Rick Wakeman – Live at The London Palladium 2023
Luminary rock and prog keyboardist Rick Wakeman nods to his illustrious past on Live at The London Palladium 2023, a 4CD collector’s item that comes complete with a 24 page booklet.
Recorded at two back-to-back sold-out shows in February 2023, Rick Wakeman, in the company of the English Rock Ensemble (Dave Colquhoun - guitars, backing vocals; Adam Falkner - drums; Lee Pomeroy - bass, backing vocals; Hayley Sanderson - vocals; Adam Wakeman - keys, guitars, backing vocals) and the English Chamber Choir, revisited his most revered and successful period as an artist with performances of best-selling solo albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
That there were a number of new arrangements, fully adapted for band and choir, plus a Classic YES set, was the icing on the Palladium’s prog-nights cake.
Act I, a vibrant performance of The Six Wives of Henry VIII, was the first time it had been played live in its original format.
The English Chamber Choir (conducted by Guy Protheroe) are in full voice early, adding to the atmosphere and dramatic nature of many of the numbers; the choir is particularly well utilised on classical meets rock piece 'Anne Boleyn' and stirring closer 'Catherine Parr,' which features a striking guitar solo from Dave Colquhoun.
Elsewhere the cathedral-esque 'Jane Seymour' reaffirms that Rick Wakeman is still as deft and sprightly on the keyboards as he ever was.
Act II, the 'King Arthur' album, featuring recorded narration from the recently passed Ian Lavender (lifted from the expanded 2016 version of the album), is a more musically complex undertaking; however this is an assured, cleverly rearranged and fully rewarding performance from a stellar bunch of musicians and top-notch choir.
Hayley Sanderson, in fine voice throughout, adds a female perspective to vocal proceedings; she shines on the delicate 'Guinevere' and more rock-operatic 'Lancelot and the Black Knight.'
Encoring with short choral piece 'The King of Merlins' (from the 2016 album version) before finishing on fan favourite 'Merlin The Magician,' makes for a rearranged highlight.
For the second night, Act III proved to be a treat for YES fans, featuring as it did a performance of Classic YES, including 'Roundabout,' 'And You And I,' and 'Starship Trooper' (nod here to Lee Pomeroy’s funkified bass work on the transition to the 'Wurm,' where Messrs Wakeman and Colquhoun come into their own).
The set also featured the premiere of Rick Wakeman’s 'YES Suite,' seguing rearranged versions of ABWH’s 'The Meeting,' 'Wonderous Stories' and 'Southside of the Sky.'
Kudos again to Hayley Sanderson (who very nearly has the right surname), who adds her own, at times rockier, vocal texture to the songs.
Rick Wakeman, the Rock Ensemble and the Chamber Choir pulled out all the stops for Act IV by performing the full version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, including Peter Egan’s narration, as heard on 2012’s re-recorded, full-length version (the original live performances that became the 1974 album were edited due to the time restraints of vinyl).
Although Wakeman has performed the full version a number of times, hearing it again, with band and choir taking up the orchestral slack (and Hayley Sanderson making the lead vocal/ lyrics her own), is a more than welcome addition to the Journey repertoire, from the pop-pomp of 'Overture' through to the rock theatre of 'The Battle' and on to the 'Hall of the Mountain King/ Mount Etna' finale.
For those who attended the shows at the Palladium theatre, it was a Journey to the Centre of London well worth taking, one we can all now enjoy courtesy of Esoteric Recordings/ Cherry Red Records.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Recorded at two back-to-back sold-out shows in February 2023, Rick Wakeman, in the company of the English Rock Ensemble (Dave Colquhoun - guitars, backing vocals; Adam Falkner - drums; Lee Pomeroy - bass, backing vocals; Hayley Sanderson - vocals; Adam Wakeman - keys, guitars, backing vocals) and the English Chamber Choir, revisited his most revered and successful period as an artist with performances of best-selling solo albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
That there were a number of new arrangements, fully adapted for band and choir, plus a Classic YES set, was the icing on the Palladium’s prog-nights cake.
Act I, a vibrant performance of The Six Wives of Henry VIII, was the first time it had been played live in its original format.
The English Chamber Choir (conducted by Guy Protheroe) are in full voice early, adding to the atmosphere and dramatic nature of many of the numbers; the choir is particularly well utilised on classical meets rock piece 'Anne Boleyn' and stirring closer 'Catherine Parr,' which features a striking guitar solo from Dave Colquhoun.
Elsewhere the cathedral-esque 'Jane Seymour' reaffirms that Rick Wakeman is still as deft and sprightly on the keyboards as he ever was.
Act II, the 'King Arthur' album, featuring recorded narration from the recently passed Ian Lavender (lifted from the expanded 2016 version of the album), is a more musically complex undertaking; however this is an assured, cleverly rearranged and fully rewarding performance from a stellar bunch of musicians and top-notch choir.
Hayley Sanderson, in fine voice throughout, adds a female perspective to vocal proceedings; she shines on the delicate 'Guinevere' and more rock-operatic 'Lancelot and the Black Knight.'
Encoring with short choral piece 'The King of Merlins' (from the 2016 album version) before finishing on fan favourite 'Merlin The Magician,' makes for a rearranged highlight.
For the second night, Act III proved to be a treat for YES fans, featuring as it did a performance of Classic YES, including 'Roundabout,' 'And You And I,' and 'Starship Trooper' (nod here to Lee Pomeroy’s funkified bass work on the transition to the 'Wurm,' where Messrs Wakeman and Colquhoun come into their own).
The set also featured the premiere of Rick Wakeman’s 'YES Suite,' seguing rearranged versions of ABWH’s 'The Meeting,' 'Wonderous Stories' and 'Southside of the Sky.'
Kudos again to Hayley Sanderson (who very nearly has the right surname), who adds her own, at times rockier, vocal texture to the songs.
Rick Wakeman, the Rock Ensemble and the Chamber Choir pulled out all the stops for Act IV by performing the full version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, including Peter Egan’s narration, as heard on 2012’s re-recorded, full-length version (the original live performances that became the 1974 album were edited due to the time restraints of vinyl).
Although Wakeman has performed the full version a number of times, hearing it again, with band and choir taking up the orchestral slack (and Hayley Sanderson making the lead vocal/ lyrics her own), is a more than welcome addition to the Journey repertoire, from the pop-pomp of 'Overture' through to the rock theatre of 'The Battle' and on to the 'Hall of the Mountain King/ Mount Etna' finale.
For those who attended the shows at the Palladium theatre, it was a Journey to the Centre of London well worth taking, one we can all now enjoy courtesy of Esoteric Recordings/ Cherry Red Records.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