DVD Reviews

Now it's them, not the Fabs, are the youngest band to have released a debut album to enter the charts at the top. And here's the visual proof they're the real pretenders.

A boy band? Yes, McFLY are the one, and the adorable one. And the capable of doing a great show, too. With three albums under their belt, the lads kick off the Wembley concert of May 14, 2007 with an adrenalised version of "That Girl", a pure catchy rock 'n' roll, which is exaсtly what's needed to get the audience up on their toes and to demonstrate the band's magical instrumental interplay and vocal harmonies, the rapid change of the camera angles underlining the hectic pace of the show. Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones pass the verses around, and while the tunes' catchiness goes without saying, it's their youthful energy that's infectious the most.

It's no surprise the punters know the lyrics well enough to carry the doubtful lines of "Obviously" and be drawn to the "I'll Be OK" optimism, as the songs' sentiment is close to every teenager's heart. And if the quartet are poseurs, it's all a part of the youngsters' immediacy, even though the burping into the microphone feels like a needless extra. Yet the sweat dripping from the cutting vertiginous swirl of "I Wanna Hold You" and the propeller-like cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella" is all real - as well as the fantastic acoustic guitar solo in "All About You". Fooling around comes as the game rule here, what with the promise of coming back for encores - including the bold attack on QUEEN's "Don't Stop Me Now" - after leaving the stage for the first time. Such a bravado suits McFLY fine to propel them to the real greatness.

*****

The dreams of men coming true for the momentous show in Poland.

When it comes to neo-prog, PALLAS aren't among the ensembles that make a shortlist alongside PENDRAGON or IQ, but now a time came for reinstation of the Scots' position, and this show, recorded in Katowice in 2007, is their claim to fame. The group is nicely peculiar: untypically for a prog band, long instrumental intros aren't for these Scots who go for the throat with the "Warriors" cutting riff from the off, the corridor-like stage set-up stressing their perspective and focus on the subject matter rather than frilly paraphernalia.

Alan Reed, a sensitive, studenty type of lad, looks a bit out of place amongst the hard-boiled long-haired clique, yet there's no histrionics in the singer's approach to the tremulous sentiment of "Heaven" and "Ghostdancers", and there's an untamed energy in Scottish folk-tinged rock 'n' roll that is "Queen Of The Deep", while instrumental "Northern Star" demonstrates the lyrical side of Niall Mathewson's guitar work. The only problem here might be a deceptive sheen devoid of genuine emotionality, save for Graeme Murray's rumbling bass attack throughout, yet this is rectified when the DVD is re-visited. As it is, the real depth is revealing itself little by little, and that's how little fish eats the shark, as "Invincible" goes. With "Arrive Alive" summing up this blend of elegance and swagger, PALLAS emerge as the true winners.

****

A strange creature in a strange world that's very ours. Take it easy but relaxation is out of question.

What's Mika? Not who but what? The British singer plays an Alice game in the Wonderland which is so out of time that it feels as timely in 2007's Paris, like on this DVD, as in 1979's New York where the then-unborn guy could have been a dance floor star, too. Here, what at first feels like a staged discotheque with a sound that's initially too disciplined to be live turns into a celebration thanks to the main man's engaging personality. Brutally exquisite, with a knack for observations that strike a chord with an audience, Mika's full of energy and full on - falsetto acrobatics take a back seat to the driving beat in contrast to the message of the opening "Relax (Take It Easy)" which, on-stage, reveals its funky underbelly.

It's impossible not to be drawn into the "Ring Ring" urgency or the joviality of "Big Girls", especially when two of the titular ladies come to dance around the lanky singer who, a bit later, goes even more intimate taking lively to the piano. Comparisons with Freddie Mercury seem unavoidable - there's the same humorous camp in "Billy Brown" and the jazz-tinged "Stuck In The Middle" - yet Harry Nilsson must have influenced the young artist as well, and it's hardly a coincidence that one of the multiple extras, including the tour documentary, promo videos and cartoon clips to many of the album's songs, is "Everybody's Talkin'". The EURHYTHMICS' cover, "Sweet Dreams", and THE JACKSON 5's "I Want You Back" may be rockier but less expressive than this - and a new, acoustic piece "Holy Johnny" for that matter. Of course, "Grace Kelly" receives an airing: in the concert context, though, it sounds mundane, a verse in French notwithstanding, while "Lollipop" brings on a genuine carnival atmosphere - and a hope that Mika's second album will be as contagious.

*****

Between the past and the future, the sweet moment in time and a time for a celebration.

The most fabulous reading of H. Rider Haggard's novel, a real historic adventure.

That's the way any rock opera must look like! To call Clive Nolan a genius might be a word too loud, but the keyboard wizard who always has a lot of cards on his hands pulls them all in fine fashion, and this one can be the most daring of the master's projects. Musical re-imagining of a classic book is not a novelty idea, yet taking the aural performance to the stage and turning it into a spectacular play, like CAAMORA, the Englishman collaboration with Polish singer Agnieszka Swita, did in October 2007 in Katowice, feels a real triumph.

