GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) U2 / Hammersmith Palais 1982 / 1CD + 1Bonus CDR / Wardour
Hammersmith Palais, London, UK 6th December 1982
Play sample :
U2 in the “WAR” era, which made a breakthrough and embarked on world domination on the first headliner tour. Two of the finest soundboard albums are now available on a press CD that permanently preserves the pinnacle of masters.
This work is the first of two simultaneous releases. “December 6, 1982 Hammersmith Palace Performance”. That stereo soundboard recording. Some people may remember “WAR TOUR (Wardour-023)” and “HAMMERSMITH PALAIS 1983 2ND NIGHT (Uxbridge 685)” when it comes to “Hammersmith Palace in the WAR era”, but this work is completely different. Performance. To explain the situation in that area, let’s first look back on the schedule at that time.
● 1982
<< September-October “WAR” production >>
・ December 1-24: Europe # 1 (20 performances) ← ★ Coco ★
● 1983
“February 28,” WAR “released”
・ February 26-April 3: Europe # 2 (29 performances) ← * TIFFANY’S 1983
・ April 23-June 29: North America (48 performances) ← * Video version UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY
・ July 2nd-August 21st: Europe # 3 (5 performances)
・ November 16-30: Hawaii / Japan (7 performances)
This is U2 in the “WAR” era. The names of the tours are different before and after the release of the album, and the 1982 edition before the release is called “PRE-WAR Tour” and the one after the release is called “WAR Tour”. “WAR TOUR” and “HAMMERSMITH PALAIS 1983 2ND NIGHT” were the records of the latter “Europe # 2”, but this work is the former. It was the 6th performance of “Europe # 1”.
This show was broadcast on the radio and has reigned as a staple that has produced numerous existing episodes. This work is also the FM sound board, but it is the highest peak update board that is different in length and quality from the existing group. It’s a digital version that was recently rebroadcast on BBC RADIO 6’s “Dream Ticket Concert series”.
Actually, the quality is “completely official grade”. It may seem like it’s been known as an official class for a long time, but this time it’s a digital rebroadcast. There is no deterioration in the sound that does not go through analog in broadcasting or recording, and of course there is no physical reproduction twist. The sound of the broadcasting station master is made into a CD as it is, and its freshness, stability and details are perfect. Speaking of the “WAR” era, the official video “U2 LIVE AT RED ROCKS: UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY” is the symbol, but even if you continue to play it, you will not give up at all. It’s a board.
Furthermore, this digital rebroadcast has the longest scale ever. As mentioned above, the set is different because the time is different from “UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY”. Let’s organize them while comparing them here.
● Boy (6 songs + α)
・ A Day Without Me / An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart / The Cry-The Electric Co./I Will Follow / The Ocean (★ *)
● Irish October (5 songs)
・ I Threw A Brick Through A Window / I Fall Down (★) / October / Gloria / Fire (★)
● Others (5 songs)
・ WAR: Surrender / Sunday Bloody Sunday / New Year’s Day
・ Single: A Celebration (★) / 11 O’clock Tick Tock (*)
* Note: “★” marks are songs that cannot be heard in the official video “UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY”. The “*” mark is a song that could not be heard on the existing FM sound source.
…… And it looks like this. Unfortunately, this is not a full show, but it also includes “O’clock Tick Tock” and “The Ocean,” which were cut in the original broadcast version by WESTWOOD ONE. As for the overall balance, there are few selections of “WAR” that was before the release, and you can enjoy more masterpieces of “OCTOBER” than “UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY”.
The “PRE-WAR Tour” was a bit different from the “WAR Tour” that was the main part of the tour. It is a digital rebroadcast version that updates the highest peak of the symbolic sound board. That is the absolute board that I would like you to keep next to the official DVD of “UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY”. Please enjoy it with a press CD that will leave the quasi-official brilliance forever.
★ Stereo soundboard recording of “December 6, 1982 Hammersmith Palace Performance”. A digital rebroadcast version of the FM sound board that represents the PRE-WAR Tour. Its quality is “completely official class” that renews the highest peak ever, and even if it is played side by side with the official video “UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY”, it will not give up at all. “O’clock Tick Tock” and “The Ocean”, which were not in the original broadcast version of WESTWOOD ONE, are also delicious semi-official absolute editions.
U2 / Hammersmith Palais 1982 Audeince Master / 1CDR / No Label
Hammersmith Palais, London, UK 6th December 1982
Click Image To Enlarge
The main press CD is exactly the symbol of “PRE-WAR Tour”. It is the masterpiece of “Official Substitute” that has achieved the ultimate upgrade by digital rebroadcasting. As I mentioned in the commentary, the upgrade was not a complete show on the day. Therefore, we have prepared a complete live album where you can fully experience the “field” where the new masterpiece was born.
That’s why this work is imbued with the same “December 6, 1982 Hammersmith Palace performance” as the main press CD. It is the excellent audience recording. The umami of this work is in the full recording that surpasses the main press CD, but the sound that conveys it is also really wonderful. As expected, the presence of the main press CD does not make it mistaken for a sound board, and you can clearly feel the sense of space. However, the feeling of air is clear and transparent, and the details of the core that penetrates the center of the air are not hidden.
Moreover, the master freshness is also the best. As a matter of fact, this master was provided by the same overseas researcher as the main press CD and the simultaneous release “TIFFANY’S 1983 (Wardour-510)”. The master selection backed by a huge amount of sound source knowledge is undoubtedly the highest ever, and the vivid performance sound and vocals like a laser beam are not distorted. It has a fresh beauty as if it were the original master of Kinney recording (it’s just a metaphor, but it’s actually different).
