Procol Harum - Live [Reissue]

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Classic Pictures
Catalog Number: DVD6027X
Format: DVD
Total Time: 139:58:00

When you see the stage setup for the current edition of the legendary Procol Harum you see that the founders and legends of the band each take up one side of the stage. On the right is the immortal Hammond organ of Matthew Fisher, whilst on the left we have the distinctive voice and piano of Gary Brooker. The middle of the stage is reserved for the "young" members of the band, they being Geoff Whitehorn (If, Fantasy, Crawler, Roger Chapman, Elkie Brooks, Bad Company, Paul Rodgers, Roger Daltrey, The Who) on guitar, Matt Pegg (Jethro Tull, Francis Dunnery, Fairport Convention) on bass, and drummer Mark Brzezicki. Mark is also known for his work with Pete Townshend, Big Country, Ultravox and Fish which makes his style very suitable for the work of Procol Harum.

What better way to kick off this Danish television special than with the weirdly entitled "Bringing Home The Bacon." As happens often with the early stages of a concert, the balance isn?t 100% perfect, which results here in Brooker?s piano being not really loud enough in the mix. Luckily things are perfect in time for "Homburg," which surely is one of the band?s all-time highs. Recorded in Portalen, Denmark on 15th December 2001, no fewer than twenty songs will be performed, so the sitting audience (and you at home!) certainly is in for a real treat. Brooker, who looks like a cross between Jon Lord and Kenny Rogers, delivers an almost classical feel during the piano intro for "Fires," sporting once again those sparse interventions from the Hammond god Matthew Fisher.

Recorded in a sober setting with only some stage lights doing a proper job, Procol Harum in concert mainly is about the music, so no extra visuals have been added. Delivering a decent amount of blues with "Seems To Have The Blues," Brooker advises the band to continue in the same style, as he is enjoying himself, which is swiftly answered to by the band by means of "Memorial Drive." Whether on stage in a theater like the one in Denmark, or in a small smokey club, the way the band members complement each other is proof of years of experience from which the total sound finally benefits. The sound of the seagulls in the intro of "A Salty Dog" is replaced here by some guitar effects courtesy of Geoff Whitehorn. Amazing how Brooker still hits those high notes perfectly! Strange, however, that Brooker has a book containing all the lyrics within reach. Although I must confess that Procol?s lyrics are not the easiest in the world it?s still a bit strange to see Gary helping himself this way.

The final three songs of the concert certainly deliver a bold exclamation mark as it contains not only the best work Procol Harum has ever released, but without any doubt the best work the world has ever heard! With Matthew Fisher in the spotlight, "Repent Walpurgis" kind of sounds, from an instrumental point of view, like an alternative version of "Je T?aime Moi Non Plus." Divine how organ and wailing guitar work together in this instrumental beauty. The band leaves the stage having reserved "Conquistador" and the immortal "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" as encores. Listening closely to their moving version of "A Whiter Shade Of Pale," one has to confess it?s probably one of the all-time best pieces of modern emotional music ever written, and still today it sounds as fresh as when it was first recorded so many years ago.

In Portalen, Copenhagen the concert has come to a close, but the lucky owners of this DVD can sit back and enjoy some more extras. The biographies on the band members are very, very short and would benefit from more info and direct links to their respective websites. The discography sadly doesn?t contain any scans of the sleeves, which is also something that can be done better. An interesting feature is the interactive family tree, but you have to return one frame at a time instead of skipping per decade. However the final extra really is something to look out for, as we are given the opportunity to witness the band in their rehearsal room. Interspersed with interesting bits of an interview from all of the members, it really gives a good idea of what Procol Harum is all about today. Looking at the professional way these guys are acting, one has to ask why they have to rehearse in the first place? In years to come, you can get to see the band live if you really want to, however the chance to step into their very own rehearsal room is next to impossible. With this DVD, however, you can enter the kingdom of kingdoms and enjoy every second of it! What a great DVD this is, and to describe it with one of the band?s song titles: "A Dream In Every Home"!

[Bobo also reviewed the 2005 reissue of this DVD -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Bringing Home The Bacon / Pandora?s Box / Holding On / Piggy Pig Pig / Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) / Hombug / Fires (Which Burnt Brightly) / Seems To Have The Blues (Mostly All Of The Time) / Memorial Drive / Grand Hotel / Wizard Man / Beyond The Pale / A Salty Dog / A Dream In Every Home / A Christmas Camel / New Lamps For Old / As Strong As Samson / Repent Walpurgis / Conquistador / A Whiter Shade Of Pale

Special features: animated menu / biographies / discography / family tree

Procol Harum "uninhibited" = rehearsal featuring A Whiter Shade Of Pale / Memorial Drive / Seems To Have The Blues (Mostly All Of The Time) / Wizard Man / Morning Dew / Hey Joe / She Wandered Through The Garden Fence / Let?s Go Get Stoned

Musicians:
Gary Brooker - vocals, piano
Matthew Fisher - Hammond organ
Geoff Whitehorn - guitar
Mark Brzezicki - drums
Matt Pegg - bass
Keith Reid ? words

Discography:
Procol Harum (1967)
Shine On Brightly (1968/2001)
A Salty Dog (1969)
Home (1970)
Broken Barricades (1971)
The Best Of Procol Harum (1971, FLY)
Procol Harum Live: In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra & the Da Camera Sing (1972)
Grand Hotel (1973)
The Best Of Procol Harum (1973, A&M)
Exotic Birds And Fruit (1974)
Procol''s Ninth (1975)
The Best (1975)
Portrait (1975)
Rock Roots (1976)
Hits (1976)
Something Magic (1977)
Greatest Hits (1977)
Classics, Vol. 17 (1987)
Prodigal Stranger (1991)
Early Years (1994)
The Long Goodbye (1995)
Greatest Hits (1996)
30th Anniversary Anthology (1997)
Definitive Collection (2002)
Singles A''s and B''s (2002)
The Well''s On Fire (2003)

Live (DVD) (2003/2005)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: December 24th 2003
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.procolharum.com
Hits: 1917
Language: english