NewsDavid Bowie’s Welcome To The Blackout (Live London ’78) gets a 2CD release
In a not entirely unexpected move, Parlophone will issue David Bowie‘s Welcome To the Blackout (Live London ’78) as a two-CD set in June.
This live album was taken from performances in London in June/July 1978 on Bowie’s Isolar II tour and was mixed by Bowie and David Richards a month after the tour ended, in January 1979.
The recordings were unreleased until Record Store Day 2018, when this was issued as a triple vinyl package and it became the best-selling release from that day.
The two-CD edition of Welcome To the Blackout will be issued on 29 June 2018. On the same date, a red vinyl edition of the Christiane F. soundtrack will be released on RED vinyl, along with a 10-inch black vinyl edition of the Baal EP (the tracks from which were included on Re:Call 3 in the A New Career In A New Town box set). Both of these vinyl releases will only be available in ‘Bricks and Mortar’ record stores (i.e. physical shops).
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David Bowie
Welcome To The Blackout (Live London '78)
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Welcome To the Blackout (Live London ’78)
CD 1
1. Warszawa (Live)
2. “Heroes” (Live)
3. What In The World (Live)
4. Be My Wife (Live)
5. The Jean Genie (Live)
6. Blackout (Live)
7. Sense Of Doubt (Live)
8. Speed Of Life (Live)
9. Sound And Vision (Live)
10. Breaking Glass (Live)
11. Fame (Live)
12. Beauty And The Beast (Live)
CD 2
1. Five Years (Live)
2. Soul Love (Live)
3. Star (Live)
4. Hang On To Yourself (Live)
5. Ziggy Stardust (Live)
6. Suffragette City (Live)
7. Art Decade (Live)
8. Alabama Song (Live)
9. Station To Station (Live)
10. TVC 15 (Live)
11. Stay (Live)
12. Rebel Rebel (Live)
CHRISTIANE F. – WIR KINDER VOM BAHNOFF ZOO
Red vinyl LP
Side 1:
V-2 Schneider
TVC 1
“Heroes/Helden”
Boys Keep Swinging
Sense Of Doubt
Side 2:
Station To Station
Look Back In Anger
Stay
Warszawa
DAVID BOWIE IN BERTOLT BRECHT’S BAAL
10” vinyl EP
Side 1:
Baal’s Hymn (Der Choral Vom Großen Baal)
Remembering Marie A. (Erinnerung An Die Marie A.)
Side 2
Ballad Of The Adventurers (Die Ballad Von Den Abenteurern)
The Drowned Girl (Vom Ertrunkenen Mädchen)
The Dirty Song
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For what it’s worth, in the US the release date was just bumped to July 3rd.
I ordered from Amazon and can down the Autorip MP3s. Maybe the demand for physical media was higher than they thought, or they spelled Adrian Belew’s name as Adrian Bellew. :)
My error, it was released today. Amazon US decided they can’t deliver it to me until next week, despite promising release day delivery.
I have read this happened to some folks with the Buffalo Springfield box.
You can also still order ‘Welcome To The Blackout’ on vinyl for 35 EUR (+p&p) from HHV.de
https://www.hhv.de/shop/de/artikel/david-bowie-welcome-to-the-blackout-live-london-1978-581063?p=7xyHIO
Paul
Haver you ever noticed that anything Bowie generates @ least 100 commnets. I just wanted to be # 99 and I will buy this for sure
J
Not brickwalled or compressed please!
I’m really glad the Bowie estate is doing these post-RSD digital releases. For those of us who couldn’t get Cracked Actor or Blackout on vinyl, at least we get *something*. BTW – Blackout will also have both standard and high-res download and streaming releases, as well.
Elton John, are You listening (17/11/70 + digital releases??!!)?
the vinyl is still in loads of shops for people who want it
they made a ton of em this year
http://transmissionrecords.co.uk/shop/david-bowie-wttb-3lp/
Thanx to all for the info on the Baal DVD. Cheapest UK price for this set appears to be at Zavvi for £26 or was £27 – can’t remember now, but a heck of a lot cheaper than Amazon’s money grubbing prices! Would buy it if I hadn’t been hit with a huge bill recently.
