Ok... I am not going to start with my normal rant about how much distain I have for "live" CD releases NOR am I going to bore you with my typical lecture about how I  feel it is impossible to capture the magic of a "live" performance on audio and I am NOT going to cliché myself again with my typical "there are exceptions" list of "live" performances I have mentioned in the past (and if you really give a shit about ANY of that, feel free to browse through some of my past live reviews and knock yourself out!). I WILL, however, start by saying if there "are" exceptions to my feelings about "live" releases, the new "live" CD from American rockers KIX entitled simply "Live In Baltimore" unfortunately isn't one of them.

First of all, I have to smile a little bit to myself at how the release itself is being billed as the " long awaited "live" CD release from KIX"... really? I mean seriously, has this really been "long awaited?" Have people been flooding the phone lines and starting up petitions to hear yet another "live" release from another newly resurrected 80's hair band? I'd say for a band that hasn't recorded any new material since 1995, a new STUDIO release may be something to look forward to wouldn't you? But instead and as with most "live" releases, this is nothing more than a rehash of the bands "greatest hits" caught "live."

Now before I start getting hate-mail from the dozens upon dozens of die-hard KIX fans out there, let me say I am not "slamming" the release by any means. It's just your typical "live" CD and nothing more. Fans of the band I am sure will more than enjoy it and the fact that Whiteman's voice has stood up triumphantly to the test of time as he is still able to enthrall the audience with all the same high notes he was able to hit 25 years ago AND the fact that the majority of the original band line-up is still intact, alive and kicking! But for me, I would simply rather pop "Cool Kids" or "Blow My Fuse" into my CD player and listen away.

As well as the sound of the "high-hat" sounding a bit "over-tingy" to me at times, another thing I wasn't overly impressed with was the set list... not the song selection per say, but the order itself. I think after coming out strong with "No Ring Around Rosie" and "Atomic Bomb" that they went into their hit ballad "Don't Close Your Eyes" a little too early for me. I would rather them have kept it rockin' a little while longer with maybe "Girl Money" and "She Dropped Me The Bomb" before getting into that. I did like the inclusion of "Kix Are For Kids" and "Midnite Dynamite" but despite the fact that I do feel "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" is a good addition to the end of a set, "Cold Blood" is a much better set ender and still one of the best "kick-ass" songs the band has ever done.

Bottom line, it is what it is... a GOOD live CD. I am sure fans of the band will definitely find enough to get their "KIX" out of the release as it includes a solid performance by the band as well as being loud, crude and raunchy... all the things you'd expect from a KIX performance. I wouldn't, however, recommend it for just the casual listener or as an introduction to the band and their music. For that, I think "Blow My Fuse," "Cool Kids" or even their self-titled debut "KIX" would be much more suited as an accurate portrayal of what this band is all about.