LIVE (ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA PART II: POST ELO) (VHS)

Ah, yes. ELO Part 2. I've heard some ELO fans that loved this stuff and some that brutally hated it. In 1988, ELO drummer Bev Bevan approached Jeff Lynne about doing another ELO album, but Lynne declined to participate. Bevan then intended to continue his efforts, some legal stuff happened, and Bevan, by legal agreement, formed ELO Part 2. He formed this band with a few past ELO members and some new people. Past members included string conductor Louis Clark, bassist Kelly Groucutt, cellist Hugh McDowell, and violinist Mik Kaminski.

Live was a 1991 video release of a live performance of ELO Part 2 "performing ELO's greatest hits." I found the performance on this video to be, for a lack of a better adjective, mind-numbing. There is just something about watching a bunch of middle-aged men bouncing around on stage to some of the crappiest output from ELO that makes me feel like I've had my intestines pulled out of me. Mik Kaminski looks like he's asleep and when he's awake I am reminded of that musical scene from Revenge of the Nerds. No offense is intended to Mr. Kaminski, it's just laughable. Neil Lockwood's big hair and singing of Evil Woman look like a heavy metal singer mistakenly inserted into Abba and Louis Clark looks like he had a white tux slapped on him after someone picked him up off a greasy sofa in a gas station. I suppose I shouldn't judge appearances, but this is a video isn't it? Shouldn't there be something visually stimulating about it?

The best part of the video is the classical medley performed by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. How can the best part of the video be when the band isn't even on stage? Even the audience is really into this. The last two songs are performed with orchestra. They start off with "Kiss Me Red," this time with Louis Clark conducting. Clark has absolutely no energy and even looks like he's ready to pass out. Thank goodness they brought back the orchestra's actual conductor, Konstantin Krimets, for the Roll Over Beethoven finale. He even puts on a large red helmet for the performance.

I don't know about you, but when the conductor of the Moscow Symphony orchestra outperforms your band on stage, that says volumes about how bad you really are. A laughable and easily forgettable performance. Two stars, for collectors only.