ASIA – AXIS XXX Live in San Francisco MMXII

This 2CD/DVD combo package contains a live show captured back in late 2012 at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco featuring the original line-up of ASIA, which is to say Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and John Wetton. The setlist consists of tracks off the first two albums as well as some of the reunion material, and I must say that things sound quite good on this live release. The band as a whole is tight, which is no surprise really when considering who we are talking about here, and the setlist is pretty strong and varied. The band members seem to be enjoying themselves and they manage to evoke a pretty cool atmosphere. There is a certain intimacy present that I cannot quite put my finger on, but at certain points it is almost as if they are playing in your living room and whispering the lyrics in your ear. John Wetton (bass and vocals) in particular is a treat to listen to, but, as I said earlier on, the band as a whole sounds like a tight unit. Needless to say, these guys are pros.

This live release is an interesting companion to the "XXX" studio album, and in my opinion the songs sound somewhat better in a live environment compared to their studio counterparts, but maybe that is just me. If you were there in San Francisco on that particular night to witness this show or if you simply like ASIA then I suggest you check this release out. While I am not utterly blown away by it, I definitely think that it is an interesting release. Well worth checking out for sure.