Wire On the Box: 1979

Album Review

Although it's not hard to find footage of performances by many British punk bands in their prime, late-'70s live footage of Wire has rarely been seen. In fact, until On the Box: 1979, there have been no official video or DVD releases of the group in concert during its highly creative first phase (1977-1979). The only substantial evidence of the band live around this time was the often-unlistenable album Document and Eyewitness, which chronicled a challenging and chaotic 1980 gig. On the Box, a 1979 in-studio performance filmed for German TV's Rockpalast, eases any lingering traumatic memories of Document and Eyewitness. The band is energetic and dynamic, unfazed by an apathetic, uncomfortable audience resembling a librarians' convention. Menacing and manic, guitarist/vocalist Colin Newman leads the charge through a set largely comprising tracks from Chairs Missing and the then-yet-to-be-released 154. Wire is at its most intense on the 56-second opener "Another the Letter," the harsh "Mercy" and the frantic 45 seconds of "Former Airline." More expansive tracks like "A Touching Display" and "Blessed State," to which bassist Graham Lewis lends deep, foreboding lead vocals, are equally compelling. While Lewis and Newman are the focus of attention, in the background, anti-guitarist Bruce Gilbert produces all manner of audio detritus, and minimalist drummer Robert Grey (at the time known as Robert Gotobed) lays down his signature metronomic beats. Indeed, one of the pleasures of this DVD is the up-close view it provides of Wire's quieter pair, underscoring their unique contributions. On the Box catches Wire at the height of its powers and this material still sounds remarkably fresh, especially compared with the work of many other bands from the period. (This DVD also includes a 20-minute interview and comes with a CD featuring just the audio track.)