Here's the band seated at the front of the stage just like a real orchestra, while Nolan and PALLAS' Alan Reed show up as Leo Vincey and Horace Holly on their African trail - rifles, game-bags, and stuff - singing duet of "The Storm" against the backdrop where Agnieszka appears for the first time, and with a superimposition of the screen visuals onto the concert action, we're right away in the thick of the things. The men live the lyrics to make up emotionally for what they lack in the acting department - and they lack not a lot! - while MAGENTA's Christina Booth comes on fantastic as Ustane with her erotic dance and strong vocals. The trio the three bright voices weave in "Ambush" is immaculately breathtaking. Ayesha, unfortunately, is too theatrical and less convincing, especially in the drama of "Confrontation" alongside the natural Booth, yet if Swita's accent feels a little awkward, that's rather fitting for the African queen, and when it comes to duetting with Nolan in "Resting Place" it's just engaging.

The CAAMORA enterprise opens up a new facet of Clive Nolan's talent, but there's also an amazing camera work involved: on the crowded stage, the film crew never gets in the way of the visuals to let the music do the talking. Those who sneer at prog rock must have a look at "She" to be converted.

*****

A journey to the center of one's hope and glory.

Every Wakeman fans knows Rick plays with his eyes closed because he sees pictures in his mind. What does the maestro imagines is anybody's guess, but it's surely not the visuals that accompany new instrumental interpretations of spiritual perennials. The veteran's not novice when it comes to video albums - there was "Out There" before - yet here's a paradox: the music for the most part is much more moving than the moving pictures. Sometimes, though, it's really spellbounding, with no illustration at all, when shown is only Wakeman at the grand piano, sometimes the aural and visual are equally thought-provoking like in "Glad That I Live Am I" where the marine theme comes as a sign of a storm lurking behind the serenity, sometimes equally banal like in the title composition set to the everchanging landscapes.

There are many ways to cast a spell, and the keyboard wizard knows all of them.

It's a little bit misleading to imply that Rick Wakeman has the other side - which means there's just two to him - as the man's an all-rounder, yet performing-wise, yes, the YES man's not only a piano virtuoso but also a great storyteller. And here, at the famous Shepperton Studios, all this comes together in one gripping show that's in part a concert and in part a stand-up comedy interwoven in such a way that a musical piece serves as an illustration to a story and a precursor to another tale. Wakeman has a peculiar, British sense of humor with a toilet overtones which can displease a casual viewer but then, an onlooker like this will hardly find his pleasure in listening to the "lost" chord of "And You And I" that didn't make it to the final, recorded arrangement of the classic.

And listening to the bare-bones grand piano renditions of compositions from the various stages of Rick's four-decade-long career is a real treat, the veteran managing to make familiar tunes such as David Bowie's "Life On Mars?" which Wakeman contributed to originally, all his own. So the "bare-bones" definition is misleading again, what with little yet moving embellishments from the maestro's magic hands. It's as intimate show as it gets, and to be this close to the artist of so many facets when he delves, eyes closed, into the sweet reverie of "Guinevere" is like sharing a special, sacred gift. But wizards are always generous, aren't they?

*****

A half of century at the door, a glance is cast back at the half-way of one of the most famous hangouts in the world.

If there ever was a template for a rock club, "The Marquee" was it. A launch pad for many music legends, the place has obtained a legendary status itself, but that's hardly comes across from this documentary. Shot in mid-80s, the movie tracks back the establishment's history through interviews with its founders, Harold Pendleton and Chris Barber, and such luminary patrons as Phil Collins and Kenney Jones. Their recollections are interspersed with the live segments, mostly from 1983, which are almost always out of the narrative context: NAZARETH, with their blistering cover of "This Flight Tonight", come up right after Barber mentions Rory Gallagher.

Still, it's amazing that not only rockers felt at "The Marquee" at home - it started as a jazz and blues hangout in the first place - but also such special artists as the voodoo charmer Dr John brewing up the gumbo of "Little Lisa Jane", or those Ghana Jumbos, OSIBISA. Nothing could be out of place here... Well, nothing but Dave Dee as a presenter, ridiculous rather than hilarious. Yet that's a part of the fun. There's a little story told of THE ROLLING STONES thrown out of the club for being "awful", and then there's Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts backing the British Blues Godfather, Alexis Korner, on "Hoochie Kootchie Man". Much to enjoy, then, from vintage STATUS QUO to CHERRY BOMBZ. A timely release for the institution, re-opened in August 2007.

***3/4

The RENAISSANCE lady having a gracious ball in the closest approximity of angels.

