...Tarantura just issued the LED ZEPPELIN title, "The Empire Strikes Back" 3CD featuring what is listed as a 'new source' (audience) of the Wembley Empire Pool show in London on November 20th, 1971...the title was limited to 150 copies and includes a special t-shirt, it sold out upon pre-order which is pretty standard for these 'premium' japanese releases...Even more special to point out tonight is a new project that is now being made available via the underground, and even bit torrent...it's a brand new DVD-R production of the LED ZEPPELIN reunion concert 2 years ago that utilizes and integrates 15 different video sources to provide what it was like throughout the 02 Arena on that very rare evening in London.  It's appropriately titled 'A Work In Progress" and has been in the works over the last 16 months which I think qualifies it as a labor of love given the kudos being expressed by those who have been able to watch it in the early-going...below is some japanese release artwork for what was obviously captured and marketed from the torrenting circles.  The original effort is associated with the production crew from Cosmic Energy and is meant to be a supplementary piece to their very nice "REUNIONS - Full Circle (1985-2007)" DVD-R set from earlier in the year...here is the information that preceded the sharing and notification of availability:

SOURCE: More than 15 sources were used to create this multi-angled version. PCM Audio track & Dolby Digital 5.1
----------
This project started in February 2008 and was originally intended to be a quick edit of a few angles. The project kept getting larger as more angles kept surfacing. This project is an attempt at compiling as many sources as possible from the original camera files and trying not to use dowloaded YouTube sources, but in some instances the YouTube sources were used. This compilation features as much of the new sources as possible and only uses the common Third Eye source when absolutely needed.

...And, there are some other items of interest to post this week too!  Mid Valley has released ERIC CLAPTON "Stardust 2" 2CD set featuring a previously unreleased soundboard from a December 2, 2006 show...plus...

...Wardour is set to issue the U2 title, "When Love Comes To Japan", a single disc containing an incomplete performance from Yokohama Arena in Japan on November 23, 1989, courtesy of a superb audience recording transferred from the master tape...Below is a generic label production of MICK JAGGER "2 Nights In Dome" which is a 4-disc set that also leverages mastere audience source tapes of his solo performances in Japan at the Tokyo Dome on March 22nd and 23rd, 1988 and boasts 'perfect sound'...

...And that puts the wraps on all things 2009 --aside from your Top 10's which I again encourage you to post over in that section of the site!  Before concluding this edition of the news, special props and kudos to Mssr. Riccar99 whose insatiable appetite for all things ROLLING STONES (and releated, FACES, JEFF BECK GROUP, etc) has kept us up to speed on that whole slice of underground activity all year long. Thank you sir. With that, the intention in 2010 is to provide a more balanced coverage attack and I want to throw a line out to any of you who even have an inkling to channel your thoughts through the keyboard and post some of your own reviews. Get in contact with me at sb@hotwacks online and we'll make that happen!  Thanks again for supporting the cause and for your general interest in this fascinating hobby we bury ourselves in. You can see how the vast interest in live and archival recordings has influenced the official release catalogs, never more than what has turned up on retail shelves the last 12 months!  Happy New Year to you all and please celebrate safely.

Svengi, December 29, 2009