Supertramp: Live In Paris 79

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Submitted by Dennis Russo on Sun, 03/02/2025 - 15:22

It hasn't been all that long since I last played Supertramp's Breakfast in America album. As one of my favorite records from my high school years, I find myself pulling it out of my collection and playing several of its tracks almost weekly.

So, when I heard that Mercury Studios was releasing a 2-CD set recorded live in Paris at the Pavillon de Paris during the Breakfast in America tour, I knew I had to hear it. Not only because I love their music but also because I missed out on seeing them live at the time—a chance at personal redemption, you might say.

Comprised of members Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson, Dougie Thomson, Bob Siebenberg, and John Anthony Helliwell, this concert captures Supertramp at their peak, delivering everything I would have hoped to hear from this lineup back in the day.

The 2-disc set comes in a nicely designed tri-fold cover, complete with a small booklet that includes photos and information about the band, their history, the tour, and all the participants involved in the concert.

When I put the first disc in and settled in to listen, I admit I wasn’t immediately blown away by the sound. The first and second songs, “School” and “Ain’t Nobody But Me,” respectively, sounded a bit, well, "closed"—for lack of a better word. Everything seemed to exist on the same aural plane, lacking the depth I expected. This might have been due to the heavy keyboard presence in those tracks, which seemed a tad too overpowering for the vocals. Don’t get me wrong—it didn’t sound bad by any means, but it was missing that nth degree of clarity and depth I had come to expect from a Mercury Studios product.

As I continued to listen, I began to wonder if this was simply how the original recordings were. Even though it was remixed by Pete Henderson, the band’s original sound engineer and co-producer, perhaps this was the best that could be done with the master tapes. However, these doubts were completely erased as soon as the band started in on “The Logical Song.” Suddenly, the depth and openness that had been missing were now present in vivid, living color. The soundstage opened up beautifully, with a wonderful sense of space and depth between the band members, allowing the textures of their voices and the timbres of their instruments to shine through.

Song after song was executed to perfection. Too often, concerts from this era fell short of the sound albums produced because those albums were so overproduced and overdubbed that it was nearly impossible for bands to recreate them live. Not here. If it weren't for minor fluctuations in vocal inflections or timing, it would have been like listening to the albums themselves—only with the added excitement and energy of the musicians and the audience.

This concert includes all of my favorite Supertramp songs, so of course, I’m going to say they were the highlights. You may have your own favorites, but they’re all fantastic!

“The Logical Song,” “Dreamer,” “Take the Long Way Home,” “Give a Little Bit,” “Breakfast in America”—each track brought a smile to my face and heart, made even more special by the wonderful way this set was mixed. Vocals were dead center when solo and close-knit but still discernibly separate when harmonizing—likewise with the instruments.

For instance, on “Give a Little Bit,” the acoustic guitar and saxophone had a palpable texture, with the leading edges of the notes sounding as if they were right in front of me. The vocals were incredibly vibrant and alive. During the solo, the lead vocal was dead center, and as others joined in, you could hear the separate voices spread across the soundstage—or you could, as I did, simply listen to them all as one harmonious blend. It was wonderful.

“Dreamer” was so crisp and clear that it could have been recorded yesterday. Every note on the keyboards was succinct and crystal-clear, and when they all sang together, it was marvelous.

On “Take the Long Way Home,” the harmonica sounded like it was lifted right off the album! This song, for me, captured the essence of concert perfection.

As for “Fool’s Overture,” the background was so quiet that when the keyboards came in, it was as if they were floating right in front of me. As Big Ben chimed in the background with an excerpt from Sir Winston Churchill’s famous WWII speech, I could truly appreciate the depth of the soundstage. As more instruments joined in, the soundstage filled wonderfully—always clear, whether notes or words, no matter the tempo.

It was neat hearing them speak to the audience in French between songs. I may not have understood what they said, but the audience's enthusiastic reactions spoke volumes. The crowd noise was also captured perfectly—not too loud to obscure the music, but not too soft to lose the clapping or occasional sing-alongs.

The last song on this set is “Crime of the Century.” With its keyboard and guitar work, it always had a hint of a Pink Floyd vibe to me—though it was distinctly a Supertramp song. Unlike the big crescendo finales that many bands favor, this was a more cerebral and fitting conclusion.

To summarize, this set is a wonderful snapshot of the band at their best, and Pete Henderson did a fabulous job remixing the sound. For those too young to have been there, this is your chance to hear Supertramp at their peak. For those who, like me, are old enough to remember them but never got to see them live, this is the next best thing. And for those lucky enough to have seen them back then—well, now I understand just how fortunate you were.

I cannot recommend this set highly enough, and if you think I love it—well, you’d be bloody well right. Missing out on this would indeed be the Crime of the Century!

Songs:

CD 1