LIVE IN TOKYO/5 YEARS IN A LIVETIME

This DVD is a compilation of 2 VHS tapes, a nice buy!!!!... Well, this visual fest is by far the most honest experience from a rising band, a concert (the first tour abroad) in Tokyo showing how a band can become a great pressence in music and in history; perhaps i've been repeating that the "moore-era" is better, as so many has said that the "gabriel-era" has been the best for GENESIS, anyway... my point is this, from tip to toe the concert from the images and words tour is almost heart and soul, mixing great performances of ballads, heavy stuff and prog things, the whole DVD 1 worth be hearing just for the WATING TO SLEEP-SURROUNDED moment, a perfect match of texture and color of music, closing that segment with the almighty YTSE-JAM and a nice but energetic drum-solo. The features like "hanging out with the band" and the music videos are great bonus things to understand the "sometimes childish" and "naive" behavior of an honest band. Also in disc 1, you'll find out that the soon to be released "THE MIRROR" in AWAKE was a very old little opening piece called "PUPPIES IN ACID"... and the best thing in here is hearing TO LIVE FORVER in a "long-solo" version, where PETRUCCI actually tries to play jazz, fusion, rock, prog and classical features, a great thing!!! After that, DVD 2 is what we needed to see to understand what the hell happened in the life of DT after Moore's departure, a sometimes unfocused but well paved road to success, with the help of new keyboardist Derek Sherinian... The video starts with a song from FALLING INTO INFINITY, followed by a very strange and unexpected acoustic performance in Holland with two outtakes from the INFINITY- sessions, then, the resume of how the band split apart and bla, bla bla, how sad it was, "but we got to move on", some videos and then the expected transformation of a great prog-band into a mainstream- arena-rock band with the frantic and "showy" performances of the band all around the globe, this things may please some, or displease some others, anyway... the key moment is the return to the acoustic set, where had shown an almost "perfect balance" of musicallity playing old songs, rarities and some medleys, however, again, i admit it, the loss of MOORE's pressence avoids the growth of the 5 piece, focusing mostly in Portnoy and in Petrucci in the last songs. So, this is a very nice start for those who really want to have the "real story" behind the band. A perfect introduction and a great historical document to undestand the evolution of this great but overrated band. peace