The Eyeball Show is a live album released by The Residents in 1986. It was originally released in Japan by Wave Records, and eventually was released in the States by Ralph Records as "13th Anniversary Show - Live In Japan".[1]
In 1985 The Residents 1984 Album George & James, and The Big Bubble from 1985, had been popular in Japan, inspiring Wave Records [Wikidata] stores to invite The Residents to perform a short tour of five shows in Japan.[3] This was initially titled The Eyeball Show, but after more dates were added worldwide, it was renamed The 13th Anniversary Show. Eventually in 1999, The Eyeball Show was re-released in an expanded form, now with all tracks from the album.
Reception
The album is considered by Grandpa Gio in his review of the Eyeball Show Lp, to be somewhat of a follow up to 1984's Assorted Secrets, both with live re-workings of various Residents songs, to the point where Assorted Secrets was nicknamed The 10th Anniversary Show after this album's American title. Gio also said that this album showcased the bands preference for their newer songs, with the album spanning only the past 5 years of their work, unlike Assorted Secrets, which spanned the then last seven years of their work. The work was considered by Gio to be more relaxed than their previous live album, The Mole Show, indicating that the band had perhaps become more comfortable with live performance.[4]Snakefinger's guitar work was praised along with the lead singer's vocals, but reviewers on RateYourMusic said that a Residents concert without the visuals was pointless.[5]