Dead End Drive-In: Now Showing – UFO – ‘Showtime’ Blu-ray
Written by Johnny H
Saturday, 06 December 2014 03:20
UFO – ‘Showtime’ (Steamhammer / SPV)
Originally released on two DVDs with a separate two CD set that captured the soundtrack to the May 13th 2005 show in Wilhelmshaven Germany, Steamhammer/SPV have given the visual part of ‘Showdown’ a digital dusting down for the Blu-ray age just in time for your Old Man’s Christmas stocking.
Right from the off I should say that if you possess the original 2DVD version of this then other than for the possibility of owning it with retina searing Blu-ray picture quality and ear drum perforating truHD sound the rest of this rerelease is identical to what you already have, well apart from a few new snazzy menus. Oh and as for the first part that really isn’t that different to the DVD version either, but more of that later. So once again ‘Showtime’ comes with the 96 minute 16 track gig from the You Are Here tour complete with Jason Bonham on drums, the “in studio” live set from Peppermint Park Studios with accompanying string section and Paul Raymond playing a candelabra lit piano, the making of features, plus all the rest of the original 113 minutes of behind the scenes footage you had first time around now lovingly crammed into one very neat and tidy Blu-ray package.
If you have not yet added ‘Showtime’ to your UFO collection though, with this baby retailing at under a tenner on Amazon right now (link below) I would highly recommend you snap yourself up a copy tout de suite, as you are in for a real treat. Why? Well it’s not so much for the main live show, which as anyone who knows about my love/hate relationship with UFO will already know features my least favourite guitarist, Mr Vinnie Moore, widdling all over the fine six string legacy of Michael Schenker. No, what actually made this release so compelling the first time around, for me anyway, was the 6 track Peppermint Park Studios session that was recorded thirteen days after the live event. Largely because for the first time (if my memory serves me correctly) since the band 
reformed in 1991 (with Laurence Archer and Clive Edwards alongside the them mainstays of Pete Way and Phil Mogg) we got to hear a song from the Paul Chapman era of UFO live. Okay granted it’s only one song, but it’s ‘Profession Of Violence’ from ‘The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent’, what else do I really need to say, other than maybe even Moore manages to turn in a largely respectful arpeggio free solo at the end too, so result all round!!!!! With the string section also sticking around for a version of ‘Lights Out’s ‘Try Me’ I’m almost moved to tears that two such oft overlooked yet still bloody amazing UFO songs should be given a live airing, and I’m filling up again during the ‘Obsession’ double whammy of ‘Cherry’ and ‘Pack It Up And Go’, how perfect can a set list get? Add in ‘Love To Love’ and the slightly less memorable ‘Slipping Away’ (from the band’s then new album ‘You Are Here’) and you have a truly magical live document of a British rock band doing what they do best in their own rather unique way.
So with the band themselves delivering the goods on screen the actual upgraded Blu-ray promises regarding picture and sound quality I have to admit do lack somewhat, especially when it comes to the picture. I played this version alongside my original DVD and the new disc actually looked more granular, plus, and I don’t know if it was my eyes or just my imagination running away with me, but at times the sound/picture seemed to be ever so slightly out of synch, especially during the Peppermint Park Studios section. However if you are thinking of buying ‘Showtime’ and don’t have it already you really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by parting with a tenner of your hard earned. If you are a UFO completist on the other hand, well then I’d say hold fire and wait to get it for a fiver in a sale somewhere soon, or better still borrow a copy off your mate who’s just bought it as he’d never owned it before so then you can see exactly what I’m on about.
So Uber Rockers proceed with these words of caution in mind would be my recommendation, oh and for those of you who haven’t seen the Peppermint Park Studios footage before and are still thinking “shall I or shan’t I?” have a look at the clip below, it’s spellbinding stuff.
http://www.ufo-music.info/band.htm
https://www.facebook.com/UFOofficial
