David Bowie – Stage

My Copy is the Early Copy.
Matrix / Runout (Runout, Variant 1, Side A): PL-02193-A-1
Matrix / Runout (Runout, Variant 1, Side B): PL-02193-B-1

I'm missing the second disc on this one, if anyone has it for sale send me a message please

Pressing is decent, though with some minimal surface noise much like most of the Optimal vinyl from around this time that I own. Just some crackle on the quiet parts and lead-ins/outs. This is after a wet clean and ultrasonic . Vinyl is flat, centered and though it says 180g, I am not sure, as these are not as heavy weight as most of the 180g's I own.

Soundwise, it rocks, very good soundstage and separation for a live album. It is lively and dynamic with some great performances by the Duke. My only complaint is that the guitars seem to be a bit down in the mix with the vocals dominant. Bass is good, drums snappy and of course, DB's vocals are pristine. Most of the songs have a different character to the studio albums, which is pretty common for his live albums. And I love Alabama Song :-)

The matrix numbers on my copy are very similar to variant 10, but the numbers crossed out on Side A are "02193" (rather than 02913), which might explain why they were crossed out!

My copy has a ragged "cut-out" punch in the UL corner. Also, Disc 1 is blue vinyl, Disc 2 yellow vinyl. Anyone else seen/heard of an edition with one of each? (I am assuming some wag had two copies--one blue, one yellow--and swapped colors at some point...but, with these editions, who knows?

Got the German orange labels with only one small pressing ring around center hole.

Incredibly dynamic pressing. Belew, the DAM trio, and everyone else in the band sounds great. I will say, I prefer listening to the Welcome To The Blackout live album when wanting to experience the Isolar II tour, but this is still fantastic.

Side C is the real high of Stage in my opinion: the 4 "instrumentals" (with some vocal here & there...) played more clean and linear than the album version, I can imagine the attendance quite weirded out (is it a classical music concert???)... and then Breaking Glass burts out with its asymmetry and that gorgeous bass line.

Ziggy era tracks are less interesting here (Side A)

On Side B&D we have The Thin White Duke live at his best!

Just like reecewg nails it in his/ her review, IT IS (sounding) so much better than the original one, even though even the old one -to me- has always been a great set, especially for the Heroes/ Low-tracks and the over-the-top Station To Station.

This is a beautiful live album and nice US pressing. The sound is analog warm and natural.