Supertramp: Live In Paris (1979)

I've been waiting for the film of this legendary Supertramp concert to be released for years, as many of their fans have. In my opinion and in terms of record sales, this was one of the top acts of the 70's whether you loved them or not. This film captures the band at the height of it's powers in 1979, when they released the HUGE album "Breakfast in America" which really put them on the map as a global mega-selling hit making machine. Well deserved for Supertramp who started off their career with two decent albums that hardly got noticed, "Supertramp" (1970) and "Indelibly Stamped"(1971) at the start of the 70's--two records that did nothing to jump start their career, especially in an era where they were playing music that was a cross between The Beatles and Spooky Tooth when prog-rock bands like Rush, Yes and Genesis were beginning to stake their claim with 12 minute epic compositions. Not to say that Supertramp weren't talented, their career hinged on keyboardist/pianist Rick Davies blues and jazz leanings and guitarist Roger Hodgson's folky George Harrison and Beatle-esque songwriting chops. It just seemed that they didn't have the chemistry within the band line-up at the time but with the addition of new members that lead to the creation of the fantastic masterpiece "Crime of the Century" in 1974. Through the rest of the 70's this classic new line-up with Davies, Hodgson, John Helliwell on sax, Bob Benberg on drums, and Dougie Thomson on bass went on to record some great polished albums with Ken Scott behind the board and some moderate FM hits, "Dreamer", "Bloody Well Right", "Crime of the Century", "Give a Little Bit", etc. "Breakfast in America" was about as Beatle-esque that Supertramp could get while infusing their catchy hooks, melodies arrangements and musical interplay. It was the one album that had most of the bands hits, sadly it was the beginning of Hodgson's departure from the band, and less hits would follow throughout the 80's. Davies and Hodgson were poles apart musically and every album was a challenge to fuse the jazz and blues influences with the pop and rock influences. Their 1979 in Paris solidified their place in rock history forever. All one has to do is listen to how great the double live set "Paris" is. The concert features versions of their songs that are superior to the original album versions, top quality production as they were known for and they play each song note for note to perfection. The band is having fun onstage in this dvd, which on the album you get just a little sense of. John Helliwell is not only a superb saxophonist, but a humourous MC that truly fits Supertramp's onstage persona. The DVD packaging is great, and sadly there are no 2012/2013 interviews with the band which would have made this release much better. Also, some of the concert footage is not available and has been replaced with animations as bonus features. But there is always the live album for continuity. For the longest time I had to watch my copy of "Supertramp: the Story So Far" which is a great place to find more interviews, music videos and the history of the group as well as an okay German concert from 1983. But this Paris dvd is far better. The slight disappointment for me is that this wonderful dvd release comes at a time in the band's career all these years later, where Davies and Hodgson haven't resolved their decades long issues. A re-union would've been great to herald this release. So despite it all being bittersweet, this dvd still transports one back to a time in rock history where it was all about this great music and musicianship. Supertramp to me is up there with the Beatles, and this a great chance to see them in action and just really rocking these songs out. I am a big fan of Supertramp after all these years. I love their ability to write quirky pop/rock tunes with a sentimental vibe and at times social commentary, while also writing music that stands up well to all the prog-rock groups at the time. Supertramp fused all of those sensibilities into their sound, and made it far more entertaining and accessible. Great vocals and lyrics, excellent productions and performed with dynamics that give you the chills. I am fan of Davies' version of Supertramp and also Hodgson and his solo work, it's hard for me to not like anything that they both do. But what they created together in this classic line-up will always be their best work. Many fans are divided, but this would have never all been possible if they never met. I truly enjoy this awesome and amazing concert, it is great for both new fans and and old. It is a great introduction to the music of Supertramp and also for die hard fans. Don't get much better than this unless they have some more live gems in the vaults, but for me, this concert really wets the appetite. The sound quality is perfect!

Great that this was unearthed. I loved it. There are a couple of things to keep in mind though. This is an old film and does show its age. Temper your expectations. The audio restoration was well done but showed its age as well from time to time. Remember, the multi tracks are very old. You can only do so much with it. There is a moment where this was evident in a bonus audio track. I believe it was in the last 30 seconds of From Now On. Either Rick's voice was breaking unnaturally there or it was the tape. I'm not sure which. Looking past these few minor quibbles, the whole thing is a very satisfying experience and a must have. A true holy grail as others have mentioned. :) Update: I just discovered that my copy does not have DTS 5.1 audio at all. You press the option for it and all you get is the picture and no sound. I tried on 2 different setups and 2 different machines and got the same result. Weird but oh well. Everything else is fine though. At least I got Dolby Digital 5.1.

Fantastic concert! While I love all their hits (that's all I knew), I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Audio is 1st class - I used DTS 5.1 surround. Dolby 5.1 is also available. Video is good - no need to fuss about 1979 not being as good as today. With good video and outstanding audio, this is a great concert. These guys are very skilled and diverse in talents. This is a must have! If you only know a few songs, you'll still find this worth while.

If you are a fan of Supertramp, this is a must have DVD. This was when Supertramp was without a doubt in their "PRIME" and one of the top music groups of this era. This was during the "end" of disco and people were seeking a newer or different type of music, and Supertramp did not disappoint and had a string of hits during this time of the late 70's. This live concert has them singing most, if not all, their well known hits. They were definitely the "Super" part of their name back then and could fill stadiums with fans!