Amazon US has it up now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D2XSSP2/
In regards to the Alan Clarke box set (I know, I know, enough already!)… as best I can tell, it is only available as a “PAL / Region 2” DVD, rendering it useless to North Americans…
Isn’t it about time we had a “new” dvd/ blu ray release from the Bowie camp? We’ve had nothing since well before he passed away.
I own a 2cd set of Bowie at glastonbury, called live at midnight. It walks all over all of Bowie’s recent official live releases.
YUP
This live-album gets very good reviews and that is why I am very glad that Parlophone is going to release this album on CD. I want to have this one !
Paul,
If I mention “Hitler” .. would you turn the post off again for a while?
Meantime, missing Bowie….
Steve
I think any excitement I might have had for “new” Bowie releases has been depleted at this point. In this case, I could be wrong, but I like Stage just fine and can’t imagine this is THAT much different. It looks like it might be the better of the two just for the longer track list, but I’m not sure I find it necessary to buy it just to get those extra tracks, only one of which (Sound and Vision) seems to be from that era. As much as I like Stage, his interpretations of the pre-Station to Station material seems perfunctory–the sound of an artist cranking through some hits as a concession to fans after the newer stuff he was really interested in.
Stage always sounded a bit flat to me.
I assumed it was part of the cold, bleak chic.
I don’t know if himself had more or less cocaine on the day Blackout was recorded but this set is £d and colour to Stage’s 2D b/w take on the same set.
Waiting for a USA pre-order. I always get nervous when it doesn’t appear right away.
Aw no! Just received the vinyl version from ebay – brilliant content and sound but I thought it was exclusive to vinyl otherwise would have waited for the CD format which I much prefer. Ah well, back to ebay! (I was at both nights in London – really brought back memories – even remember some of the Bowie chat after 40 years. Frightening!)
I was there too, with my beautiful girlfriend, Karina, of the time – also a Bowie freak. Apart from what I recall was a wonderful evening – I only went to one concert – I had the opportunity to speak to the late Phil Lynott who was just taking in the atmosphere when we bumped into him. Can’t recall what was said, but he was friendly and polite and not at all the ‘big rock star’ on a night out type. God, how I miss those days of my late teen youth! And Bowie, and Karina…
well that was bound to happen as it did with Cracked Actor. I reckon a good one for the next RSD would be Bowie live in Bangkok in 1983. That would be amazing!
Just a thought – why does the Christiane F release have a picture of Bowie from the Glassw Spider tour? (Or am I wrong?)
You’re wrong.
Steve W: I can see why you jumped to that (incorrect) conclusion.
Ah, okay. It looked a LOT like that Glass Spider tour picture. I thought that it was an odd mistake.
I’ve not listened to it properly I was holding out for cd so now I’m happy., but I have heard them on bootlegs. I actually love stage, particularly the low, heroes & ziggy tracks. heroes & blackout for me are the definitive live versions and I don’t expect them to be beat.
the next box set will probably be announced around July time I guess and I look forward to this one the most. I am just hoping finally we get live audio for the brilliant serious moonlight tour.
Bad choice for a cover, Looks like he is saluting Hitler
Don’t be ridiculous…he’s clearly holding the mic stand. There are other pics where he looks like he’s doing a Nazi salute if you look for them (Victoria Station) but not this one
That’s a little unfair methinks – he has his hand on the microphone! How was he supposed to hold it without raising his arm?
No it doesn’t, it looks like he’s resting on a mike stand. Unless you believe it’s actually a Nazi salute support stand. Why do people say these things?.
Unlikely. Hitler was dead by 1978.
Nonsense. He was just waving at Mussolini.
Comments are temporarily being switched off for all recent posts. Should be back on again soon.
The Bowie live CD is now £12.99p on Amazon.
Why don’t they release the Baal EP as a 2-disc set that includes the DVD of the play…I’d buy it!
Why don’t they release Baal on CD. Then I’d buy it.
It’s in the box set of course, although only as part of Re:Call 3. I agree it really should be given a standalone CD release after all these years.
