Portishead: Roseland NYC Live - 25th Anniversary Edition (Colored Vinyl) Vinyl 2LP

Portishead’s live album is often considered their best. I remember Kanye wouldn’t shut the fuck up about it in interviews around the Late Registration era, citing it as the sole inspiration for his use of strings in his live show. Dummy and Portishead were already universally-agreed modern classics by 1998, but this performance (and the accompanying DVD) - seeing Beth Gibbons wobbling around with her eyes closed, Geoff Barrow cutting in real time, Adrian Utley chewing his gum - made it all real for many people. What’s really amazing about Roseland NYC Live is how well they nail the mix of  samples, breakbeats, orchestra (seasoned library music arranger Nick Ingman on conductor duties!), scratching, and Beth’s vocals with all their spooky cadences… it’s one of the most well-mixed, listenable live performances I’ve ever heard. I’ve personally seen shows at the Roseland Ballroom, but still this is THE Roseland concert in my mind - they may as well have condemned and demolished it the day after the Portishead show. Check out the spine-tingling renditions of “Glory Box,” “Over,” “Roads,” “All Mine,” but you should really just play it from the top and pretend you were there. Recommended.

• 25th anniversary edition expanded w/ bonus tracks 'Undenied,' 'Numb' + 'Western Eyes'
• red colored double vinyl pressing
• includes giant double-sided foldout poster + repro backstage pass
• deluxe gatefold sleeve
• limited edition
• original release year: 1998
• music label: Universal Music Recordings 2025

reviewed by military 2step 10/2018