The late ’70s are generally written off as lost years by many Johnny Cash fans. However, this 1978 live recording (released for the first time as a stand-alone CD) found the Man in Black in reasonably good form. His voice gathered strength as the set progressed. Backed by a relatively stripped-down band, Cash made his way through a set of his hits (“Ring of Fire,” “Big River”) and various Americana (“The Streets of Laredo,” “City of New Orleans”). It’s hard to know what the sold-out crowd understood about Cash and his songs, but they applauded in appreciation for this break from the gray monotony of the Soviet Bloc.
