Focus / Gateshead 2018 / 2CDR

Focus / Gateshead 2018 / 2CDR / Amity
Live at Sage 2, Gateshead, UK 22nd November 2018

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The best masterpiece for the second live album of the treasure troubles of the Netherlands FOCUS. It is a superb audience recording of “Gateshead Performance November 22, 2018”.
FOCUS has been active for tour activities for the first time in four years “FOCUS 11”, but this week, in addition to this work, “MILTON KEYNES 2018 (Amity 499)” “MANCHESTER 2018 (Amity 501)” at the same time It will be released. Both are live album of UK tour just after new release. As the date may be close to all three, let’s first take a closer look at the British schedule that was the only full-fledged tour in 2018.

“November 9” FOCUS 11 “site sale start”
· November 9th – 12th: UK # 2a (4 consecutive)
“November 13: off”
· November 14th – 25th: UK # 2b (12 consecutive) ← ★ Coco ★
“November 26: off”
· November 27 – December 1: UK # 2 c (5 consecutive)

Overall, all 21 performances. In the explanation of “MILTON KEYNES 2018”, I introduced the whole schedule of 2018, but here it is narrowed down to “UK # 2” which was a tour form. This “British # 2” can also be subdivided into three, “MILTON KEYNES 2018” is a record of “UK # 2a” at the beginning, “UK 2c” the last “MANCHESTER 2018”. In contrast, this work is the masterpiece of ‘British # 2b’ that is the interim. Besides, this “UK # 2b” is an intensive continuous live performance of 12 times in 12 days. This work ‘s Gateshead performance was a concert that was the ninth performance.
In the tour which was the only one in 2018, it is the middle of the most overcrowded. The sound that conveys such a show is suitable for calling it the highest masterpiece. Three works (4 sound sources) released at the same time this week are all the best insignificant items, but among them the book is missing. Its clearness and direct feeling. If you listen carefully often with headphones, you can feel the testimony of the audience in the snare ringing, but in other words it is not like any other type of catch. One tone of all the instruments is clear from rising to muffling, and its ringing is crystal clear enough to forget the presence of the atmosphere. Physically, if there is no air, the sound will not be transmitted, but it is transparent enough to think that there is one chile in the air. Of course, the sense of distance also boasts beauty that can only be called “sound board” as close as possible to zero.
The show drawn with such a superb ultra superb sound is just the light of a shining sound. In the middle stage is played “Who’s Calling?” “Focus 11” also recorded in the new work “FOCUS 11”, the axis of the set was golden 70’s. A collection of masterpieces from debut work to “HAMBURGER CONCERTO” was unfolded at once, and the FOCUS world full of dazzling was fully opened. Although it is regrettable that there was no “Focus 2” “Mazzel” that I could listen to with “MILTON KEYNES 2018”, the classic “Focus 3” that entered the set instead, and the representative song “Focus 7” after the restart. Speaking of their official live work “LIVE IN ENGLAND” is also a memorable new place, it is a live album where storms of famous songs like those that caused new songs to get lost there.

Anyhow, it is shockingly high quality sound that you want to arrange two or three super. It is the live album that recorded the most crowded zone of the tour, the only one of which is the quality close to the soundboard, 2018. From all aspects it is a symbol of FOCUS, a set of two that will be the best masterpiece. Even three successive generations of great masterpieces are the top work that has been lost, and Amy’s label is a memorable 500th supernumerable novelty no more. That is the one that should be settled next to the new work “FOCUS 11”. Please enjoy it quite well.

