CAPTURED LIVE

4,5 stars really!!!

This DVD offers a Belgian TV special recorded by the same team that has recorded the Nursery Crime tracks for Genesis, the Plague Of The Lighthouse Keeper for VDGG, Atomic Rooster special, ELP's live presentation of their debut album and a few more. Although The pentangle by 72 was a little pasts its creative prime - the tracks presented here are from the Reflection album onward, we still get a pristine performance with impeccable musical execution and correct sound - although do not expect this to have the sound of 21st century recording quality. The group is set up in a mid-circle with the two guitarists facing each other at the extremes and the others are stuck in the middle but a few feet deeper. This live in studio recording does not offer, of course, the real concert feeling but does give you correct idea of what they were capable of.

Starting with the trad track Circle Be Unbroken, the quintet is clearly in phase and warming for other tracks such as the good Wedding Dress, and the quieter Reflection. Another trad track Willy O Winsburry is taken from Solomon's Seal and the set closes on a great People On The Highway

It is only unfortunate that no Pentangle´s real live DVD has appeared yet. The band had a fantastic live performance that made them famous long before they recorded their debut LP. Well, the closest you got is this release, a studio live recording of them playing on the belgium TV. On the plus side we have decent sound, good images and a fine performance. On the down side we have short playing time and a limited repertoire (they were promoting the Reflection LP and most songs are from it).

If you´re a fan of the band (specially a fan of their first line up and jazzy/folk/blues phase) this is a must have. Even if this is not a ´real´ live concert (I mean in front of an audience), this is the closest you can get to see them playing live so far. And do they play good! I love Jaqui McShee´s voice (so close of Renaissance´s Annie Haslam...). Maybe not their best performance together, but still a fine document of a time when five talented people formed one of England´s most remarkable prog folk bands of all time.

For the short time and lack of classics, I was about to rate this DVD 3 stars, plus half star for the wonderful playing. I´ll round it four for now since no other proper, full concert DVD is yet available.