ELECTRIC GARDEN PROGRESSIVE ROCK FESTIVAL 2011

For the first time I'm writing a review with a mobile phone, and frankly it's a bit more uncomfortable than using a PC, but here goes... The title of this DVD tells what it's about. At least my purchase doesn't have a supplementary leaflet/booklet, which would be very useful in giving more information on both the 3-day event (held somewhere in North West UK) and the artists involved. All in all the whole product is done in a rather off-hand way. And why the set list is in wrong order in the disc's starting page? Nor is the camera work very professional. But nevertheless, the viewer gets nearly three hours of live prog performances from 12 artists. Some of them I knew in advance as an album listener, while several were totally new acquaintances for me.

The first in line is solo guitarist MATT STEVENS, who uses loops to deepen his playing. It's not as boring as you might think! British neo prog act ALSO EDEN performs two songs, followed by CREDO and a 12-min. 'Round & Round'.

DROPSHARD and NERVE TOY TRIO (both never-heard names) aren't bad at all either. The latter is an instrumental g-b-dr trio. The festival's second day is finished by the Italian THE WATCH, known for their Peter Gabriel sounding frobtman and Mellotron-loaded vintage sound.

EATHRLING SOCIETY has a female vocalist... no, she just dances while the guitarist sings badly. Disappointing band. SEYES perform the Yes epic 'Close to the Edge'. Of course it's nowhere near the real thing but they do a decent job. Aafter two more neverheard-bands it's nice to see ABEL GANZ (14-min. 'Rain Again') and THE TANGENT (21-min. 'Where Are They Now?').

Despite being a bit amateurish DVD, this was worth purchasing as it offers plenty of rare-ish but fairly good prog as if you were there in the audience.