LIVE IN MEXICO '99

I'm not a great fan of neo prog, but can't resist the beauty of QUIDAM's music. I think this band explores best elements of both old and new prog.

This CD contains QUIDAM performance on Baja Prog festival (Arena, Halloween and After Crying were also among invited bands). I wonder how good this Polish band sounds live: crystal clear sounds of guitars and keyboards, delicate flute passages and, last but not least, wonderful voice of Emila Derkowska. Her voice on stage is as good as on studio recordings.

The band chose very good set of songs for this concert. There are epics like "Plone/Niespelnienie" and "Sanktuarium" from their first album. "Angels of mine" from "Angels' Dreams" shows band's ability to create catchy songs. My personal favorite is "Jest Take Samotny Dom". It is the song by Polish rock-veterans BUDKA SUFLERA (by the way, not strictly prog but great band). I heard original version, but QUIDAM re-discovered this beautiful song for me. Nice version of CAMEL's "Rhayader/Rhayader Goes to Town" is another good surprise. "Child In Time" differs from the original, we hear the flute instead of famous organ intro, the whole song sounds like QUIDAM's own track - and sounds great - excellent finale for the album.

I found the information on the band's site that this show was also filmed. It would be nice if DVD version will see the light of day.

Oh! Great!

One fellow friend told me that this album was great, i only said, ok, one day i will hear it, it wasnt in my wish list, but one of that strange days, i was looking for some new albums in my collection, and in a second - handed store i found it, so i decided to buy it, and now im very happy with it, i like it so much.

Despite i dont like, and i dont really know Neo - Prog, i loved this album since the first time i listen to it, when im going to travel or something, this album is alwas in my cd bag because i really enjoy it.

This concert was recorded in 1999, in a festival called Baja Prog in Mexicali, a city in the norht of Mexico. Sadly i have never been in a baja prog, and when i listen to this kind of performances, i really thought that next year i have to go. It starts with an announcement from a local radio, talking about Baja Prog 1999, mentioning the bands in there (Quidam) of course. Immediately the concert,birds singing and a calm atmosphere with a beautiful and soft flute sound makes their appereance, that is a nice intro, nothing Neo, but the next song is. "Gleboka Rzeka", it starts with a notorious keyboard sound, at the first notes, we can realize that indeed, it is a neo prog band, with lots of symphonic influences and passages, this is a great song, good arrangements, nice guitar sound and a strange but great voice, in a moment she starts talking with the crowd, in a funny spanish, but it was nice. One of the best moments here is the performance of "Plone/Niespetnienie", 18 minutes epic of great music, some changes, good soundscape, a very nice guitar ,and great keyboards, it is my favorite song, i dont understand anything in polish, it is strange for me, but im fixing on the music only, lucky the people who went to that concert.

One of the particular moments is when Camel`s "Rhayader/Rhayader Goes to Town" starts, we can hear the screams of people, because this couple of Snow Goose tracks are very lovable, flute sound and keyboards are great, it is a good cover.

Another emotional moment is when in the song "Sanktuarium", great song, a very well- known guitar solo start to sound, it is that great solo on "Firth on Fifth", so i imagine when the people recognized it, they got excited again. "Angels of Mine", a song with english lyrics, great, and it has some little excerpts o traditional mexican songs "La Cucaracha" , its nice.

The las song is another cover ,really is a monster of rock "Child in Time", you will remember Ian Gillan screaming, i wont compare it, this Quidam`s version is pretty nice too, of course with female vocals.

So after all, im jelaous with my fellows, but well, i have this album and i love it, great music, and a very nice performance,i cant say if Quidam is like Sattellite or Collage( polish neo prog bands), but tQuidam is my favorite band of that country and not only for this live album, so thats why i highly recommend it to all prog fans, not necessary Neo fans.

4 stars!

At this time of their career, Quidam only released two studio albums prior to their appearance at one of the most famous prog conference in Latin America (if not THE famous one). It all started in 1997 and it has taken place every single year till now.

Emila is even speaking some fine Spanish and interact nicely with the audience.

The band presented three songs from their debut album: the folkish "Gteboka Rzeka" which reminds me of the great Tull, the very melodic "Chocbym" with its very good vocal performance during the closing part, and the wonderful and fully symphonic "Sanktuarium" (which features a short passage from "Firth Of Fifth" from whom you should know. A part of the fabulous guitar break to be complete).

There is also a "medley" which includes "Niespelnienie" one of their best pieces of this superb debut album. All these songs are well rendered and are not very different from their studio counterparts. But I guess that there is nothing wrong with this.

There are also three songs from "Angels Dreams": the shortest ones here. "Awakening" starts the show in a very quite and pastoral mood. Not a dynamic intro to say the least. "There Is Such a Lonesome House" featuring a fine guitar solo and "Angels of Mine" completes the set (it includes a cover of a traditional Mexican song: "La Cucaracha" which serves as background for the band introduction).

I have to say that these songs don't belong to the best ones from their second album. If only they had played their famous epic "Behind My Eyes".

Since it was a bit short for their live set, the band played two cover songs. While the Camel "Rayader" combo fits their style very well, I can't say the same about "Child In Time". Yes, THE Purple anthem (with a few other ones.).

This version is of course much "lighter" than its glorious model. Flute replacing the keyboard intro (which is fine so far but hardly recognizable) but also the huge and wild guitar solo. Not a very good idea IMO even if Emila is performing quite well during her vocal part. The grandiose and Dantesque finale is emasculated as well. What a treat!

This album falls short of the four star rating, mainly due to the average choice of tracks from their second work and the bizarre rendition of "Child" which is hardly recognizable during the instrumental parts.