LIVE & LIFE

This live one is of course pretty much centered on their last studio release "Contagion". It was a very good album, and no less than twelve numbers (out of sixteen) are taken from it. It represents the whole of the first CD. This is only justice to one of their best albums. But Arena has never produced a weak one - IMHHO (in my humble and honest opinion).

Second CD is a great kaleidoscope of their career although I believe that the setlist from the "Immortal" numbers could have been more original. If you except "Breathe", each number played here were present on their previous live album bizarrely called "In Biarritz" (while being recorded in Amsterdam). Actually this live album was recorded in Poland. I would have anticipated that Arena would have chosen The Netherlands to do so since they are extremely popular in this country (as well as in Germany).

Of course the prog interest in Poland (but probably the rock interest in general) is enourmous for this big country (over than forty millions inhabitants) which has been for so long ignored (for the reasons we all know) from the rock concerts. I really believe that their people just deserve to get as much as rock music as possible. And the country has delivered really great prog bands as well.

Two of the three encores do belong to the best Arena's repertoire. "Solomon" and "Jericho" are great rock anthems. It will always be a pleasure to listen to those ones. The last time they were included on a live record was in 1997 for "Welcome To The Stage" (another great live album, BTW).

This double CD set will end with "Crying For Help VII" which is the traditional end of an Arena concert.

I really recommend this live album. It gives a perfect idea of their studio ones. It is also a cheaper way to get into Arena's repertoire. If you get hold of their three live albums so far, you'll get the essence of their whole studio recordings and save some substantial ? or $ or £.

An even better investment is to get hold of their DVD "Caught In The Act". It holds the same tracklist + some bonuses for even cheaper (on the marketplace of a well known on-line reseller). Four stars.

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