GREATEST HITS LIVE

This live album has been recorded during the reunion concert for NEARfest in 2002 (so this album is featured twice on the site, the other being "NEARfest 2002" which IMO does not exist (and is not featured on the band's web-site).

The set is probably the best that "Nektar" could play for a reunion. The spirit is a bit the same than for "Keys To Ascension". Let's play some old songs and see what will be the fan's reactions. ..And they were more than happy to re-discover some "Nektar" oldies.

Almost all of "A Tab In The Ocean" will be played as well as the complete "Remember The Future - both parts". I was not particularly enthusiast about the latter studio album but the live renditions of these two tracks (one side each) have always been better. Like here. It is the longest version as well that you can get live : almost as long as on the original studio album.

There will be a decent compilation of the "Recycled" album (total of just over eighteen minutes). They could have added "It's All Over" to it instead of playing this number earlier during the show.

Two songs come from their more "recent" repertoire : "Man In The Moon" and "Now". One blunder with "Nelly The Elephant" which is by far the weakest song and doesn't really deserve to sit on "best of Nektar" IMO. "Fidgety Queen" is not really great either.

I would have hoped for a better sound. It is not desastrous but for a 2002 show, it is just average and that's a disapointment. It almost sounds as one of their old live album ! Anyway, the tracklist is great and even if some songs are played (as usual) on the harder edge it is a recommendable live album.

Three stars.