The Legend: Live In Concert 2000 Merced CA

The Legend: Live In Concert 2000

Rick Wakeman

Classic Pictures, 2001

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 10/23/2002

There is an excellent chance that Rick Wakeman, the musicianresponsible for today's review subject, will be reading this. So,if our regular readers don't mind too much, I'd like to direct thisreview to Mr. Wakeman himself...

Rick - I can call you Rick, right? - I have to be critical right atthe outset when talking about The Legend: Live In Concert 2000. This show - which wasrecorded at Sheperton Studios before a small but passionateaudience - has one major flaw that I wish could be addressed...

It's far, far too short.

In a span of 90 minutes, you lock the listener in with your warmand enchanting melodies as well as your good natured humor, makingit feel like those who are watching this concert have a front-rowseat. Even if someone isn't as familiar with your discography(including myself - though I'm working on it), you take numberslike "Birdman Of Alcatraz" and "Children Of Chernobyl" and makethem sound like they're old friends dropping by to relive goodtimes in the past.