The Quireboys’ Latest Live Recording Leaves Audiences Wanting For More

By: Philip Sayblack

​The 1980s was a key era for the rock community here in the United States.  Bands, such as Motley Crue, Ratt, Poison, Dokken, Def Leppard, and so many others became household names and since then have maintained their place among the upper echelons of rock.  For all of the fame and fortune that said bands earned and continue to hold to this day, there are plenty of other acts out there who have since remained just under the mainstream radar.  One of those bands is a little glam/sleaze rock act from the United Kingdom known as The Quireboys.  From the release of its debut single, ‘Mayfair’ in 1988 to its latest album, 2024’s Wardour Street, the band has maintained its own level of fame, having released a total of 13 albums, more than a dozen singles, and eight live recordings, the most recent of which having been released late last month in the form of Live at Rockpalast 2007 & 1990.  For those less familiar with Rockpalast, it is a famous German television show that has hosted some of the biggest names in the music community.  ZZ Top, the Stray Cats, Michael Schenker Group, The Grateful Dead, The Police, and countless others have had the honor of playing the show, which could be argued to be Germany’s answer to America’s Austin City Limits.  This two-concert recording from The Quireboys at the famed concert show is an interesting presentation that while imperfect is still worth taking in at least once.  That is due in large part to its general presentation, which will be discussed shortly.  The set list meanwhile, is slightly disconcerting.  It is not enough to doom the recording but certainly does not help the presentation, either.  The set’s packaging rounds out its most important elements.  This will also be addressed later.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the recording.  All things considered they make The Quireboys Live at Rockpalast 2007 & 1990 a presentation worth hearing at least once.
The Quireboys Live at Rockpalast 2007 & 1990, the recently released live recording from The Quireboys, is an intriguing new offering from the veteran glam/sleaze rock outfit.  For those less familiar, the band can be compared to the likes of L.A. Guns, Motley Crue and certain others of its American counterparts.  The most notable of the recording’s positives comes in the form of its general presentation – its production.  The audio and video is top quality throughout each performance.  The camera cuts, the edits, and the general editing in post gives audiences the best seat in the house.  Thanks to the work done in post-production, the cuts and edits move right with the energy in each song, adding to the aesthetic impact of each work.  The sound balance is just as deserving of praise.  The end result of the positive production is that audiences are certain to remain engaged if only for that reason, considering that it will leave audiences feeling so immersed in the concert.
While the production of The Quireboys’ new live recording collectively offers much for audiences to appreciate, the set list featured herein is not so much the case.  The set list featured in each concert is largely a presentation of the band’s 1990 debut album, A Bit of What You Fancy.  Between the two concerts, the whole album is presented.    There are two other songs featured here, the band’s debut 1988 single, ‘Mayfair,’ and ‘The Finer Stuff,’ which is included in the band’s 2007 album, Well Oiled.  There is no other content here in these two concerts.  Front man “Spike” (a.k.a. Jonathan Francis Gray) offers no explanation for that focused set list in either concert within the liner notes included in the set’s companion booklet.  So, this makes for even more disconcert primarily in the 2007 concert.  The band had so much material from which to pull but instead focused on that one album, just as in the 1990 concert.  Keeping all of this in mind, it is not enough to doom the recording but it certainly does nothing to help the presentation, either.
Knowing that the set list in each of the concerts is not enough to doom the recording, there is one more positive to note, that being the packaging.  Offered as a three-disc set, the set features the concerts on two separate CDs and a standalone DVD.  All three discs are housed in the classic oversized jewel case package with each sitting in its own spot inside the case.  Yes, the case is a bit bulky but that is OK.  The discs being in their own spots makes it easy to remove and replace them without concern about the discs marring one another in the process as a result.  This means that the discs’ lifespans are of no consequence.  Knowing this, the recording’s packaging and its general presentation work together to make for at least some motivation to take in this recording at least once.
The Quireboys Live at Rockpalast 2007 & 1990, the latest live recording from the veteran glam/sleaze rock band, is an intriguing presentation.  It has its positives, mainly in its general production and its packaging.  The positive aesthetic from the production and the longevity that the packaging ensures for the discs does plenty of positive.  The concerts’ set lists meanwhile are problematic as they both separately and collectively focus almost entirely on the band’s debut album from way back in 1990.  Keeping all of this in mind, the whole of The Quireboys Live at Rockpalast 2007 & 1990 proves to be a presentation from the band worth hearing at least once.
The Quireboys Live at Rockpalast 2007 & 1990 is available now through Made in Germany (MIG) Music.  More information on the concert is available along with all of The Quireboys’ latest news at:
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