PERFORMANCE

I bought this album instead of PFM`s "Live in USA" because I knew that they had two drummers and one of the drummers was the lead singer (like Genesis in "Seconds Out"). I expected Progressive Music, because I have listened to "Chocolate Kings", "Live in USA" and "Photos of Ghosts". But I didn´t like "Performance". This album was recorded in Italy during PFM`s Eighties Pop Rock period. Most of the songs are simple. The mixing is not very good because the drums are more in the background. It wasn`t a good buy. Some day I`m going to buy their "Live in USA" CD.

Much like Banco's "Capolinea", this is a live album featuring some of the band's progressive songs morphed years later into pop garbage. Fortunately, I didn't actually buy this turkey; I listened to a used copy of the CD at a record store. This album doesn't deserve the minimum 50 words.

A good live, but without adrenalin. I've bought this work in LP. The songs are played without passion, but I've to give 3 stars to "PerForMance" because of string solo by Master Lucio "Violino" Fabbri, and for the excellent version of "Il Banchetto", with guitar solos by Mussida and Fabbri in place of the original sinth performance by Premoli (who left the band some years before). So, this work is not essential, but is even a pretty example of PFM's music in '80ies. Buy it only if you are a great PFM's evaluator.

Album recorded "live" in Florence on 24th of July 1981, "Performance" was originally released as a double album and now it's available on a single CD. In "Performance" most of the tracks are taken from the albums "Suonare suonare" (1980) and "Come ti va in riva alla città" (1981), but here the songs are dilated and improved if compared to the studio versions. This album is not exactly a "progressive" one, but the members of band seem to enjoy their music and their musicianship is still astounding. Franz Di Cioccio tries to "reinvent" his role in the band, acting as a "frontman", so there's a second drummer in the line up, Walter Calloni. The result is good, the music is full of energy and you can "feel" the interaction between the band and the public. All the musicians have some space to show their skills and sometimes they give a title to their "solos and improvisations" (for instance "Vai Zivas" is the bass solo included in "Quartiere otto", "Lory" is a kind of "guitar intro" to "Suonare suonare", "Violino performance" is the "solo moment" of Lucio Fabbri.).

Interesting the live versions of the only two tracks of the early seventies included in this album: "Il banchetto" here is re-arranged with a curious rock feeling and with a great guitar work (at a certain point, it's like if they would have tried to insert The Knack's "My Sharona" rhythm inside that old masterpiece. the result is weird but not bad at all!), while "Celebration" is dilated to let Franz Di Cioccio interact with the public (the result here is not memorable, though perhaps interesting for the fans)

In the whole a good album, although not an essential one in a prog collection.

The RPI (and related) live reviews series vol.10

Not exactly Prog album. But if is your problem the 80's music of PFM isn't your music. For me is good music because the power of PMF is exactly all in this album. I have the doubt that in 80's another musical road for PFm and othe Dinosaurs Prog giants was good. And in fact the PFM remain the group more convincing with its 80's songs. Because it is true is great POP. This live present one band at the maximum level of power. But this live don't have the power of "Live in USA" or the two chapter with Fabrizio De André. Not for this songs like "Maestro Della Voce", "Quartiere Otto", "Suonare Suonare", "Si Può Fare" or "Come Ti Va" aren't good. And the Prog is present in "Violino Performance", "Il Banchetto" and "Celebration". Yes, this is only a typical 80's live album from a 70's band. But extremely good.

Quite disappointing. I heard about this album still in the 80´s but only recently I had the opportunity to listen to it as a single CD (instead of the original double LP set). It was 1982 and I was not really expecting a PFM Cook part !!, but at least some serious performances (excuse the pun). In the end you get the feeling that it might have been a good show to be at, with drummer Di Cioccio acting as the master of cerimonies. The man does a decent job as vocalist (in fact, better than their former singer Bernardo Lanzetti) but he also give too much focus on a showmanship and lots fo talking to the public. It may be ok when you´re there watching it, but on record not so much (specially if you don´t talk italian well). For live shows they added drummer Walter Calloni to the line up.

When the band is actually playing things improve a bit. Those guys lost none of their usual musical prowness, although I do miss Flavio Premoli and his symphonic keyboards (here replaced by Lucio Fabbri, who also doubles on the violin). The tracklist is based mostly on their previous two more pop oriented albums, and some stuff is actually better than their studio counterparts, but that´s not enough when one knows their glorious prog of just few years past. There is simply too much noodling, too many solos, too much talking. few full songs and only two classic tracks: a just good version of Il Banchetto and a bad version of Celebration.

Actually I think I should have listened to this album more times before I write a review, but I really didn´t fell like doing it. It´s not worth the trouble and I don´t usually like albums like this one. A real let down. Are these the same guys who gave us masterpieces like The World Became The World, Photos Of Ghosts and PFM Cook? (Not really) They should have more care and respect for their audience. Performance is juts too littlle for such talented guys. If you want to hear them live try to get PFM Cook first. And only buy this one after hearing it beforehand.

Rating: two stars.