Wish they would release some shows from the Outside tour
This is a good point. I feel like the 70’s are pretty well-represented in terms of live material by this point–I’ve got a Ziggy show (Motion Picture), soul show (David Live), Isolar show (Nassau ’76), and Isolar II show (Stage)–but I’d happily pay for an Outside tour live album–especially if they could work out the legalities and include the Nine Inch Nails part, either the their whole set or just the “duet” portion. I saw that show, and was really there for NIN. I was a complete Bowie neophyte, and knew practically nothing about him at the time. I wish I could go back and see it knowing everything I know now, as it might just be my favorite era of his.
Chances are that by this time next year they will be focussing on the 1980s as each of the releases so far correspond with the box set era that has been released the previous september.
I think its great that we are having all these Bowie releases and reissues BUT i’m wondering what will happen once we get to the end of the schedule? will there be anything left in the vault?
With the release of Cracked Actor and mow this, are we set for a “new” Bowie release every year? If so, any likely contenders for what’s coming next?
When do the yearly box sets usually get announced?
I’m still certain they’ll call it “Too Dizzy”!
I really love the vinyl, it’s a great performance. Will certainly be happy to have it on CD.
It’s certainly a better listen than the Berlin ’78 LP that’s being sold at the Brooklyn Museum exhibit. The Berlin ’78 LP is actually mastered at the wrong speed, it plays too slow. Paul, I know it was a limited edition item, but is there any chance that you have a contact at Parlophone who you could mention that to?
I’m comfortable highlighting the faults with Parlophone Bowie releases, but i’m reasonably convinced that this one does in fact run at the correct speed. A fairly rough sounding audience tape has circulated for many years and the official release syncs almost perfectly with that. The drum beat at the end makes it pretty easy to line them up.
Now if you want to talk about the ‘corrected’ Heroes album which still runs slow for it’s entirety, happy to chat.
By “this one” I mean Berlin 78 runs at the correct speed.
What makes me think that the Berlin ’78 is slow is that all the songs are in a key 1/2 step lower than their counterparts on both “Stage” and “Welcome to the Blackout”. (i.e. “Heroes” is normally in the key of D, on Berlin it’s in D-flat.) I suppose it’s possible that the band was playing the songs in a different key on that night, but that doesn’t seem too likely.
I am so totes not feeling any love for that cover…
@markieface
It’s awful isn’t it. Even if accidental, it’s impression / inference to me is actually offensive. Who on earth passed it as OK? Surely Bowie would have been really pissed off and said…..NO.
What do you dislike about the cover? Looks fine to me – Black and White shot, same as Heroes. It even uses the Heroes font.
It’s very stylish… the way the typography follows the angle of his arm. I think it’s superb, myself.
@Dean and @Paul
Surely I’m not the only one who remembers the Victoria Station 1976 “event”, where the gutter press claimed Bowie gave a Nazi salute due to an unfortunate photo of him mid-waving to fans….
Yes, I’m aware of that…
I’m not sure what that has to do with this cover. Well, unless every picture of Bowie raising an arm is to be forgotten. This is a live shot, tipping its hat to an album that was contemporary to the time. That’s all.
When are we going to get the unreleased toy album. Got on bootleg but needs an official release please please please!!!
@Phil Roberts
“When are we going to get the unreleased Toy album..”
I know what you mean, but in the meantime, almost all of Toy was officially released eventually, on Heathen’s CD singles, on the Nothing Has Changed compilation, and other releases.
Picked up a copy of the Welcome To The Blackout triple vinyl in Faro, Portugal yesterday for 33 Euro from FNAC
I need the red vinyl crap for a birthday present. When is release date? Anyone help? Xx
You could read the post…
Why bother…? ;-))
Good to know about a 2CD release of Blackout…now no need for the triple vinyl RSD…now what about a CD release of that Berlin vinyl from the Bowie exhibit?? I know it’s the same tour but I hear Blackout is a better show…i still need that ANCIANT box, but Baal is in it, so no need for that 10″… As for Christiane F, was that ever on CD?? But I may buy the vinyl anyway because it’s red, and I’ve always been a sucker for coloured vinyl…no matter who or what it is…
Yes Christianne F was released on CD many many years ago.
Not only that, but it’s very cheap to buy. Not to mention, wholly unnecessary.
