LIVE AT THE APOLLO

What an absolute treat for Roxy fans!

In 2001, Roxy Music reformed to play a series of concerts for their many devoted followers. The final gig, at London's historic Apollo theatre, was captured for this DVD, and it's undoubtedly the next best thing to having been there.

The concert features almost all of the original Roxy: vocalist and front man Bryan Ferry is in fine form (and, judging by my wife's heavy breathing reaction, still quite able to enthrall the ladies), saxophonist Andy MacKay is yet terrific (and he still sports his trademark pompadour and pointy sideburns), guitarist par excellence Phil Manzanera is a little grey of beard, but still rocks, and stalwart drummer "the great" Paul Thompson is as hale and hard-hitting as ever.

Missing from the lineup is Eddie Jobson, but he's very ably replaced by the extraordinary violinist/multi-instrumentalist Lucy Wilkins. (Jobson's old hermaphroditic appeal aside, Wilkins is also very nice to look at - as are all of the many ladies gracing the stage!) Bass duties, meanwhile, are expertly undertaken by NYC session man Dev Katz (Roxy never really had a fulltime bassist), and well-known British guitarist Chris Spedding helps to fill out the six string soundscape, and recapture the sound of the old albums (where Manzanera would have employed overdubs and multi-tracking, of course).

The stage and superb sound are further fleshed out by the addition of Colin Good on piano (his mastery of the instrument is very apparent), the lovely, amazing Julia Thornton on percussion and additional keyboards, and Sarah Brown and Yanick Etienne on backing vocals. (The diminutive Etienne, who appeared on the AVALON album, features on that beautiful track, and she can still hit those unbelievable high notes with polished ease.) Everyone, from the original four men, to the hired guns, to the four stunning dancers (who also give the viewer something uplifting to look at!) exudes winsome charisma and camaraderie, and works perfectly together to give the audience a fun, fabulous concert experience.

The DVD's sound is full and sparklingly clear, and the camera work and editing is tasteful and beyond fault - just as one would wish it to be. We get to see everyone on stage shine, at all the appropriate places.

The twenty songs presented here are a real gift for fans (in fact, fans were consulted for input on the tour's set list), and give a well-balanced synopsis of Roxy's entire career. There is a wealth of material from the frantic, hard-rocking early Eno days (Eno's synth lunacy is very well reproduced here), as well as from the later, slicker albums like FLESH AND BLOOD and AVALON. It's all very, very good, but for me, seeing older songs like "Re-make/Re-model," "Street Life," "Ladytron," "Mother of Pearl," "Editions of You," "Virginia Plain" and "Do the Strand" so expertly and joyously performed (indeed, some versions are arguably superior to the old LP versions) is an especial pleasure. Also, watch for the entrance of the entrancing dancers on a smoking "Both Ends Burning" - oh my! In all, this was a magnificent, ultra-engaging concert from start to finish. You may well find yourself chanting "Roxy! Roxy!" along with the delighted audience before the encore!

As an added bonus (as if we needed one!), the DVD also includes a fine documentary, with a press conference that shows Ferry in a very flattering, affable light. As well, there are interviews with Manzanera, MacKay, and Thomson, who come across as very likable and approachable guys - the kind of chaps you'd love to raise a pint with. No overblown rock star egos in evidence here! There is also some interesting rehearsal footage, which makes this DVD even more of a bargain for your buck.

LIVE AT THE APOLLO is a fabulous, flawless concert DVD, from a reformed, but still very vital Roxy Music - one of the most original and exciting acts of the 70s. I can't recommend this one highly enough: it's one of my favourite music DVDs! This is certainly Roxy's most important release since AVALON: if you've ever been a fan, I urge you to add LIVE AT THE APOLLO to your collection as soon as possible! ROXY! ROXY!

This is an excellent performance from the reformed Roxy Music!

My copy of DVD is bonus-less, but who cares and who needs more? The very concert is wonderfully designed, both musically and visually. The four original Roxy members (Ferry, Mackay, Manzanera and Thompson) are supported by a bunch of hired musicians and lovely ladies, so it is a real treat for your senses. The musical repertoire covers the entire band career, from the Roxy debut till "Avalon" - the whole decade 1972-82. Lucy Wilkins effectively replaces Eddie Jobson on violin and adds some vintage synth sounds so as to re-create Brian Eno's electronic sounds of the first two albums. The finale with "For Your Pleasure" is interestingly set to "fade out" by making the band members dissapear from the stage one by one, starting from Ferry and leaving Colin Good on piano the last to go.

Amazing live set and highly recommended to any prog collector.

(By the way, I would always comfortably put the Roxys back into "art-rock" definition, if that is needed at all!)

I must say I was not really sure if I wanted to see this DVD. After all, it was recorded in 2002, long after their prime and I - like most RM fans - would rather see them in a 70´s performance, or maybe even at the 80´s. I bought this DVD because I could not find anything else from the band live and it was cheap. Thank God I did, because I was completely surprised when I first watched it! I could never believe they could deliver this fantastic show after such long hiatus. Both musically and visually it is one of my top ten DVD of all time.

