VIA PRESS RELEASE | “Live ’81-’85 captures that sweet spot after the record is made where you tour until the songs come out of you like a gorgeous martial arts drill and you wish you could go back and record them all over again. Debora Iyall’s vocals are so confident and commanding. She is one of those singers who make me wonder how much less myself I would be if they hadn’t been there.”
—Neko Case
In 2023, Liberation Hall released Live from Mabuhay Gardens, the first official concert recording from Romeo Void. Billboard magazine’s Ron Hart greeted the album with appropriate fanfare, writing “If you were lucky enough to catch Romeo Void in concert during their heyday, you saw one of the most inventive bands of the new wave/post-punk era.”
That first RSD exclusive is now set to be followed by another limited-edition release. Live ’81-’85 captures Romeo Void performing in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Albany, New York, as well as farther afield in London and Berlin.
The 17-track set brings together songs from all three of the band’s studio albums—It’s a Condition (1981), Benefactor (1982), and Instincts (1984)—and features band members Debora Iyall (vocals), Frank Zincavage (bass), Peter Woods (guitar), Benjamin Bossi (saxophone), Larry Carter (drums), and Aaron Smith (drums). The deluxe double-LP package will be pressed on black vinyl and available in a gatefold sleeve designed by Zincavage and Skott Reader.
The cover art is an homage to the band’s breakout record, 1981’s “Never Say Never” EP. The record’s inner bag will feature lyrics, rare photos, and memorabilia. Live ’81-’85 will also be available on CD and digital. Digital single “Never Say Never” is available now.
