This live offering marks our fourth release with Madrid, Spain’s Francisco López in as many years. Over the same period we have organized nearly a dozen live events with the artist. This release documents an especially memorable performance from 2002. I can vividly remember, following this particular performance as I exited the venue to make my way home, being greeted by a rather intense display of thunder and lightning. It was one of those classic electrical storms and it felt like the perfect ending to a Francisco López concert. While it may be a little difficult to relive that particular aspect of the evening, this recording, packaged with a blindfold will allow one to come as close as possible to actually having attended this event. “Live in Montreal” commences very quietly as a barely audible hiss, which proceeds to build in intensity until the sixteen minute mark, then falls back into silence for a few seconds before advancing into the next movement of the piece. At this point the performance takes on a more scary and sinister shape. Sounds seem to move in all directions. It is absolutely mind blowing what Francisco López is able to achieve using equalization and a quadraphonic speaker set up.

There are percussive elements to this piece that are fresh and unusual that last for about five minutes from the 20 to 25 minute mark. They eventually fade out giving way to an increasingly powerful drone that is classic López. The sounds during this portion of the recording are incredibly rich and dense. At times you think you can detect elements of a string quartet in the distance or tape stretching of a vocal choir. At the 32 minute mark the recording starts to fade out the same way it began and while it is a long piece, it certainly has feel of a complete work. This CD is neatly packaged in a transparent smoked charcoal jewel case and includes a blindfold and printed insert.