HALLOWEEN (DVD-AUDIO)

I suppose we should really call this one Halloween 78 these days, to better distinguish it from Halloween 73, Halloween 77, and Halloween 81 sets which followed on from it. Less vast than those, this provides a live performance from Zappa and a truncated version of his late 1978 band - Ike Willis having taken a leave of absence. As with Chicago '78 (which *does* feature Willis), the sound feels a little flatter than many Zappa releases of a similar vintage, leaving one with the sense that something went a touch awry with Zappa's live recording process during this period, though it perhaps doesn't help that the late 1978 lineup isn't one of his better-remembered bands, particularly compared to those preceding and succeeding it.