LIVE AT PROGDAY 2009

While less "interesting" than their 2007 The Reunion Concerts DVD/Blu-ray, LIVE AT PROGDAY 2009 marks a high point in the history of 3RDegree and because of their success in "landing" this particularly important yearly concert festival, it's no wonder they captured it in a multi-camera shoot with a mobile recording truck handled by Orion Sound Studios' and ProgDay regular, Mike Potter. The set list features a debut of 3 tracks 3 whole years before the studio album (The Long Division) they eventually ended up being on. They also play Genesis' "Me & Sarah Jane" announcing it in a very humorous manner, telling the prog rock crowd the song will be from the much maligned ABACAB album where the crowd is understandably cool but is then reassured from the stage that it would be a good song from that particular album! Since the band presented at this show was a quartet, not the 5-piece band on THE REUNION CONCERTS 2 years earlier, the sound is a bit rawer but well recorded and played with good spirit. A passionate performance by lead vocalist George Dobbs is a highlight.

If you've been to the 15 year+ ProgDay in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this DVD/Blu-ray is a very good example of a set from that concert festival. Crowd is subdued and shown sparingly. Camera shots capture the show quite well. One camera is fixed on the drummer and another camera is handheld on stage getting up close and personal. A few angles from the crowd round out the presentation.

I give a 5 star review to this video because it is well recorded and well edited and since it's an outdoor concert it is very clear in its 1080i HD fidelity. The band is obviously very happy to be there and play a sincere if not perfect show.