GARDEN PARTY LIVE

"Welcome To The Garden Party" is a single release by UK progressive rock act Marillion. The single was released through EMI Records in July 1986 and it was released exclusively in West Germany to coincide with some festival shows Marillion played in the country in the summer of 1986.

"Welcome To The Garden Party" was released in a 7" single version and in a 12" maxi-single version, featuring completely different material. The 7" single version features the edited studio version of "Garden Party" as the A-side, which is also found on the June 1983 "Garden Party" single, and the B-side of the 7" single features the edited version of the 1984 re-recording of "Market Square Heroes", which was originally featured on the January 1984 "Punch and Judy" single. The 12" version of "Welcome To The Garden Party" instead features three live tracks in "Garden Party", "Kayleigh", and "Script For A Yester´s Tear". The former is the same live version which is featured on the November 1984 live album "Real to Reel", and the two latter are the same live versions featured on the June 1986 US-only "Brief Encounter" EP.

There´s nothing wrong with the quality of the material on the maxi-single version of the release, as all three tracks are great live versions of already great quality tracks, but the 7" single version is a bit redundant. A 3.5 star (for the maxi-single version) is deserved.