NEO – Broadcast

Cover	Release	Style
	2007-04	neo-prog
	Label
	Metal Mind Productions
	Website
	Neo
	Contact
	-
	Playing Time	Cat. N°
	140’	MVDV 4578
	Review by	Rating
	Danny	7/10
nederlands	Review
I’m a bit confused. Neo could be called a cover band because they play covers, but each of the bands of which they play covers of, has one or more representatives in the band, so they actually are playing their own songs. I presume a little explanation is needed. Neo is formed with members of IQ, Pallas, Pendragon, Shadowland, Arena and the Nolan/Wakeman project. (4 out of 6 are bands with Clive Nolan) and plays tracks of the same bands. Excited? Well, I wasn’t really. I never liked cover bands and I would catalogue this one in the imitation category. After the beautiful and well played “Overture” from “Subterranea” John Jowitt is taking the lead vocals for “Erosion”, another IQ track. He’s not a great singer and has difficulties to reach the high notes, but he’s doing a great job here. Alan Reed is called to join in for three Pallas tracks. Great performance, but a bit superfluous, because this sounds better by the whole Pallas line-up. And that can be said of all the tracks with the original vocals of Alan, Nick and Clive, except for the awesome version of “the crown of Thorns” of Pallas. So the only really exciting thing about this DVD are the songs with alternative vocals as on the tracks of Arena and IQ. For example the brilliant version of “The Hanging Tree” of Arena, during which Alan Reed is doing a better job than Rob Sowden for this song. Not a real surprise because his vocal sound lies closer to Paul Wrightson’s than Rob’s does. And he merges this Arena track into the end section of “The Enemy Smacks” from IQ. I never liked Clive Nolan’s voice and after hearing his Shadowland track live, my opinion certainly hasn’t improved. While Clive is singing, John Barnfield, ex-Pendragon keyboard player, is playing the keyboards. If you want see and hear more of him, you should buy the Pendragon “Past and Presence” DVD, also by Metalmind Productions. Last but not least, Nick Barrett, enters the stage to sing a much too fast version of ‘Outer Limits’ of IQ, a superb version of ‘Shadows of Fate’ from the Nolan/Wakeman project and three Pendragon tracks which sound better if you hear them played by the complete Pendragon line-up. The only difference is the good extra guitar playing of Mark Westwood (Dirtbox, Martin Orford band), the biggest surprise of the evening. So, nothing special, if you’re not a fan of one of the bands and you want to own their complete discography. And the awful artwork certainly isn’t helping. The DVD is also available with extra audio CD’s of the evening.
Musicians
John Jowitt: bass guitar, vocals Mark Westwood: guitar Clive Nolan: keyboards, vocals Andy Edwards: drums Alan Reed: vocals Nick Barrett: guitar, vocals John Barnfield: keyboards
Tracklist
1. Overture - IQ 2. Erosion - IQ 3. For the Greater Glory - PALLAS 4. Hide and Seek - PALLAS 5. Crown of Thorns - PALLAS 6. The Hanging Tree - Arena 7. The Enemy Smacks (End Section) - IQ 8. Mindgames - SHADOWLAND 9. Outer Limits - IQ 10. Shadows of Fate - NOLAN/WAKEMAN PROJECT 11. Paintbox - PENDRAGON 12. Masters of Illusion - PENDRAGON 13. Nostradamus - PENDRAGON Special features: Bonus Videos - interview with Nick Barrett and John Barnfield - Behind the Scenes (bootleg quality footage) - Nigel Harris on drums at Riffs bar, UK , 28th Oct 2006 Animated Menu – Band History – Discography – Photo Gallery – Desktop Images Extra Info: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound Region Free: Region 0 plays in all regions Recorded at Teatr Slasky, Katowice, October 31st 2006
Discography
Extension of The Wish (2001) II=I (Two is One) (2002-2003) Extension of the Wish - Final Extension (2004) Chimera (2006) Playing Off The Board (DVD) (2007)


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