VITAL

My first VDGG live experience dates from October 1976. It was probably not a tremendous adventure since I do not remember lots of of this concert at the Cirque Royal in Brussels. I only was a seventeen year-old fan wanting to access a live VDGG performance (one of my top ten band of that era).

When I listen to this live record, I can only agree with Hughes and say that their concerts were really difficult to get into. Not even to mention to record such a moment. Vital is definitely not a great live moment.

Sound is on par with average bootlegs at time. Track list is not great and some numbers really should not have been on this first official VDGG live album like "Ship Of Fools" (bonus track on the remastered version of "The Quiet Zone") and "Mirror Images" (from Hammill solo career).

Of course, by the time, it was the only one available.

Too few magical moments. Poor renditions of great track like "Still Life" (a real massacre). The "Medley" with bits and bites from "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" is not too bad a moment. This live album won't get into our memories of great live renditions, definitely.

There are recent non-official material from the band that are worthwhile. One of them has been recorded in London in 2005 during their reunion tour: If you can get hold of that one, have a try, it is really worth. The tracklist is superb and the sound OK. FYI, they played : "The Undercover Man", "Scorched Earth", "Refugees", "Every Bloody Emperor", "Lemmings", "In the Black Room", "Darkness", "Masks", "Childlike Faith In Childhood's End", "The Sleepwalkers", "Man-Erg", "Killer" and "Wondering". This is the vital VDGG, right ?

Instead, this one, after three or four spins reminds peacefully in my "CD theque".

Two stars for this not vital effort.