UFO - Showtime

*=Staff's pick

Cd 1:
Mother Mary*
When Daylight Goes To Town*
Let It Roll
I'm A Loser
This Kids
The Wild One*
Fighting Man
Only You Can Rock Me*
Baby Blue
Mr Freeze*

Cd 2:
Love To Love
Too Hot To Handle*
Lights Out*
Rock Bottom
Doctor Doctor*
Shoot Shoot*

Genre	Classic Hard Rock	Phil Mogg	Vocals
Tracks	16	Vinnie Moore	Guitar
Runningtime	98 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	SPV	Pete Way	Bass
Release	11 Nov. 2005	Jason Bonham	Drums
Country	England	Paul Raymond	Keyboards
Similar artists	Uriah Heep

Talk about being a long time in the game. The first UFO release, UFO 1, was released in 1970 and that's two years before I was even born. Since this is their first appearance here on Metal Covenant a brief career overlook is definitely in order and a band of this calibre and reputation certainly deserves it. After the debut two more albums followed, entitled UFO 2 and 3 before their international break through came about. That occurred in 1973 when highly acclaimed guitarist Michael Schenker left his brother and the other guys in Scorpions to instead become a full member in UFO. With him they recorded their three most cult branded classic albums Phenomenon in 1974, Force It in 1975 and No Heavy Pettin' in 1976. On these releases we find the classic songs Doctor Doctor and Shoot Shoot that even the most uninitiated UFO listener most certainly have heard. Lights Out (1977) and Obsession (1978) are also albums that have the classic recognition and were the first two releases since the arrival of keyboarder/guitarist Paul Raymond. Their live album Strangers in the Night (1979), that many fans of hard rock regard as the finest live cut ever released, was the last with that line up and then an almost 15-year long period of many line up changes followed.

The autumn of 1993 was the time for a very surprising reunion though and the album Walk on Water was released and was followed by a world tour. However, during that tour Michael Schenker left UFO again to solely focus his attention on his solo project MSG. Vinnie Moore, already a renowned guitarist since his late Eighties solo debut Mind's Eye then joined the folds to replace Schenker. This great guitarist has also made a guest appearance on Alice Cooper's Hey Stoopid in the early Nineties and his talents as a songwriter was further something that appealed to the other UFO members. In 2002 a new drummer also was added to their ranks. Jason Bonham, son of well known former Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was the band's choice. This youngster has already worked with other well known musicians as Slash, Richie Sambora and played on Jimmy Page's solo recording Outrider. So over the years much has happened in the band and it can't have escaped many people familiar with them that heavy drinking, lots and lots of drug abuse and internal fighting were issues that reached almost legendary status on top of all other instability factors. Somehow they managed to overcome these difficulties though and miraculously the band still exists today and now releases a double live album and a double DVD, recorded in Germany earlier this year. These recordings are also the first ones with the present line up and I have strong feelings that many fans have waited for a new release from their old time beloved ones a very long time.

The problem with most live albums recorded in recent years though is that the modern technology can make them sound almost as pure studio recordings with only a little crowd noises and applauds added to give the live feel. That's not the case with UFO's Showtime and that's something I really appreciate. This feels and sounds like a very classic live session and the fact that it's been recorded before a smaller audience instead of before a monstrous crowd of thousands upon thousands gives the listener a very strong presence that makes this genuine hard rock come out at its very best.

The chosen song material covers a huge portion of their career and seems to be well received by the addressees. Songs like Mother Mary, When Daylight Goes to Town, The Wild One and Mr Freeze work immensely well on the first CD and the rest of the material is also of very fine classic hard rock value. The second CD is where we find the songs mostly familiar for even the more casual fans and where the crowds really live up the most. Too Hot to Handle, Lights Out, Doctor Doctor and Shoot Shoot are great numbers on this second disc and the new line up more than well give these rock classics new life in their prolonged live versions. Vinnie Moore is a very good guitarist capable of playing heavy riffs, emotional solos and acoustic soulful parts very convincingly and is more than just a fair replacement for Michael Schenker. Hell the man can play! The drumming from Bonham shows that the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree at all and his playing is very distinct, to the point and he seems to have adapted very easily to his new musical situation. Phil Mogg's voice shows no sign of serious limitations at all as this old timer definitely lives up to the aged "still going strong" saying. The only slightly listenable drawback is that the backing vocals are a bit weak and don't really match the other musical performances displayed.

As a live album this one thus works very well and Showtime was for me also a very good introduction to one of the oldest and most classic rock bands in history. So if you're already a fan of this classic hard rock unit Showtime is doubtlessly a release you want to own. If you on the other hand are not a fan, Showtime is a very good collection of their classic material and a very good way to start a new acquaintance. Whether or not you should go for this live album or instead spend your money on the DVD version is however a choice I leave totally up to you. Maybe both might be the best advice =)

Production	Vocals	Compositions
8,5	8	7

Summary
7 chalices of 10 - Mat