LIVE FROM LORELEY

I've always been reluctant to accept Marillion because it sounds like a weak version of Genesis to me, so my experience with the band has been limited to a few albums (Script for a Jester's Tear, Misplaced Childhood and a couple compilations) but never had the chance to see a video of a live performance of the band.

A couple of months ago I was on a usual DVD safari, and a friend who owns a store encouraged me to buy Live from Loreley, I accepted only because it was very cheap and honestly don't regret it, the DVD is simply outstanding.

What impressed me more of the concert was the audience reaction towards Fish, a guy who seems anti charismatic, but when he starts to sing this impression changes, he has an absolute control of the stage and the fans, the logical consequence not only of his great voice but specially for his impressive personality on stage.

But IMO the star of the night was Pete Trewavas, always correct and strong with the bass, making a perfect rhythm section with the solid drumming of Ian Mosley, both are musicians who sound better on stage than in studio albums, somehow they seem to feed themselves with the energy of the faithful audience.

Steve Rothery also sounds great, not in the level of other Prog' guitar players but still a great musician. If somebody disappoints me on this excellent DVD is Mark Kelly, without the strength and capacity that he shows in studio albums, but it's no problem, Marillion makes a hell of a concert.

I won't give more than a couple of lines to Cori Josias on the backing vocals because she's almost not audible for two legged beings like us, if I haven't seen her on the DVD I could swear there are no backing vocals on Loreley.

Back to the concert, there's not much to talk about the tracks because all are well known and probably described largely by other reviewers in the section for the studio albums, but can't avoid mentioning some tracks that really impressed me.

In first place the opener Slainte Mhath with the perfect work by Trewavas and Mosley much stronger and rhythmic than in Clutching at Straws, great choice to start the show.

Assasing is also another track that sounds excellent on this DVD, Fish does a perfect job specially with the dramatic changes of the song, somehow reminds of Battle for the Epping Forest by Genesis.

No Marillion concert would be complete without Script for a Jester's Tear, maybe the vocal intro doesn't sound perfect, but it's good enough, the development of the track flows gently and with great energy, Mark Kelly does his best job in all the show, a masterpiece.

Kayleigh is a track that I always rejected, not because of the quality but mostly because it sounds out of place in any prog album being clearly a non prog song, but in this case it works as a relief, despite it's genre, sounds better than ever.

The DVD ends with a breathtaking version of Incommunicado, the perfect closer for an almost perfect show.

If any person like me who rejects most Neo Prog enjoyed this concert so much, I'm sure that most of you (probably more open minded) will love it, 84 minutes of great music with an excellent band, that still I can't accept totally on studio albums, so believe me, f any of my reviews is totally honest and absolutely lack of prjudice is this one, because Marillion is not one of my favorite bands.

Would give this DVD 5 stars if keyboards were stronger, but despite this fact I would be dishonest to give Live From Loreley less than 4 solid stars (4.5 if there was the chance).