Live in Toronto

• Artist: The Chameleons UK
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1992
• Type: Live
• Genre: Rock

Review

Thankfully captured by editor of the noted Big Takeover fanzine (and Chameleons diehard) Jack Rabid from a radio broadcast of a Canadian date in early 1987, Toronto remains the only official live document of the band from their final days, and the only one with a full mix of material from all three albums. Though the sound betrays the disc's origins a bit, this is still an essential release; while the Chameleons never seemed to fail live in general, on this night they shone and then some, sounding perfectly tight throughout. Burgess himself sounds quite content, offering various good natured wishes to the audience and other brief comments. Beginning with their ultimate track, "Swamp Thing," the 13-song set features such Strange Times highlights as "Caution" and "Soul in Isolation" standing up perfectly well with established set favorites as "Singing Rule Britannia" here given an even more fierce vocal punch by Burgess during the mid-song break - and "Second Skin." "In Shreds" even makes an appearance halfway through! The two song combination of "Paradiso" and "Home is Where the Heart Is" works wonderfully, especially how the second song stretches out and seems to take forever to fade away. It all ends with a live standby, a version of Alternative TV's "Splitting In Two," here imbued with a kick and power that makes the only other available version (from the Live in Berlin release) seem tame. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Swamp Thing	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Monkeyland	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Pleasure and Pain	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
In Shreds	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Less Than Human	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Paradiso	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Home Is Where the Heart Is	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Soul in Isolation	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Second Skin	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Caution	Mark Burgess, John Lever, Reg Smithies, Dave Fielding	The Chameleons UK
Splitting in Two	Mark Perry	The Chameleons UK

Credits

The Chameleons UK (Main Performer), Mark Burgess (Bass), Mark Burgess (Vocals), John Lever (Drums), Reg Smithies (Guitar), Dave Fielding (Guitar)