The audience sound of such beauty is drawn by the full show of “PRE-WAR Tour” that burns to conquer the world. Here, let’s organize it while comparing it with the main press CD.
● Boy (8 songs + α)
・ Out of Control (★) / Twilight (★) / A Day Without Me / An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart / The Cry-The Electric Co./I Will Follow / The Ocean
● Irish October (5 songs)
・ I Threw A Brick Through A Window / I Fall Down / October / Gloria / Fire
● Others (5 songs)
・ WAR: Surrender / Sunday Bloody Sunday / New Year’s Day
・ Single: A Celebration / 11 O’clock Tick Tock
* Note: “★” marks are songs that cannot be heard on the main press CD.
…… And it looks like this. The main press CD has more “11 O’clock Tick Tock” and “The Ocean” than the WESTWOOD ONE broadcast version, but in terms of position, it was the two songs of the encore last. On the other hand, the first two songs “Out of Control” and “Twilight” have increased in this work of the audience. The weight of “BOY” is high, and the appearance of a full show with a rich initial color emerges.
The more wonderful the masterpiece of the live album, the more enthusiastic you want to experience the scene. This work is a treasure album that not only teaches the complete form of the full show, but also satisfies such a maniac mind. Although it is a bonus because there is a main press CD, the master carefully selected by the researcher is suitable for normal release in terms of both content and sound. Please fully enjoy it together with the semi-official main press CD.
★★特別企画
★“PRE-WAR Tour”の象徴サウンドボードがデジタル再放送でアップグレードした究極盤『HAMMERSMITH PALAIS 1982』。その初回限定ナンバー入りステッカー付きに限り、当日ショウの完全形を現場体験できるライヴアルバム『HAMMERSMITH PALAIS 1982: AUDIENCE MASTER』が特別に付属致します。
U2 – HAMMERSMITH PALAIS 1982 AUDIENCE MASTER (Bonus CDR)
Hammersmith Palais, London, UK 6th December 1982 TRULY AMAZING/PERFECT SOUND
本編プレスCDは、まさに“PRE-WAR Tour”の象徴盤。デジタル再放送によって究極アップグレードを果たした「オフィシャル代わり」の最高傑作です。その解説でも触れましたが、アップグレードを果たしたと言っても当日ショウの完全形ではありませんでした。そこで、新名盤が生まれた「現場」をフル体験できる完全ライヴアルバムもご用意しました。
と言うわけで、本作に吹き込まれているのは本編プレスCDと同じ「1982年12月６日ハマースミス・パレス公演」。その絶品オーディエンス録音です。本作の旨みは、何と言っても本編プレスCDを凌駕するフル収録にあるわけですが、それを伝えるサウンドも実に素晴らしい。さすがに本編プレスCDが存在するだけにサウンドボードと間違える事はなく、はっきりと空間感覚も感じる。しかし、その空気感がクリアに透き通っており、そのド真ん中を貫く芯のディテールを些かも隠さない。
しかも、マスター鮮度も極上。実のところ、このマスターを提供してくださったのは本編プレスCDや同時リリースの『TIFFANY’S 1983（Wardour-510）』と同じ海外の研究家。膨大な音源知識に裏打ちされたマスター選択は間違いなく過去最高で、レーザー光線のように鮮やかな演奏音とヴォーカルが微塵も歪まない。まるでキニー録音の大元マスターかのような（あくまでも喩えで、実際には違いますが）瑞々しい美しさをほこっているのです。
そんな美のオーディエンス・サウンドで描かれるのは、世界制覇に燃える“PRE-WAR Tour”のフルショウ。ここで本編プレスCDと比較しながら整理しておきましょう。
●ボーイ（８曲＋α）
・Out of Control（★）／Twilight（★）／A Day Without Me／An Cat Dubh／Into the Heart／The Cry-The Electric Co.／I Will Follow／The Ocean
●アイリッシュ・オクトーバー（５曲）
・I Threw A Brick Through A Window／I Fall Down／October／Gloria／Fire
●その他（５曲）
・WAR（闘）：Surrender／Sunday Bloody Sunday／New Year’s Day
・シングル：A Celebration／11 O’clock Tick Tock
※注：「★」印は本編プレスCDでは聴けない曲。
……と、このようになっています。本編プレスCDはWESTWOOD ONE放送版よりも「11 O’clock Tick Tock」「The Ocean」が増量されたわけですが、位置的にはアンコール・ラストの２曲でした。それに対し、オーディエンスの本作で増えたのは冒頭２曲「Out of Control」「Twilight」。『BOY』の比重が高く、初期カラーの濃厚なフルショウの姿が浮かび上がるのです。
ライヴアルバムの名盤が素晴らしければ素晴らしいほど、その現場をリアル体験したくなるのがマニア人情というものです。本作は単にフルショウの完全形を教えてくれるだけでなく、そんなマニア心も満たしてくれる秘宝アルバムなのです。本編プレスCDがあるからこそボーナスではありますが、研究家厳選のマスターは内容的にもサウンド的にも通常リリースが相応しい。どうぞ、準オフィシャル品の本編プレスCDと併せてたっぷりとご堪能ください。
(74:32)
1. Out of Control★
2. Twilight★
3. Surrender
4. I Threw a Brick Through a Window
5. A Day Without Me
6. An Cat Dubh
7. Into the Heart
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday
9. The Cry / The Electric Co.
10. I Fall Down
11. October
12. New Year’s Day
13. Gloria
14. I Will Follow
15. Fire
16. A Celebration
17. 11 O’Clock Tick Tock
18. The Ocean
Wardour-511
