Live in Hamburg (Saga album)

Last updated
Live in Hamburg
File:Live in Hamburg (Saga album).jpg
Live album by
Saga
Released2 September 2016 (2 September 2016)
Recorded28 April 2015, Hamburg, Germany
Venue Fabrik
Genre Progressive rock
Length99:17
Label earMUSIC
Saga chronology
Sagacity
(2014)		Live in Hamburg
(2016)		So Good So Far - Live at Rock of Ages
(2018)

Live in Hamburg is a live album by Saga, which was released by earMUSIC on 2 September 2016. It was recorded live in Hamburg on 28 April 2015. While the original plan was to split up the concert and release the recordings as bonus tracks to the 12 albums in 12 months reissues, the series was not continued beyond Pleasure & the Pain and the concert was released in its entirety instead. The original album is strictly limited to 5000 copies worldwide, [1] [2] however, in 2018, earMUSIC reissued the album in a regular jewel case (as opposed to the very sparse original digipack). [3]

Contents

The setlist includes a lot of songs not covered on earlier live albums, such as "(Goodbye) Once Upon a Time", "Someone Should", "Hot to Cold", "On My Way", "Time to Go", "I'll Be" and "Wildest Dreams".

Track listing

Disc 1
No.TitleLength
1."(Goodbye) Once Upon a Time"6:50
2."Someone Should"4:02
3."You're Not Alone"6:20
4."Hot to Cold"4:41
5."On the Loose"5:09
6."On My Way"5:54
7."Not This Way (Chapter 10) / Scratching the Surface"9:40
8."Time to Go"4:11
9."I'll Be"4:30
Disc 2
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Be Late (Chapter 2) / Drum Solo"11:49
2."Wildest Dreams"4:09
3."Ice Nice"7:07
4."Humble Stance"6:11
5."Careful Where You Step"7:55
6."Wind Him Up"5:42
7."The Flyer"5:00

Personnel

Band members
Production

Reception

Rocktopia's Phil Ashcroft commended the inclusion of many rarely played tracks, including "Wildest Dreams" from 1987, and lauded the recording quality. On the negative side, some the tracks are described as "a bit messy" and like many Saga fans, he wonders about the label's release plans. The album is summed up as "as good a set-list as any of their other live albums [that] shows what amazing players and writers they are and how much Sadler is the only vocalist who should ever front this great Canadian band." [4]

On PowerOfMetal.dk, Kenn Jensen also praised the tight playing and sound quality, but criticized the fact that this is Saga's eighth live release and comes so soon after "Spin It Again! Live in Munich" and the live bonus disc of "Sagacity". [5]

On Progarchives.com the release received an average user rating of 4 stars. User reviews likewise point out the inclusion of "some real treats" and the band sounding "young and refreshing". [6]

Sea of Tranquility writer Stephen Reid reviewed the 2018 reissue, also calling it one of Saga's "more interesting live releases" because of the song selection and praising the mix for finding "the perfect mid-point between Ian Crichton’s guitar and Jim Gilmour’s keys-work". [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saga (band)</span> Canadian rock band

Saga is a Canadian rock band from Oakville, Ontario. Bassist and keyboardist Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist and keyboardist Michael Sadler were the principal songwriters.

<i>Heads or Tales</i> 1983 studio album by Saga

Heads or Tales is the fifth studio album by the Canadian progressive rock band Saga and was originally released in 1983. The album was the second of the band's to be produced by Rupert Hine. Although it did not attain the same commercial success and status of the previous collaboration between the band and Hine, Worlds Apart (1981), both "The Flyer" and "Cat Walk" became respectable radio hits for the band with the album eventually securing gold status in Canada (50,000) and Germany (250,000). A third single from the album, "Scratching the Surface", became a live staple and fan favourite in the band's concert line-up during the late-1990s and 2000s as a piano solo played by Jim Gilmour during a break by the other band members. The song reached #45 in the Canadian Singles charts, April 1984.

<i>Behaviour</i> (Saga album) 1985 studio album by Saga

Behaviour is the sixth studio album by the Canadian progressive rock band Saga, and was originally released in 1985, two years after the moderately successful Heads or Tales. Behaviour was itself successful, and managed to outsell its 1983 predecessor thanks to the strong performance of the single "What Do I Know?".

<i>Worlds Apart</i> (Saga album) 1981 studio album by Saga

Worlds Apart is the fourth studio album by the Canadian neo-progressive rock band Saga and was originally released in 1981. The album was produced by Rupert Hine, and has been released with several different covers. Frontman Michael Sadler stated in the band's video DVD Silhouette (2002) that Hine told him to stop "singing like a choir boy". Sadler's vocal style was noticeably different on Worlds Apart than on the first three Saga albums; he kept that style in successive performances with the band. Hine reportedly had Sadler climb to the roof of the English barn where the band was recording in order to get the proper emotion from Sadler for "On the Loose".

<i>In Transit</i> (Saga album) 1982 live album by Saga

In Transit is a live album by Canadian progressive rock band Saga. The album was recorded at the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle in Munich on February 5, 1982 and at the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen on February 22, 23, and 24, 1982. The album went platinum in Canada, selling 100,000 copies and gold in Germany, selling 250,000 copies. The album reached #10 in Canada and was #58 in the Canadian year end chart.

