ÉLÖ OMEGA KISSTADION '79

Live albums can fullfil a multitude of purposes from contractual obligations to confidently releasing established material secure in the knowledge that fans will slurp it up at the music store. Omega Kisstadion '79 is a phenomenal audio document of a band delivering it's goods. Recorded over two sold out nights at an outdoor sports stadium in Budapest and released simultaneously in both English and Hungarian the first most apparent aspect of this album is the almost over-enthusiastic audience. The bulk of the material heard here is taken from the studio albums Time Robber, Skyrover and Gammapolis which were also released in both languages. This was the first "true" live album from the band as the 1972 Elo Omega suffered technically due to political problems with the state owned record company Pepita. Kisstadion '79 has a very live feel to it for the fact that it was recorded outdoors and the audience was not edited out. The treat which lies in wait (especially for those familiar with the band) from the onset is the spectacular opening instrumental Sze-vosztok accompanied by the pyrotechnics which were a huge part of the band's elaborate stage show which also include laser lights and the arrival of lead singer Janos Kobor suspended by a rope from above the stage. While the audience participation might seem irritating one must remind oneself this is a live album and they're singing along and chanting Omega! Omega! on just about every track. On the English version it is even more strange with Kobor singing in English and the fans following along in Hungarian! The showpiece is an extended version of High On The Starway from Skyrover. It features two guest guitarists trading licks with George "Elephant" Molnar for a good 15 minutes . The remaining tracks are played similar to the studio versions but with interesting variations. Expect an abridged rendition of Time Robber, though, which is also sung in Hungarian along with Metamorphosis II on the English version of the LP on the German label Bellaphon.A very very exciting live album from this ground breaking Hungarian band with energy all the way through. Sythesizer freaks will also not be let down by keyboard man Laszlo Benko, the Rick Wakeman of Hungary, he's everywhere on this one. If you are still living in the age of the caveman opt for the high quality Japanese vinyl pressing (sung in Hungarian) which also comes with an English language lyric sheet if you can hunt one down. Highly recommended but loses a star for the less than perfect live recording sound.

In my humble opinion, this is simply the greatest live album of all time. How could this unseat the great prog live collections, and the non-prog greats such as "Stupidity", "Land Speed Record", "Frampton Comes Alive!", the Allman's "At Fillmore East", even "At Folsom Prison"? The main secret, much like that of Cash's great live record, is the audience. Turns out the best live LPs have the best audiences. Here, thousands of Magyar fans of the great Omega turned out to the Kisstadion in Budapest to hear their favourite band live and loud, and for most of the concert they sang along! Only Freddie Mercury could better drum up a stadium than Omega. And Omega, on top of that, just play smashingly. They take their wonderful studio material and ramp up the skill and wonder to the levels of Yes, Genesis, and ELP when they played live. The whole opening sequence just inundates the Kisstadion and modern listeners in some of the very best of prog, magical stuff that swallows one whole into a fantastic musical world. This stands as one of the greatest guitar statements. Just excellent, just wonderful, get the original Magyar nyelv version and prepare to listen to the lost sibling to "Yessongs", "Seconds Out", and "Solar Music Live".