SWEDISH TELEVISION SPECIAL 1980

THIS IS MOOG HEAVEN ON EARTH!!

Rick Wakeman is my 'vintage keyboard hero' since I witnessed the 'caped crusader' in the Yessongs movie on a huge screen in a small youth-centre in my hometown in The Hague around 1976. So when I discovered this new DVD (released in 2008) in a record shop in Amsterdam, I got very excited, also because of the stunning tracklist including 'classic'' tracks like Catherine Parr and Anne Boleyn and medleys of the No Earthly Connection, King Arthur and Journey To The Centre Of The Earth albums. A friend told me that this 1980-tour was the last time Rick Wakeman used a wide range of vintage keyboards, soon he started to play on a huge array of (in my opinion) "boring digital Korg keyboards" because of his endorsement with that Japanese company.

During the concert Rick Wakeman is surrounded by 3 piles of keyboards, ranging from two Minimoogs and a Polymoog to a Prophet 5 synthesizer, a Hammond organ and a Yamaha electric piano. Although the camera work is at some moments a bit sloppy, we can enjoy many good close up images featuring the virtuosic Rick Wakeman on his two Minimoogs (mindblowing flights on Anne Boleyn, King Arthur Medley and Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, especially the fat, Grieg-inspired runs in the final part, goose bumps) and the Polymoog (imagine the synthesizer sound on Wonderous Stories). To me this synthesizer extravaganza belongs to the best keyboard moments in progrock history, how exciting! Also his sparkling play on the pianos is awesome and even the guitar - and bass player got some room, Tony Fernadez does very well on drums, Ashley Holt pleases me with his distinctive, a bit raw voice but in general this DVD is a perfect way to watch Rick Wakeman in full splendor, a big hand for him and his unsurpassed Moog synthesizers!

A MUST FOR EVERY MOOG AFICIONADO!!