Rating: 
Summary: Truly a legend!
Review: The only way to describe this dvd/cd set is "perfect". The cd features the music tracks from the dvd concert. The dvd also features some bonus studio tracks. Overall, you get a lot of music. Also, Rick Wakeman tells jokes and stories between the songs on the dvd which are quite humorous. The concert features Rick alone playing keyboards, and on two tracks, a recorded orchestra backing track plays, but this does not cheapen the performance. It's not the long haired caped crusader from the 1970's, but if you're a fan of his later work, you'll enjoy this. The style of the performance parallels his Classical Connection albums and the Piano Tour album. [My only complaint about the whole concert is that there are bird sounds played in the background on his "Birdman of Alcatraz" track, but I'll let him get away with it this time!] My favorite Rick Wakeman dvd to date!
Rating: 
Summary: Mostly magnificent showcase of dazzling keyboard skills
Review: There are several single reasons to buy this DVD: two extremely funny anecdotes which I won't spoil; a sizzling, rocking arrangement of Eleanor Rigby; the Nursery Rhyme Concerto (Pop Goes the Weasel by Rachmaninoff!), and an amazingly virtuosic performance of Jane Seymour for which Rick inserted authentic organ sounds into his Korg - if you close your eyes, you're almost inside a church. Not quite. The synths can't match the raucous power of the great organ, however it's better than not at all. Magnificent.Other than that, the DVD is a bit of a mix. There are lots of favourite Wakeman tracks from King Arthur and Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and a couple of Yes songs which are given a gentle piano treatment and stand up very well. These are interspersed by the aforementioned funny ditties, which really are rib tickling. Unfortunately for me the experience was spoiled by the rather tinny and '80s sounding Kurzweil K2500 synthesizer which Rick uses primarily throughout the night. It's not a patch on the old analogs, but then I don't expect that, however I don't want 'ol Rick sounding like Yanni. Which he does with this particular board, and also with the backing sound that comes with it. Please bring back the Roland XV88. It had a far nicer sound. But even with cheesy synth sounds, Rick still has the magic.
At 50, he's stunning. Someone once said; before Wakeman, there were piano players, and after him, there were programmers. Whatever you think of this statement, he is truly unique and this DVD is a great introduction to his superb skills if you've never heard him before, or a happy homecoming if you're a long time devotee. Just grit your teeth through the Yanni accompaniment, which knocked a star off my rating.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelieveable
Review: This DVD is an amazing value. In addition to the performance, this DVD is packed with many extras, including an audio only section of studio recordings AND a seperate CD of the concert soundtrack. I have all the Rick Wakeman DVDs currently available and this one is absolutely the best. Wakeman's stories in between the musical pieces are excellent and his performance proves he is the best keyboard player in the world. I'm buying another copy just in case this goes out of print. If you are a Rick Wakeman fan, and you haven't been able to decide which of his DVDs to buy, this is the one.
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