Ok, I’m not the biggest fan of live albums. Wait, let me clarify that, I’m not a huge fan of recent live albums. Bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Rush and Kiss had a body of studio work out there before and between live releases. Live albums made bands, they were an event and if you didn’t make the tour were the only way to hear any of it. Now the live album market is over saturated, the same bands release a studio album followed by the obligatory live release, some fans will not go to the show and wait for the Blu Ray with the surround sound. Why even wait, the show is on You Tube minutes after its ended.
A live release has to be special now to grab my attention. This one is special for a number of reasons. Their debut album was fantastic, I caught the tour promoting it and the show was one of the best I’ve seen in recent years, the choice of covers for the most part work really well and the whole thing feels live with few touch ups in the studio. Recording it in an old Roman theater in Bulgaria with an orchestra and choir is the icing on the cake.
The first part of the set focuses primarily on their debut album, opener God Of The Sun and Sign Of The Times are one of the many highlights here. The band do throw in Dream Theater’s Just Let Me Breathe that Mike and Derek played on and also show their sense of humor with The Pink Panther Theme.The playing all round is of course stellar.
Put yourself in Jeff Scott Soto’s shoes for the second set. He’s only being asked to sing songs done by the likes of Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, Ronnie James Dio and Robert Plant. No pressure there so! The fact that he pulls them off shows how good a singer he really is and as I can attest to after seeing him a fabulous frontman to boot. Whoever picked Ozzy’s Diary Of A Madman to cover please take a bow (I’m guessing it was Mike Portnoy). It’s an album Ozzy more or less ignores now and hearing it here with an orchestra faithfully done makes it a highlight of the whole set. Throw in some more Dream Theater tunes and a great version of the Van Halen classic And The Cradle Will Rock sung by Jeff at the bar and what you have hear is one GREAT live album. It’s out August 30th on various formats including double lp gatefold vinyl (yummy). They have a second studio release out early nest year with tour dates announced to follow, just go see them.
https://www.insideoutmusic.com/artist.aspx?IdArtist=1958
Richie.
