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It's hard to keep up with a band who releases as prolific
amount of material as Marillion does. They have managed to
put out something new every year since their 1983 debut, Script
for a Jester's Tear, whether it be a new studio album, a new
live album, a new compilation album, a new concert DVD, or
one of their many fan club releases.***
I last checked in on the Marillion camp when I reviewed
their excellent 2005 concert DVD, Marbles On The Road, and
I figured I was past due to check in on them again. I have
not had a chance to pick up their latest album, last year's
Somewhere Else, yet, but this new concert DVD covers every
song from that album in one form or another.***
Somewhere In London was filmed over the final two nights
of Marillion's "Somewhere Else" tour at The Forum, Kentish
Town, London, on the 15th and 16th of June 2007. The band
performed 22 different songs between the two shows, and every
single one of them was included on this teeming two-disk set.
Disk one includes the feature-length concert film, and disk
two contains seven other songs that were also performed during
the two shows, along with some other great special features.***
The show kicks off in dramatic fashion as the darkened
stage is awakened by some dimly pulsating spotlights, and
the intro music to "Splintering Heart" ignites the crowd.
Steve Hogarth casually walks out to a barely illuminated stage
and begins to pour his heart out over the song's first couple
of verses, as he is bathed in an ominous red hue from below.
Right after he screams the line "...but not as much as this!",
the light show explodes into a dazzling display of lights
and colors and Steve Rothery follows with one of the best
guitar solos in his repertoire. What an opener.***
From there, the band showcases seven songs from the new
Somewhere Else album, with only a couple of Marbles tracks
mixed in between. What you think of the Somewhere Else album
is what will mostly determine whether you find this to be
the best Marillion DVD ever, or simply just a very, very good
one.***
The setlist draws from most of the band's albums of the
last two decades, and also includes a couple of very nice
surprises. "The Release", which was a bonus track on the 1999
remastered version of Seasons End, was dusted off for this
tour and served as one of the encore numbers at the first
London show. The absolute showstopper, however had to be the
band's 16-minute, epic performance of "Ocean Cloud", which
they played on the second night. If you like the more progressive
side of Marillion, then you are really going to love this
one. The song can only otherwise be found on the two-disc,
limited edition, version of Marbles, which means that I now
have to get that too.***
Other highlights for me were the first set closer, "King",
which slowly builds up from heart-wrenching ballad to an intense
climax. Steve Hogarth is one of the most animated and emotionally
invested frontmen in the business, and he was no better than
on this performance. Yes, Rothery is the next best thing to
David Gilmour, and Trewavas is a monster on the bass guitar,
but Hogarth is what really makes this band special.***
"Sugar Mice" was the only Fish-era song that can be found
on the DVD, and this performance quickly turned into one of
the most impressive audience sing-alongs I have ever heard.
Hogarth only sang the first line of the song and then the
crowd took over from there. I usually find this quite annoying,
but this came across as remarkably endearing. "Easter" was
more of the same, but it's damn near impossible not sing along
to that one. I doubt you will find too many other fan bases
that are as dedicated as Marillion's are.***
Somewhere in London is certainly the best produced concert
DVD the band has turned out, thanks in part to Tim Sidwell's
superb directing and editing. The band's previous DVD, Marbles
On The Road, suffered badly from some frantic camera direction,
which made it difficult to watch at times. I still would have
preferred more medium range and lingering shots that presented
the whole stage show, but the overall atmosphere of the concert
was captured very well.***
PCM stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mixes are both
offered and they each sound superb, although the surrounds
are used very sparingly for ambience and a little bit of audience
noise. The widescreen video presentation looked excellent.***
Racket Club Rehearsal featured the band performing five
songs, "The Last Century for Man", "Estonia", "Neverland",
"Faith", and "See it Like a Baby", in front a handful of lucky
fans who got to sit on a large rug in the middle of the band's
rehearsal space and watch the magic unfold. The fans looked
more shell-shocked than thrilled to be only inches from the
band members as they played, which seemed kind of odd when
I first watched it. I would have been grinning from ear to
ear the whole time. Also included were four excellent 5.1
surround album mixes of the four Somewhere Else tracks, "No
Such Thing", "A Voice From The Past", "The Wound" and the
title track.***
Much like their British contemporaries Porcupine Tree,
Marillion are a class above the rest of the competition. They
consistently put out great albums, and are one of the best
live bands in the business. Somewhere in London is an exceptional
DVD that should not be missed.***
Reviewed by Paul M. Roy - August 2008
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