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| Rick Wakeman - Out There |
 Released: 2004 Label: Classic Pictures Cat. No.: DVD6099X Total Time: 57:55 + 21:14 | |
Reviewed by: John BoBo Bollenberg, March 2004 With the audio CD Out There already having been reviewed, I will only review the DVD here and not the musical contents! A year ago the audio CD Out There was released, which gained lots of positive feedback the world over. After having rejoined Yes in June 2002, it now looked like Rick Wakeman was definitely back on track again as a solo artist as well. But then disaster struck as Damian Wilson decided to quit the day before the Out There tour. The tour went ahead thanks to the enthusiasm of the other lads, plus the courage of none other than Ashely Holt. With all the DVD footage already recorded, the big question was whether at all Rick could issue a DVD which now contained a different singer than the one on the CD. A year later and we know the answer. At some stage a new front cover for the DVD was realized, sporting a band picture with Ashley Holt. This picture has now been moved to the inside of the jewel case, whilst a brand new picture has been created for the front cover. But the film itself still shows Damian Wilson, so the wait has only been there to cause confusion, as in the end it’s everything that was planned from the very beginning! Promoted as being the world’s very first "progressive rock DVD album," it has indeed to be said that most if not all of the DVDs so far mainly contain live footage, complemented by some offstage trivia. Here we get the entire new album Out There augmented with some great visuals whether they are specially created computer graphics or original footage from the NASA vaults. Compared to the "normal" CD release, some extra soundclips from NASA have been added to make the whole even more spectacular. The sound really is three-dimensional and at times you literally feel like floating in space. During the title track both Ant Glynne and Rick deliver solos on guitar and Moog, respectively, but we don’t see the musicians, which I think is a shame. In fact, throughout the entire duration of this DVD we never really get to see the musicians really up close as they are part of the complete picture. I’m certain not to be on my own when I say that I like to see Rick’s fingers slide over those keyboards from time to time. Sadly I don’t get it here. On top of that, only Rick is "dressed for the occasion" as he has his shiny golden cape on whilst the rest of the band look like they have just left the pub on the other side of the studio. Ant even wears a sleeveless T-shirt sponsoring Marshall! If so much money was spent on this DVD, then why didn’t they take it a little further and get each member of the band a decent costume? In "Universe Of Sound," the outlines of the musicians are projected as tiny particles in the universe which I think is a nice find. The final track "The Cathedral In The Sky" contains a nice piece of church organ, so why hasn’t this part been filmed with Rick behind a real church organ then? He now sits behind the same keyboard all the time, even when he delivers some tasty piano. So why not bring a real grand piano in the studio? I’m sure Steinway would’ve loved the publicity! Filming the church organ part inside a church or chapel would have given an extra dimension, whilst the colours of the stained glass windows would have been a real extra. As it is, Out There is a good combination of new rock music and footage which extra "explains" the actual plot. As a bonus, you get to see the musicians as well, although they are part of the scenery rather than being in the spotlight one by one. Sadly this DVD is not a hybrid release, so if you only care to see this film once or twice, but would like to play the music on your stereo or in your car, you can’t! So in a way you are obliged to buy the DVD just for the pleasure of being able to watch the extra visuals, whilst also buying the CD so you can listen to the music without needing a DVD-player. An opportunity missed! There’s only one extra feature where Wakeman explains the concept behind this album. NASA took Wakeman’s music into space so maybe "out there" other creatures are sending their music back to us. Rick feels musicians then might act like receivers, capturing these invisible sounds which they can put into "earthly" music. He also speaks highly of his New English Rock Ensemble who we see having fun backstage. We also briefly meet Alina Bencini, Rick’s girlfriend, who also designed the sleeve, and his daughter Jemma. Shot in sunny Tenerife, Rick looks relaxed and talks highly of the "camaraderie" in the band. It’s that element that will undoubtedly lay down the foundation for many more NERE related projects in time to come! But next time, make sure your new album is a hybrid release Rick! More about Out There: Track Listing: Out There / The Mission / To Be With You / Universe Of Sound / Music Of Love / Cathedral Of The Sky Musicians: Contact: Website: www.rwcc.com Discography
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