It was a joy to watch Supertramp Live in Paris after all these years. Their outstanding LP, Breakfast In America, has been a favorite of mine since it first came out in 1979: I was only 10 years old at the time and have loved it ever since. Because I never had the chance to see the classic line-up of the band perform in its prime, this is the next best thing I could hope for. And what a wonderful show it is! Among many highlights are the excellent sound quality and fine camera work, with many close-up shots of the band; Rick Davies' amazing piano solo during Child Of Vision; and Roger Hodgson's timeless anthem, Give A Little Bit. I cannot recommend this DVD highly enough. The only negative aspect of the package are the terrible, "newly created videos" that accompany the bonus tracks, which look like they were created by automated, PC slide-show software. Totally unnecessary. Thankfully, you don't even need to endure those bits: Just watch the show!

Supertramp's ivories were sure being tickled on a November night in 1979, just another concert in a huge tour prompted by the chart topping success of their latest album "Breakfast in America." Before an extremely excited audience at the Paris Pavilion, Supertramp delivered a colorful performance, captured here on the double live album simply titled "Paris," released in 1980. The group is in great condition, and just as enthusiastic as the appreciative audience. The magic of the album is not found in major variations or re-arrangements (because there are hardly any at all), but rather in the pure charm of a Supertramp performance. The English supergroup gives vigorous, dynamic readings of their hits such as `The Logical Song,' `Take the Long Way Home,' and `Bloody Well Right' and some of their most essential album pieces including `A Soapbox Opera,' the grand `Fool's Overture' and a dramatic version of `Crime of the Century' which contains even more feeling than the already powerful studio version. Another highlight is the lovelorn, jazzy `You Started Laughing" which features great melancholy saxophone work from John Helliwell. Bassist Dougie Thomson and drummer Bob C. Benberg shine with great musicianship, and the keyboards and vocals of songwriters Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies give the renditions their trademark Supertramp sound. The spoken banter to the audience is charming as well, though to understand most of it, one must be fluent in French. While "Paris" may not offer a wide variety of new variations, it remains an alluring item, and after all there are few musical experiences that are as worthwhile as an evening with Supertramp. The music here is catchy, dignified, often moving, and always rich in taste. The entire group as a unit pour their respective personalities into these masterful performances to give create the unmistakable quirky-yet-sophisticated English pop that made them such an entertaining admirable band.

OMG! Seen Daddy in Baltimore in 1979,BEST CONCERT I've ever seen, the pianos,organs drums clarinet vocals all in perfect harmony, NOW, I get to relive it all over (Except the Train in the background going about an Hundred miles per hour). Supertramp is a fine oiled band that you can never get tire of. Organist gave me the thunbs up while he was playing made me feel good, gave him a thumbs up too. Out of the 25-30 concerts I went to, Supertramp was the BEST, Steely Dan wasn't bad etheir, Sure brought back memories, even teared upalittle I was so excited to watch them again..Very Nice. Child of Vision is awesome!

Great Video of the Concert. I remember buying this album as a teenager and listening to it over and over..now this totally completes the picture for me. Sound has been re-mastered so you can crank it up. I really think the sound on this video is way BETTER than my original album..which always seemed a bit muffled. I have a Bose 5.1 system and it sounded amazing..and the video quality is exceptional for a concert filmed in the late 70's. Couldn't be happier!!

Supertramp haben mit "Paris" wirklich ein hervorragendes Live Album herausgebracht. Der Klang der Remaster Ausgabe ist genauso vorzüglich wie die Songauswahl. Anscheinend teilen Supertramp mit mir die Meinung, das "Crime Of The Century" ihr bestes Werk ist, denn es finden sich gleich 6 von 8 Songs dieses Albums von dem 1974 erschienenen "Crime Of The Century" auf "Paris", während das damals aktuelle Album "Breakfast In America" nur mit 3 von 10 Songs vertreten ist. So reduzieren sich die Songs von "Breakfast In America" auf die 3 Hits "The Logical Song", "Take The Long Way Home" und "Breakfast In America". Von "Crime Of The Century" werden neben den beiden Hits "School" und "Dreamer" auch "Bloody Well Right" und die 3 Übersongs "Hide In Your Shell", "Asylum" und Rudy" gespielt. Die Live Umsetzung aller Songs ist einfach großartig, nahezu makellos. Wenn es überhaupt etwas zu meckern gibt, ist es die Tatsache, das fast alle Songs 1:1 den Studio Fassungen gleichen. Dadurch geht etwas das "Live Feeling" verloren. Aber das ist Jammern auf hohem Niveau. Für mich ebenfalls erfreulich, das mit dem 11minütigen Epos "Fool's Overture" von dem Album "Even In The Quitest Moments" und "A Soapbox Opera" von "Crisis, What Crisis" zwei weitere meiner Lieblingsstücke auf "Paris" vertreten sind. Durch die perfekte Songauswahl ist aus "Paris" ein wahres Best Of Album geworden. Fazit: "Paris" bereitet dem Hörer ein wirklich tolles 90minütiges Musikerlebnis mit Songs, die auch nach über 30 Jahren nichts von ihrer Faszination verloren haben. Klare Kaufempfehlung!!

Tres bien

Super! l’album de Supertamp live à Paris. Des grands succès du groupe et un bon enregistrement live!

Excellent recording. So many top tracks on this live 2cd package.

As versões executadas neste concerto são muiuto identicas às versões de estudio.