WISH YOU WERE HERE

A great 4 disc set with performances from the 2002 and 2003 fan club conventions on the first two discs. The other two contain performances from the support bands and also roundups of other events from these two conventions. An excellent package wich includes hidden extras and a performance of Wish you were here with vocals by the audience. An excellent addition to your collection.

It's definitely an EXCELLENT live set!

Another live set DVD from Marillion containing 4 discs. Disc One contains material which I have reviewed under CD record of "Popular Music" at this site. It's funny, after I wrote that audio CD review I realized that I got the DVD version because actually when I ordered the DVD I was not aware about its content. I was very happy knowing that I got the DVD version because I really enjoyed the audio CD very much. Disc Two contains two sets: Setlist Bingo which was recorded 6th April 2002 at Bear Sands UK, one day after the great Brave Live performance; and Acoustic Sunday which was recorded on 7th April 2002 at the same place. What a tiring concert, I think, because three days in a row the band played every night. Disc Three and Four are not really concert video as they respectively contain "Support" and "Weekend Wonderland".

Disc One is a great performance by the band as I mentioned during my previous review of "Popular Music" audio CD. If during the CD review I mentioned how excellent the performance of the band, now I can see with my own eyes how Hogarth sings excellently as well as how he gives way to the crowd to sing along during Fish era songs. Well, I don't need to mention in great details on how the performance of the band makes up the night. One word that I can say: excellent! All members of the band contribute with practically no visible errors at all.

Disc Two is Bootleg Bingo which basically a Live By Request kind of thing with predetermined setlist menu displayed at the backdrop of the stage. Just before the band plays, someone picks up a number which associates with certain number in the track list. It starts off with dazzling and atmospheric bass lines which remark the start of "King of Sunset Town" from the band's first album with Hogarth as lead vocalist "Seasons End". As I've never seen this track performed live I find this one is very rewarding and I really enjoy it very much. It continues excellently with "Quartz", "Separted Out" and "When I Meet God" of the Anoraknophobia album. There are Fish era songs as well which were performed wonderfully by the band. Awesome. The concert was done in a relax manner with thousands of crowd. Just before Garden Party, Hogarth and Trewavas called Ian Mosley to come up at front of the stage to show the kind of T-shirt he was using. It's something (if I'm not mistaken) printed like: Ian Mosley for President. It's a relaxing break. "This is Garden Party!" said Hogarth and Mark Kelly punches his keyboard that remarks the start of dynamic and legendary track of the band from its debut album "Script for a Jester's Tear".

The second set of Disc Two is basically a Marillion "unplugged" or something similar to Live at The Walls. The atmosphere is more relaxing than the first set as in the beginning it starts with Pete Trewavas having trouble in tuning up his instrument for acoustic set. There are eight tracks performed acoustically. Overall it's an excellent set with key songs like Rare Bird's "Sympathy", "The Space" and "Map of The World". Oh .. I love piano work of Mark Kelly at the intro part of "The Space". Hogarth sings wonderfully!

Overall this is an excellent DVD set. It's a must for Marillion freaks. I review on the basis of Disc One and Two because I think the other two discs are just bonus discs. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW