Hallenstadion, Zürich, July 2, 1977

Hallenstadion
Zürich, Switzerland
Zürich Revisited
July 2, 1977
Digital Brothers
Soundboard / Audience Matrix

Overall:
This is a Digital Brothers merger of a soundboard recording and an audience recording of the same show. Generally soundboard recordings have a good mix of the band, but tend to not capture the audience and ambiance of the concert hall. Audience recordings tend to do the opposite, so it makes sense to combine the two into a single recording. For the most part, it works. There are some glitches here and there which are immediately noticeable in the vocals. But overall makes for a pleasant listening experience.

Sound * * * *
Mostly quite good beyond the very occasional matrix sync issues.

Performance: * * * *
There are slightly dodgy renditions of "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and "...In That Quiet Earth", but once the band hits "Supper's Ready", they're unstoppable. Also contains a rare performance of Inside and Out which had just been released on Spot the Pigeon.


Raw Notes

Disc 1:

1. Squonk - The high notes seem to be giving Phil some trouble here. Very good performance. Bass pedals are well defined in the mix.

2. One for the Vine - Phil speaks both Deutsch and French to the crowd. Some strange audio artifacts in the beginning. Beautiful clear Mellotron. Excellent mix. I like this performance better than the one that made it onto Three Sides. Guitars are somewhat buried, but the keys are pristine.

3. Robbery, Assault and Battery - Story in German. I know the word "kaput". Phil does funny sound effects for the story. Makes me think a little of Robin Williams. Matrix gets a tad out of sync in the beginning of the song, evident in the vocals. Steve is more audible here. Tony's solo is amazing. Loud tambourine. Good energetic performance.

4. Inside and Out - a rare performance of this outtake from Wind and Wuthering in promotion of its release on the Spot the Pigeon EP. Who is singing background on the chorus? Band nails the instrumental second half. Nice!

5. Firth of Fifth. Steve does the intro. Someone shouts "The Knife" just before the song starts. Audience cheers. Matrix gets a bit out of sync again during "The waterfall, his madrigal." Instrumental section sounds a little loose compared to other performance. Steve nails his solo. Again.

6. Carpet Crawlers - Someone drops something in the audience recording--I'm thinking a bottle? A little audience chatter in the quiet opening. Phil's vocals phase slightly, probably another sync problem. Nice background vocals. We're these on Seconds Out? Great performance. Crowd chants "GEN-E-SIS"

7. In That Quiet Earth - Phil introduces Chester. One of my favorite Genesis instrumentals. Wish they had played the Unquiet Slumbers section as this starts a bit awkwardly. A tad fast. Doesn't seem to quite come together. The band does a better job of this in the (sacred) Cage Medley in '83. Segues, of course, into...

8. Afterglow - Chester does a fill going into the song that isn't on the album. Interesting to hear the band perform this when it was new. Nice mix. Doesn't quite reach the dramatic heights it would on later tours. Closer to the album version.

9. I Know What I Like - Phil's tambourine at the beginning is unmistakable. We know what song is coming. Good mix. Crowd cheers Phil's tambourine dance. Little bit from Stagnation. Chester does a double snare hit that gets the crowd clapping along. This was all probably fun if you were, but gets somewhat monotonous when listening to the recording. It's your show. Return of the "GEN-E-SIS" chant. Phil introduces Mike who says "Thank you". Disc ends?

Disc 2:

1. Eleventh Earl of Mar - Phil introduces Mike again. Mike intros the song. Nice stereo effect in the beginning. Was this done live or added by the Digital Bros? This song always worked better in the studio than live. Never really reaches the heights it did on the record. I can see why it was left off Seconds Out. The band gives it their all, though. The quiet part sounds quite nice, but then Phil's vocals go out of phase again. Really nice Mellotron choir. Stereo effect returns.

2. Supper's Ready - Romeo and Juliet intro in German? This isn't Cinema Show! Is that a vibraphone chiming in behind the guitars during Lover's Leap? Who is playing it? "We will rock you little snake" recording comes in a bit too loud after nice performance of the Sanctuary Man. Good intensity for Ikhnaton section. Steve positively nails the solo here. Audience is strangely quiet for How Dare I Be So Beautiful. Background recording comes in loud again for "All Change!". More stereo effects on the guitar going into Apocalypse. Good intensity again. Phil's vocals get buried briefly during "I've been so far from here". Nice guitars during Eggs Is Eggs. Great performance. Nailed.

3. Dance On A Volcano - Damn... I don't think I've heard a better performance of this one. I'll just say Nailed.

4. Drum Duet - Fast and amazing! Nailed.

5. Los Endos - The band is on fire at this point! Maybe running a bit fast, but it doesn't matter. Stereo effects on the cymbals. That heavenly Mellotron choir again. The Wind and Wuthering show effectively opens and closes with Squonk. Very nice! "GEN-E-SIS!"

Encore

6. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - This intro must have been hard to play on the electric piano. Band still full of energy. Segues into...

7. The Musical Box (closing section) - Crowd cheers. Phil's voice sounds like it might be giving out during NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! Nice performance.