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Marillion - Brave Live 2002 CD (album) cover

BRAVE LIVE 2002

Marillion

 

Neo-Prog

4.68 | 69 ratings

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Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars It's a masterpiece Prog Rock Concert!

Brave, the album, was inspired by the true story of a girl found wandering on the notorious suicide spot of the Severn Road Bridge. The band confound the expectations they might have built with "Holidays in Eden" to conjure an altogether different experience. The making of it was not that simple. At the time of writing the album the members of the band gathered together at the Chateau working together with the same vision: making the music that is much better than their previous commercial album "Holidays in Eden" [refer to interview with Hogarth and Pete Trewavas presented in this Brave Live DVD set]. They did not even know that it's gonna be a concept album. At first they made four songs that in the middle Hogarth remembered about the Severn Road Bridge true story and it finally did come out with a concept album because all the four song they made seem to revolve around the same tagline story.

I purchased this DVD altogether with another 3 DVD sets which I ordered on the net during Racket Records March Madness sales. It's worth the money, really because this live set is really terrific and it changes the way I perceive about Marillion Hogarth era. I thought any DVD set of Marillion concert during Hogarth era is gonna be boring with less theatrical acts. But I was wrong! This DVD proves that Marillion is a very strong band on stage!

As you might read my review on the studio album of Brave, it was very hard for me to give a masterpiece rating for Brave even after I posted my reviews I received PM saying that I should have given a full five stars rating. Nah, I don't think so. But after watching this marvelous concert DVD, I'm pretty sure that I would upgrade my rating on the studio album with full five star rating. Bravo Marillion! Bravo Hogarth!

So, what's made this DVD a masterpiece? Two reasons. First, the band overall performance is really top notch! It seems to me before the gig on Marillion Weekend 2002, Brean Sands, UK, Friday 5th April 2002, the band did countless rehearsals. My statement might be validated but I'm almost sure about this because everyone in the band does a really great work with their individual role so that the Brave sound could be brought "live" with no error at all. AT least, no visible error. Steve Hogarth sings wonderfully with his heart - like imagining that the girl's real condition overwhelmed him during the show. He used theatrical acts with movement of his body, excellent facial expressions in accord with the lyrics he was singing plus dynamic arms and fingers movements. He controlled his voice excellently - managing the high and low points of the song. Mark Kelly does his pulsating keyboard work wonderfully. Steve Rothery makes a great guitar fills and solo as they are required in the passages of the songs presented. Pete Trewavas, as usual, is the most energetic player after Hogarth in terms of body movement. He delivers such a good bass lines with his Rickenbaker. And last but not least Ian Mosley plays wonderful drumming.

Second, the overall show creates excellent theme that lent from the album storyline. Even if you don't know the story, you still can enjoy the show because the overall show seems like telling us a story in its musical passages. The live ambient appears vividly as the music has high and low points where the band expresses the music following the natural flow.

I don't want to elaborate track by track as I did on the previous review of Brave audio CD album. One thing that I need to share with all of you: I played this DVD during the nights after I was about to sleep having watched two concert DVDs. I did try to spin this DVD and skimmed the overall show, What happened was: I watched the whole show without any attempt to skip the track from start to end!!! It's a fantastic show! You must have this DVD, my friend - full stop. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Gatot | 5/5 |

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