Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado Live at Osaka Japan 1978

I was very surprised at the sound quality of this 2cd set. Considering the age of
the recording (over 20 (over 30) years old!!) , and the quality of the sound
recording equipment of the late 1970's, you can sit down with your headphones
on, close your eyes, crank up the volume and you can almost believe you are
there at the concert - especially on this recording because if you listen closely in
between tracks you can hear the audience around the person recording the
concert chatting and joking (it's a pity it is all in Japanese - I can't understand a
word they are saying!!!).

The first cd starts off with the classic ELO opening concert track of the time, Fire
On High, from the Face The Music album. The band perform this superbly, only
the feedback from Jeff Lynne's guitar at the beginning and end of the track
enabling you to tell the difference from the recorded version. The audience
applaud very politely (no cheering yet!!) and the group are straight into the
next number, Night In The City from the album Out Of The Blue. Again this track
is performed superbly, with Jeff's and Kelly's vocals harmonising very well
together.

As the audience again applaud at the end of the track, Jeff thanks the audience
both in Japanese and English and introduces the next track - Turn To Stone.
After a perfect rendition of this classic, the band then slow things down slightly
with Eldorado Overture and Can't Get It Out Of My Head from (obviously) the
Eldorado album. The string section of Mik, Melvyn and Hugh can be heard clearly
on these two tracks - not a note out of place! The audience show their
appreciation of these tracks with (by Japanese standards) rapturous applause.
At this point, Kelly steps up to the microphone and thanks the audience in
Japanese and English and introduces the next track by the world's number 1
rock cellist, Hugh McDowell doing his cello solo.

The audience applaud Hugh's performance and the band then launch into the
next track from A New World Record, Tightrope - performed so well you would
think it was the album track itself being played direct from tape!! Next two
tracks are the classic Telephone Line and one of my personal favourites,
Rockaria - the vocals on each track in perfect harmony. To finish off the first cd,
Jeff thanks the audience and introduces Mik Kaminski doing his violin solo which
the audience love, judging by the applause at the end of the track.

The second cd starts off with Bev coming to the front and thanking the audience
for making the band feel so welcome on this their first visit to Japan. Bev then
introduces the worldwide hit from Face The Music, Strange Magic. The band play
this superbly with the audience finally getting into the spirit by clapping in tune to the track!! Afterwards it's straight into the classic track, Showdown (on the
inlay card for the cd this track is called Showdown All Over The World). Next the
band perform the worldwide smash hit Sweet Talkin' Woman from the album, Out Of The Blue. The audience again clapping in rhythm throughout the song.

The band slow things down again next with Evil Woman - the crowd not
needing Kelly to urge them to clap - they started at the tracks' first note!!
Another of my personal favourites next, from the album A New World Record,
Livin' Thing. Once again the track is superbly played with the audience singing
and clapping throughout. A loud cheer from the audience precedes the next
track - Do Ya - obviously one of the favourites for the Japanese crowd. Instead
of ending the track, Bev keeps the beat going as Kelly urges the audience on to
clap and cheer and the band launch into Ma Ma Ma Belle - brilliant!! The show is
now reaching it's climax with the audience shouting and clapping and I presume
dancing as the final track begins - Roll Over Beethoven. Seven minutes later it's
all over with the audience applauding rapturously to an excellent performance.

Overall then , I think this 2 cd set is a most welcome addition to any ELO fans'
collection - if you can get hold of it!!

Review by Jim Hoban (c) April 1998

Tracklist

01 Fire On High
02 Night In The City
03 Turn To Stone
04 Eldorado Overture
05 Can't Get It Out Of My Head
06 Cello Solo
07 Tightrope
08 Telephone Line
09 Rockaria
10 Violin Solo
11 Strange Magic
12 Showdown
13 Sweet Talkin' Woman
14 Evil Woman
15 Livin' Thing
16 Do Ya
17 Ma Ma Ma Belle
18 Roll Over Beethoven

Credits

Backing Vocals – Bev Bevan, Mik Kaminski
Bass – Kelly Groucutt
Cello – Hugh McDowell, Melvyn Gale
Drums – Bev Bevan
Guitar – Jeff Lynne
Keyboards – Richard Tandy
Violin – Mik Kaminski
Vocals – Jeff Lynne, Kelly Groucutt