First of all, I love live recordings because they show how good a band really is; everything that comes from a studio can be tuned, enhanced, pimped...
Secondly, I don't like acoustic strumming! Exceptions like RIO REISER / TON STEINE SCHERBEN, NIRVANA, JOHNNY CASH, etc. contradict this rule....
What's important in acoustic recordings is an expressive voice and a damn good beat. Both Rodi and 100 KILO HERZ actually have this, and yet I only like just over half of the 11 songs + the intro as the twelfth song, which were recorded during a unique acoustic show in September 2021 at the Leipzig "Gewandhaus".
Whenever there is noticeable activity in the songs, when the brass players blow hard into the trombone, trumpet, and saxophone, and when a piano can be heard from time to time, then the live songs sound almost like the corresponding 100 KILO HERZ studio recordings, and the songs invite you to dance and celebrate.
And then there’s the other side, where the 100 KILO HERZ songs just drift along and Rodi's voice is only accompanied by an acoustic guitar and a light drumming or the piano.
The lyrics come across even better this way, but personally, I find it too bland. I need a pompous fire, not a flickering tea light. But as I said, that's my subjective impression, and over 20 minutes, there is indeed some decent fire to be heard, but unfortunately not for the entire 38 minutes.
Aside from the extremely small white text on the black background of the second-to-last, the 31st booklet page, I like the whole packaging of the CD. Great pictures, great digi-sleeve....
