LIVE ARCHIVE NEARFEST

Since its inception in the year 2000, six releases in Steve Hackett's Live Archive series have seen the light of day. The two latest entries in the series contain recordings of Steve's acoustic live performances, one from 1983 and one from 2005. Live Archive 04 is as far as I understand the very same concert recording as that featured on the concert film Once Above A Time. The one before that is a compilation of live tracks recorded in various places in Europe on Steve's 2003 tour. This brings us to the present release, which in my opinion is the best in the Live Archive series. Live Archives NEARfest features a full show recorded at Patriots Theater, Trenton, New Jersey in June 2002. The set list is very similar to that of the Somewhere In South America DVD which has long been a personal favourite of mine. Indeed, the first 12 songs in the set are identical before some differences begin to appear. In Memoriam is present on both but holds a different position in this set. The only substantial differences in terms of songs are that on Live Archives NEARfest we get performances of Spectral Mornings and Everyday instead on Sierra Quemada and A Tower Struck Down.

The show opens with The Floating Seventh which is a mood setter before the 21st Century Schizoid Man-like Mechanical Bride. This is followed by an excellent medley containing several familiar pieces. Serpentine song is another song that reminds of King Crimson's debut album, but this one is along the lines of the much mellower numbers from that classic album (an album which obviously has been a huge influence on Steve and Genesis). Homage is paid to his Genesis days through instrumental excerpts from Watcher Of The Skies, Hairless Heart and Firth Of Fifth, as well as a full performance of Steve's own version of Los Endos closing the show as usual. Steve's Rock side is further represented by The Steppes, Camino Royale, Vampyre With A Healthy Appetite and Darktown, whilst his acoustic side is represented by Walking Away From Rainbows, Satie's Gnossienne no. 1, and Genesis' Horizons. Overall, a perfect set list which showcases the versatility and eclecticism of the amazing Steve Hackett. I simply love this set!

Having already given five well-deserves stars to Somewhere In South America, I cannot give Live Archives NEARfest any less as the two releases are equally brilliant. However, given how similar they are in content, most people will probably be satisfied with only one of these releases.

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