Blackmore's Night play laid back renaissance music with lots of instruments from around that time. The only thing that is linking Ritchie Blackmore to his former bands Deep Purple and Rainbow are the inclusion of 2 songs representing each band. Soldier of Fortune from the Deep Purple era and the amazing 16th Century Greensleeves from Rainbow. It is a great relief to hear Ritchie playing his electric guitar on the Rainbow track. His playing is just outstanding. A shame that he couldn't do either Rainbow or Deep Purple along with Blackmore's Night.

You need to be in a special mood to hear this cd. Overall the cd is loosing some points because of its long-playing time. It is great if you are attending the concert yourself, but on record I find the 1 hour and 30 minutes a bit prolonged. The DVD version is probably excellent.

This kind of music is perfect for small concert halls because it has tons of emotion. Candice Night is a perfect host throughout the concert. The audience is also participating on Under a violent Moon and Home Again. This only makes the performance even more atmospheric. I can easily imagine myself at a party at some castle in the 16th Century and Blackmore's Night being the house band.

Candice Night's dreamy voice is this live recording's highlight because she sounds fantastic throughout the whole performance. There is also some great instrumental playing like the middle-play on the 12 minute long Fires at Midnight and the all instrumental Minstrel Hall. All the great elements of Blackmore's Night all come together on the emotional album highlight I Still Remember.

If you are in the mood for something different this is a great cd that would be rated 8. However, if you are not - it would only be rated 4. This is an album that I only enjoy depending on my mood, so the overall grade will meet halfway.

Written by Michael
Thursday, October 31, 2002
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Ratings

Michael: 6/10

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Comment by Black Howling (Anonymous) - Saturday, May 11, 2002

First, I love Ritchie's playing;, his sound has a lot of substance and the thickness can be easily be measured when he does his old solo lines on either Deep P. or Rainbow., and well, because he's one of the major musical influences to Yngwie Malmsteen. Second, when I first saw the cover of Shadow of the Moon, I immediately realised the mood that I have to manifest when I would listen to this music..,the title portrait is very suggestive, Im always susceptible to that and to those times that the music represents: and until now, I dont have to 'set' my mood if I want to listen to BN's music;,it's been turned backwards...

Comment by Fitzcarraldo (Anonymous) - Sunday, November 17, 2002

First we lost Gary Moore to the Blues and then Blackmore decided that he wanted to be a minstrel. Come on...get Rainbow back together.

Comment by Joel D (Anonymous) - Friday, October 22, 2004

I agree with Fitzcarraldo. Get rainbow back with dio, I would die a happy man.