Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Not exactly a bootleg because AA's record company are releasing it but I quibble! In the spirit of a bootleg this makes a virtue of the raw passion of an Audio Adrenaline gig with no studio fiddly bits added later. Recorded over five nights at different venues and stripped of all gloss, the band are much more rocky than some of their studio work would credit. This is dominated by funky chunky guitar and the in-your-face vocal performances. The thundering pace of the show is punctuated very effectively by a couple of down tempo numbers, the incredibly powerful "Scum Sweetheart", about those who choose to fall in love with the world, and the tender ballad "Rest Easy". The message come through loud and clear and after the wonderful singalong version of "Big House", the crowd star in a rousing version of "Happy And You Know It" clapping their hands in all the right places. 'Live Bootleg' shows that an AA gig is an uncompromising event and somehow the rough reality of the recording only adds to the power of the gospel presentation. Just makes me wish they'd tour over here! Until then I'll continue to spin this disc and bop about my lounge to "Big House"!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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