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Elly Roberts reviews
Intact
- Cert:
- Cat.no: INTACTDVD1
- Running time: 90 minutes
- Year: 2004
- Pressing: 2004
- Region(s): 2, PAL
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English
- Widescreen: 1.78:1
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £14.99
- Rating: 8/10
- Booklet: Credits and colour photographs
- Extras: “Marbles” Album EPK, “You’re Gone” Video, “Don’t Hurt Yourself” Video
Eva Cassidy could sing anything. It was mostly other peoples songs.
Remember the halcyon days of Progressive Rock? Many people called it aggressiverock not so. The idea was explored in the late 60s to early 70 throughbands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Yes and Genesis. Then the monster diedwith the advent of Punk Rock – a reaction to the pompous self-indulgence ofits perpetrators.
For a decade it had virtually dominated the serious music scene. As Punk diedwithin two years, up pop this band called Marillion. Tagged asthe “new Genesis” from the outset, their singer Derek Dick, aka Fish, he didthe make-up routine and even sounded like Peter Gabriel. They brought arefreshing approach to the genre, even having two major chart hits withKayleigh and Incommunicado.
They made their name with lengthy orchestral opuses and spectacle driven shows.In all they scored 23 Top 100 entries between November ’82 and June ’95. Fishleft in 1988, to be replaced by Steve Hogarth. Behind those hits was a strongconviction and determination to continue making music that set them free fromthe three minute pop song.
Those principles still prevail today, but the format has changed into a leanertemplate. This show states theres still life in the old ‘Prog-Rock’ dog witha fantastic nights work at this concert from earlier this year.
Filmed over a sell-out weekend, 11 and 12 July at Londons Astoria Theatre,this DVD documents Marillions live presentation of their critically acclaimedalbum. Also, after a ten year hiatus, they made a welcomed return with a newsingle Youre Gone, peaking at number 7 in the spring of this year.
Not having heard theMarblesalbum, Ive been taken quite by surprise myself.Having lost a personal interest in them since the departure of Fish, this DVDhas sparked a renewed interest. If this show is anything to go by, the albumshould be labelled a classic.
Replicating the album in non-sequential format, they do what most bands dontdo explore dynamics. Sometimes its nice and gentle the delightful balladAngelina is a great example, as are the four parts of Marbles andthe divine Fantastic Place.
The opening is a monster Invisible Man is all about Prog-Rock;brilliant guitar work by Steve Rothery takes us on a wonderful musical journey.They can really rock it a bit too. The Damage being a blistering reminderthat people still want this kind of escapist music. Some of it is simplybreathtaking. Dont take my word for it buy it, and you wont bedisappointed. Tip – best listened to with headphones !
The full list of tracks included are :
1. The Invisible Man
2. Marbles 1
3. Youre Gone
4. Angelina
5. Marbles 11
6. Dont Hurt Yourself
7. Fantastic Place
8. Marbles 111
9. The Damage 10. Marbles 1V
11. Neverland
12. Bridge
13. Living With The Big Lie
14 . The Party
15. Between You And Me
16. Uninvited Guest
17.Cover My EyesMore info atMarillion.com
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.