Wait a minute, haven't I already read a review with this title from this act? You might think and that's correct! Last year you could have already read my review of the live album released by Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad. They named it The Answer Live (2023, see review). And now here is the video footage of the audio you could find on this CD release. Plus more, because a compact disc is of course limited in time. Of course they gave it the same title! Franck Carducci announced it as a surprise release because probably most people did not expect any more after the concert video filmed at Poppodium Boerderij in Zoetermeer. A concert which was done in the Netherlands almost two years ago on Sept-10 2022 during The Answer Tour. Well there are more surprises I guess! Because you can't watch this concert from a DVD or Blu-ray on your TV. This release is out both physically, in the form of a USB stick cassette tape shaped, and digital. So not released on a DVD or Blu-ray. As Franck stated himself: "I've been considering releasing this video on DVD for a while, but that would imply reducing the image quality, which would really be a pity. Besides, a lot of people don't even have a DVD player any more. So the idea of only releasing the file grew on me. Then we heard about these fully packaged cassette-tape shaped USB sticks that look really cool". Furthermore he added: "It allows us to release the full video file + as bonuses, the (vertical) video of Slave To Rock 'n' Roll filmed from a camera fixed on the head of my double-neck guitar, + the audio MP3 version of the live album!" He also said: "And of course, it's also possible to order only the digital version if you don't need the USB stick! I really hope the fans will enjoy this live movie, filmed with more than 30 cameras, it gives the full experience of a Fantastic-Squad show!". Finally he asked me to add the order link: https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/Q6FIMUQD and don't forget the customers must put their email on the comment field. Having said this its time to move to content on the video. Strangely enough most of what happens on this excellent video is already mentioned while writing the review of the CD. Well you can read my review again (see review) or I can tell you about it once again. However this time around I will make it a bit longer because the missing parts are now most of all included. I only miss the unplugged version of On The Road To Nowhere which was done with That Joe Payne. This was the final encore of the concert at the time. The concert is once again excellently filmed by the team of John Vis. The Dutch film crew once again gave good close ups of everybody on stage. You just can't ask for anything more when they are filming a concert. And if they include a good audio you have the perfect concert on your television or computer to enjoy. However this time around unfortunately no 5.1 surround mix. But that will not prevent you enjoying this excellent concert. So sit down and enjoy when you put it on. The band starts their concert with (Love Is) The Answer. The title track of Carducci's third and latest studio album. Next up, Closer To Irreversible, it is one of the highlights on Franck's second solo album Torn Apart (2015, see review). This time around the intro is sung by Mary Reynaud instead of Franck on the original studio version. A new song can be enjoyed next. Titled The Betrayal Of Blue. It is about ecology and how man badly treats the planet. During this song Mary lets the Theremin speak with her body. While she is doing this Cédric Selzer is playing a piano part which reminded me a bit of the Pink Floyd song The Great Gig In The Sky. It is followed by the first composition which wasn't included on the CD. Namely Mr Hyde & Dr Jekyll. Franck's own metal track as he describes it. On this song guitarist Barth Sky starts playing on his instrument while having it on his back. Later on he puts it on the front side of his body. Of course this really looks cool. Before the next song starts Carducci explains that A Brief Tale Of Time is originally a rather long piece of music. They made a shorter version of it and that the version they perform is an extended version of it. This version is on stage the belly dance song of Reynaud with the laser lights on her hands. You can hear the fantastic organ solo played by Selzer as well. It was directly followed by The Ecstasy Of Gold. A piece which wasn't on the live album. The band gave a beautiful rendition of this Ennio Morricone composition with a leading role for singer Mary Reynaud. Before the following song Beautiful Night starts everybody except for Franck goes off stage for a drink. This is a solo spot of the captain of this progressive rock band. Singing and playing the guitar by himself. On the other hand Franck left the stage for a drink when The Angel starts. His resting moment! This is the song written by Reynaud. During this song Mary is wearing the neon light wings which looks really awesome. Mary's strong voice is only accompanied by a drum rhythm which sounds like a human heart beat (played by Léa Fernandez on drums), raw guitars and keyboard parts performed on the organ and electric piano. The great guitar solo at the end of the song is the icing on the cake. It is wonderfully played by Sky. He also shine's again on Torn Apart, which is the next piece you can enjoy. The guitar riff and the short organ solo just sound amazing. A Carducci concert is not a Carducci concert if Alice's Eerie Dream is not on the setlist. The song is announced as the real story of Alice in Wonderland. Well, if you are a fan you probably know what the story behind the song is all about. The song gives a different impact with the visuals of Mary when she is playing a hooker who wants to get together with the musicians to earn some money. The different time signatures and excellent instrumental parts in this song make it for me one of the strongest piece of music taken from Frank's debut album ODDITY (2011, see review). Asylum, one of the highlights of the latest album, is next. Another long piece of music with very different moods. Sometimes up tempo, sometimes rather mellow. Asylum has on this live version the surprising ending of a Beatles cover tune. Namely The End from the Abbey Road album. This wasn't included on the CD version. Finally, time to enjoy Franck's own rock anthem called Slave To Rock 'n' Roll during the encore. Here you can hear heavy guitar riffs combined with beautiful mellow Mellotron parts. Why the final encore, the unplugged version of On The Road To Nowhere which was done with That Joe Payne, is missing on the CD and video still puzzles me. However without this song there is still enough to enjoy throughout the entire concert. Don't blink too much with your eyes otherwise you might miss some spectacular moments on stage. Because spectacular is the entire performance without any doubt. Sometimes words can hardly express what is happening and that's the case with this extraordinary performance. The bonus material on this release are the earlier mentioned (vertical) video of Slave To Rock 'n' Roll (filmed from a camera fixed on the head of Franck's double-neck guitar) and the audio MP3 version of the live album. The video is a nice gimmick but doesn't add much extra. You watch it once and that's it. The audio version is great to put on a USB Stick for in your car. But beware you will not see all the special things which are happening on the video! Maybe that's a good thing, otherwise you are too much distracted to watch the traffic while driving! I already mentioned in the CD review that Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad can be very proud of what they achieved on this release. The band sounds top notch. Therefore once again, two thumbs up for this amazing live act and recording. I am glad Carducci released the video footage, even if it took almost two years. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. So get it while you can! You won't regret it! ****+ Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
