On YouTube you can find several concerts of the British act Solstice. A progressive rock band that has been active since the early eighties. After watching several of those great live performances I had only one wish. Having a concert released on CD and Blu-ray. Well sometimes wishes come true. Because the band's latest release Return To Cropredy features an excellent audio and video concert. As the title already indicates this is a live recording from Fairport Convention's Cropredy Festival in 2023, where they performed in front of around 20,000 spectators. Actually, the second time in their career. The first time was 25 years earlier, hence the title Return To Cropredy. If you talk about Solstice you talk about founding member and guitarist Andy Glass. The line up always includes a violin player and female lead singer. Nowadays the line-up is no difference to that. Andy is still there right from the start. If I am not mistaken the band's latest lead singer Jess Holland (who joined in 2020) is already the fourth female singer who fronts the band. Violinist Marc Elton (who had to end his musical career due to tinnitus) was replaced by Jenny Newman and does this in a perfect way. She is still in the band next to keyboard player Steven McDaniel, who also has been in the band a rather long time. Also, the rhythm section containing drummer Peter Hemsley and bassist Robin Phillips have been around a while. However, the two other ladies Ebony Buckles and Dyane Crutcher providing the backing vocals during this performance, have not been in the band long. However, you can hardly notice this. The band kicks ass right from the start and is on top of their game. Just listen and look to the opening tune Shout and you will discover that they are jumping around and willing to give everything they have. Also, Glass is in great shape. One great guitar solo can be enjoyed after another. Just listen to songs such as Guardian, Bulbul Tarang and A New Day and you know what I mean. Not to mention Newman on the fiddle. Always present to give the music a piece of folk music or to rock-'n'-roll with her instrument. However, you can't avoid mentioning the great vocal and harmony parts of the band during the entire concert. Just superb! Special mentioning goes out to former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker. The former band member of the band stepped behind the drum kit to join the other musicians on stage when they played Morning Light. As for the songs played you can enjoy Morning Light and Guardian both taken from the album New Life (1992), Sacred Run taken from Circles (1996), Mount Ephraim and Bulbul Tarang both taken from Light Up (2022) and A New Day and the earlier mentioned Shout both taken from Sia (2021). The at the time new piece Firefly is a foretaste of the new album Clann, which will be released later on in 2025. Next to the concert on CD (almost 65-minutes) and on Blu-ray (almost 80-minutes) there is also a great documentary to enjoy. Titled New Light: Shaun Blake Documentary - The Solstice Story 1980 - 2024, which draws on the memories of all the musicians, but also very well-known guests such as Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Gregory Spawton (Big Big Train) and the earlier mentioned Clive Bunker and many more. Only too bad that the former female singers are not interviewed. To compensate this the separate interviews with Steven Wilson and Gregory Spawton are included. It's nice to see how Wilson speaks about the first time he saw the band and got hooked on them. Wilson reports how, as a very young kid, he went to a concert by a newcomer called "Marilyn" or something like that. It was Marillion, of course, and the opening act was Solstice, who obviously left a lasting impression on him. Both Wilson and Spawton describe Glass' guitar playing as particularly distinctive, and he doesn't just present himself as a quick-fingered musician, but is able to take the listener along with him with his intense, emotional playing. Spawton calls the band a major influence for him and that's why BBT has a violin player in their line up nowadays. All in all, you can say that Solstice have released a must have live album in many ways. Because it is a great concert with the best possible atmosphere on and in front of the stage. Only too bad that the audio is only 24-bit stereo. But that didn't make it less enjoyable listening and watching. All members were very well filmed at close range and the picture quality of the video is very good. Maybe the concert was a bit too short because they performed at a festival. But with including the documentary and the many interesting interviews it will bring the time of watching everything to three and a half hours. So there is not so much to complain I guess! Finally I have to tell you, after watching everything, that their mix of folk, rock, neo prog and symphonic rock is extremely lively and captivating. The current work is a nice compilation of old and new material. This release is most of all ideal for getting to know the band. And those familiar with the band will learn a lot from the interviews and the New Light Documentary. A very entertaining package which is highly recommended!!! **** Henri Strik (edited by Dave Smith) Where to buy? |
