Welcome - About Live and Loud!

Live and Loud! began as a fortnightly internet radio show in 2012 taking old unreleased live concert recordings I could find and working to repair and improve them - fixing tape hiss, noise, tape drop out, clicks, speed variations, defects - before improving the sound quality by EQing the sound to bring out the instruments as clearly as possible. These are now made directly available to download for free to reach as many fans of the music as possible.

Depending on the quality of the original recording, these can often be made to sound almost like commercial recordings - but of course I can't guarantee that for every show. What I can guarantee is it will sound far better than the original files available which have been floating around the internet and on bootleg recordings for many years.

Almost all are either "soundboard" recordings (taken directly from the mixing desk used at the gig on the night) or old FM radio recordings. A few gigs, if they are of special historical importance, make an appearance even if they were recorded from the audience - these can also be made to sound better than ever.

Do your ears a favour and listen on headphones or good speakers to get most benefit - laptop speakers will always sound pretty poor by comparison.

All shows still available are listed, including a link to download the remastered show for free. If you want to support the site with a small donation, you can receive the shows as either separate MP3s or FLACs (your choice) - head over to the Rewards for Donations page and see how you can get a lot for very little!

If you want to email me, an email link is in my profile in a link in the side panel.

And finally... These are great fun to listen to but DO NOT replace original releases - support these artists and buy their music. There is nothing you can go and buy in a regular record store here. If a gig is made available as a regular release, then it will be removed (as a couple have been already).

Friday, 31 March 2017

Show 96 - Fatal Charm - Paris Theatre London - 1981


A quick request. If you plan on downloading this and putting it on your YouTube channel or your own bootleg page - I don't mind. But a credit to this website where you found it, and a link back to this page would be really appreciated. It helps me gauge which artists are popular - ie more chance of other restorations coming. Don't just steal it and take the credit. Thanks.

 

Fatal Charm were formed in 1978 in Nottingham and made a name for themselves in support slots for both OMD and Ultravox in 1980. They continued to write and record in various lineups through the 1980s.

I was lent a cassette with this recording on it, along with the 2 tracks from the flexi disc they used to give out at gigs. Those 2 tracks are included on the compilation album "Plastic", which can still be bought from the shop on the band's website, so I've taken them off the recording here. What you have left is this rather short recording from an FM broadcast of excerpts from their 1981 live set recorded at the BBC's Paris Theatre, in Lower Regent Street, London.

Anyway, the recording was good quality and hadn't really degraded with age, so no major repairs were needed other than some noise reduction and volume balancing. Then it was out with the trusty 30 band EQ to improve clarity and space between the instruments and improve the bottom end somewhat of what was a rather flat recording; hopefully its a far clearer mix now than it ever was.

The show is available for free download here as 1 MP3 file.

Or, if you would like to have separate tagged MP3s, or even lossless files in FLAC format, head on over to the Donations tab to see how you can obtain these for a very small donation towards the site costs.

And finally... don't forget to SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEW FREE NEWSLETTER so you never miss news on which new gigs are going to be restored and uploaded here; any news will be delivered to your inbox and I guarantee you no spam - and of course you unsubscribe at any time.


Setlist
Western Laughter
Le Boulevard
Christine
Dark Eyes
The Dark
Paris

Special thanks to Dave Barker (Fatal Charm's keyboard player) for clarifying one of the song titles (and the positive feedback!).

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12 comments:

  1. Mark Radbourne6 May 2017 at 07:07

    I remember hearing this set on Radio One when it was broadcast - if I remember correctly, Ultravox were on the same broadcast that evening.

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    Replies
    1. Flip Martian12 May 2017 at 04:51

      They were indeed - I used to have a copy of the show I recorded myself with them on the other side of the tape.

      Delete
  2. Ryan Carter29 December 2017 at 07:33

    I had an old chewed up cassete also Ultravox on the other side which died on me about 15 years ago so pleased to have found this little gem at last ,,,been looking for years actually saw them with Ultravox must of been same tour Sahra Simmonds walked past me in the audience at one point nearly stood on my toe she had a green Robin Hood like jacket on and big boots i remember thinking wow they are good what a band:)

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    Replies
    1. Flip Martian31 December 2017 at 05:30

      Happy to help, glad you enjoyed it; its a great set.

      Delete
  3. Orion3416 April 2025 at 15:35

    There is much superior quality version available at youtube. It's here https://youtu.be/FdhJHdAZ78U?si=mfOxESafKHgZNM2m
    And it's in stereo while yours is seems to be mono.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Flip Martian17 April 2025 at 14:07

      Mine isn't in mono, it's a restoration done of the stereo FM broadcast available at the time (over 8 years ago).

      Given I've been doing this since 2012, some shows will no doubt appear on the web as better versions if one comes to light. I have no issue with that - it's for all our benefits. That version you linked to was put up only a couple of years ago. Whoever did it did a good job, it's been cleaned up really well - clearly a better source than I had available 8 years ago. If I was still in touch with Dave Barker, I'd point him to that version too.

      Delete
    2. Flip Martian17 April 2025 at 14:12

      Actually, that recording is so clear, I wonder if was re-broadcast on DAB at some point in the last few years and recorded off that. It would certainly beat a 40+year old cassette of an FM recording, cleaned up or not.

      Delete
    3. Orion3417 April 2025 at 21:17

      I just wanted to point it out for new superior source of this Fatal Charm recording. Thanks for your fantastic work anyway! I wish there will be more live recording of them, but I think we are very lucky already to have this one...

      Delete
    4. Flip Martian18 April 2025 at 05:40

      No worries. I know when I sent it to Dave he had never actually heard it - so a real rarity. Not come across any bootlegs of them live at all. More convinced that one you linked to must be a re-broadcast, it sounds great. Nothing for me to work on there really - perfect as is. Cheers!

      Delete
  4. Orion3418 April 2025 at 06:16

    If possible, could you please ask Dave Barker when exactly Fatal Charm became a duo? From which album? And when did he personally and others leave the band and why? Didn't he see any more prospects? I recently became interested in their music, there is very little information on the Internet. Am I right that Dave plays keyboards on this live recording?

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    Replies
    1. Flip Martian18 April 2025 at 06:24

      I'm afraid I can't - no longer in touch with him. He was on Facebook but I don't think he is any longer. He was indeed the keys player for them.

      FC reappeared as a duo and played on the UK music show "The Tube" sometime around 83/84 I think.

      Delete
    2. Orion3418 April 2025 at 07:03

      Ok, I see. Thank you, anyway!

      Delete

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