GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C. USA 9th September 2022
Play sample :
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of their debut, ROXY MUSIC embarked on a reunion tour for the first time in 11 years. The latest live album that reports on the much-talked-about “50th Anniversary Tour” has arrived.
“Performance in Washington DC on September 9, 2022” is imbued in this work. It is an excellent audience recording that completely records the whole story. The 50th anniversary tour has just started and is currently ongoing. In order to know their recent situation, let’s first check the position of the show by overlooking the whole view of the tour.
・September 7: Performance in Toronto
・September 9: Washington, D.C. Performance ←★This work★
・ September 12-19: North America (4 performances)
>>Now here<<
・ September 21-28: North America (4 performances)
・ October 10-14: UK (3 performances)
These are the 13 performances that have been announced so far. It’s a little small to celebrate the 50th anniversary, and I don’t know if dates will be added for next year. However, the last reunion tour in 2011 was also a total of 15 performances. We cannot rule out the possibility that this will end. Under such circumstances, the Washington DC performance of this work was the second concert, which will be the beginning of the beginning.
This work, vacuum-packed from such an extremely early stage, is a masterpiece recording that combines strength and neat beauty. It must be an audience recording that sucks in the hall sound, but I don’t feel the distance at all. Although it is not mistaken for a sound board due to its warm tone, the thick core rushes up to the ears when it is on, and the details are vivid accordingly. Although the atmosphere of the lively venue can be felt realistically, there are no spectators who raise strange voices nearby, and you can fully enjoy the thick performances and vocals. The base is especially surprising. In any era, heavy bass tends to be a weakness of the audience recording, and it tends to be off with a faint sound, or it tends to be too strong and crack. However, while this work is accompanied by a fat ringing, each note draws a solid outline, and you can taste the singing spirit of the line that is created by connecting it. Of course, the base is just an example. Even the heavy bass, which tends to be a weak point, is beautiful, so the entire ensemble is very rich.
A special set for the 50th anniversary of the Greatest Hits of yesteryear with such a rich sound. As I repeat, the last reunion tour was in 2011, so let’s organize it by comparing it with that set here.
●Early 70’s (9 songs)
・Roxy Music: Re-Make/Re-Model (★)/Ladytron (★)/If There Is Something
・For Your Pleasure: The Bogus Man (★) / In Every Dream Home A Heartache / Editions of You / Do The Strand
・Other: Out Of The Blue (★) / Love Is The Drug
● Reunion era (11 songs)
・Fresh and Blood: Oh Yeah (★) / Same Old Scene / My Only Love
・Avalon: While My Heart Is Still Beating (★) / Tara / To Turn You On / The Main Thing / More Than This / Avalon
・Other: Dance Away (★) / Jealous Guy
* Note: “★” marks are songs that were not performed on the previous reunion tour in 2011.
… and it looks like this. A composition that puts rare songs at key points while holding down the famous songs of the past. “The Bogus Man” and “Oh Yeah” are revived for the first time in 16 years, and “Dance Away” is the first in 19 years. It is also a point that it is thickly selected from the masterpiece “AVALON”, and “More Than This”, which was not played on the tour at that time, is also featured. And the ultimate is “To Turn You On”, a repertoire that was set for the first time on the last 2011 tour. It was shown again this time.
The 50th anniversary project of ROXY MUSIC, which has become a hot topic in various official releases. This is the latest live album where you can fully experience the reunion tour, which is the highlight, with beautiful sounds. Although it is the first report, it is a masterpiece that may become the best masterpiece of the tour. Please enjoy the “now” of the anniversary that will never happen again with this work.
★ Excellent audience recording of “Washington DC performance on September 9, 2022”, which is the first report of the 50th anniversary tour. It is a famous recording that combines strength and neat beauty, and the thick core rushes to the ears when it is on, and the details are vivid along with it. You can fully experience the 50th anniversary special set with delicious revival songs such as “The Bogus Man”, “Oh Yeah” and “Dance Away” and rare songs such as “More Than This” and “To Turn You On”.
