RESONANCE (THE OMEGA TOUR 2010)

Since the original line-up of Asia reunited in 2006 they have released three studio albums and no less than three live albums (featuring this line-up). It started with the excellent Fantasia - Live In Tokyo (DVD and double CD) released in 2007. This live album/video was recorded before the release of the studio album Phoenix and featured a very strong set list containing not only every track from the self-titled 1982 debut album, but also songs originally recorded by King Crimson, Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and The Buggles, plus a rare performance of the non-album B-side Ride Easy.

Following Phoenix, the band then released another live album/video called Spirit Of The Night - The Phoenix Tour Live In Cambridge 2009. This one was still good but it featured a considerably less interesting set list, especially with Fantasia already out there. Gone were most of the songs from the members individual pasts (on the CD version of Spirit Of The Night, Fanfare For The Common Man survives; on the DVD version, there is In The Court Of The Crimson King). Another interesting track (at least for Asia fans) was Midnight Sun which appeared as a bonus track on the CD. But apart from that, Spirit Of The Night offered no surprises.

Yet another studio album was released in 2010 in Omega, a disappointing album after the rather good (but no more than merely good) Phoenix. This brings us to Resonance. This is yet another double live CD from the band since the reunion, and that would not have been a problem if they had created a set list with enough surprises and interesting tracks. Instead we have here once again the same old songs from Asia and Alpha plus several songs from Phoenix and primarily from Omega. Tracks such as Only Time Will Tell, Don't Cry, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, Time Again, and of course Heat Of The Moment have been played so many times and been included on countless live albums. The new songs range from half decent to decent, but there are no longer any songs at all from King Crimson, Yes, or Emerson Lake & Palmer. There is so much they could have done to make this set interesting, but they are content to play the same old songs and some new ones in the same straightforward style. At least Steve Howe is allowed to give us a couple of acoustic instrumentals, but even these have been heard before.

I strongly recommend to get Fantasia - Live In Tokyo, and if you have that one then you don't need either Spirit Of The Night or Resonance unless you are a big fan of the band.