Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Uriah Heep
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2015
Runtime: 93:02
Rating: 2.5/5
Uriah Heep are an old British rock outfit that you can safely count among the most influential bands carrying the “pioneer” badge, no questions asked. The band has real staying power, going strong since 1970, and over a turbulent career they’ve put out more than 20 studio albums, a pile of live releases, compilations and other “specials.” An enviably impressive career and discography. Hardly anyone can stand next to them, if anyone at all.
But the years roll on and (silence) time flies. Between 1998 and 2008 the band didn’t release a single studio album, and since 2008 they’ve strung together three, the latest of them, titled »Outsider«, just last year. On »Wake the Sleeper« (2008) they flirted with their roots again, with the arrangements bringing back that signature blend of chunky Hammond sound and the famous guitar riffing of the one and only Mick Box. A heap of bootlegged live releases followed, along with official live documents too (especially in the period after »Into the Wild«), but across the last three albums the band hasn’t made any artistic progress at all, just serving up the same worn-out, threadbare formula, with the result that the interest in each of these three albums shrinks and sinks in proportion from record to record. The current studio album, »Outsider«, is one you honestly wouldn’t miss if it had never come out. Still, the band has fantastic backing from Frontiers Records, and the label decided to put out yet another official live document, this one from the latest tour, on which Uriah Heep presented the album »Outsider on its UK leg. Last year, as part of that tour, Uriah Heep also played in Slovenia, at the Rock Batuje festival on 25.07.2015.
»Live At Koko« brings no revolution, nothing unheard or untested. Just a predictable setlist and a predictable flow of events, where the only real standouts are the opener Against the Odds (»Sea of Light«, 1995) and, soon after, Traveller in Time (»Demons and Wizards«, 1972), followed by a mix of the iron-clad classics Uriah Heep simply have to play, balanced out by songs from the last two studio albums. Those, let’s be honest, are far less interesting artistically when you set them next to the classic material the band created under the arranging wing of the great Ken Hensley. The fact that Uriah Heep are still shoving the thoroughly uninteresting “stinker of the album »Into the Wild« and time thief” Nail on the Head into their setlist for the 2014 shows says it all. The band has gotten comfortable and predictable, is slowly shortening its sets, and still collects the same or even a bigger fee for the gigs it plays. Setlists these days have become so dull, “colorless” and utterly predictable. In short: boring.
The band does deliver a tight, confident, high-quality performance without slip-ups, with only Bernie’s vocals, a little worn down by the years, wobbling at times, but even so, the routine is strongly felt, and that spoils the vibe. Short and sweet: »Live At Koko« is only interesting for those diehard fans who have to own every single thing Uriah Heep release. The rest of us will go on happily listening to the band’s other live documents, like »Live 1973« or »Spellbinder« (1996). Uriah Heep need a serious artistic kick in the pants right now, otherwise they’d better retire! They hit their biggest career peaks a long time ago and haven’t needed to prove themselves for their great body of work in ages. Or else they should stop recording new albums and freshen up their setlists.
“Live at Koko” was recorded on 04.03.2014 in London!
Lineup
Bernie Shaw – vocals
Mick Box – guitar, backing vocals
Phil Lanzon – keyboards, backing vocals
Dave Rimmer – bass guitar, backing vocals
Russell Gilbrook – drums, backing vocals
Track list
CD1.:
1. Against All Odds
2. Overload
3. Traveller In Time
4. Sunrise
5. Stealin
6. I’m Ready
7. Can’t Take That Away
8. Between Two Worlds
10. One Minute
11. Nail On The Head
CD2.:
1. Into The Wild
2. Gypsy
3. Look At Yourself
4. July Morning
5. Lady In Black
6. Free ‘N’ Easy
7. Easy Livin’
