the 80s”, and even in modern sense it is a super superb sound that can be called “just like a soundboard”. The show, which is depicted in a completely soundboard sound world, is a new world opened up by “VIENNA”. Speaking of them in the early 80’s, the official excavation live album “BBC RADIO 1 LIVE IN CONCERT” is also famous, so let’s organize the set while comparing. John Fox era (3 songs) ・HA!-HA!-HA!: Hiroshima Mon Amour (★) ・SYSTEMS OF ROMANCE: Quiet Men (★) / Slow Motion (★) VIENNA (9 songs) ・Astradine / New Europeans /Passing Strangers/Mr. ★” marks are songs that are not on “BBC RADIO 1 LIVE IN CONCERT”. …and it looks like this. To be honest, the selection is the same as “HAMMERSMITH ODEON 1980”, but the order of the songs is very different. While the Kinney recording started with the previous work’s “Quiet Men,” this work begins with the new song “Astradine.” After that, “VIENNA” continued to be folded, and the show emphasized an even fresher feeling (although it was the same selection). And it’s also true that the performance spells out the set. Perhaps because it was the 6th performance since crossing the ocean, the engine had warmed up enough, but there was no fatigue from the tour. The tuning of Midge’s guitar may be out of tune in some places, but even so, her ability to play without hesitation is amazing. Of course, the singing voice is strong, Billy Curley and the synths shine, and the rhythm section is tight and crisp. Looking back on history, they were not able to bring America to their knees, but it is also a live album that is extremely dazzling with their enthusiastic performances that boldly challenge that invisible wall. In any case, you can fully experience ULTRAVOX, which has just blossomed, with the best sound that will blow your mind. This is it. I wonder if such a sound could be recorded in the 80’s audience recording… A masterpiece of a live album that even makes you feel such awe. Live at Ole Man River’s, Avondale, LA, USA 4th October 1980 ULTIMATE SOUND (79:30) 1. Warszawa (Intro) 2. Astradine 3. New Europeans 4. Passing Strangers 5. Quiet Men 6. Face To Face 7. Mr .X 8. Western Promise 9. Vienna 10. Slow Motion 11. Hiroshima Mon Amour 12. All Stood Still 13. Sleepwalk 14. Private Lives 15. Kings Lead Hat 16. Space Oddity (Outro) Midge Ure – Vocal, Guitar, Keyboards Chris Cross – Bass Warren Cann – Drums, Electronic Percussion Billy Currie – Keyboards, Violin, Viola