LIVE AT TÖÖLÖNRANTA 1975

When this album was recorded and broadcasted straight by Finnish YLE, future was very promising to Wigwam. Band just got record deal with Virgin Records and there would be tours in UK and Europe. New keyboard player Heikki "Pedro" Hietanen had joined in them few weeks ago, when Esa Kotilainen decided not to join in band after played keyboards in forth coming album. "Nuclear Nightclub" would be released in 9 days after this gig. So the audience had heard only single "Freddie Are You Ready" before. But band didn´t play just "Nuclear" songs, there were also two new songs and one from Jim Pembroke´s second solo album. To Wigwam fans there is nothing new in this release, "A Better Hold (and a little view)", "Never Turn You In" and "No New Games To Play" were released in rariety compilation "Fresh Garbage" and rest had been bonus songs on "Nuclear Nightclub"-CD version. I haven´t got that CD, so I heard those songs first time! Also I think it´s great this whole gig is now on same release.

"a Better Hold (and a Little View) starts without any audience noise or introductions. Maybe they did cutting afterwards in the YLE studio. This song was never released in Wigwam album, but in the great Pembroke´s third solo "Corporal Cauliflowers Mental Function". Never been my big favorite, but I think there is best version of the song in this album! It can be heard musicians really enjoy their playing! Next we hear YLE hoast Erkki Lehtola telling this is the first of many concerts broadcasted straight by YLE and also introducting the band. His style was very typical of that time in that only Finnish radio channel, quite official, rigid and maybe little bit arrogant (pop music wasn´t recpected that time in that channel). Then they play "Do Or Die" in a very same terrific way as in "Nuclear". It´s great Hietanen had moog this time as Esa Kotilainen had in the album, I think he later didn´t use it in gigs. His solo is quite short, but Rekku´s is so magnificent! "Never Turn You In" is my big Wigwam favorites! They made little bit shorter arrangement in their next "Lucky Golden Stripes and Starpose"-album. This is the only live version from this great song! Next comes little bit embarrassed Måsse´s interview, I am glad most people don´t understand Finnish!

Vinyl B-side starts with their recently released single piece of that day. It´s as perfect as studio version, of course you can miss studioversion´s marimba. "Simple Human Kindness" is together with "Bless Your Lucky Stars" the most prog songs in this album. Both are played just so great! Last song in the gig and also in this album is "No New Games To Play" that was originally in Jim Pembroke´s "Pigworm"-album. But in this version there is long Rekku´s solo where he really shows his talents! I believe if Rekku had lived in UK, he would have become same kind of guitar hero as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck etc. He really had style, to me it sounded he never played juts showing his talents, there was always ideas in his playing, also love that phased sound! Sadly this song will fade out just after Rekku´s solo, because the program time was finished. It seems they didn´t record the whole song in that straight broadcast.

Although my favorite Wigwam period is 1969-74, I just had to give five stars into this! Just because it is so perfect live album! But really that doesn´t mean some kind of clean coldness, there really is warmth in their awesome playing! Yeah, I am big Wigwam fanboy, but hard to believe anyone who likes seventies artists like Roxy Music, ELO and David Bowie can not also love Wigwam´s music of this time! This release really hasn´t got nothing to do with jazz rock/fusion, the category where Wigwam has put into Progarchives. "Live Music From the Twilight Zone" and also "Pop Liisa 3" will stay my favorite live albums from them, but really you can hear how the band got back the great atmosphere when comparing "Live at Töölönranta" into "Twilight Zone" times! Absolutely this is their best live recording after 1974! But I hope there will come also vinyl release of their 1976 Liisankatu studio recordings.