Four original members are featured (leader and main songwriter Bryan Ferry, guitarrist extraordinaire Phil Manzanera, influential sax player Andy Mckay and drummer Paul Thompson), backed by some excellent hired guns, including pianist and musical director Colin Good and the famed english blues guitarrist Chris Spedding. They all seemed totally relaxed, having a great time and givin their best for a stunning performance. Anyone who attended the concert might have been thrilled by the sheer power of their combined talents.

Bryan Ferry and co are in top form after all these years. Of the other musicians I should point out that two ladies stand out: Julia Thorton and Lucy Wilkins. They are both talented, versatile players and visually quite striking. Wilkins specially had the hard task of filling the void left by prog legends Eno and Eddie Jobson, and she does with honors. She even uses an ancient synthesizer that must have been played by Eno himself in the early 70´s. Her violin solos on Out Of The Blue and Tara are breathtaking!

The band plays songs from their entire discography and the only drawback is the fact that somehow If There´s Something (one of their best ever songs) was not included on the DVD. Such a pity! But the rest is pure joy: Re-make/Re-model, Ladytron, Song For Europe, Do The Strand, Love Is The Drug, etc. all classics and done with respect for the original recordings. Even weaker 80´s studio songs get a better and more powerful treatment here. Not a single bad moment in the entire perfomance.

The extra is very fine also: includes some interviews with band members, rehearsal footages and comments about the show. They all show high spirits and wit. The light and humurous ambience is infectuous.

All in all a perfect DVD for Roxy Music fans. Even some 30 years after what some call their peak, they´re still rocking with style (both musically and visually). A must have for any music lover.

From brooding to passionate to ecstatic, a wonderful evening

Without a lot of Roxy experience I dove straight into this live DVD and just loved it. This show was the last performance on their reunion tour and the London crowd was stoked to put it mildly. The band features all of the important original members (sans Eno) and features several superb newer members. There was no new album to display here so they were essentially playing a complete career retrospective and the set list is a fan's dream. Ferry was in fine form, whatever range or power lost by age has been covered by presence and emotional delivery. He may not have the world's greatest pipes but he knows what to do with them. He is somewhere in the Bowie to David Byrne realm, though more emotional than the former and less aloof than the latter. He was great as were all of the musicians old and new. Of special note was vocalist Sarah Brown who backed Ferry with perfection and whose charm was contagious. Violinist/keyboardist Lucy Wilkins was another who brought great excitement and color to the sound with some wild violin solos. Drummer Paul Thompson was a monster on the kit and pummeled then with total ferocity. Really the performances were as energetic and joyful as Talking Heads in the film "Stop Making Sense." The material was carefully chosen and almost all very engaging; my personal favorites were Ladytron, While My Heart Is Still Beating, Song For Europe, My Only Love, and Tara. I tended to enjoy the slower, more brooding material that was so emotional because of Ferry's vocal and the sax of Andy Mackay, and the piano of Colin Good. Lighting, camera work, and edits were all top notch, sound was certainly good though I've heard better. A very enjoyable rock DVD that I would recommend to anyone. Comes with a short bonus documentary that helps newbies get a sense of the band's dynamic.

At first I planned a review about Roxy Music with the legendary 1976 live Viva album, but after watching this 2001 Apollo concert last night I changed my mind. Because I am blown away by this Roxy Music line-up featuring four original band members and a wide range of very skilled guest musicians, what a tight, experienced and, last but not least, inspired formation, wow!

Phil Manzanera easily switches from sensitive guitar runs to a wild wah-wah drenched and tremolo-arm driven Jimi Hendrix tribute (Ladytron), and I love the guitar duet with Chris Spedding in the sensational version of Both Ends Burning (also featuring Bryan Ferry on mouth organ).

Andy Mackay is still such an important part of the distinctive Roxy Music sound with his awesome work on brass and woodwind instruments, from soaring clarinet to screaming saxophone.

Drummer Paul Thompson is the musical heartbeat, dynamic and powerful.

And how about Bryan Ferry? Well, who dares to state that he cannot sing, shame on you, what an excellent performance, of course he acts like a dandy, a Casanova, but he embellishes every song with his typical voice and cheerful presence, thumbs up!

The set-list features most of the Classic Prog era of Roxy Music, from the hypnotizing In Every Dream Home A Heartache (atmospheric organ layers, increasing tension and then that spectacular outburst) to the swinging Love Is The Drug (including two 'Moulin Rouge looking' female beauties).

But my absolute highlight is the presence of Lucy Wilkins, she does the incredible job to let you forget the two memorable Roxy Music members Brian Eno and Eddie Jobson, on her two VCS-3 synthesizers, and the electric violin. Especially the extended solo in Out Of The Blue is amazing, the ultimate mariage between skills and passion, goose bumps and wet eyes, how beautiful music can be!

Although not every Roxy Music song on this setlist is my cup of tea I consider this live DVD as a masterpiece, and every serious proghead should experience the violin solo in Out Of The Blue during this Apollo 2001 concert, what a thrill, don't miss this, prog rock history in 2001!