Recorded in July of 1974, "David Live" takes some of the prime cuts from his performances at the Tower Theater near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Long time Bowie collaborator, Tony Visconti, has remixed this album for surround sound; and, from the liner notes, he says this version is "fuller and brighter than the original". Tracks include favorites such as "Changes", "Space Oddity", and "Rock n Roll Suicide". The audio fidelity is decent enough considering its age and the fact that it is from a live performance. The recording may not be as clean or vibrant as some, but at least it's not overcompressed. Combined with an ambient surround mix that keeps the band mostly upfront and the audience mostly in the rear, I tend to feel this is---at least from an aural standpoint---somewhat representative as to what it might have been like to be in the tenth row. And, as far as historical footnotes go, this DVD-Audio version of "David Live" is the best you're gonna get. (Perhaps Mr. Visconti's use of various "tricks with modern technology" have, indeed, improved the overall sound since I do not fully understand the criticism this album, in its previous versions, has received.) So sit back and enjoy! I know I do.