No one dares to say it, as this is David Bowie but this s is a bit of an unnecessary release if you ask me. We have Stage, Cracked Actor, Nassau Colliseum, Santa Monica, DB Live, how many other 70’s live albums from Bowie do we need? Why not release the missing Ryko bonus tracks? We are being flooded with Bowie money grabs, I hope the next box set includes all 80’s remixes. I’m ok with his 70’s live stuff, don’t need more.
You omitted ‘Ziggy Stardust – Motion Picture Soundtrack’ K, and while I understand your point completely, I myself wouldn’t mind something else live from the Aladdin era. Historic though the Hammersmith show was, David’s voice – indeed David himself – was road-weary by that night. Going back a bit further, the Carnegie Hall 1972 show tapes were dusted off and worked on many years ago, so one could expect to see that at some point in the not-too-near future. Whilst here, ‘Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story’ is out on CD and Vinyl on June 8th, I hope all us DB fans will get a copy to remember this superb musician and, by all accounts, person.
I thought it quite telling that post RSD I could find lots of online tales of people snapping up copies of WTTB, but barely any reviews or even passing comments as to whether it was any good. Ah well, times change.
You have to track these releases. Here’s how it’s working: New box set comes out covering a period of the discography. The following RSD, you get a live album from the same period, but one that was not officially released at time time – therefore not suitable for the narrow focus of the boxes.
In other words, the next Bowie box covers the Let’s Dance era. I’d wager that RSD next year we get a Serious Moonlight show.
at THE time.
“No one dares to say it, as this is David Bowie but this s is a bit of an unnecessary release if you ask me. We have Stage”
Far, far better musical and vocal performance of the 78 Tour than ‘Stage’. What this release actually does is make ‘Stage’ redundant.
Any download codes on Baal and C.F?
No official word as far as I know, but Parlophone don’t usually include download codes with their Bowie vinyl.
I was there on 1st July 1978 [the only time he played ‘Sound & Vision’ so this concert holds special memories for me though why the previous nights tracks have been mixed with this nights is any ones guess…?
Very cool! Great memories, I’m sure…
Well, I’ve now pre-ordered the cd having missed it on RSD. Bit puzzled on the Baal reissue, I mean it IS great but the original vinyl isn’t that hard to get. Bit torn on the Christiane F sonudtrack as it’s essentially a compilation and I generally don’t bother with those. Hmmm…
yeah, with regard to the Christiane F Soundtrack – if only they’d have had a box set gathering up music from the period that they could have given it away in, without having to buy it separately… ??? …. Hmmm ….well at least they are releasing it now at a premium price for all the fans, that’s mighty mighty good of them!
@frankiegoestomorrisons
Even with vinyl’s current trendy nature, a good condition original RCA LP of Christiane F would be what, £15 at a European record fair? Likely less. CD completists can save considerably more and get the EMI Christiane F CD which was in print for years, currently the princely sum of £2.58 on amazon marketplace…
Baal was never a 10”.
It was a 7” and 12”, both gatefold. So it’s not a replica, which newer collectors would probably have appreciated.
Bought the Blackout 3LP on RSD. Played it once and it sounds GREAT. BTW; good to know that
the “red vinyl edition of the Christiane F. soundtrack will be released on RED vinyl”. Cheers, Paul!
I guess Christiane F. will also be released on CD, a 2017 or 2018 remaster like all the others.
The Christiane F. comp is a favorite of mine, maybe my favorite single disc to listen to from Bowie, if I had to pick. It gathers a lot of my favorites from that perfect period of his work, so I will be happy to get the red vinyl.
As for the live one, I love Stage myself and am not sure it is worth it for me to have another one so close to being the same concert… I had been a completist on this stuff, but feel like I need to draw the line somewhere and one concert album per tour seems about right for me unless there is something very unique about a particular set.
I think I’m the only person alive who bought the RSD vinyl and has actually played it (as opposed to everybody else who bought it just to sell, or bought it to store unopened), and can say that it’s superb. It absolutely knocks the spots off Stage.
Also great to see Baal and Christiane F. getting vinyl releases — although my wallet hopes there isn’t much more ‘new’ Bowie to buy before whatever box set might come out in the autumn. What with the RSD releases, the Brooklyn exhibition vinyl and various other bits and pieces, it’s been an expensive year to be a Bowie fan.
It’ll be a whole lot more expensive when that 3-grand limited edition of ‘Ricochet’ with an exclusive ‘Let’s Dance’ picture disc comes out!
