Djabe & Steve Hackett – Live In Győr Blu-ray/2CD
Esoteric EANTCD31094
Djabe & Steve Hackett – Live In Győr LP – Quality Vinyl Projects
GR1993 Records – GR-166
England’s Cherry Red Records released the seventh Djabe album on April 28 2023, this time in Blu-ray and double CD format. As usual, the three discs were packaged in beautiful digipak, which was accompanied by a richly illustrated 24-page booklet.
The single-disc LP version of the concert is published by the band’s own label, Quality Vinyl Projects.
The Djabe & Steve Hackett 2020 and 2021 tours were postponed to 2022 due Covid crisis. The musicians eagerly awaited to make music together, so on the tour the band was very much together and gave their best performances of all time.
The program of the tour was based on the material of the albums released from the joint recordings in Sardinia, completed with classical compositions by Genesis, Djabe and Steve Hackett. The shows reached Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic.
At the final stop of the tour the band recorded the show. The post-production, as usual, was done by Tamás Barabás and Attila Égerházi. The concert includes several tracks performed live for the first time. Examples include Lake By The Sea from the Back To Sardinia album, the electric version of Ace Of Wands from the Voyage Of The Acolyte album and the Győr Blues. There are several live versions of Steve Hackett and Djabe compositions previously not released on a Djabe & Steve Hackett live albums. Songs like The Steppes, Witchi Tai To, Győr and Power Of Wings.
The excellent audio of the concert once again praises the sound engineering work of Tamás Barabás. The analog master tapes used for record cutting were made by Attila Égerházi. The cut was made by the world-famous Rinus Hooning in the Artone studio of Record Industry, attended by Attila Égerházi.
The Blu-ray contains plenty of extras. Documentary filmed at the stops of the tour, the screen films, and tunes from the Budapest, Vienna, Olomouc and Debrecen gigs.
As usual, Tamás Barabás prepared a soaring surround mix. The Blu-ray offers to choose in 24bit/96kHz Dolby TreuHD and 24/96 wav 5.1. Of course, a high-resolution 24/96 stereo sound track can also be selected.
The total running time of the extras is almost an hour.
The two CDs contain the complete recording of the concert in Győr, as well as two compositions that were only played in Vienna and Olomouc. All of this is completed by a version of Castelsardo At Night recorded in Debrecen.
The LP version mainly includes tracks not released yet on vinyl, in live version.
