May 17th is going to be a day of expense for Robin Trower‘s followers who will have the chance not only to take a deeper look at the great guitarist’s glorious past but to also connect to his present that shows the veteran is hellbent on not letting his momentum stall even at 79 years of age. On this date, the British axeman delivers a double dose of delights by issuing an expanded edition of his 1974 classic “Bridge Of Sighs” and a video of his last year’s one-off show with Sari Schorr.
Scheduled just before the release of their joint effort "Joyful Sky" in October 2003, Robin’s performance with Sari that took place at Harlington Arts Centre in England on September 3rd, was Trower’s first stage appearance in four years. It saw the two artist present most of their forthcoming platter and duet on one of the six-stringer’s old numbers, while he also played a few more familiar cuts, vintage and recent – and it got filmed first to be streamed on a pay-per-view basis and now to be made available as “Live In Concert 2023” on a hard-copy medium: DVD and Blu-ray. A wonderful thing.
feat. SARI SCHORR –
Live In Concert 2023
1. The Circle *
2. Peace Of Mind *
3. I’ll Be Moving On *
4. No More Worlds To Conquer
5. Change It *
6. Need For You *
7. Burn *
8. Day Of The Eagle
9. Bridge Of Sighs
10. The Distance Between There & Here *
11. Joyful Sky *
12. Rise Up Like The Sun *
* with Sari Schorr
No less essential, of course, is the 50th anniversary edition of the album many consider Trower’s finest hour in solo mode. Produced by Robin’s former PROCOL HARUM colleague Matthew Fisher, “Bridge Of Sighs” reached #7 in “Billboard” charts and finished the Englishman’s transformation into guitar hero, so it deserves the reissue it gets – quite different from not-too-impressive jubilee handling of its predecessor, “Twice Removed From Yesterday” – which is comprised of three CDs and a Blu-ray. The CDs contain the platter’s fresh remaster and remix, the latter featuring longer versions of all the tracks, as well as various outtakes and a 1974 live document, whereas the Blu-ray has even more outtakes and more audio options. A pity, no video content is included here but, given the box set’s price one mustn’t grumble.
Bridge Of Sighs:
50th Anniversary Edition
CD 1 – Bridge Of Sighs – 2024 remaster:
1. Day Of The Eagle
2. Bridge Of Sighs
3. In This Place
4. The Fool And Me
5. Too Rolling Stoned
6. About To Begin
7. Lady Love
8. Little Bit Of Sympathy
CD 2 – Bridge Of Sighs – 2024 stereo remix with unedited versions:
1. USA Radio Spot 1
2-9 – as 1-8 on CD 1
Outtakes & Rarities:
10. USA Radio Spot 2
11. Day Of The Eagle (instrumental rehearsal)
12. Bridge Of Sighs (outtake 3)
13. The Fool And Me (instrumental outtake)
14. Lady Love (extended outtake)
15. Little Bit Of Sympathy (alt. take)
16. Lady Love (early version)
17. Day Of The Eagle (single version)
18. USA Radio Spot 3
CD 3 – Live at The Record Plant, Sausalito – May 29th, 1974:
1. Twice Removed From Yesterday
2. Bridge Of Sighs
3. Alethea
4. Lady Love
5. Daydream
6. Too Rolling Stoned
7. I Can’t Wait Much Longer
8. Day Of The Eagle
9. Little Bit Of Sympathy
10. Rock Me Baby
Blu-ray:
* 2024 Remaster (48/24)
* Dolby Atmos (48/24)
* 5.1 (48/24)
* 2024 Stereo Mix (with longer versions)
Additional Outtakes & Rarities:
1. Day Of The Eagle (instrumental rehearsal)
2. Day Of The Eagle (outtake 1) #
3. Day Of The Eagle (outtake 2) #
4. Bridge Of Sighs (outtake 2) #
5. Bridge Of Sighs (outtake 3 ) #
6. The Fool And Me (instrumental outtake)
7. Lady Love (extended outtake)
8. Lady Love (early version)
9. Little Bit Of Sympathy (alt. take)
10. Day Of The Eagle (single version)
11. USA Radio Spot 1
12. USA Radio Spot 2
13. USA Radio Spot 3
# – not on CD 2
* Live at The Record Plant, Sausalito – May 29th, 1974
