NAPOT HOZTAM, CSILLAGOT - KONCERTTURNÉ 2004 (LIMITED EDITION)

This DVD was quite a long time a mystery to me. Released in 2005 in limited number of copies which were sold out quickly, it became available for wider audience only 4 years later. Now you can easily find it in Hungary (I saw it even in supermarkets and small shops at gasoline stations for less than $5). New edition has different, brown cover with the band's photo. Ordering it in online stores, if you live in another country, is not that simple, but anyway possible.

In 2004 OMEGA toured Hungary and because the band does not tour every year these concerts automatically attracted fans from their homeland and other countries. This DVD includes performances from different shows in different cities. Perhaps not a bad idea, but the final result makes me think that it could be realized better.

Highlights from the show at Puskás Ferenc Stadion (former Népstadion) in Budapest (tracks 1 - 11) are the jewel of this disc. Imagine fireworks in the sky under giant (about 70 000 seats plus people standing on football field) stadium, three big screens, smoke, pyrotechnics, light and laser show, enthusiastic audience and OMEGA doing their best with the help of Zsolt Gömöri (keyboards, Hammond organ), guitar virtuoso Tamás Szekeres and two backing singers. János Kóbor, one of the best rock-frontmen of all time, in his (then) 61 never stands still, often runs along the big stage and sings almost like in good old days. Keyboard and guitar solos and improvisations, tight rhythm with melodic bass lines from Tamás Mihály, power and beauty at the same time. Sound, picture and montage are perfect. OMEGA plays magical music. And they know how to rock! Looking at these veterans (the band was formed in, oh my God, 1962) I can tell you that many 2-3 times younger musicians look onstage like deadly ill in comparison to OMEGA. 55 minutes fly like seconds. Definitely I want to see the whole show!

Tracks 12 - 16, taken from the concert in Debrecen, were already published on ''Napot hoztam, csillagot'' DVD (2004). All these songs are OMEGA classics, with inevitable (and still beautiful) ''Gyöngyhajú lány'' in the end. Again light and laser show. Almost as good as footage from the concert in Budapest, but something's missing - maybe fireworks, impossible in indoor venue, maybe something else. I would prefer to see these songs if they were taken from Budapest concert.

All other tracks are rather extra features than a part of the main programme. And not the best possible features. Poorly filmed (often with one camera, without changing plans) and recorded, they only 'spoil the party'. I don't think you'll watch them more than once.

Photo gallery contains interesting and often funny photos, but they change each other too fast, to look them carefully, you need to push Pause button from time to time.

In general, this disc is a good example how DVDs should not be made. Words of great Hungarian poet Attila Jozsef ''Nem! Nem! Soha!'' (''No! No! Never!'') come to mind. I beg of OMEGA: please, never compile videos this way! But the part with Budapest concert is so strong that I can't give the whole DVD less than 4 stars. If this disc contained the entire Puskás Ferenc Stadion concert it would be a 5-star record.