NIGHT AFTER NIGHT EXTENDED

As a symphomaniac I had a tough time in the late Seventies, after a serie of very disappointing releases by the symphonic rock dinosaurs: Genesis and its progpop since ATTWT, the very unbalanced Tormato by Yes and the lacklustre Love Beach by ELP. The world of symphonic rock seemed to be hit by a devastating meteor, gradually it became more dark and lifeless.

And then there was UK, first an one shot legendary four-piece symphonic jazzrock ensemble, and after the departure of Allan Holdsworth an exciting trio, scouting the borders between 24-carat symphonic rock and chart flirting melodic rock. How lucky I was to witness this UK trio in 1979 in my hometown The Hague, especially watching Eddie Jobson with his mighty Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer, and the magical electric violin, unsurpassed symphonic rock history on stage! But how disappointed I was after buying the CD live registration entitled Night After Night. Because this release was an abridged version of the concert, without the mindblowing compositions The Only Thing She Needs and Carrying No Cross, UK at its artistic pinnacle. On this CD I notice too much focus on the chart flirting songs like Night After Night, Nothing To Lose and Time To Kill, in comparison with the longer and more compelling and exciting tracks. And without the complete solo pieces from the three members. Later you could buy bootlegs with most of the concert, like Parisian Rendezvous, as I did, but the sound quality is mediocre.

In 2016 Eddie Jobson released on its Globe Music label the lavish 14-CD and 4-Blue Ray box set The Ultimate Collectors Edition, with cascades of additional live recordingss from that 1979 UK trio era. Very interesting, but also pretty wallet plundering, I didn't buy it. And in 2019 Globe Music released an abridged 2-CD and 1 audio Blue Ray version of that box set, entitled Night After Night Extended. In comparison to the previous Night After Night release this one does justice to UK as an exciting live band, what a jawdropping skills, interplay and soli! And now we can enjoy the mindblowing compositions The Only Thing She Needs and Carrying No Cross, and more soli by the band members (and with a very good sound quality). I remember John Wetton playing that powerful bass solo on his Fender, R.I.P, I consider this release as a tribute to him.

Also highly recommended: the UK Reunion DVD!

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