Arena - Caught In The Act


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Metal Mind
Catalog Number: MMP DVD 0012
Format: DVD
Total Time: 130:00:00

Recorded at the Krzemionki television studios in Krakow, Poland in April 2003, Caught In The Act shows us an average Arena concert. It strikes me that similar to the Transatlantic DVD, no "ambiance" microphones were used, which means that audience participation and reactions are almost non existant. This way you get a live concert that contains very little live atmosphere.

Doing a great job is guitarist John Mitchell who during "Serenity" puts in a lot of David Gilmour interventions, delivers a fair amount of splendid solos during "Hanging Tree" before sounding like a true copy of Eddie Van Halen during the final track "Crying For Help VII." From a visual point of view, Arena takes advantage of as many possibilities as the budget would allow, whilst Sowden, Mitchell and Salmon use the entire stage to the fullest. Rob's fluorescent sunglasses might be a nice gimmick during one song, yet after a while it becomes a bit boring. The long coat with hood however does add a little extra to "Spectre At The Feast." The lighting that during the early stages of the set looks rather professional, soon begins to get to your nerves. That's why the fast changing background does not fit the intimate nature of "Bitter Harvest" at all.

After a good 45 minutes, the band finishes the new Contagion

Arena has become a well oiled machine, delivering value for money for their fans. In a way the same can be said about this DVD, although I'm not very impressed with the added bonus features. A forced interview next to a lot of material anyone can find on the Internet in a good five minutes is all you get. In fact when I look at the structure for the bonus material it looks ever so close like the bonus material on the Pendragon DVD. Although everything is well executed, I can't help thinking this is a "see it once and then put it back in the cupboard" DVD.


Tracklisting:
Witch Hunt / And Angel Falls / Painted Man / This Way Madness Lies / Spectre At The Feast / Skin Game / Salamander / Bitter Harvest / City Of Lanterns / Riding The Tide / Cutting The Cards / Ascension / Serenity / Chosen / Double Vision / Hanging Tree / Breathe / The Butterfly Man / Enemy Without / Solomon / Jericho / Crying For Help VII

Extras: fully animated menu / Arena's biography and individual member's profiles / interview with Mick Pointer and Clive Nolan / discography / photo gallery / art gallery / desktop images / weblinks / Dolby digital 5.1 surround sound

Musicians:
Rob Sowden - vocals
John Mitchell - guitars, backing vocals
Clive Nolan - keyboards, backing vocals
Ian Salmon - bass
Mick Pointer - drums

Discography:
Songs From The Lion's Cage (1995)
Pride (1996)
The Edits (1996, OOP)
Welcome To The Stage (1997)
The Cry (EP, 1997)
The Visitor (1998)
The Visitor - Revisited (1999) (Dutch fan club only release, OOP)
Immortal? (2000)
Unlocking The Cage - 1995-2000 (2001) (Dutch fan club only release, OOP)
Breakfast In Biarritz (2001)
Contagion (2003)
Radiance (2003) (fan club only release)
Live & Life (2004) (box set)
Pepper's Ghost (2005)
Ten Years On (2006)
The Seventh Degree Of Separation (2011)
Live 2011/12 Tour (2012)
Arena XX (2016)
Contagion Max (reissue of Contagion) (2014)
The Unquiet Sky (2015)
The Visitor - 20th Anniversary Remastered Edition (2018)
Double Vision (2018)

Caught In The Act (DVD) (2003)
Smoke And Mirrors (DVD) (2006)
Rapture (DVD) (2013)
Arena XX (DVD) (2016)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: December 26th 2003
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.arenaband.co.uk
Hits: 2167
Language: english

  

[ Back to Reviews Index | Post Comment ]