Agreed – Blackout is terrific. Superior to Stage in my book.
Now £12.99?
The CD release of Blackout was to be expected. I wonder if there’ll be a limited initial release in digifile packaging as was done with Cracked Actor last year?
@ Simon F: Baal is actually available on DVD (and Blu-Ray) but only as part of Alan Clarke At The BBC box sets so it’s quite expensive.
According to Burning Shed: “Initial copies of the CD are packaged in a six-panel digipak with rare photos from Sukita and Chris Walters. Double CD in digipak.”
Will there be a limited digipak first, replaced by a standard jewel case version like “Cracked Actor” last Year?
@Ken There is a vinyl rip of WTTB on YouTube – it’s a tremendous recording. Stage pales in comparison.
Re: the sound. Personally, it’s a far better document than either version of Stage. Superb sound (to my ears anyway!)
Totally agree, WTTB is a great concert (great sounding, too), in my opinion right up there with Santa Monica and Nassau Coliseum.
I had hoped that the Baal EP would be included as a separate inclusion in the last box set and not as part of the Re:Call 3 disc. At least we finally get a proper re-issue of it.
This is all very welcome stuff. I had both Christiane F and Baal on vinyl back in the day. I still think that Baal is one of Bowie’s most underrated projects; I remember watching the play on TV as well – did not understand it at all, but WTH it was David Bowie on TV doing drama! It would be great to see the play issued on DVD but I expect that instead it will remain quietly rotting away in the BBC vaults. Think I may snap up all three of these; always wished that Baal had been given it’s own sleeve in the ANCIANT box set instead of just being chucked in with the rest of the singles on Re:Call 3. It deserves better!
Agree, re Baal.
It is available on DVD. You have to buy it as part of a box set comprising all of Alan Clarke’s TV work but it’s there.
Baal has been out on DVD for a while, and blu-ray, but only as part of a box set. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alan-Clarke-BBC-Disruption-6-DVD/dp/B01BGX19JU/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1526491429&sr=1-2&keywords=alan+clarke
Baal is available in DVD, although in a big expensive box set: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01BGX19JU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6Ug.AbGC26MX6
Baal has been available on dvd for over a year – it’s in the Alan Clarke at the BBC volume 2 : Disruption box set (most worthwhile IMHO).
As a point of order, I think we now all know that Baal is available on DVD as part of the Alan Clarke box set!!
I’ve got the Alan Clarke box set. #smug
Is that with Eric Bell or Brian Robertson on guitar???
I was hoping this would be released on CD, similar to ‘Craked Actor’ last year.
Also, love the new T-shirts Paul!
Thanks!
So how does this compare to Stage? I guess this is from two-to-three months later in the tour. The setlists seem similar but with a few differences (much like David Live vs. Cracked Actor, although those were actually different band personnel which is somewhat noticeable) – I haven’t heard the RSD release or heard it in any form yet, can anyone comment?
Ken, there’s a vinyl rip on YouTube. I think it’s a brilliant album, better than Stage. The band is on fire and Bowie sounds great.
As for Baal, a 10″ single sounds good, and the original liner notes will be welcome. I wish they’d included it in the ANCIANT box rather than that unnecessary Heroes EP compilation.
Likewise, would be very interested to know how this compares to Stage. Can anyone who had heard both offer some thoughts?
(Will probably buy it anyway.)
Wttb knocks spots off of stage.
I was at these gigs and recall being so disappointed with the mix, omissions and altered order of songs.
When I heard blackout it was 1978, I was 17 again, sitting (but not for long) in row 6 at Earl’s court again.
Yes, IMHO it’s far superior!
I’ve noticed a trend with these kinds of things. Whenever something like this comes out, people say it’s better than the comparable release. I’m not convinced it’s actually “better”. I suspect it’s “new”, and therefore a more exciting listen. Only time will tell, I guess.
That said, Stage is Stage. I’ve always loved it. I’m sure I’ll enjoy this too.
I love Stage too. His most underrated 70s album? That’s why I’m so curious to know what this will be like.
I like it ‘n I’ll buy it! Bring on the 80’s & especially 90’s boxsets which should be expected in the next 2 years!