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| IQ - Subterranea: The Concert (video) |
 Released: 2000 Label: Giant Electric Pea Cat. No.: Total Time: 98:59 | |
Reviewed by: John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, September 2000 Once you hit the "play" button, you hear the audience, yet your screen remains pitch black. The orchestra fine tunes its instruments during "Overture," whilst we get "A Giant Electric Pea presentation" on our screen. Paul Cook beats his drumsticks four times and we're off into a unique live rendition of the band's concept work Subterranea. Photographs introduce the various band members, interspersed with outdoor footage used to underscore the story. That same footage was projected onto a backdrop during the concert itself, yet it fills our entire screen here.
The camera that flies over the IQ members' heads sadly comes in view a couple of times, whilst the images of drummer Paul Cook are always taken from the same angle, as this was taken with a steady computerized camera that didn't move one inch during all of the concert. At one point, when Peter's voice starts to sound "different," it's not because he's tired, but because he's strapped into this leather mask, making it difficult for him to pronounce very well. Actor Michael O'Hara [Babylon 5's Captain Sinclair? - curious ed.] is drafted in to emphasize the theatrical content, whilst saxophone player Tony Wright really adds some great Floydian moments. Because of the "heavy" contents of the concept it doesn't allow Mike Holmes and John Jowitt to wander from one side of the stage to the other so much. When the music is coming near the end you can see that the two start moving around more, that the stress is clearly fading. Once you hear the sound of iron bars once again, the show is over and in true style, the five IQ members together with Wright and O'Hara bow to thank the audience for a one-off experience.
More about Subterranea: The Concert: Track Listing: Overture (4:34) / Provider (1:36) / Subterranea (5:30) / Sleepless Incidental (6:04) / Failsafe (8:37) / Speak My Name (3:48) / Tunnel Vision (7:17) / Infernal Chorus (4:39) / King Of Fools (2:15) / The Sense In Sanity (4:39) / State Of Mine (2:30) Laid Low (1:35) / Breathtaker (5:26) / Capricorn (5:37) / The Other Side (2:32) / Unsolid Ground (5:04) / Somewhere In Time (6:38) / High Waters (2:48) / The Narrow Margin (20:00) Musicians: Contact: Website: www.gep.co.uk/iq Discography
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From the moment Peter Nicholls starts singing, we're in the very front row of the O13 in Tilburg, Holland on 4th April 1999. As opposed to the band's previous live video, which was composed out of a selection of different songs, Nicholls now sees the opportunity to act as well as sing. Add to this the more professional approach where filming and lighting is concerned and you understand that this is indeed a nice souvenir from a remarkable evening. Especially the people living in countries where IQ has never performed Subterranea will certainly cherish this release. [Bobo reported on the 
The entire video production was done by Belgian company Video Line Productions who normally are used to put up big screens during outdoor activities such as rock festivals and sporting activities. For them this was a first, but they found it interesting enough to put their teeth into it. What you see here is the entire "second take" of the concert because initially after IQ was fifteen minutes into their set, the music was stopped because one of the spotlights was broken. Video Line told me afterwards that it was too vital into the entire production process so it had to be replaced. This meant more nerves for the band to take it from the top once again, however this time the audience knew exactly how to react. Sadly there are no views of the crowd which could have enhanced the live feel. At the end of the video they could have added the views of the fans recorded when they left the venue. This would have put the fans even closer. There is talk of a DVD version as well, and this time I would like to give IQ the advice to include some exclusive material. [Which I hear is a part of the plan. -ed.]. I do hope footage has been made of "the making of Subterranea" as it would be interesting to see IQ in the studio prior to the actual recroding. Also, Peter Nicholls might be persuaded to guide us through the story of the concept, which would make it easier to understand for most of us. Maybe some video was shot at Video Line HQ when they were going through the reels of film with Mike Holmes and/or some technical trivia courtsey of Video Line and/or Rob Aubrey. So far the video and the 2CD live album are sold seperately and both really mark the end of a remarkable era!