オランダの至宝FOCUSの最新ライヴアルバム第２弾にして最高傑作。「2018年11月22日ゲーツヘッド公演」の極上オーディエンス録音です。
FOCUSは４年ぶりの新作『FOCUS 11』を契機にツアー活動も活発化してきましたが、今週は本作に加え、『MILTON KEYNES 2018（Amity 499）』『MANCHESTER 2018（Amity 501）』が同時リリースとなります。これらはいずれも新作発表直後の英国ツアーのライヴアルバム。３本とも日付が近いこともありますので、まずは2018年で唯一の本格的なツアーだったイギリス日程を細かく見てみましょう。

《11月９日『FOCUS 11』サイト販売開始》
・11月９日-12日：英国#2a（４連続）
《11月13日：オフ》
・11月14日-25日：英国#2b（12連続）←★ココ★
《11月26日：オフ》
・11月27日-12月１日：英国#2c（５連続）

以上、全21公演。『MILTON KEYNES 2018』の解説では2018年の全日程をご紹介しましたが、ここではツアー形式だった「英国#2」に絞り込んであります。この「英国#2」も３つに細分化でき、『MILTON KEYNES 2018』は冒頭の「英国#2a」、『MANCHESTER 2018』は最後の「英国#2c」の記録。それに対し、本作はその間となる「英国#2b」の代表作です。しかも、この「英国#2b」は12日間で12回という集中連続ライヴ。本作のゲーツヘッド公演は、その９公演目にあたるコンサートでした。
2018年唯一だったツアーでも最過密のド真ん中。そんなショウを伝えるサウンドは、最高傑作と呼ぶに相応しい。今週同時リリースの３作（４音源）はどれも極上の銘品揃いなのですが、その中でも本作はズバ抜けている。その要はクリアさとダイレクト感。ヘッドフォンでよくよく耳を澄ませばスネアの鳴りにオーディエンスの証は感じ取れるものの、逆に言えばそれ以外に客録らしさがまるでない。すべての楽器の１音１音が立ち上がりから消音に至るまで鮮明で、その鳴りは大気の存在を忘れるほどにクリスタル・クリア。物理的には空気がなければ音は伝わらないわけですが、その空気にはチリ１つないのではないかと思うほどに透き通っている。もちろん、距離感も限りなくゼロに近く「まるでサウンドボード」と呼ぶしかない美しさを誇っているのです。
そんな極めつけの超極上サウンドで描かれるショウは、まさに輝くような音の光。中盤には新作『FOCUS 11』にも収録された「Who’s Calling?」「Focus 11」が演奏されつつ、セットの軸は黄金の70年代。デビュー作から『HAMBURGER CONCERTO』までの名曲群が一気呵成に繰り広げられ、目眩くFOCUSワールドが全開。『MILTON KEYNES 2018』で聴けた「Focus 2」「Mazzel」がないのは残念なものの、代わってセット入りしたのは名曲「Focus 3」と、再始動後の代表曲「Focus 7」。彼らの公式ライヴ作と言えば『LIVE IN ENGLAND』も記憶に新しいところですが、そこに新曲を紛れさせたような名曲の嵐が吹き荒れるライヴアルバムなのです。

とにかく超を２つも３つも並べたくなる衝撃的なほどのハイクオリティ・サウンド。もっともサウンドボードに近いクオリティ2018年唯一ツアーの最過密地帯を記録したライヴアルバム。あらゆる面から見てFOCUSの象徴、最高傑作となる２枚組です。大傑作揃いの３連発でもズバ抜けた頂点作であり、Amityレーベルの記念すべき500本目にこれ以上なく相応しい超名盤。それこそ新作『FOCUS 11』の横に鎮座すべき１本。どうぞ、思いっきりお楽しみください。

Disc 1(53:24)
1. Focus 1 2. House Of The King 3. Eruption 4. Focus 11 5. Sylvia

Disc 2(71:35)
1. Who’s Calling? 2. Focus 7 3. La Cathedrale de Strasbourg 4. Harem Scarem Pt.1
5. Menno Gootjes Guitar Solo 6. Udo Pennekeet Bass Solo 7. Harem Scarem Pt.2
8. Thijs Van Leer Flute Solo 9. Hocus Pocus Pt.1 10. Pierre van der Linden Drum Solo
11. Hocus Pocus Pt.2 12. Encore Break 13. Focus 3

Thijs van Leer – Hammond-organ, flute and vocals Menno Gootjes – guitar
Udo Pannekeet – bass Pierre van der Linden – drums

Amity 500