The Man Upstairs:In Concert In Germany 1978

Lasting nearly 80 minutes, this is a very good quality, color DVD release of performances from a March 17, 1978, concert in Hamburg, Germany, originally filmed for the German popular music TV program Rockpalast. The dozen songs are drawn from the decade or so of releases prior to this show, going as far back as the instrumental "Seven Black Roses" and as up to date as the album John Martyn had released four months before this gig, One World (from which several songs are performed). The sound is pretty good, though just a touch brittle at times. Martyn's performance is quite good as well -- better, though, than his enigmatic between-song banter, much of which fails to draw a laugh though it largely seems intended for comic effect (to be fair, the German audience might not have grasped all the subtleties of an English routine). For avid guitar fans in general, and for Martyn fans in particular, the chief pleasure might be the opportunity to watch his guitar technique up-close, whether in his nimble (and mostly acoustic) picking or his more idiosyncratic use of his feet to produce Echoplex effects. As a few additional distractions that you might find amusing or irritating depending on your tastes, you also get to see Martyn guzzle from a beer can and improvise a hastily sung and (mostly) spoken monologue to kill time after he breaks a guitar string, waits on-stage for a replacement, and then mends his instrument in front of the large audience. ~ Richie Unterberger|

Lasting nearly 80 minutes, this is a very good quality, color DVD release of performances from a March 17, 1978, concert in Hamburg, Germany, originally filmed for the German popular music TV program Rockpalast. The dozen songs are drawn from the decade or so of releases prior to this show, going as far back as the instrumental "Seven Black Roses" and as up to date as the album John Martyn had released four months before this gig, One World (from which several songs are performed). The sound is pretty good, though just a touch brittle at times. Martyn's performance is quite good as well -- better, though, than his enigmatic between-song banter, much of which fails to draw a laugh though it largely seems intended for comic effect (to be fair, the German audience might not have grasped all the subtleties of an English routine). For avid guitar fans in general, and for Martyn fans in particular, the chief pleasure might be the opportunity to watch his guitar technique up-close, whether in his nimble (and mostly acoustic) picking or his more idiosyncratic use of his feet to produce Echoplex effects. As a few additional distractions that you might find amusing or irritating depending on your tastes, you also get to see Martyn guzzle from a beer can and improvise a hastily sung and (mostly) spoken monologue to kill time after he breaks a guitar string, waits on-stage for a replacement, and then mends his instrument in front of the large audience. ~ Richie Unterberger