Magenta Launch Home at the CRS

Well, after a long wait, several delays, it changed from a double CD, then to a single CD, now it's a special edition with a second CD. The track titles were changing and even some tracks were being re-written just before the final mixing, but finally Magenta's album Home will officially be released on 1st June. The album was launched on Saturday night at the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham, where the CD was on sale.

Saturday night was a great celebration of finally releasing home, even if the special edition wasn't quite ready. . (upgrade kit being mailed today to add the second CD)

This isn't a review as such (need a bit more time for that, just some thoughts on the night, but I WILL complete a fuller review)

Some highlights for me were the Towers of Hope, where that big chord for the first chorus sent waves of shivers down my back. Now THAT"S how I like my music !! So much more powerful live than on the CD I might add. The band all were giving it their all on the night. Chris must have been watching some old rock DVD's, cos he's clearly outgrown that little stage at the CRS, playing around the stack, and even in the audience, and clearly having great fun. The 20 minute starter Children of the Sun, and equally long White Witch were great performances. Every time I looked at Alan, his face was had serious determination written all across it. The interplay between Chris and Christina really is becoming a big part of any Magenta performance, and even more so on Saturday, it really summed up the fun the whole band seemed to be having. Even Martin was coaxed out of his hiding place behind Rob at one point :P. We even had Dan playing some acoustic on Morning Sunlight. And Christina's voice? Superb

So Chris's guitar was a bit low in the mix, a few intro's were fluffed due to very little time between the songs, and some of Rob's keyboard sounds (particularly piano) could be fuller sounds more like the album, and the stage at the HLC is so low you can't see much from past the first few rows, but it was a GREAT night!

I took about 175 pictures, lots of duplicates, lots if heads etc but a few decent ones. I'll get them posted to my PBase account and link any particularly good ones.

The setlist was:

Children of the Sun
Lust
King of the Skies

From Home:
Hurt
Moving On
The Journey
Towers of Hope
Demons
Morning Sunlight
The Dream
The Visionary

Gluttony

The White Witch
Pride (end section)