そんな本作に吹き込まれているのは「2022年９月９日ワシントンDC公演」。その一部始終を完全収録した絶品オーディエンス録音です。50周年ツアーは始まったばかりで、現在進行形で続行中。彼らの近況を知る意味でも、まずはツアーの全景を俯瞰してショウのポジションを確かめてみましょう。・９月７日：トロント公演
・９月９日：ワシントンDC公演 ←★本作★
・９月12日ー19日：北米（４公演）
>>今ココ<<
・９月21日ー28日：北米（４公演）
・10月10日ー14日：英国（３公演）これが現在までに公表されている全13公演。50周年を祝うにはやや小ぶりですし、翌年に向けて日程が追加されるかは分かりません。しかし、前回2011年の再結成ツアーも全15公演。このまま終了する可能性も否定できません。そんな中で本作のワシントンDC公演は、序盤も序盤となる２公演目のコンサートでした。
そんな極初期の現場を真空パックした本作は力強さと端正な美しさを併せ持った名録音。ホール鳴りも吸い込んだオーディエンス録音には違いないのですが、距離はまるで感じない。ウォームな音色的にサウンドボードと間違えはしないものの、オンで極太な芯がグイグイと耳元まで突進し、それに伴ってディテールも鮮やか。盛大に盛り上がる会場の雰囲気もリアルに感じられるものの、間近に奇声を上げる観客がおらず、極太の演奏とヴォーカルをたっぷりと味わえるのです。特に驚きなのがベース。いつの時代も重低音はオーディエンス録音の弱みになりやすく、スカスカでオフ気味になるか、強すぎて割れてしまいがち。ところが本作はファットな鳴りを伴いつつ、１音１音がしっかりと輪郭を描き、それが連なることで生まれるラインの歌心まで美味しく味わえる。もちろん、ベースはあくまで一例。ウィークポイントになりがちな重低音さえ美しいのですから、アンサンブル全体も非常に豊かなのです。
そんなリッチ・サウンドで描かれるのは、往年のグレイテスト・ヒッツにひと捻り加えた50周年の特別セット。繰り返しているように、前回の再結成ツアーは2011年でしたから、ここではそのセットと比較しながら整理してみましょう。
●70年代前半（９曲）
・ロキシー・ミュージック：Re-Make/Re-Model（★）／Ladytron（★）／If There Is Something
・フォー・ユア・プレジャー：The Bogus Man（★）／In Every Dream Home A Heartache／Editions of You／Do The Strand
・その他：Out Of The Blue（★）／Love Is the Drug
●再結成時代（11曲）
・フレッシュ・アンド・ブラッド：Oh Yeah（★）／Same Old Scene／My Only Love
・アヴァロン：While My Heart Is Still Beating（★）／Tara／To Turn You On／The Main Thing／More Than This／Avalon
・その他：Dance Away（★）／Jealous Guy
※注：「★」印は前回2011年の再結成ツアーで演奏しなかった曲。
……と、このようになっています。往年の名曲をキッチリと押さえつつ、要所要所にレア曲を配した構成。「The Bogus Man」「Oh Yeah」は16年ぶりの復活ですし、「Dance Away」は19年ぶり。名作『AVALON』から厚めにセレクトされているのもポイントで、当時のツアーでは演奏しなかった「More Than This」も取り上げられています。そして、極めつけなのが「To Turn You On」で、前回2011年ツアーで初めてセット入りしたレパートリー。今回も引き続き披露されたのです。
様々な公式リリースでも話題となっているROXY MUSICの50周年プロジェクト。その目玉である再結成ツアーを美音でフル体験できる最新ライヴアルバムです。第一報でありながらツアー最高傑作になるかも知れない傑作。二度とないアニヴァーサリーの「今」、ぜひ本作で味わい尽くしてください。
★50周年ツアーの第一報となる「2022年９月９日ワシントンDC公演」の絶品オーディエンス録音。力強さと端正な美しさを併せ持った名録音で、オンで極太な芯がグイグイと耳元まで突進し、それに伴ってディテールも鮮やか。「The Bogus Man」「Oh Yeah」「Dance Away」といった復活曲や「More Than This」「To Turn You On」などのレア曲も美味しい50周年の特別セットをフル体験できます。
Disc 1(53:31)
1. India Intro
2. Re-Make / Re-Model
3. Out Of The Blue
4. The Bogus Man★
5. Ladytron
6. While My Heart Is Still Beating
7. Oh Yeah★
8. If There Is Something
9. In Every Dream Home A Heartache
10. Tara
11. To Turn You On★
Disc 2(46:09)
1. The Main Thing
2. Dance Away★
3. Same Old Scene
4. My Only Love
5. More Than This★
6. Avalon
7. Love Is The Drug
8. Editions Of You
9. Do The Strand
10. Jealous Guy
Bryan Ferry – Vocals
Phil Manzanera – Guitar
Andy MacKaye – Saxophone / Oboe
Paul Thompson – Drums
With:
Senab Adekunle – Backing Vocals
Jorja Chalmers – Keys / Saxophone
Nathan “Tugg” Curran – Percussion
Christian Gulino – MD / Keys
Neil Jason – Bass
Chloe Beth Smith – Keys
Fonzie Thorton – Backing Vocals
Tom Vanstiphout – Guitar
Amity 693
