Showtime

UFO | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 8, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Steamhammer / SPV
• ASIN: B000BLI3DY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #130,934 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

UFO have been operating with their strongest line-up in years since the release of their 2004 studio album, You Are Here. The three original band members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Pete Way (bass) and Paul Raymond (keyboards), were joined by Jason Bonham on drums and the exceptional guitarist, Vinnie Moore.

UFO’s success story began in 1969, when Phil Mogg and Pete Way formed the band in England. They borrowed their name from a legendary London music club, impressed audiences with their unmistakable style and proved with their albums UFO 1, Flying and UFO Live that they had their finger on the pulse of their rapidly growing fan community. Phenomenon (1974), Force It (1975) and No Heavy Pettin’ (1976), which arrived in succession, marked their international breakthrough. 1979 saw the arrival of their live recording, Strangers In The Night, referred to as one of the best live albums by experts, and one of the best-selling live albums of all time. Following years with changing line-ups, the band returned to the top in autumn 1993 with their comeback recording, Walk On Water, and have been among the strongest live acts world-wide ever since, releasing two more awesome studio offerings in Covenant (2000) and Sharks (2002). The current line-up cut, You Are Here, in 2004, voted among the ten best albums ever by the British music magazine, Classic Rock.

Now with the double live Showtime CD (and DVD), UFO are again ready to show rock fans worldwide what makes UFO such a dominant force for so many years.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good performance, disappointing setlist, February 4, 2006

By 

Francis King "Frank King" (Calgary, AB, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Showtime (Audio CD)

Consider this album a historic document. The lineup of founding vocalist Phil Mogg, founding bassist Pete Way, keyboardist/guitarist/backing vocalist Paul Raymond, new guitarist Vinnie Moore and new drummer Jason Bonham is already history, as Bonham has bowed out to join Foreigner full-time. In some ways I regret that because he brought a unique and energetic approach to some of the old, tired Michael Schenkar-era standards.

Bonham's replacement? None other than founding drummer Andy Parker. I guess this is good, but can Parker bring the same energy? Or will this slow down the band and cause it to become another one of those veteran classic rock acts doing tired versions of 30-year-old songs?

That's a debate for another day. Showtime has, for the most part, very good versions of stuff like Shoot, Shoot, Rock Bottom and Only You Can Rock Me. The new stuff, four tracks from You Are Here, comes off very well.

But, freed from Schenkar's wacked-out tyranny, the band could have dipped widely into its huge catalogue and presented a fascinating overview of its entire history. Sadly, that didn't happen. This album is a remake of 1979's groundbreaking Strangers In The Night live recording with four new songs. Not a single song is done from the criminally-underrated Paul Chapman era recordings and even the three albums where Schenkar rejoined in the 1990s are ignored. Why? Talk about a missed opportunity! Talk about going the safe route to satisfy nostalgia freaks!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!, November 22, 2005

By 

R. G. Moore (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Showtime (Audio CD)

Are you nuts! Vinnie Moore is awesome on this CD (DVD). Some of the best live playing ever! You can't replace Michael Schenker but Vinnie Moore does a great job. Jason Bonham is solid and the band is tight! Video and sound on the DVD is very well done. If your a UFO fan this is a must! Again, you'll never replace a Michael Schenker in UFO, but this is as good as it get's without him!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh and inspired interpretations, excellent sound... much better than I expected, January 7, 2006

By 

electricphase (Mexico City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Showtime (Audio CD)

Big UFO fan, yet tired of the same live songs over and over. However, this is the best live release/performance in over two decades.

Phil Mogg sounds awesome here... totally rennovated and inspired, plus changing his vocal style a bit from traditional past interpretations. Vinnie Moore plays his German predecessor's solos at perfection, especially respecting UFO's melodic trademark note-by-note, much to my surprise! (Just check his solo in Only You Can Rock Me). Pete Way rocks, as always! Paul Raymond has never sounded nor played better. Jason Bonham plays with such power and groove, but especially in a very musical way (a unique trait that only a few drummers can achieve).

UFO these days are having fun and it shows (even though the audience sounds as if it there were only 6 people!). Besides, the CD sound is awesome, courtesy of Tommy Newton (Elegy, Gamma Ray, Helloween). UFO today sounds as good as ever. My only complain: no Paul Chapman-era songs (there are some really great ones). This CD is a must for both old and new fans. Rock for the ages!