"In concert" is a CD/DVD combo package. The audio CD is Cinderella recorded live on stage in 1998 at L.A's "Key Club. The CD has earlier been released under the moniker "Live at the Key Club" and also as "Live from Gypsy Road", which yours truly already reviewed.
The live DVD was recorded in 1991 at the "Heartbreak Station" tour. The setting is a large venue in the motor city Detroit. With "Heartbreak Station" Cinderella stretched their musical boundaries from being Glam metal into a blues rock 'n' Roll combo. Just listen to
Make your Own Way, which is pure Rolling Stones. At this concert we get the whole Cinderella spectrum.
The production is big and today a relic from the good old days of big live productions. Cinderella has transported several trucks of gear with them. Keifer plays a double necked SG, a Telecaster, a Gibson Les Paul, 12 string acoustic, pedal steel guitar and of course he uses a REAL piano for the intro and first verse of
Don't Know What you Got Till its Gone. Furthermore Cinderella has brought a sax player on the road for
Shelter Me and two female backing singers, who certainly give a song like
Sick For The Cure a lot more body.
The "Heartbreak Station" tracks are amazing live. The only track that doesn't surpass the studio version is
Love s Got Me Doin Time. The inclusion of
Back Home Again is a surprising element. The band sounds really good and tight. Tom Keifer's voice sounds amazing and he really pulls it off throughout the whole show. The footage proves that these guys can really play.
Overall Cinderella lets the music do the talking. There isn't much talk just a big doze of Rock. It's from a time when it was allowed to have fun playing Rock. The band also seems to enjoy them and especially guitarist Jeff LaBar puts on a good show running around in tight pants and white retro Reebok boots.
The camera filming could have been better since I miss shots of the audience and more band shots. However, that should not prevent you from purchasing this DVD from a well oiled band.
Rating: 7/10Written by
Michael Monday, July 28, 2008
