PARIS MOON

Blackmore's Night new DVD comes relatively close on the heels of their excellent "Castles and dreams" release. As such, the temptation is to judge the one against the other. Overall, I find "C&D" to be the better, as it is a wonderfully put together double DVD collection which oozes atmosphere and enjoyment.

On the other hand, "Paris Moon" has the better set list, and certainly finds Ritchie and Candice in fine form. Indeed, had this been their first DVD, I would have been gushing with unreserved praise.

This concert was recorded in Paris (obviously!) during the band's 2007 tour. I had the immense pleasure of witnessing the band first hand on that tour when then played in Glenrothes, Scotland. The set list is pretty much identical, the DVD capturing the spirit of that tour (with the exception of the now infamous Reading gig) well. This was the first time Blackmore's Night had played Paris, the audience appearing to specialise in synchronised handicapping between the songs. Paris is perhaps a surprising choice of venue for the DVD recording, as the hall used does not appear to be particularly historic, and the audience seem oblivious to the usual requirement for the front rows to dress in medieval garb.

For those who still resent the day Ritchie began his abstention from hard rock and pledged his troth to the acoustic folk sounds he is now committed to, there is good news. The version of Rainbow's "Ariel" played on this tour is a full blown epic, complete with a stunning lead guitar work out. To be honest, the song is quite out of place with the rest of the gig, but with Candice Night gliding around the stage like a young Stevie Nicks, it works well.

Other more orthodox highlights include a wonderfully spirited rendition of "The clock ticks on", complete with the now customary guest musicians on olde worlde wind instruments, and a stunning rendition of Joan Baez's "Diamonds and rust". Special mention too for the cover of Ralph McTell's "Streets of London" which starts off with little deviation from the original, but comes alive midway through.

Overall, the DVD is very heavy on the bass sounds, both from bass guitar and when keyboard pedals are used during the acoustic songs. I do not recall the bass being so prominent at the actual gig, so I must assume that it has been brought out during the mixing of the DVD. There are only a couple of DVD extras, a very short "Documentary" and some still photos.

While it is natural that the directing of the film should concentrate on Ritchie and Candice, the balance could have been better in terms of the rest of the band. The delightful Sisters of the Moon duo are criminally under-seen throughout, appearing almost exclusively in the background.

The package is completed with a CD containing a number of the songs from the DVD plus a couple of bonus studio tracks. These extra tracks are not new songs, simply being the title track from "The village lantern" and a radio edit of "All because of you" from "Fires at midnight".

Overall, an excellent set in a tasteful box. While those who already have "Castles and dreams" may feel this collection is too similar, it remains a highly enjoyable watch and a great memento for those of us who witnessed the tour.

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