UK band URIAH HEEP are among the living legends of the rock universe, with a history going back almost 50 years in time and with a vast array of classic songs in their repertoire. While the current line-up only features one original member, Mick Box, it is in fact the most stable line-up the band has ever had, and a fairly long lasting when it comes to that. The core of the current band has been there since 1986, for 30 years, and the two line-up alterations that did come in these three decades were due to health and terminal health issues than than any band instability. So while the earlier, more volatile versions of the band will always be the one best remembered, it is the band in it’s current guise that has made them into living legends. “Live at Koko” is one of more than 20 live albums by the band, and was released through Italian label Frontiers Music in 2015.
If I was asked by someone if they need this album, my answer would be that it depends. If asked if this is the one live album to get by the band, I’d say probably not. If asked if it’s a bad album, the answer would be that it isn’t. Then again, it all depends.
What is covered on this double album, accompanied by a DVD in the commercial version, is a veteran band playing material from the entire span of their career, and with a liberal outing of more recent material. So rather than a live performance of the greatest hits you have a band celebrating their current state but also including parts of their massive heritage into the mix. As such it’s not a definitive live album by just about any standards, but the inclusion of the newer material makes it an interesting production for fans for that very reason. That is, the fans interested in what the band has been doing after 1980 just as much as what they did in the 1970’s.
The concert itself opens a bit wobbly, where Shaw’s vocals appears a bit weak and haphazard. Possibly a case of monitors not fine tuned, or well used vocal chords needing a couple of songs to warm up, or a combination of both. Anyhow, the opening tracks are just a tad off the pace and sound, and unless I’m much mistaken there’s a bit of fine tuning going on until vocals and instruments appear better in sync and shape after the initial few tracks.
From then and on we’re treated to a veteran band using a wealth of experience to pull off what I’d have to describe as a satisfying concert. There’s no magic in the air or stardust sprinkling over the performances, perhaps apart from the surprisingly effective Between Two Worlds that to my ears is an invigorating highlight on this double album, but sheer experience and professionalism by a band that have done this hundreds of times before ensures that the entertainment value is very much present. Not all the songs comes across as great, and my impression is that Shaw perhaps didn’t have his most magical day at work here, but this is a band that have been out on cold and warm days for a few decades by now and know the drill. I’d hazard a guess that this crew possibly could pull off a decent concert even when asleep.
There is passion here too, amazingly enough. The impression I get is that this is a band that does have a jolly good time when playing live, that these are if not good mates and personal friends then at minimum colleagues appreciating each others skills and talents and making sure that everyone gets what they need to perform. If the former, the latter or both apply I don’t know, but the impression I get is that there’s a generally positive vibe within the band.
If anyone have managed to miss out on this band and their music, the short story is that Uriah Heep is among the bands that defined what hard prog and hard rock should sound like when electric guitars and organ are the dominant instruments. They were generally regarded as a bit more loose in their take on the style than a band like Deep Purple, although it probably takes fans of both bands or music nerds to see them as radically different from one another. Not that they are all that similar, but the differences are more nuanced rather than dramatic. Some of the more recent Uriah Heep songs covered on this live production showcase that aspect fairly well, quite a few of them would have been a very good match for Deep Purple as well.
All in all I suspect that “Live at Koko” is one of those albums that will have it’s solid buyer base among dedicated fans of Uriah Heep, and then those with an interest and passion for the entire career of the band. For those who aren’t in that category, there are other live albums by the band that one should consider before this one, unless you have a strong desire to see what the guys look like and hear what they sound like currently. That the core commercial editions of this production also comes with a DVD or Blue Ray documenting the concert in video as well probably a point to consider in that context.
My rating: 74/100
