Great live Status Quo
alan benson | Greenacres,FL | 05/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In 1992,Status Quo,the U.K.'s most successful singles chart group of all time,headlined the BBC's 25th anniverary concert in Birmingham,England.In front of 125,000 fans Quo was the headline band and played a thundering 45 minute shortened set of their biggest hits.The opening 'Whatever You Want"(no.3-79')sets the stage for the popular string of legendary Quo hits to follow:"In The Army Now"(no.2-86)and "Burning Bridges(no.5-88)set up the now infamous "Rockin All Over The World"(no.3-'77).Their's a great "Roadhouse Blues"medley(which puts the Doors' version to shame)which includes six of the band's earlier hits,and a rousing version of both "Caroline"(no.5-73)and a bonus track from a Wembley '91 concert,"Hold You Back" in which you can hear the audience clapping and singing along at the beginning.If you can sit still during this CD,go see a neurologist for an MRI."
Some exciting moments in between the pop songs. Just promise
Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 04/08/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
""Live" was Status Quo's first full-length double album, and their best, too, and any fan of the Quo at their most hard-rocking should start there.
But don't wholly discard this one yet. Sure, 1994's "Live Alive Quo" isn't nearly as dense or as gritty or indeed as powerful as the classic "Live" album, and the occational keyboard noises are not very rock n' roll.
But still...when they fire up under classic hard rock chestnuts like their piano-driven cover of John Fogerty's "Rockin' all over the World" or the originals "Little Lady" and "Don't Drive My Car", some of the magic is indeed still there. The gritty harmonica playing on "Roadhouse Blues" (part of lenghty and quite exciting medley of eight songs) adds a nice, bluesy flavour to the song, and a lot of this stuff is performed with genuine gusto.
It's just a shame that they've added those annoying keyboards...and that we have to sit through wussy stuff like "You're in the Army Now" and the most wishy-washy silver wedding anniversary rendition of "Burning Bridges" ever.
Status Quo's 90s sound was much more pop than their early-to-mid 70s albums, and this is essentially a pop album (sorry 'bout that). So depending on how you feel about that, and about 90s Quo in general, you should either get this album right away - or stay the hell away from it!
Fans of latter day Quo should find plenty to like, but those who revel in the Quo of 35 years ago will be disappointed, and frustrated to find the fiery flashbacks to Quo's heyday interspersed with dull-edged pop songs.
And it's bloody odd that they decided to put out a live album with a track list which almost copies the one from "Live at the NEC", too."
Just Plain Fun
jekyllnhyde | NJ | 11/22/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The only time I had ever seen Status Quo (or even heard them for that matter) was on the telecast of Live Aid in 1985. Their rousing performance was, in my opinion, one of, if not the highlight of the day. I decided if I ever came across a live Status Quo album, I'd grab it. Fifteen years later, I bought this based solely on the memory of their Live Aid performance. I wasn't disappointed!! They display the same energy & pure rock'n'roll spirit, mixing in a touch of up-tempo blues as well as Irish and/or Scottish instrumental pieces. The only negative is the totally out of place "Living on an Island", which interrupts the flow of the show. Fortunately, they keep it brief. Otherwise, the performance gallops along at a steady pace. Selections that may be familiar include the Doors' "Roadhouse Blues", John Fogerty's "Rockin' All Over the World", & "The Wanderer". I came very close to giving this one 5 stars."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1