Arena – Live & Life

Verglas Music
Produced by Clive Nolan & Karl Groom

This double live CD and DVD box set is the latest in a long line of top-drawer Arena releases over the last two years. Starting with Contagion in 2003, then the two additional EPs Contagium and Contagious in late 2003 and early 2004, plus the live Contagion tour DVD Caught In The Act. With new studio album Pepper’s Ghost due in early 2005, Live & Life keeps the Arena faithful hungry.

I believe the live album to be the audio from the live DVD, although it’s not been officially said and I am yet to directly compare the two. Regardless of that little fact, it’s a great live album. The first half of the set is an almost complete, and brilliantly executed run through of all the important tracks from the Contagion concept piece. Originally, Contagion was released as a sixteen track album, followed over the course of the year by the two EPs, each containing new songs integral to the story (and saying where they fit into the original sixteen). Word has it, via the last fan club magazine, that Clive Nolan (keyboard player and general Arena mastermind) is currently putting together a new double CD release of the whole Contagion set with the tracks in the proper order.

The second half of the live album features many Arena concert favourites from throughout their career, even before current vocalist Rob Sowden joined. Featuring the best two songs from Immortal?, Rob’s first album with the band (namely Chosen and Butterfly Man), classic early period songs Jericho, Solomon and Crying For Help IV, and Visitor era songs (Don’t Forget To) Breathe, Enemy Without, Hanging Tree and Double Vision.

The band’s performance is excellent, and guitarist John Mitchell’s solo spot is simply stunning. Probably the best recorded live guitar solo I think I’ve ever heard. I hope to see something similar live one day. Maybe it will top Darrell Roberts’ one from W.A.S.P.‘s show in November 2004. Rob Sowden comes across as a little odd on stage between songs, but having seen the DVD, that is entirely accurate, so that’s fine. For a more relaxed Rob, it’s worth listening to the superb acoustic live album Radiance, available exclusively by joining the fan club.

On the DVD, we simply have a 45-minute behind the scenes type of documentary. It spends most of it’s time showing scenes of road crew loading a truck, or erecting a lighting rig or something, then a short comment from one of the band members, then another road crew scene (usually sped up), then another comment… and so it goes on. For three-quarters of an hour. A missed opportunity for something better, I feel.

The main point is obviously the live album, and it’s an excellent live album. Great sound, great songs, great performance. Get Caught In The Act too. Then you’ll see what a nutter Sowden really is. Magnificent stage presence and one of the few genuine characters in rock. Oh, and Arena won’t be touring until Autumn 2005, at the earliest, so it’s the only chance to see and hear such an excellent band live for quite a while.

“ excellent ”

Tracklist:
CD1 – Witch Hunt / An Angel Falls / Painted Man / This Way Madness Lies / Spectre At The Feast / Skin Game / Salamander / Bitter Harvest / City of Lanterns / Riding The Tide / Cutting The Cards / Ascension
CD2 – Serenity / Chosen / Double Vision / Hanging Tree / (Don’t Forget To) Breathe / The Butterfly Man / Enemy Without / Solomon / Jericho / Crying For Help VII
DVD – Life (produced by Philip Ray)

Written by Andy Lye
More: Live Albums, Progressive, Arena