The Riot Show

The Riot Show, released in 1995 on World Productions (catalog number WPOCM 0888 D 002-2), is the second CD pressing of this Italian-released, Austrian-pressed document of The Doors' July 5, 1968 Hollywood Bowl concert. The shared catalog number with the 1988 first pressing makes physical disc identification critical: this 1995 second pressing carries black writing on the disc, while the earlier 1988 issue used blue writing. Both CD pressings share the same catalog number and cover as the LP counterpart (WPOCM 0888 D 002-1), released the same year as the original 1988 CD.

The packaging on this 1995 pressing follows the same design template established by the LP and first CD. The cover art centers on a period photograph of The Doors, presented with the bold title treatment typical of late-1980s and early-1990s European bootleg releases on World Productions. The jewel case is a standard configuration, nothing unusual in terms of dimensions or tray design. The disc itself is where you confirm which pressing you hold: the black printed text distinguishing this 1995 issue from the blue-text 1988 original is subtle but conclusive. Collectors who pick this up at a record fair without prior knowledge of the variant split can easily misidentify it, so examining the disc face first is essential before any transaction. The booklet, consistent with World Productions releases from this label and era, is minimal; do not expect extensive liner notes or photo essays. The insert content is sparse by the standards of official contemporaneous releases, reflecting its origins outside the official Elektra/Rhino catalog. The overall physical build quality is what you would expect from an Austrian pressing of this period, which is to say reasonably solid, without the flimsy tray and card stock sometimes associated with cheaper Italian domestic pressings of the same era. The running order on the rear of the case follows the tracklist as documented: When The Music's Over, the medley of Alabama Song/Backdoor Man/Five To One, The Unknown Soldier, Moonlight Drive/Horse Latitudes, The End, a standalone Moonlight Drive, and Light My Fire.

What separates this release from the official Live At The Hollywood Bowl Elektra release is the content it preserves. The official version edited and curated the Hollywood Bowl performance; this release captures material from that same July 5, 1968 concert that did not make the official cut. For collectors tracking the full arc of The Doors' live work in 1968, that distinction matters considerably. The inclusion of the Jonathan Winters appearance is the other significant draw here. At the time of the original 1988 release, and still relevant when this 1995 second pressing arrived, that Winters recording was not readily available elsewhere at comparable audio quality. Whether the source tape has since surfaced in better condition or through other channels is a separate question, but at the moment this pressing entered the market, it carried genuine archival weight on that point alone. The audio quality overall is described consistently by those who have handled both pressings as strong for a non-official release, reflecting a decent-generation source tape rather than a murky fifth-generation audience recording. Compared to other European concert documents from this period circulating on labels like similar Italian and Austrian World Productions issues, the Riot Show source material holds up well. On Discogs, both the 1988 and 1995 pressings exist as separate listings, and the 1995 black-text variant sees less frequent turnover than the 1988 blue-text first issue, suggesting it moves in smaller numbers through the secondary market. Collectors who want the complete Hollywood Bowl picture, beyond what the official release documents, will find this tracklist genuinely supplementary rather than redundant. The official studio catalog does not address this gap; this and releases like it remain the primary access points for that July 1968 material in fuller form.

This 1995 second pressing of The Riot Show on World Productions, identifiable by its black disc text, is a solid acquisition for anyone building a thorough Hollywood Bowl documentation. It is not a scarce object in the way a sub-100 pressing would be, but it circulates less visibly than the 1988 first pressing and is worth picking up at a fair price when encountered. Confirm the disc text color before purchase to ensure you are getting this specific variant rather than the 1988 blue-text first CD pressing. Recommended.