|
Having gone through a lot of lineup changes
through their career the most surprising one was in late
2007 when original lead singer and front man Michael Sadler
left the band and was quickly replaced by Rob Moratti. Sadler
had been there from the beginning when the band was known
as Pockets. “Contact: Live in Munich” features one of Sadler’s
last recorded appearances with the band. Tackling everything
from early fan favorites “Wind Him Up” and “Humble Stance”
to more recent material such as “Book of Lies” this set
represents the band in top form although I can’t help feel
that there truly is a sense of underlying sadness at the
same time as the band celebrates its history on this top
notch CD and DVD release. ***
It’s understandable why Sadler left (as
fans know he left to spend more time with his wife and new
born son) but hopefully the door isn’t closed to future
collaborations. Either way, this is a terrific way to close
out an era for this prog rock band. ***
Long time fans will find this two CD and
two DVD release essential for historical reasons and the
fact that the album features plenty of material that hasn’t
previously appeared on a live release by the band. As a
representation of the band’s final tour with its original
lead singer, “Contact” is a very good sounding concert disc
and DVD. The CD features 23 tracks while the 2 DVD set features
47 tracks doubling what was available on the two CD set.
***
Image & Sound:
For the DVD set the transfer looks nice
and sharp. The audio has a nice, robust mix that puts you
AT the concert. ---
Special Features: The main DVD itself consists
of 25 tracks with a chapter stop for each. The bonus material
brings it up to 47 tracks including an interview with the
band. It’s the cherry on top of the rich sundae we get here.
The bonus DVD contains a documentary, photo gallery and
6 tracks from the live show in Mannheim, recorded by Underground
TV. ---
Final Words:
An essential purchase for fans of Saga
this CD/DVD catches the band in top form during their last
tour with their original lead singer. The bonus material
more than doubles what we originally got on the two CD release
effectively giving us the career highlights of a band that
has endured and grown over 30 years.
|
