Supertramp - Live in Paris '79


I am still in shock that not only this exists, but I own it. Recently, somehow I ran across news of this Supertramp performance available on DVD. Blu-Ray to boot. I've been a Supertramp from the beginning to the end and they rank in my top 5 music artists of all time. So this is like manna from heaven. There have been attempts with The Story So Far, which I heard mediocre reviews. A few years back Roger Hodgson self released a full solo concert, which is excellent, but it is just him performing. I am such a stickler for good concert performances. Even if my favorite band displays a crappy concert due to any variety of reasons like sound, bad editing, bad visuals.... I'll pass. I just can't imagine putting myself through that.

Then out of nowhere come Live In Pars '79, which I didn't even think existed. After digging in I did find out this release was not sanctioned by any of the members of Supertramp. So there was a lot of discussion to ethics, loyalty to the band, morals, etc. Maybe I'm cold hearted, but I ignored those comments. I've been waiting for something like this for years. I bought it. The Blu-Ray.

This is a 33+ year old concert, so yes, it does have some graininess. Mostly in the long shots and color lighting of the stage. Beyond that minor issue, this is pristine. The editing is good. The camera angles are good. The odd thing I find... they never focus on the drummer. Every other member gets great screen time, but the drummer.... phtttttt.

The sound is excellent. Well balanced through all the channels with crystal clarity.

This concert is towards the end of their most prolific offering Breakfast in America. While I'm a fan of every point of their career, it probably could not get any better than this in capturing their performance.

I saw Supertramp on two occasions when they were together. They were known for performing their material just like the studio. Today, I find that kind of performing redundant, but in this case Live In Paris allows me to relive those amazing concerts.

If you're a fan of the Tramp, Get this now.