Adequate Seven calling it a day had to be one of the biggest disappointments of 2006 for this reviewer on a personal level. Having only had the briefest opportunity to get acquainted with the Cardiff based septet via their outstanding second album “Here On Earth” and the resultant show at the Academy2 in Newcastle last summer they seemed very much like a band on the ascendancy. 

That brings us nicely onto this swansong, a live document of their last ever London show late last year. A quick scan of the song titles indicates a veritable live greatest hits, with the obligatory “new” track thrown in, but for some reason I'm not getting the full AD7 experience from this disc. There are places where the flow seems a little forced and Jamie's vocals aren't at their best in this recording either. 

This may seem a little harsh and, whilst AD7 are a band I will continue to promote endlessly despite their demise, I can't gloss over the fact that while the recording of this show is okay, it isn't anything special and as much as I love the band I can't pretend that this is an absolutely essential purchase on anything other than historical grounds. 

That's not to say that this is a bad release by any means, far from it, only that maybe their last ever gig (with the likes of Capdown and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly! in Cardiff)  might have had more significance. The versions of “Head Up High”  or “Gotta Stay Focussed” for example, although easily the equal of  the studio versions, don't surpass them and that is the sticking point. If you've got the studio albums then there's not much to recommend this release. If you've not, and you are intrigued by the ska/punk/funk force that AD7 represented then pick this up by all means, you won't be disappointed, but view it only as an introduction.

Let us know your views on 'Last Night In London'

Track Listing

Intro
Human Condition
Head Up High
Everybody Hates
Now It's Time
Protest Beat
The State We're In
Ghost
Set Your Sights
Free The Adequate Seven
Two Minutes
Gotta Stay Focussed
Splitting Up
Choices
No Space
Imbalance

Line Up

Jamie Searle - Vocals
Pete Barnes - Guitar
Kassim D. Basma - Guitar
Gavin Fitzjohn - Trumpet
Tom Pinder - Trombone
WD Davies - Bass
Ben Reynolds - Drums