Sonic Live in Sydney is an album containing the soundtrack to the original stage show developed for the theme park Sega World Sydney. A performance complete with dancers and people dressed as the characters, the live children's show used elements from the Saturday morning cartoon and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, aimed directly at its Australian audience.
The show begins with Miles "Tails" Prower flying to Australia in his bi-plane, with Princess Sally Acorn and Sonic the Hedgehog in tow, chasing after Dr. Robotnik and his Death Egg which crash-landed into the continent. Building his secret lab hidden in the heart of Sydney, he proceeds to try and take over the planet Earth, using his super laser telescope to keep an eye on Sonic and his friends, knowing they would follow him. Robotnik uses a pair of "Egg Boots" to lure Sally into a trap and kidnap her, knowing that Sonic would be sure to run in after. Expectedly, Sonic and "Tails" are able to foil Robotnik, even after the mad doctor tries to woo Sally after hearing her burst into song.
For the most part, the musical cues and sound effects were taken from the Mega Drive version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. However, three themes were written specifically for the show. The full versions of those songs are the first three tracks from the album, while the fourth has them as they would be heard in the context of the attraction.
Much of the stage show was designed for audience participation, as evidenced by the many cues still present in the studio recording of track four.
Premiering in 1997 along with the opening of Sega World, Sonic Live in Sydney only lasted a short time. By the end of the year, it was decided the production was not dynamic enough, and the powers-that-be contracted Philip Einfeld and Mark Rosenberg to completely redo the show. In its place was the Sonic the Hedgehog Puppet Show, with a completely new plot and brand new songs. This new show ran until 1999, and unlike its predecessor, the music was never collected into an album that was available at the park.