Steve Hackett - Once Above A Time
Performance 
Production 
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Steve Hackett - Once Above A Time
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I must admit, I have not really followed Steve Hackett's solo career since he left Genesis around 1977. Although he was only in the band for about seven years, their string of albums from Foxtrot to The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway is one of the greatest runs of progressive-rock albums ever - matched only by, perhaps, the early seventies output of Yes. However, Genesis was never a true guitar band, per se, at the same level as Yes or King Crimson where, since the focus was more on the expressive vocals of Peter Gabriel and the dominating keyboards of Tony Banks. Hackett typically hovered in the background, adding his colorful melodies to the mix, and conceding many of the best leads to Banks. After reading several glowing reviews of Hackett's last few concert DVD's, I decided to give his latest one, Once Above A Time, a try. This DVD was recorded on the 3rd of April 2004 at the Petofi Csarnok, Budapest, during Hackett's European tour in support of his most recent album To Watch The Storms. He plays five songs from the new album, and throws in four classic Genesis tunes for good measure. The Genesis songs were worth the price of admission alone, as you rarely got to hear any pre-eighties material from the "and then there were three" version of that once great band. The intro to "Blood On The Rooftops" was the only song that showcased Hackett's brilliant classical guitar playing, and it also featured some excellent vocals from drummer Gary O'Toole. This led right into a phenomenal performance of "Fly On a Windshield". The other two Genesis songs were instrumental versions of "Firth Of Fifth" and "Los Endos", which were undoubtedly the best performances of the night - "Los Endos" being the fitting show closer. All that was missing was a song or two from the GTR album. Anybody remember that little gem? These brilliant Genesis song performances were by no means the only good thing about this DVD. Hackett has assembled an amazing group of musicians who are each virtuosos on their instruments, and perform some delightfully eclectic music. Hackett is an extremely versatile guitarist who coaxes some entirely unique sounds and tones from his guitars. The very first song of the show, the ominous sounding "Valley Of The Kings", demonstrates right away what an amazing touch Hackett has, and just how tight this band is. From there, four out of five of the next songs are from the new To Watch The Storms album. "Mechanical Bride" and "Frozen" are both very free-form, "jazz-fusiony" in style and may take several listens to really appreciate. "Mechanical Bride" is the reason for the "strobe lighting effects" warning on the back of the DVD case, as they are used here to outrageous effect. "Circus Of Becoming" is a charming, Beatlesesque pop song, and "Serpantine" reminded me of early Alan Parsons. Both songs featured Hackett on lead vocals, who is quite good with this style of song. My one annoyance with some of these performances was that Rob Townsend's, usually outstanding, saxophone playing was sometimes thrown in at inappropriate times, such as during parts of "Los Endos", and didn't fit the songs. The overall production quality of this DVD was exceptional and easily rates a ten. The video looked like Hi-Def, the DTS and Dolby surround mixes were brilliant, and the camera work could not have been any better. The DVD case lists the Dolby surround mix as 5.0, vice 5.1, but my subwoofer was fully utilized and the bass sounded exceptional. The director skillfully gives you a front row seat to Hackett's phenomenal guitar technique, as well as a the experience of being there. The stage and light show were fantastic for such a small venue, and was utilized brilliantly to present a unique mood and theme for each song. The bonus features consisted of backstage footage, Steve and the band touring Budapest, and preparing for the show. Steve Hackett looks young for a guy who is in his mid-fifties, and really seems to enjoy playing these shows. He has stated in interviews that he would not be against a Genesis reunion if the circumstances were right. For those of us who never got the chance to see that legendary lineup, lets only hope it is not too late - with or without Mr. Gabriel. (preferably with). Reviewed by Paul M. Roy - January 2005 |
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Running Time: 107 Minutes |
DVD Release Date - November 2004 |