DVD Review

Pendragon
 "and now everybody to the stage..."

 

Rating 92%

reviewed by Charlie O'

 So here we have it, Pendragon's long awaited Believe tour DVD. So what do you get for your money then? Well, for starters, it comes in two editions - The bog standard DVD and the "Special Edition" which comes with a double CD containing the gig as well as being in a nicer box. The DVD contains the whole of the gig, as well as an interview with Nick Barrett, an progumentary and various other odds'n'sods. But more of all that later.

The main point of the DVD is the gig, which starts off with the videotronic intro over Believe, before kicking into the gig proper. This is an excellently filmed, multi camera affair capturing Pendragon at the height of their recent Believe tour. It was filmed at the Theatr Wyspianski in Katowice, which is fast becoming a progging hotbed of progging live DVD making, despite being all-seater.

The band were in fine form on the night, ripping through hit after hit after album track, playing something from each, I reckon. If you didn't see them on this tour, then you'll not know how well young Joe Crabapple did, re-energising the band and forcing them to leave their cardigans and slippers at home by their fires.

So the tracklist looks like this:

Believe
No Place for the Innocent
As Good as Gold
Guardian of My Soul
Kowtow
The Wishing Well
The Edge of the World
Nostradamus
Dance of the Seven Veils
Paintbox
The Last Waltz
Breaking the Spell
Masters of Illusion
The Black Knight
Medley (The Lost Children, Green Eyed Angel, Sister Bluebird, Last Man On Earth)
Am I Really Losing You?

I'd love to tell you how wonderful the 5.1 sound sounds, but as my DVD setup is crap, I can't. But that's something you can help with, by donating to the "Help Silhobbit Survive" fund - Link at the arse end of this page!

Well, the concert is all well and good, but what about the gravy?

Also on the disc there is a witty and informative interview with Meester Neek, where the man talks about the ideas behind Believe, his thoughts on the next album, the Polish connection, the Italian Job, the bands history, how he forced Clive to join the band and leave, eventually, The Cast (not the Britpoppers. Or the Mexican proggers), Marillion and all that jazz. All very interesting.

This leads us on to the Progumentary. This was that home movie thing that was supposed to be dished out with Believe, but had to be delayed due to production problems. Not as exciting as Paris Hilton's home movie, but we've all seen that anyway. This is also a good watch, with loads of behind the scenes nuggets while the album was created. It also has Nick driving round his misplaced childhood area, pointing out Pendragon landmarks. Wonderful.

There's also the usual Biography, discography and photo gallery to keep you amused on those long winter evenings, not forgetting the double live album, if you forked out for the Special Edition.

Metal Mind Productions have done a grand job with this, and I imagine a shed load of you will be agreeing with me!