IN CONCERT (BBC RADIO 1)

A stunningly well recorded and played set, featuring music from "Free Hand", ""the Power and the Glory and the "Missing piece", it makes a really nice change to hear a different live set as many live recording seem to be from the same period. OK perhaps "betcha you thought " and "Mountain time" are not up to the very high standard we had grown to expect from this great band, but otherwise this is a corking set and one wonders what the encore would have been. We are left rather high and dry, with them ending this set with their worse number to date. Strangely mountain time sounds like it could have been left off "Gentle Giant", and in a sense the band has come full circle. In retrospect trying to commercialize their sound was a big mistake, but even so "The missing piece" is far from rubbish, when it is strong it is very enjoyable. This live recording proves that they were far from a spent force and were delivering the goods live. For GG fans this has to be a compulsory buy "just the same" alone would justify the price.

As for Derek's later business deals, it is clear he could recognize a winner, such a shame he was unable to turn GG into a commercial success, without compromising. In the end trying to do pop was a big mistake, even if GG remained a corking live band right up to the last bar of the last encore. This live set is worthy of slightly more than 4 stars and to GG fans its a 5. I will stick with 4 though for the general public as it would make an excellent addition to any prog music collection.