DOOR TO THE FUTURE - THE LIGHTSHOW TAPES VOLUME 1

An important job at Nektar shows is taken by lightman Mick Brockett, who has been with the band for ages. During his lightshow performances he recorded many Nektar shows. This CD contains material he recorded during two dates of the German tour of 1974. On this album you can hear five unreleased pieces and some alternative versions of tracks you already know.

The album opens with The Devil's Door, one of the unreleased pieces. It is a good track and could have come from the album Sounds Like This. It sounds very familiar. Next are two tracks that were released before. They are played well, but are not of particular interest. Next is another "new" one Anyway/Sorrow. It is just vocals and guitar, but it doesn't really stand out. This is followed by Little Boy and Odysee. The latter track was already played when Nektar was still called Prophecy. She's so heavy was later renamed to Fidgety Queen, at this time it sounded a bit like Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water. Ron´s on is a drum solo (which I don't like at all). Show me the Way is segued into I Need Love/Tomorrow. The album ends with a heavy rendition of some pieces from Remember the Future.

It is always a treat to hear Nektar live. There are however better albums if you want to do that. The sound quality of this one is OK, but not outstanding. It is always interesting to hear some unreleased tracks or tracks in an embryonic phase, but if you are not are big Nektar fan you should not buy this album.

.... a closed door ....

This is one of several NEKTAR live recordings from 1974 and released as the first official Nektar bootleg CD. It consists of some previously unreleased tracks in the majority and contains with Recognition/Let it Grow/Termination a part of 'Remember the future'. So this production is very interesting for fans/collectors who want completeness. The sound quality is not so good (corresponding to many bootlegs). Unfortunately the songs are not seductive. One exception is Nelly the elephant with Albrighton in top form.

If you want to enjoy an excellent live performance by NEKTAR let me recommend 'Live in New York' or 'Sunday Night At The Roundhouse' from the same year.