BBC IN CONCERT 1972

On November 16th 1972, a concert was recorded at the BBC Paris Theatre for a BBC Radio One In Concert programme. The band were joined by the BJH Orchestra which caused problems for the BBC as the sound was recorded straight onto ¼ inch tape as opposed to multi tracked, and balanced live. The show was recorded in mono for domestic broadcast but at the same time the BBC Transcription Service took a separate feed and recorded the show in stereo for license throughout the world, particularly the USA. This had a different balance and was later edited to feed onto both sides of an album and the running order was also changed. These are the only recordings of the band with an orchestra, and it is only now that they have been made commercially available. Released in a slip sleeve this double CD contains both the mono and stereo versions of the show, so the former contains all of the introductions and is unedited and is in the correct running order while the latter has had some changes made.

It shows just how powerful a correct balance of rock band and orchestra can be, and I love all of the songs on here from the powerful "Mockingbird" to the closing "Dark Now My Sky" and in many ways this is the album to get if you already have the later albums.

Originally appeared in Feedback #70, Oct 02