<i>Wildest Dreams</i> (Saga album) 1987 studio album by Saga

Wildest Dreams is the seventh studio album by the Canadian progressive rock band Saga, originally released in 1987. It was their first album without original drummer Steve Negus and longtime keyboardist and vocalist Jim Gilmour.

<i>Saga</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Saga

Saga, the first studio album by the Canadian progressive rock band Saga, was originally released 8 April 1978. It is the band's only album to feature original keyboardist Peter Rochon.

<i>Silent Knight</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Saga

Silent Knight is the third studio album by the Canadian progressive rock band Saga and was originally released in August 1980. Silent Knight is certified Gold in Canada, having reached No. 42 in the charts. The Einstein Tower in Potsdam, Germany was used as a template for the album cover. Silent Knight marks the debut appearance of longtime keyboardist Jim Gilmour.

<i>Network</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Saga

Network is the sixteenth studio album by Canadian rock band Saga, released in the fall of 2004. A two-disc version was released on November 8, 2005, comprising the original CD and a DVD containing a 5.1 mix of the original album. It is the only Saga album to feature drummer Christian Simpson, who had replaced original drummer Steve Negus.

<i>The Human Condition</i> (Saga album) 2009 studio album by Saga

The Human Condition is the nineteenth studio album by Canadian rock band Saga. It is notable for being their only studio album on which the group’s original lead vocalist, Michael Sadler, does not appear. He was briefly replaced by Rob Moratti.

<i>10,000 Days</i> (Saga album) 2007 studio album by Saga

10,000 Days is the eighteenth studio album by Canadian band Saga. It was recorded after Michael Sadler had explained that he would leave the band for family reasons. The title therefore alludes to the thirty years Sadler had been part of Saga. Sadler left after the tour but would return to the fold four years later.

<i>Marathon</i> (Saga album) 2003 studio album by Saga

Marathon is a studio album by Saga, their fifteenth album of new material. It is the final album to feature original drummer Steve Negus.

<i>House of Cards</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Saga

House of Cards is the fourteenth studio album by the Canadian progressive rock band Saga, released on 12 February 2001 by Steamhammer. Recorded at Sound Image Studios in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, it was produced by bassist/keyboardist Jim Crichton.

<i>The Security of Illusion</i> 1993 studio album by Saga

The Security of Illusion is the ninth studio album by Saga, originally released in 1993. The album marks the return of keyboardist Jim Gilmour and drummer Steve Negus, both of whom left the band in 1986 due to management concerns.

<i>The Beginners Guide to Throwing Shapes</i> 1989 studio album by Saga

The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes is the eighth studio album by Saga, originally released in 1989. It is also the second album recorded by the band without longtime drummer Steve Negus and keyboardist Jim Gilmour, who temporarily left the band over management concerns.

<i>Detours</i> (Saga album) 1999 live album by Saga

Detours is a live album by Canadian progressive rock band Saga. It was recorded during their European Tour in 1997.

<i>20/20</i> (Saga album) 2012 studio album by Saga

20/20 is the twentieth studio album by Canadian rock band Saga. The album marked the return of original singer Michael Sadler. The album charted at No. 13 in Germany, the highest since their 1985 release Behaviour.

<i>Sagacity</i> (Saga album) 2014 studio album by Saga

Sagacity is the twenty-first studio album by Canadian rock band Saga. New drummer, Mike Thorne made his debut on this album.

Spin It Again! Live in Munich is a live album and video by the Canadian band Saga. It was recorded in 2012 at the end of their 20/20 tour and celebrates the reunion with original singer Michael Sadler. It was also the first Saga release featuring their new drummer Mike Thorne. Besides three songs from 20/20, it includes mainly songs from the first five Saga albums. The concert was released on different formats by edel records/earMUSIC, including a double CD, DVD and Blu-Ray. The video formats also include a twenty-minute tour documentary. The CD has edited applause between the main set and the encores, but otherwise the performance is identical. As is typical for Saga shows in Germany, Michael Sadler does some German announcements. The concert also includes a litte "unplugged" set. After returning to the stage, Sadler says "What shall I play?". He starts on "Images ", then stops, goes into "No Regrets ", stops again and finally declares "I got it!" before launching into "Tired World ".

<i>Symmetry</i> (Saga album) 2021 studio album by Saga

Symmetry is the twenty-third studio album by Canadian rock band Saga. It was released on March 12, 2021. It contains acoustic versions of previously released songs, some in the form of medleys or augmented with new interludes. The idea originated on the 40th anniversary tour in 2017, where the band would perform acoustically as their own support band "Pockets".

References

  1. ↑ "Saga (3) - Live In Hamburg". Discogs.
  2. ↑ "SAGA Germany | SAGA Germany - SAGA Live in Hamburg". saga-germany.de.
  3. ↑ "Saga (3) - Live In Hamburg". Discogs (in German).
  4. ↑ Rocktopia. "Saga - 'Live In Hamburg'". Rocktopia.
  5. ↑ "Saga – Live in Hamburg". 27 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Saga - Live in Hamburg, review by Kingsnake".
  7. ↑ "Review: "Saga: Live In Hamburg" - Sea of Tranquility - The Web Destination for Progressive Music!". www.seaoftranquility.org.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.