Germersheim '72 is worth having, but it does not feature Martin Griffiths. The real Holy Grail live recording of Beggars Opera, if you can find it, is 'Nautilus', also from 1972. It is the same line-up that played on Waters of Change, including Virginia Scott on mellotron and Martin Griffiths on vocals. The band is at their peak and play a long set close to 80 minutes. The performance is filled with lots of surprises, including an unreleased song called "Yes I Need Someone", a wild 20 minute ass-kicker that showcases Ricky Gardiner's guitar fireworks.

Another unexpected treat in this live set is a classic Beggars Opera reworking of 'Oh Well' by Fleetwood Mac. If you think you know Beggars Opera intimately through their first three albums for Vertigo, think again. None of their recordings captured what they could do onstage. And if you're a Martin Griffiths fan like I am, it will be a magical experience for you to hear the Master of Melodrama himself.

Tracks include Festival, Time Machine, Hobo, MacArthur Park, Poet and Peasant, Yes I Need Someone, Raymond's Road, and Oh Well. It is an audience recording so the quality isn't great, but it is very listenable and you can hear whats going on with no problem. As a long time Beggars Opera fan who never saw the band live, discovering this was a thrill.

Jon Silence