"Collector's Corner" - An analysis of bootleg recordings from the "Calling All Stations" tour by Alan Hewitt.

TWR has seldom delved in to the perilous world of "Bootleg" recordings, mainly because there has never been anyone willing to contribute anything worthwhile on this particularly vexed subject So, I thought I would start the ball rolling with this series of reviews of a few recordings from the "Calling All Stations" tour which have come into my possession (no money changed hands, I assure you!).

First up is a recording by the title of "Nothing Left Now" which has been circulating record fairs for a while now. This disc features most of the band's various radio sessions for French Radio and in Denmark in the latter half of 1997. The quality of the recording itself is excellent although this is marred somewhat by the injudicious "cuts" between tracks.

	Title	Nothing Left Now
	Track Listing	No Son of Mine / Congo / Land Of Confusion / Calling All Stations / Turn It On Again / Alien Afternoon / Invisible Touch / Shipwrecked / No Son of Mine / Not About Us / Lover's Leap / Turn It On Again
	Label / Catalogue Number	Alternative Record Company ARC 026 (Limited edition of 100 discs)
	Quality	9/10

"There Must Be Some Other Way To Bray" features the entire set from the band's warm-up gig at Bray Film Studios on January 23, 1998. This recording includes the unique performances of both "Hold On My Heart" and "That's All" which were subsequently dropped from the set. Quality of this recording is that of a typical audience recording but a nice addition to any collection nonetheless.

Following this , is "Shipwrecked In Prague" the recording of the band's show at the Sportovinhala Prague on February 2, 1998. Taken from a radio broadcast of the show, this double CD set features almost the entire show from that night's performance but in a re-arranged running order which is slightly confusing. Apart from the odd running order, very little is omitted from the recording (apart from the "Firth Of Fifth" instrumental and "Throwing It All Away" and "I Can't Dance" which are more than adequately compensated for by the inclusion of a rare performance of "Shipwrecked") with all of the song introductions left in, which makes a nice change!

	Title	Shipwrecked In Prague
	Track Listing	Disc One: Mama / Calling All Stations / There Must Be Some Other Way / The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway / Alien Afternoon / Congo / Domino / Home By The Sea / Second Home By The Sea / Turn It On Again Disc Two: No Son Of Mine / Land Of Confusion / Shipwrecked / Invisible Touch
	Label / Catalogue Number	MDF Recordings MD002
	Quality	10/10

"Doris's Day Out" is the bizarre title given to the recording of the band's show at The Halle Tony Garnier in Lyon on February 20, 1998. I was particularly pleased to acquire this recording because I was actually at this gig! Once again, the source of this recording is a member of the audience although quality on this recording is excellent if a little high on the treble end.

	Title	Doris's Day Out
	Track Listing	Disc One: No Son Of Mine / Land Of Confusion / The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway / Calling All Stations / Carpet Crawlers / There Must Be Some Other Way / Domino / Firth Of Fifth (instrumental) / Congo Disc Two: Home By The Sea / Second Home By The Sea / Dancing With The Moonlit Knight / Follow You Follow Me / Lover's Leap / Mama / The Dividing Line / Invisible Touch / Turn It On Again / Throwing It All Away / I Can't Dance
	Label / Catalogue Number	MDF Recordings MD003
	Quality	9/10

"Radio Waves" is the edited recording of the band's second gig from the National Exhibition Centre Birmingham on February 26, 1998. Sound quality is superb, it should be, because this recording was taken direct from the broadcast itself.

	Title	Radio Waves
	Track Listing	No Son Of Mine / The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway / Calling All Stations / Carpet Crawlers / Domino / Dancing With The Moonlit Knight / Lover's Leap / Not About Us / The Dividing Line / Invisible Touch / Turn It On Again / Mama
	Label / Catalogue Number	MDF Recordings MD004
	Quality	10/10

"A Finnish Symphony" as its title suggests, is taken from the band's final show of the tour at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki Finland on April 5, 1998. Once again, this is a recording from the audience, and surprisingly good quality it is too. The two disc set features the entire set played at the show in its correct running order and makes another nice addition to any collection.

	Title	A Finnish Symphony
	Track Listing	Disc One: No Son Of Mine / Land Of Confusion / The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway / Calling All Stations / Carpet Crawlers / Alien Afternoon / Domino / Firth Of Fifth (instrumental) / Congo Disc Two: Home By The Sea / Second Home By The Sea / Dancing With The Moonlit Knight / Follow You Follow Me / Lover's Leap / Not About Us / Mama / The Dividing Line / Invisible Touch / Turn It On Again / Throwing It All Away / I Can't Dance
	Label / Catalogue Number	MDF Recordings MD005
	Quality	9/10

That concludes this round up of recordings from the band's last tour. Next time I shall look at some of the recordings by the various solo members which have appeared. As usual, I would like to take this opportunity to state that TWR does not condone the sale of bootleg recordings nor do we have any knowledge of where such recordings may be acquired - so DON'T ASK!!!