LIVE OUTSIDE

'Alive Outside' represents Jadis' 2nd live offering, within only 3 years and with only one studio album in between. As such, at only 60 mins in length, it can scarcely be considered as an essential album to own, or indeed an ideal starting place for those new to this band. To leave it at that however would be to misunderstand the reason for the album's release.

The concert was recorded in the New Forest in July 2001, as one of their famed summer outdoor gigs, primarily to promote their latest release, 'Understand'. Unlike 1998's 'As Daylight Fades' therefore, the track listing includes little variety from their back catalogue, preferring instead to concentrate on new material. As such, 5 out of the 8 tracks from 'Understand' are played here, within the first 6 numbers, and only the ever enduring 'Wonderful World', 'Batstein' and part of the instrumental 'Holding Your Breath' are employed, from their previous 3 studio albums.

Jadis outdoor gigs in their Hampshire heartlands are much more than that though, as the recording will testify, for here, they play to their hardened fans, many familiar faces who share an unusual intimacy with the band, as can be witnessed in the humorous banter which exists with the audience. Chandler jokes with them about the 140 noise complaints they had in 2 hours after the previous year's gig, dreadful American accents and having to lance boils off the 'wart 'n' all' live recording before it goes to press.

I have personal reservations about the choice of cover versions performed; firstly Crowded House's overrated 'Weather With You', which, sandwiched between a superb finale of 'Holding Your Breath' and the crunching finale of Somersault's 'Hear Us' only serves to underline how criminally underrated this band is, within the music industry. Finally, the evening is concluded with a sing-a-long of 'Comfortably Numb', which they have performed many times before, as indeed have many other prog bands. It would have been nice to hear something a little more original, but that would go against the spirit of an enjoyable evening, which has been preserved for the enjoyment of those who weren't fortunate enough to get a ticket.