BBC Live In Concert Middletown NY

BBC Live In Concert

Procol Harum

Fuel 2000 Records, 2000

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/06/2001

Chances are, you know the British rock group Procol Harum fromone of only two songs - "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" or the live,orchestral version of "Conquistador". Although the band, led bypianist/vocalist Gary Brooker, enjoyed some level of success onboth sides of the pond in the late '60s/early '70s, their legacyhas not necessarily stood the test of time since then.

So one might rightfully wonder whether we should get excitedabout the release of BBC Live In Concert, the first non-orchestral live releasefrom the band. Interestingly enough, the answer to this disc is"yes"... even though it takes a little too long for things toreally get rolling for the group.

Recorded in 1974, Procol Harum was at the twilight of theirfirst stint together. Two integral members from the originallineup, guitarist Robin Trower and keyboardist Matthew Fisher, hadleft the stable for some time. Procol Harum was about two yearsremoved from their final big hit, the version of "Conquistador"recorded with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. And the audience,while respectful, often sounds like they're providing courtesyapplause for some of the tracks.

Early on, one can't blame them. The version of "Conquistador"which opens the disc doesn't have the greatest sound (Brooker takessome time before the levels for his vocals are set right), and thesong feels like the life has been sucked out of it. In a similarvein, "Whaling Stories" just drags on for far too long, almostboring the listener to tears.