HEAVENS CAFE' LIVE [USA]

Updated 9/21/00 Discography ART ROCK CIRCUS (00) Reviews

After hearing the studio version of this concept rock opera about reincarnation, I became astounded by the improvements and the professionalism on this live version. Although it's exactly the same songs on this live album, everything, and I mean everything, is much better here. The musicians is far better (especially the drummer), the vocals of the cast is far better, and even the dynamic in the production, the balance between vocals/instruments and between the instruments is much better. Strange! How come? After reading the sleeve notes I got the explanation. Almost every musician and vocalist is different from the studio release. Thank god! John Miner's songwriting is too good to be destroyed by bad musicians. The music is classic progressive art rock with reminiscences to Gong, Marillion, Pink Floyd and Yes. The sadness, due to the low quality, I felt after hearing the studio album is completely blown away by this amazing live performance. It's recorded live as a Rock Opera at the Flamingo Theater of Performing Arts. After hearing this album I wish I had been in the audience that night! Highly recommended! -Reviewed by Greger Rönnqvist-

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