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Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)

Posted By: v3122
Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)
Progressive/Art Rock | DVD Video | DVD-9 | Covers | ~7.79 Gb | HF, FileSonic
MPEG2 Video NTSC 720x480 (4:3) VBR | Dolby Digital 2ch, 448Kbps
2002 | Camel Productions | CP803DVD

Live footage & backstage mingling shot during their 1997 West Coast tour from dates in Hollywood, San Francisco and Orange County.

I first saw this DVD about three years ago when I was living in Ireland for two months over the summer. Little did I know beforehand that the Harbour Of Tears concept album, performed here in its entirety, had a very strong connection to Ireland. This turned out to be a very moving experience for me, walking around the Irish country side during the day time and listening to the Harbour Of Tears performance in the evenings.

Dust And Dreams had been the best Camel album for a very, very long time and Harbour Of Tears continued this new found direction for the band. These two albums are two of the very best Camel albums ever and both albums are represented on this DVD; Harbour Of Tears in its entirety, as I said, and a small portion of Dust And Dreams is here too.

The set list on this filmed concert is basically the best of Camel 1976- 1996. At first I was somewhat disappointed that they didn't play anything at all from their first two albums, no Never Let Go or Lady Fantasy here. But I soon got over this when I heard these magnificent performances.

The first part of the set consists of "some old favourites and stuff" to quote Andy Latimer speaking to the audience. Most of the songs played here are better than on the studio recordings. The material from the Nude album is especially enhanced. I have always felt that album is a bit tame and subdued; here the numbers from Nude really rock! Also Hymn To Her, a song I didn't pay much attention to before, turn out to be great here. The selection from The Snow Goose also significantly benefits from being played live. These songs are given new life here. Ice, an instrumental from the I Can See Your House From Here album, is breathtaking. And the band makes no mistakes playing these old classics, the performances are spot on. Latimer's guitar work is better than ever.

The second set is basically a short bit of Dust And Dreams followed by the whole Harbour Of Tears album. The Dust And Dreams songs sound better here than they did on the studio album, primarily because of the improved drums. Dust And Dreams had a somewhat sterile drum sound, typical of the early 90's. Here the drumming is more lively and "genuine" for lack of a better word.

From a visual standpoint this concert might not be the most interesting, depending on what you want from a concert experience. There are no video screens, fireworks, aeroplanes flying across the auditorium (see Pink Floyd's P-U-L-S-E DVD); no flying pigs; no dancers, midgets, jugglers, etc. Personally I think that the most rewarding concert experience is to see talented musicians playing their instruments and that is exactly what we get here. I very much like this very intimate setting, the band performing in a small club like this close to the audience. This is a very intimate and moving portrait of this brilliant band.

The bonus features consists of the band rehearsing and sound-checking plus some interviews with people who attended the show. The latter feature is completely dispensable and probably fun only for those who are interviewed and the people who know them personally! The rehearsal footage is interesting for hardcore fans but not something I would watch more than once or twice.

I'll bring this review to a close now. This DVD really brings out the very best moments from those Camel albums from 1975 to 1996 making this into one fantastic show! If all you know from Camel is their first four albums, this DVD is an excellent place to start if you want to explore later Camel stuff.

Extremely recommended!

~ SouthSideoftheSky, Progarchives Review

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997):

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)

1. Researhal (bonus footage)
2. Soundcheck (bonus footage)
3. Opening Titles / Lunar Sea
4. Hymn to Her
5. Rhayader
6. Rhayader Goes to Town
7. Drafted
8. Docks
9. Beached
10. Spirit of the Water
11. Ice
12. Sasquatch
13.(Fan Interviews)
14. Mother Road
15. Needles
16. Rose of Sharon
17. Irish Air
18. Harbour of Tears
19. Cobh
20. Send Home the Slates
21. Under the Moon
22. Watching the Bobbins
23. Eyes of Ireland
24. Running from Paradise
25. End of the Day
26. Coming of Age
27. The Hour Candle
28. Closing Credits / Irish Air

Line-up / Musicians:

- Andrew Latimer/ guitar, flute, keyboards, vocals
- Colin Bass / bass, vocals
- Foss Patterson / keyboards
- Dave Stewart / drums

- Mae McKenna / vocals on "Irish Air"

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)

Camel - Coming Of Age (1997)