Album Review: U.D.O - Live in Bulgaria 2020 – Pandemic Survival Show
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Emotional. The only word to describe this live recording. On September 18th, 2020, at the famous Plovdiv amphitheatre, Bulgaria. Whilst the rest of the world were cowering under nonsensical authoritarian restrictions, out of nowhere the German legend Udo Dirkschneider and his band somehow managed to comply with the myriad of restrictions to play their only gig of 2020 to 2500 fans in the famous amphitheatre.
U.D.O. aren’t a band that appeals to everyone. The former Accept singer has a rather routine style of song writing which sticks doggedly for the most part to his days with one of Germany’s most iconic heavy metal bands. But, and it’s a big but, if you like Accept, and let’s be fair, why wouldn’t you, it should be something to at least get you nodding your head.
Live albums are something of a curiosity. A staple of the 70s and 80s, they can be amazing, dreadful, or often just average. This one is a bit special. There is an electricity, an energy and enthusiasm that connects the band with the crowd. I haven’t seen the DVD which this audio recording accompanies but there is fan-filmed recording of ‘Princess of the Dawn’ on YouTube which shows the band and audience having a brilliant time. It’s lovely to see and a reminder of days which seem so long ago, and which we all long for again with aching hearts and fists raised to the sky.
The set list is extensive. Over two and a half hours in total, with the obligatory solos sprinkled through the show. A drum solo and a bass solo, whilst never going to get my enthusiasm going, are obviously included in the set to give the now 68-year-old frontman a bit of breathing space. His unique style of singing shows some inevitable signs of wear and tear throughout the gig. He’s never been a vocalist who hits the stratosphere with his range, and he ensures he keeps it simple, his vocals sitting mainly in the lower keys of his range.
As well as numerous U.D.O. compositions drawn mainly from the ‘Steel Factory’ tour set list, there is a liberal sprinkling of Accept tracks from the 1980s. ‘Midnight Mover’, ‘Princess of the Dawn’, ‘Fast as a Shark’ and the inevitable ‘Balls to the Wall’. ‘Fast as a Shark’ remains a stone cold classic and the band ensure that they do it justice with a fantastic version. The fans love it too.
Ultimately, this recording is a celebration and a show of defiance. A reminder of how live music unites and allows fans to forget the rest of the world for a couple of hours. As Udo notes in the sleeve notes, “We just felt goose bumps. “You could tell by the people that they could hardly believe they were finally going to see a concert again. The mood that emanated from each one of them and us gave us all an incredible boost. None of us have ever experienced anything like this before. "
Even if you don’t like the music that U.D.O. produces, ‘Live in Bulgaria’ is a ray of hope, a tiny gleam of light in a very dark world. And that can’t be a bad thing.
