Jethro Tull- Live at Madison Square Garden 1978

Virgin/EMI
2009

This live DVD/CD set contains the band's international TV broadcast from October 9th, 1978 plus an audio only segment on the DVD and the accompanying CD contains an edited version of the concert. First let's get at the DVD. The audio only section contained three songs and they sounded good, but I was impatient to get to the actual performance so a still picture with the audio playing didn't completely satisfy me. Soon enough the TV performance begins and Ian Anderson launch into a spectacular set. They come across true performers both in sound and sight. Anderson is all over the place and the sound is thick and often frantic as they bring together elements of folk, prog rock, hard rock and more into their own unique presentation. The picture quality is slightly fuzzy, but the sound is vibrant as a unit they certainly knew how to put on a show. Their talent shines through, but more than anything you can tell they are having a lot of fun and the audience just feeds off of their exuberance. The CD sounds fantastic too and it may have even impressed more if I hadn't watched the DVD first. By 1978 a lot of 70's prog rock was on the downhill side as musical trends were changing, but Jethro Tull were still cranking out the same brilliant sounds they had been doing for a decade. The booklet includes from Ian Anderson and band manager Terry Ellis about the performance. A fantastic set for fans of the band.