Status Quo –Official Archive Series Vol.1 (Album Review)
Status Quo might not instantly spring to mind as an artist you would expect to embark on a series of archive releases, but if Vol.1 – Live In Amsterdam is any guide to the quality of this new undertaking, fans are in for a treat. The band has joined the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young in delving deep into the vaults to unearth, spruce up, and release a live show recorded on October 19th 2010, at the Heineken Hall in Amsterdam for a limited numbered edition CD and LP release. This makes perfect sense; Status Quo live, there are few better, so what more do you need to know?
Newly mixed and mastered at Chameleon Studios Hamburg, Live In Amsterdam finds the Rossi, Parfitt, Bown, Edwards, and drummer Matt Letley line-up deep into their exhaustive ‘Pictures Exposed World Tour’. The show sounds great, with plenty of bottom end while guitars, vocals and Andy Bown’s keys are nicely placed. Everything is well-balanced, loud and clear. Fans might be worried that an archive release could be warts and all (a good thing) but with inferior sound (did someone say bootleg?). I’m pleased to report this is very crankable.
Naturally, a ‘hits’ tour has all of your favourites present and correct, even if, in some cases, that means the dreaded medley does rear its ugly head to squeeze in a selection of ‘Proposin’ tracks, but the band are rockin’ hard and Bown’s keys are a great addition, so I’ll give them that. Francis Rossi is his usual gregarious self and engages the Amsterdam crowd as only he can. Highlights are plentiful in a 21-track set, spread over two CDs, but personal favourites include ‘Don’t Drive My Car’ introduced by Rossi as “Don’t Scratch My Car” and, if I’m honest, pretty much anything from the prime 70s period. More recent fare, in Quo terms, finds two tracks from the Heavy Traffic record in the classic Quo/heads down boogie of ‘Creeping Up On You’ and, somewhat strangely, ‘The Oriental’ which is still horrible (sorry guys) and a welcome 'Beginning Of The End'.
CD2 kicks off with Quo at their most relaxed via ‘Living On An Island’ and an excellent rendition of (another personal favourite) ‘In The Army Now’, with the Amsterdam crowd more than holding their own, before Matt Letley’s drum solo ushers in a string of Quo classics with ‘Roll Over Lay Down’ and the set concludes with a double helping of Chuck Berry. Vol.1 of the Official Archive Series is essential for Quo fans, and with a London show (year unknown at this time) set for a November release as Vol.2, this series already looks like a winner.
Status Quo –Official Archive Series Vol.1 – Live In Amsterdam is set for release on August 11th 2023 on Limited Numbered Edition 2CD and 3LP vinyl editions via earMUSIC
Status Quo might not instantly spring to mind as an artist you would expect to embark on a series of archive releases, but if Vol.1 – Live In Amsterdam is any guide to the quality of this new undertaking, fans are in for a treat. The band has joined the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young in delving deep into the vaults to unearth, spruce up, and release a live show recorded on October 19th 2010, at the Heineken Hall in Amsterdam for a limited numbered edition CD and LP release. This makes perfect sense; Status Quo live, there are few better, so what more do you need to know?