Live in Chicago

“Tomorrow” has finally arrived…although I am still awaiting some of the information on ticketing that I requested two weeks ago. We remain determined to find a solution to the worst excesses of the secondary selling – which means trying to control the front rows which attract most of the interest. Seeing the online response made it very clear that this is a problem that badly needs to be addressed.

In my alternative, creative role as music producer, we now have definitive plans for autumn releases. We have long been planning a release of the show in Vienna from November 1st last year – a highlight of the 2016 European tour, where Jeremy first took over the keyboard/drummer role and the band introduced Cirkus, Dawn Song and Indiscipline. Robert and I mixed this show with Chris Porter during the first half of the year, and it sits there, raring to go…

After the recent excitements in the North America, it seemed, however, much more exciting and appropriate to release an official bootleg of the new 8-piece in full flight. There was a huge transformation in the band, which began in Chicago in June and came of age with the first show in Mexico in July. After the show at the Chicago Theater on 28th June, Tony Levin described it online as simply “one of our best” and Robert sent me a simple email saying “if we are looking for a KC live; chicago was exceptional”. It was a wonderful setlist featuring Neurotica, Radical Action III, Cirkus, The Lizard Suite, Fallen Angel, Islands and Indiscipline alongside more established favourites.

So this autumn’s release for the US and Europe will be a two CD set of “Live in Chicago”, accompanied by T-Lev’s wonderful photographs (and one or two of my own, as even he struggles with being on stage and in the audience at the same time).

“Live in Vienna” will then be released early next year – so nothing is lost. Everything will become available.

In Japan, due to their longer lead times, the releases will happen in the opposite order. WOWOW will be releasing “Live in Vienna” this autumn as originally planned, together with a CD of official bootlegs from the Japanese tour in 2015, specifically made for the local audience.

So tasty excitements for this autumn, even before we consider the world of boxed sets...For which, Alex has just arrived to stay over at the Old Vicarage and work with me in our new DGMHQ studio in the morning.