Archive #828285 (Live)

Cabaret Voltaire were among the experimental voices of the late ‘70s and most of the ‘80s. The group's approach to music was so far ahead of its time that it could easily be mistaken for a modern group from the 21st century. Except where current bands have new technology working in their favor, Cabaret Voltaire were at their wits’ end finding ways to make "found" sounds work with their improvisations. Now, there’s no better way for CV’s chief architect Richard H. Kirk to relaunch his Intone label than with this three-album set documenting Cabaret Voltaire's live work in Liverpool, Sheffield, and Toronto in 1982 and 1985. The recordings start just after Chris Watson (organ, tapes) had left the group and CV started exploring a funkier direction. The June 12, 1982, Liverpool performance features drum machines and bass by soundman Oz, with dialog samples interrupting the unusually laid-back grooves. Not surprisingly, the Aug. 27, 1982, performance at the Sheffield Lyceum contains some duplicated material (an excellent “Gut Level”), slightly truncated due to the venue’s curfew. The May 5, 1985, performance illustrates the band's serious shift toward industrial-electro sounds that allow for actual dancing.