To celebrate The Specials’ appearance at the Hyde Park Olympic Games Concert alongside Blur and New Order, representing the best of British music, EMI have released a live document of the band – the ‘best of the best’ tracks taken from the band’s 2011 European tour dates.
As one of the UK’s most important and influential bands of all-time, The Specials recent reformation and subsequent live shows were a culturally defining event as the multi-racial band who brought the world the revolutionary 2-Tone movement, fusing punk and ska and much more besides, toured the UK and Europe playing to tens of thousands of people, many of whom never got to see the remarkable band in their heyday.
The Specials have always been considered one of the UK’s greatest, most incendiary live bands and this 26 song, 2CD collection (also available on double vinyl) proves what became legend was always true, then, and, once again, now. Starting off in Amsterdam and doing a kind of clockwise trek around Europe, which included Berlin, Munich, Milan, Cologne, Hamburg, Paris and Brussels, then Moved onto the UK which included Manchester, Glasgow, Nottingham, Cardiff, Coventry, London and more. The band moved from sell out show to sell out show.
It’s a live set of exceptional quality, and was recorded at different venues in Europe and the UK during the 2011 tour. The band have selected the best of all the live recordings. It’s a set in which the audience play a crucial role, cheering the band on and singing on many tracks, but always adding to the excitement rather than proving a distraction. And the songs about race, unemployment, or the importance of have a great time, still sound as rousing, thoughtful and relevant as ever.
Double CD
CD 1
1. A Message To You Rudy
2. Do The Dog
3. It’s Up To You
4. Nite Klub
5. Doesn’t Make It Alright
6. Concrete Jungle
7. Too Hot
8. Monkey Man
9. (Dawning Of A) New Era
10. Blank Expression
11. Stupid Marriage
12. Too Much Too Young
13. Little Bitch
14. You’re Wondering Now
CD 2
1. Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)
2. Rat Race
3. Man At C&A
4. Hey Little Rich Girl
5. Do Nothing
6. Pearl’s Cafe
7. Stereotype
8. Ghost Town
9. Friday Night, Saturday Morning
10. International Jet Set
11. Gangsters
12. Guns Of Navarone
Vinyl Album
Side 1
1. A Message To You Rudy
2. Do The Dog
3. It’s Up To You
4. Nite Klub
5. Doesn’t Make It Alright
6. Concrete Jungle
7. Too Hot
Side 2
1. Monkey Man
2. (Dawning Of A) New Era
3. Blank Expression
4. Stupid Marriage
5. Too Much Too Young
6. Little Bitch
7. You’re Wondering Now
Vinyl 2
Side 1
1. Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)
2. Rat Race
3. Man At C&A
4. Hey Little Rich Girl
5. Do Nothing
6. Pearl’s Cafe
Side 2
1. Stereotype
2. Ghost Town
3. Friday Night, Saturday Morning
4. International Jet Set
5. Gangsters
6. Guns Of Navarone
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