May was a busy month for the League as they played a variety of swinging hotspots across Europe. 17 days out from the start of their mission to revibe the dance floors with their own brand of slightly off-whack bopping, the team use the pre-gig soundcheck at Maison du Peuple, to try out a new number, Minor Man. Clearly they decide to do some more work on it as the tune doesn’t make it onto that night’s set list.
A crystal clear recording has the band in sharp and clear focus, with Barry Andrew’s organ nicely up in the mix and Johnny Toobad’s snare cracking like a whip. There’s a variety of red-hot lines served up by Robert as you would hope for at a League gig. Highlights include the rippling lines near the end of Boy At Piano; the rush and push of Christian Children Marching Singing as everyone finely balances on Sara Lee’s beautiful see-saw bassline; the “whoah! What just happened there” moment from the crowd at the end of the punishing brutality of Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx I.
If there is a downside to this concert it is that the crowd are somewhat more subdued than what we’re used to hearing at a gig by the League. Don’t let that put you off though. Pristine sound and a band that’s pushing at the edges of what they can do sounds like a win-win situation.
