Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday Party (DVD)


Year of Release: 2002
Label: Classic Rock Direct
Catalog Number: CRL0879
Format: DVD
Total Time: 60:00:00

I have been chomping at the bit for a few months now trying to get my equipment in line to view this DVD. It was worth the wait. This performance by Uriah Heep in London in December 2001 was an incredible event to witness. I jumped right inside my TV set, and then it was like I was there straight on through the night for the entire show.

This is exhilarating and exceedingly good footage of Uriah Heep live. The stage is full of rock and roll legends all night long. Ken Hensley joins the band and plays a lot of slide guitar and of course his trademark keyboards. John Lawton, the former lead singer, joins in on the festivities later on in the evening. Bernie Lawton and John make quite a duo. Bernie's voice has incredible range, he gets extremely high at times, and it really was more evident to me after actually watching him perform opposed to just listening to the CD portion of this beautiful boxed set. He must have a lot of tea and honey when his night is thru. Thijis Van Leer, formerly of Focus, is on hand to play a beautiful flute accompaniment to the band and give the group an even more progressive Tullish sound. Hensley and Phil Lanzon provide a beautiful dual keyboard combination for the extensive UH catalog. They played very well together with Lanzon jumping back and forth from the Steinway to the electric keyboards and Hensley from keys to guitar (acoustic and electric). The drummer, Lee Kerslake, has a great rock 'n' roll voice, and one that is used infrequently on this particular set. He does play a mean kazoo on "The Magician's Birthday" I must admit. Coordination definitely comes into play as he plays the drums while humming with the kazoo, and he never misses a beat.

I never realized the energy that this group had live until actually witnessing it with my own eyes. These guys have been around a mighty long time, and even though their age is beginning to show physically, there are no signs of any slowing down in the performance department. Mick Box is a joy to watch, he had a smile from ear to ear all night long. You could tell he was right at home amongst friends as he wailed away with his six-string, helping each classic Heep tune become recreated before the standing and cheering crowd. There are some really nice close-ups of Box's fingers going up and down the neck of the guitar; it's a view that not too many people could possible have, even if there were in the front row of the venue.

There are some cut away shots from live footage that give you snippets of the convention that went on before the show and the customary interviews with the group members. Mick said that they want to make this an annual event, let's hope that they bring it to these shores one day for the U.S. Heepsters that can't afford the trek to London. If that doesn't happen that's okay too, we will always have a DVD to watch to relive all those special moments that we may not have had to chance to see up close and personal. Hey, this is the next best thing to being there, and readmission is free.


Tracklisting:
Stealin'* / Return To Fantasy / Tales / Sweet Pretender / Between Two Worlds* / Mistress Of All Time* / I'll Keep On Tryin' / July Morning / Sunrise / Paradise / The Spell / Circle Of Hands / Easy Livin' / The Magician's Birthday / Sympathy / Free 'N Easy Bonus Track: Logical Progression*

*These tracks do not appear on the CD
** Extras include a Rock Vault, UH Store, and Picture Gallery

Musicians:
Mick Box - guitar and vocals
Lee Kerslake - drums and vocals
Trevor Bolder - bass and vocals
Phil Lanzon - keyboards and vocals
Bernie Shaw - lead vocals

Special Guests - Ken Hensley, John Lawton, Thijis Van Leer

Backing Singers -Emma Robbins, Kim Chandler, Aileen McLaughlin

Discography:
Very 'Eavy ... Very 'Umble (1970)
Salisbury (1971)
Look At Yourself (1971)
Demons And Wizards (1972)
The Magician''s Birthday (1972)
Live January1973 (1973)
Sweet Freedom (1973)
Wonderworld (1974)
Return To Fantasy (1975)
High And Mighty (1976)
Firefly (1977)
Innocent Victim (1977)
Fallen Angel (1978)
Conquest (1980)
Abominog (1982)
Head First (1983)
Equator (1985)
Live At Shepperton ''74 (1986)
Live In Europe 1979 (1986)
Live In Moscow (1988)
Raging Silence (1989)
Different World (1991)
Sea Of Light (1995)
Spellbinder Live (1996)
King Biscuit Flower Hour Live (1997
Sonic Origami (1998)
Future Echoes Of The Past (2000)
Acoustically Driven (2001)
Electrically Driven (2001)
The Magician's Birthday Party (CD) (2002)
Magic Night (SACD) (2004)
Wake The Sleeper (2008)
Official Live Bootlegs (2009)
Live At Sweden Rock Festival 2009 (2010)
On The Rebound - A Very 'Eavy 40th Anniversary Collection (2010)

The Magician's Birthday Party (DVD) (2002)
Magic Night (DVD) (2004)
Classic Heep Live From The Byron Era (DVD) (2004)
Between Two Worlds (DVD) (2005)
The Live Broadcasts (DVD) (2006)

plus numerous compliations not listed here

Genre: Rock

Origin UK

Added: August 11th 2002
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.uriah-heep.com
Hits: 3123
Language: english

  

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