well, yes, look you see. this is indeed a trifle "late" in terms of commenting on this particular music release in relation to when it came out, and when i got it. also, potentially rather useless (or at the least of no practical benefit) for me to say much, since the rather ludicrous decision to make this (and related) releases all "limited" editions means that one cannot buy it. actually one can, but only if they are comfortable in paying the exaggerated prices which can be found for such items as this over on the great and celebrated car boot sale of the internet.
so, volume two (of six planned) of the mid to late 90s Brilliant Live Adventures of David Bowie, then. like the most decidedly underwhelming first one, this is from 1995, ostensibly of the Outside tour. and, i am rather very happy indeed to comment up front, this one, No Trendy Réchauffé, happens to be brilliant. wonderful, as point of fact. which takes some doing for any live album what is not either The Who Live At Leeds or Santa Monica 72.
i suppose it helps that the title of the record comes from one of my most beloved of his songs, and indeed that song itself features. feel free to click here for a brief look at my obsession with the tune, if for some reason that sort of thing interests you.
there remains, of course, a heavy leaning on Outside for songs, for that is the album what was being promoted by the tour. believe it or not, as recently as 1995 it was so that artists made the majority of their cash off of record sales, and gigs barely broke even but helped push sales. now, of course, it is all licensing and that which rakes in the coins. but, anyway.
rather just have a look at the picture of the songs from the set, then. oh yes, to clarify a concern or question from the first release, no, this gig is the one what the performances of Under Pressure and Moonage Daydream were used on the Hallo Spaceboy single.
a big, blessed relief was to see the full tilt jazz odyssey of Outside, the often headache inducing sounds of I'm Deranged, failed to make the cut. other, equally full tilt jazz odyssey moments from that album are here, and yes i speak of The Voyeur and in particular The Motel. but here, for some reason, they are quite bearable and almost enjoyable, rather than it being David simply doing what he fancies.
once more i confess i am unfamiliar with all the technical terms, but to tell it like it is the quality of sound recording here is way, way better than that first one. also, and this is a big plus, David appears to be actually enjoying the gig and the performance. something of a peculiar thing, this, but when you take all of Bowie's officially released live recordings, with the possible exception of Santa Monica 72 it is the ones he recorded in the UK and Ireland which he sounds most at ease. best example for this is probably to take Stage and Welcome To The Blackout. same tour, virtually same set, but Blackout, recorded in London, carries the clear sound of an artist loving it and having fun.
moving away from Outside "hyper diary" (or whatever) shenanigans, and the bulk of the set feels like a wishlist from fans who had endure the 80s pop megastardom but wished to hear his moments of musical brilliance instead, thanks. a big, big plus is the revival of Scary Monsters here. for a more recent (at the time) amazing tune, what a joy to see that Jump They Say did get a very good outing at at least one gig.
unequivocally, and without hesitation, the highlight here, for me, is, of course, a performance of Strangers When We Meet. sure, the version performed here is closer to the Outside variation than the Buddha Of Suburbia one which i prefer, but frankly i just fell in love with the song all over again hearing it here, performed live. musically the hypnotic hallucinatory sound of the song translates well to the stage. as for the vocal, wow. no, wow wow wow and wow again. perhaps this is my bias, but in every version i have heard David do (or done), there is a sense of some fractional extra in his delivery of this song, beyond all others. he really, really wanted the world to hear what he was saying in the song, but seems to have kept the meaning or reason of it all surrounded in mystery. may it forever remain so.
enthusiasts of Hallo Spaceboy get not just one, and sadly not as many as three, but two performances of this song. with mercy, it is the original, very much in your face boombastic Outside version we get, and not the Pet Shop Boys one. not that the PSB (see what i did there) version is bad (far from it), just completely void of the dark and sinister edge of the original. anyway, the second, as David tells the audience, is done so he could film it for a possible video. a video which i don't think ever came out, but i could be mistaken.
there was a passing reference to this earlier, but yes, a Ziggy Stardust song features, in the form of Moonage Daydream. what a splendid treat for the fans. he was, no doubt understandably, quite bored of playing "just" the hits and the well known stuff, but still, most lovely that he went "well, f***, why not" and fancied giving this another run.
oh, but for all live albums to be of this quality. if they were, not so many of them would be regarded as merciless cash ins, or contractual obligation releases. this one really is a pleasure to have on the stereo. so far i have played it many times, and it is one that shall get frequent spins over whatever amount of time i have left in this world. ideally, i would like to also be hearing it in the next life, too, or whatever comes. regrettably, like the first release, the farcical decision to make this a "limited edition" means that the CD and vinyl long since sold out, but i believe one can access it via "streaming" things.
nothing anywhere near this good awaits the next two releases, and all evidence says everyone knows that. it is so that the next two are 1997, and that means Earthling. yes, i placed my order as soon as volume three was announced, fearing it would sell out even though i new it - an expanded version of a previously "fan club only" release called Live And Well - would be total sh!t. that the Bowie website was sending out mails one week after you could order it telling you that you could still order it means many feel as i do, then, with the songs and the performances from that time. hey ho.
absolutely no idea if ant of this has been of any use to anyone, but my hope or aspiration would be that it was, at least, of some interest. no doubt i shall scribe further musings on this particular artist again one day, soon.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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