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| Marillion - Christmas In The Chapel |
 Released: 2003 Label: Racket Records Cat. No.: Racket 95D Total Time: 133:51 | |
Reviewed by: John Bobo Bollenberg, March 2004 Recorded live at the Union Chapel, Islington, London on Saturday 7th December 2002, this DVD most certainly brings the festive season into your living room, backed by an outstanding soundtrack. Although the combination of a rock concert and a chapel seems a little unusual, the end result is the kind of DVD one would expect. Performing a lot of new material (at the time) as well as some live favourites, this gig was attended by most of the European fan clubs and we all know how enthusiastic those can be. On top of that we can honestly say that the Marillion fans probably are the most loyal on the planet, hence the fact that the band’s very own Racket Records label has now also started to issue fanclub DVDs. With well over two hours of live material, the band had to come back no less than three times before the crowd were happy enough to return home. Throughout this concert it once again strikes me what a powerful voice Steve Hogarth has even if he accompanies himself on a … cricket bat, such as during "Season’s End." Stroboscopic lights and enthusiastic audience participation makes Marillion look like a young indie band, as we can witness during "Between You And Me." A fan club DVD obviously means you have to cut down on certain elements, so don’t expect a fullblown huge production, but an honest "in house" recording of that special night in Islington. So at certain times the lighting isn’t perfect. Also due to the set-up of the band (Mosley and Kelly look at each other) and the size of the venue, it’s impossible to get close to the stage with the cameras. Especially when they zoom in or out, the quality is a little amateur. The band’s choice of arrangements, such as with "This Is The 21st Century" very much gives the band a very contemporary approach far removed from the cliché prog label. I would have loved to see Pete Trewavas’ input up close here (a multi-angle feature would have been perfect, but once again we’re talking money here!). The DVD clearly illustrates with what ease the band plays. In "The Great Escape" you can hear the crowd sing along but sadly you can’t see them. Personally I would have loved to see close ups of the audience interspersed throughout this DVD, which sadly does not happen. The normal set has ended and one of the cameras captures Mark Kelly’s keyboard tech who makes sure all of the necessary sounds are ready for "Mad," the band’s first encore. With a grand rendition of "Afraid Of Sunlight," the band once again leaves the stage only to resurface a while later for a second batch of encores. Surprise for everyone as Steve Hogarth delivers the X-mas classic "Gabriel’s Message," backed by subtle keyboards courtesy of Mark Kelly before the rest of the band joins in a little later. The lengthy "This Strange Engine" is greeted with loud cheers and is indeed a weird collection of various atmospheres and elements. Marillion greets the audience and exits the stage to find peace and quiet in their dressing rooms, but the fans keep on asking them back. For a third consecutive time the band gets on stage with Hogarth thanking all the fan clubs present who in turn thank the band by singing the words to "Easter" as loud as they can. Once again, pity we don’t see those happy faces in the crowd here. A wonderful evening comes to a close with "Cover My Eyes," which has always been a crowd favourite. Christmas came a little early that night in London (December 7th) and with this DVD no doubt a perfect Christmas present has been made for the Marillion fan who can treasure it for many years to come! Only available through the band’s website, a snip at only £14.99! More about Christmas In The Chapel: Track Listing: Musicians: Contact: Website: www.marillion.com Discography
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