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XX

Arena

Neo-Prog


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Arena XX album cover
3.62 | 36 ratings | 4 reviews | 46% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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DVD/Video, released in 2016

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. The Demon Strikes (5:33)
2. Rapture (4:34)
3. Double Vision (4:34)
4. Crack In The Ice (6:48)
5. Moviedrome (19:22)
6. How Did It Come To This? (4:24)
7. Salamander (3:53)
8. Bedlam Fayre (6:05)
9. Serenity (2:17)
10. The Unquiet Sky (6:10)
11. Traveller Beware (7:04)
12. City Of Lanterns (1:46)
13. Ride The Tide (4:45)
14. The Hanging Tree (7:20)
15. The Tinder Box (3:57)
16. Solomon (14:57)
17. Don't Forget To Breathe (5:12)
18. Crying For Help 7 (6:46)

Total time 115:27

Bonus Videos
1. Interview with Mick Pointer
2. Interview with Clive Nolan

Extras:
Photo gallery, discography, desktop images

Total running time 140 min. approx.

Line-up / Musicians

- Paul Manzi / vocals
- John Mitchell / guitars
- Clive Nolan / keyboards
- Kylan Amos / bass
- Mick Pointer / drums

Releases information

Filmed at Kinoteatr 'Rialto', Katowice, Poland, April 9, 2015

DVD Metal Mind Productions - MMP DVD 0216 (February 12, 2016, Poland)

2CD audio version is also available

Thanks to mbzr48 for the addition
and to NotAProghead for the last updates
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ARENA XX ratings distribution


3.62
(36 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(46%)
46%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(31%)
31%
Good, but non-essential (9%)
9%
Collectors/fans only (11%)
11%
Poor. Only for completionists (3%)
3%

ARENA XX reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Easy Livin
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
5 stars Playing the Moviedrome

Filmed in Katowice, Poland in April 2015, XX (20 in Roman numerals) celebrates Arena's 20th anniversary. The line up is essentially the same as that which recorded the excellent "Rapture" DVD in 2011 (released in 2013), with Kylan Amos replacing John Jowitt on bass. Several tracks from the fine new album "The unquiet sky" are included, but the set list spans pretty much the entire career of the band, with "The visitor" and "Immortal" albums featuring strongly.

Indeed the highlight is arguably the wonderful rendition of the 20 minute "Moviedrome" (from "Immortal"). Clive Nolan, who is much more to the fore between the songs than usual, explains that the complexity of the track meant that the band had never intended for it to become part of the live set, but persistent requests from fans persuaded them to do so. The result is a live opus that will surely become a staple of the live set to match epics such as Yes' "And you and I" or Genesis "Firth of fifth". It may be Nolan's recent experiences in presenting his rock musicals that have led to him now introducing some of the songs, but whatever the reasons, his anecdotes and relaxed chat greatly enhance an already spell-binding gig.

The new songs fit is well with the more established ones, with tracks such as "The demon strikes" and "The unquiet sky" bearing all the tenets of classic Arena numbers. Special mention needs to be made of the unique atmosphere created by Clive Nolan's multi-layered keyboards and John Mitchell's mesmerising lead guitar work. For my money, Mitchell is one of the best lead guitarists of his generation.

The accompanying interviews with co-founders Clive Nolan and Mick Pointer are worth a look too. Nolan is particularly candid in his comments, explaining among many other things, the song-writing and recording processes of the band.

It goes without saying that the filming of the gig and the sound quality is everything we would expect from the Metal Mind team, who once again set the standard from DVDs such as this.

My warped sense of humour was tickled by a Spinal Tap" like moment during the gig when Vocalist Paul Manzi proudly announces "here's a track from our new album" to be met with complete silence, although this is enthusiastically rectified by the audience after the rendition!

Overall, a wonderful presentation by a band at the top of their game. Recommend both as an introduction to the band, and equally as a superb addition for the already converted.

Review by rdtprog
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Heavy, RPI, Symph, JR/F Canterbury Teams
2 stars This DVD was not recorded in the usual venue from the Metal Productions team. The stage and the venue is a lot smaller. The light show doesn't have that same quality of the previous Arena's DVDS which is a shame, Is the band less popular these days? I heard that this tour was not a success. Maybe they could not fill the usual bigger venue. First thing that strike me watching this is how the red light make everything blurry. You can think that this was filmed with standard definition cameras. Also the camera work is questionable at times being late focusing on solo playing. I will be more positive with the audio and the performance in general. The sound and the playing are good and the inclusion of the epic "Moviedrome" in the set is a welcome addition. The 4 tracks of the new album didn't bring the same positive impression i had listening to the latest cd. The only others real highlights of that show is the other epic "Solomon", the song "Hanging Tree" and the video intro in the Hitchcock style of horror movie Maybe the band wanted to imitate Rush with this old venue that looks like made for a small band with no budget, but the difference is that here, you have to watch this thing for two painful hours and that it's for real. I don't recommend this for those who don't have anything about this band in DVD, buy the previous or only the 2cd audio.

Latest members reviews

2 stars * Review for CD and DVD media formats. Absolutely Appalling A&R. To be clear, this is one of the worst recorded live albums I have heard in quite some time, which makes it impossible for me to personally and fully enjoy the music that is being played because the audio recording r ... (read more)

Report this review (#1532898) | Posted by progbethyname | Friday, February 26, 2016 | Review Permanlink

4 stars Paul Manzi is the best vocalist Arena has ever had. I've been sick in bed for a week, so the fact that the new Arena DVD arrived in the mail today was a cause for celebration in a pretty crappy week. Being, as mentioned, sick at home, I put it in for a spin almost immediately, and I wasn't sorr ... (read more)

Report this review (#1528546) | Posted by gringochucha | Friday, February 12, 2016 | Review Permanlink

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