Procol Harum : 'Live at the Union
Chapel'
If
you can remember where you were and what you were doing when Procol Harum’s
Whiter Shade of Pale hit the airways, then you are true rock-and-roll
devotee. It took me some time to get into this song’s symbolism (maybe
psychedelic substances might have helped), played over what appeared to be a
reworking of a JS Bach number. Once into the PH scene, I played nearly
everything they subsequently recorded. Procol Harum: Live at the Union
Chapel, is a document of their 2003 world tour of the reformed group,
combining original and new members. Fear not, the play list includes most of
your PH favorites, along with some lesser known but meritorious numbers. The
film captures the group’s energy, still going strong after nearly four decades,
and their terrific musicianship (new artists pay attention!). Both audio and
video recording are excellent making this a memorable and treasurable
experience.
The film, with the occasional exception of the deliberately grainy sepia
shots of the crew, has excellent detail and color palette. The camera work is
beyond reproach, offering a good mix of pans and close ups. The venue is dark
and the contrast is provided by mostly blue “mood” lights. Video recording
quality has gradually improved since 2003, but in this case, it is mostly good
enough for sustained viewing enjoyment.
Of the three soundtrack options, PCM 2.0 Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, and
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, go for the latter if your processor or receiver
supports it. Procol Harum was one of the first dual keyboard bands and its piano
and Hammond B-3 organ are both well treated. Bass is thunk-wonderful; Geoff
Whitehorn’s lead guitar literally sings. Vocals are prominent, probably a result
of the mixing board, but you will not miss any of the lyrics. Hall effects are
well handled in the surround channels giving a real “you-are-there” sensation.
There is a mildly interesting interview with Procol Harum founder and leader
Gary Brooker. Otherwise, the addition of setting up montages and bar comments are pretty underwhelming.
Whether you are new to Procul [sic] Harum or
have been a fan since the ‘60’s, Procul [sic]
Harum: Live at the Union Chapel will bring two hours of viewing and
listening enjoyment into your home theater. In cut after cut, I was impressed by
the musical tightness of this band, a reflection of the high quality of the
players, and their obvious affinity for each other. The inventiveness of the
songs and the smooth transitions between blues-based, classic rock, and
classical music themes bear testimony to Brooker’s genius which was still
burning brightly at the filming of this concert. It is hard to pick favorites,
but for me, A Salty Dog, Grand Hotel and Conquistador hit
it out of the proverbial park. Of course, the Procol Harum true believers will
have to get their Whiter Shade of Pale fix and, do they ever get it — the
rarely heard long uncut version! The graininess of some of the video, mostly
intentional, may be a questionable directorial decision. Fortunately, it is
clearly outweighed by the excellence of the straightforward videography captured
here. Cheers to the audio engineers who appreciated the need for lossless
recording which Procol Harum’s music richly deserves. Run, don’t walk, to your
Blu-ray store, and get this one before it goes to video heaven. It was worth the
eight year wait.
Gary Brooker, Geoff Whitehorn, Matt Pegg (and
an interloping webmaster-reflection in the Plexiglas drum-baffle)
Brooker, Whitehorn and George W Bush mannequin
Mark Brzezicki on drums
Long shot of the band
Matthew Fisher, Hammond organ
Usual suspects Jens, Don, One-Eye, Ken., Jill, Peter,
Dave, Roland and Linda watching Pegg and Whitehorn and Fisher