With no official video from her former band, this performance is a great gift for all the fans of Annie Haslam's talent not able to experience her stage show. To call it a show would be unfair to the singer, though, as Annie's just being her natural self here, good-humored and welcoming. Not that Haslam has a fear of "five thousand people" she's joking about, but to sing before the friends always feels more pleasant - and challenging, too. Yet a warm, homey atmosphere with carpet-covered floor of the small studio adds to the impression of the concert being played in a living room, especially with the audience sitting right on the boards. Even the grand piano that Rave Tesar caresses brings no superficial grandeur to the proceedings, and it is captivating to see how Joe Goldberger and David Biglin build their perfect harmonies under the lead vocals in "Captive Heart".

Clad in a black trousers suit, Annie nevertheless looks like a fragile, if self-confident, butterfly fluttering over the twilight bloom, which fits the music she plays so well, and the songstress's little dance routine is so enthralling when it illustrates the nuances of the "Pool Of Tears" lyrics and melody. There's great plasticity in "What He Seeks" moves as well, and that's a showcase of Haslam's solo output, with only three RENAISSANCE pieces thrown in, with "Carpets Of The Sun" opening out and "The Young Prince And Princess" for the finale. This might be a challenge again if it wasn't so powerful; still, unlike many others, Annie doesn't show any physical tenston when reaching for the highest notes which she harnesses with marvellous precision. Sometimes the lady seems to be lost in some sweet reverie, and it's quite to easy to join Haslam in it because what she gives is a gentle, watercolor dream.

*****

"The other band" of the Glaswegian blues lady coming on strong but flying too low.

It's a matter of time - and perhaps space - to position what you do right in order to succeed, and this British quintet appeared in limbo and went along with the flow. Their element was blues, not the most fashionable genre in the early '80s, so not ready to move too far from the Muscle Shoals and not willing to be splashing on the shoal, the band decided to flex their collective muscle in rock 'n' roll. And what a mighty collective that was!

Drummer Dave Dowle, bassist Tony Stevens and, of course, Maggie Bell whose post-STONE THE CROWS solo career hadn't been as successful as it should have been, all had immaculate credentials, and here the famous Swiss festival's crowd gives the ensemble their due from the off, once the singer starts rocking from the hip with "Hey Boy". But most of the time MIDNIGHT FLYER seem bored with entertaining the mob and trying to entertain themselves. They're indeed having fun in "Danger Money", with Tone Stevens and guitarist Ant Glynne reinforcing the vocal department, yet there's a feeling that the band never show their abilities in full swing. They come alive in ballad "Rough Trade" where Bell fathoms the bottom of the heart, and Glynne operates the keyboards before unleashing a slide solo, and you wish they extend it and take it to the limit - but they don't. Maggie doesn't even care to announce the songs under the titles they have on the album - released 6 months earlier!

But that's as close to blues as you could get, because even THE CROWS' "Penicillin Blues" receives a speeded-up interpretation which incorporates guitar foray into Monti's Csardas. Fortunately, there were two old masters on the bill that day who, in turns, join the band on stage to save the day. And it's here, in a tremendous reading of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" with Taj Mahal and in fiery jamming with Albert Collins that the greatness of MIDNIGHT FLYER is revealed. And it's a pity they occupied the wrong time.

***1/2

Look up at the blue-sy skies. At the end of their flight, the Scottish finest still were the mighty firebirds.

"Shot down in flames" may not be the right description of the STONE THE CROWS sad demise as the band just ceased to be. Their soul started to wane in 1972 when Les Harvey was electrocuted on-stage, even though ex-THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN guitarist Jimmy McCulloch seemed an adequate replacement musically; for Maggie Bell the emotional gears shifted to the point of no return. Not that the finest female blues belter Britain has ever produced showed that in public.

Always a focal figure, this performance finds the singer hot and strutting but she doesn't play up a sex card. Maggie's a great ball of fire, her magnetism making it rather hard for other musicians to shine, but they rise to a challenge and while McCulloch looks rather shy, Ronnie Leahy fries a fine funky chicken on his organ on "On The Highway". Young Jim, six strings blisteringly blazing, comes to the fore on the Freddie King classic "Going Down", a visual testament to the band's amazing ability to build a tension and then, on the very edge of frenzy setting it, to give a groove the rein. It feels just natural for them to switch from the climactic "Niagara" coda to the slow sadness of "Sunset Cowboy", a move by which a rhythm section of Colin Allen and Steve Thompson demonstrate their subtle versatility.

The boldness is in play even in the choice of the material as the quintet stick strictly to their last record, "'Ontinuous Performance", save for another King's cover, with no cut from the STONE THE CROWS' previous studio efforts. The "Beat Workshop" TV programme feels a good place to do a small workout from "Penicillin Blues", and if the band could put such an incendiary show in a television studio, it's easy to imagine how inflammable they were in front of the crowd.

*****

A hilarious yet highly informative stroll behind the scenes of one fine record.