ASIA – Live In Nottingham [reissue +3 bonus] , MP3+FLAC

As requested, here’s ASIA official CD ” Live In Nottingham“, in its reissue by British label The Store For Music (distributed by Cherry Red) including 3 bonus tracks.

This was recorded in 1990 in Nottinghamshire to promote ‘Then & Now’, the band’s first compilation, a reformed ASIA after Steve Howe had already left the band to rejoin Yes. With 3/4 of the classic line-up intact, John Wetton, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downes are joined by ex- Pat Travers Band, Hughes/Thrall, Meat Loaf guitarist Pat Thrall. Thrall provided a more edgy, rocking feel to the songs.
The set sums up Asia’s classic repertoire of the past decade at the time (the ’80s). All the well known songs are contained from “Heat of the Moment” to “Only Time Will Tell”. The show is a virtual greatest hits set from start to finish, save for a few newer songs at the time, the bulk of the set coming from the band’s stellar 1982 self-titled debut but also a few tracks from Alpha, Astra, and Then & Now.
This recording was originally released on a promo-only CD. The CD was finally officially released seven years after, making the material from that promo disc available to the general public at large for the first time. This The Store For Music reissue adds 3 extra songs that weren’t on the promo, making this the more desirable version.

Wetton is in fine vocal form throughout (the guy was on a level all his own back then), with the acrobatic drum work of Palmer and Downes’ symphonic keyboards adding the right amount of flair to these very accessible songs.
The real draw to this performance however is the metallic and quite virtuoso guitar skills of Thrall, whose time in the band was fairly brief, making this recording all the more worthwhile.
Fans of his work with Pat Travers, Hughes/Thrall, and Meat Loaf will love his searing lead lines and muscular riffs on such staples as “Sole Survivor”, “The Heat Goes On”, “Go”, “Wildest Dreams”, and “Time Again”.
Mega hits like “Heat of the Moment”, “Don’t Cry”, “Open Your Eyes” seamlessly segue into chart topping ballads such as “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” and “Only Time Will Tell”, the band firing on all cylinders here despite the absence of Howe.

The sound quality here is quite good, and with the ‘can’t miss’ set list, it all makes for a worthwhile purchase for any Asia aficionado out there. Though there have been plenty of live Asia releases over the years, here’s a snapshot of a brief line-up of the band in transition but definitely worth checking out.
Highly Recommended

01 – Wildest Dreams
02 – Sole Survivor
03 – Don’t Cry
04 – Voice Of America
05 – Time Again
06 – Prayin’ For A Miracle
07 – The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
08 – Only Time Will Tell
09 – Days Like These
10 – The Heat Goes On
11 – Go
12 – Heat Of The Moment
13 – Open Your Eyes
BONUS TRACKS:
14 – Heat Of The Moment (John Wetton solo)
15 – Shadows [Geoff Downes / Studio]
16 – In The End [John Wetton & Geoff Downes / Studio]

Lead Vocals, Bass – John Wetton
Drums – Carl Palmer
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Geoffrey Downes
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Pat Thrall

MP3 FLAC