Robin Trower. BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert

Recorded live at the Paris Theatre London 29th January 1975.

Lame mp3@320Kbps.

I've had this album since it was first released and consider myself lucky to have found it that soon. I have been a Trower fan since the early '70's when they guest starred on a local late night Philadelphia television program as an "unknown" artist.

Up until that time Bridge of Sighs was considered, by most, the definitive Trower album. Me? I've always been a fan of "live" albums and this one is among the best of the era. For Trower fans, I'd put it right up there with The Allman Bros. "Live At The Fillmore East."

Sonically, from a production standpoint the first track, Day of the Eagle, is not the best this album has to offer. Like many other British produced live albums it seems to take the sound/recording people some warm up time to get everything right. This collecton is no exception but at least it's honest about it. No studio tricks were used to fix the thin but clear sound on that first track.

And, this performance also let's us know why Robin Trower was not the lead vocalist in the band from the title track of the first album Twice Removed From Yesterday.

You won't find a lot of jamming in this performance as the band plays it pretty straight.

In spite of these minor glitches, this is still a fantastic example of a '70's band, and Trower, at it's very best. All the Trower standards are here with a few not as often heard.

While "Day" and "Bridge" are still terrific selections, I, as a Blues fan, found myself warming up to Gonna Be More Suspicious sliding into Fine Day. But this album, as in the bands music in general, is mostly blues based material.

The mysterious and haunting Alethea is another good bit of lesser-known Trower.

The album culminates in a Trower version of B. B. King's Rock Me Baby. I could live without this one, but oh well....

Listening to "Live At BBC" makes me wish they could do a reunion tour/album (Jimmy DeWar died several years ago, and as the band's voice is irreplacable) and relive the memories all over again. Maybe they would even create some new memories.

If you're a long time Trower fan, or just discovering how overlooked they were back then, and you don't have this in your collection, BUY IT, RENT IT, or STEAL IT, but LISTEN to it!!! You won't be sorry.