Artist: BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST
Album: CAUGHT LIVE (DVD)

Year: 2005
Media type: DVD

Barclay Jame Harvest formediin theisummer of 1967…

From the very outset the band pioneered and experimented with new forms, going beyond the traditionals guitar, bass and drums format to include woodwind, strings, and brass, then acquiring a Mellotron to simulate the sound of an orchestra. Throughout the seventies the band continued to develop chart-topping albums and were capable of filling stadiums and arena's throughout Europe. This DVD captures the band at various points during their career and is a spectacular insight into their most successful formulas.

Caught Live, The Documentary:
A documentary recorded in 1977, Caught Live is a rare film, originally a cinema release of Barclay James Harvest. A unique insight to life on the road during BJH's most successful period. Including rare interviews with the band, backstage footage and pre-concert sound checks.

The Drury Lane Concert, recorded live in 1974: Rare and previously unreleased footage, featuring the original line up of the band, which has been restored and re-mastered with enhanced sound and picture quality.

REVIEW:

Barclay James Harvest's concert/tour documentary from 1977 is finally available to the public again, after remaining hidden and forgotten in the vaults for decades. Unlike many other such documentaries, "Caught Live" cuts straight to the point and avoid all kinds of long-winded talk in favour of action on stage, backstage and on tour. It also shows very well how much hard work, preparations and organization that is needed for a rock band on tour. We're getting some pleasantly brief comments from the band members themselves and are also exposed to some unexpected situations, such as when one of the roadies had to step in as support act on one of the concerts in Germany! John Lees is portrayed as the introverted guy in the band. The first thing he does when they arrive in Germany is to lock himself into the hotel room and reading a book, while the others are checking out the local attractions. But the real treat is of course to see the band perform such classics as "Child of the Universe", "Hard Hearted Woman", "Mockingbird" and "Hymn". And isn't it great to see that a progressive rock band could be at the peak of their career in 1977? It certainly proves to me that the mindless punk-crap didn't have the importance that some people claims, and shows that it was just another trend hyped by braindead music critics who wanted to be cool and keep pace with changing fashions. The DVD also features the bonus of four tracks from the concert at Drury Lane in 1974. The band looked funnily enough older here than in 1977, and performed three songs from "Everyone is Everybody Else" along with "Mockingbird". "Caught Live" is the definitive Barclay James Harvest DVD so far, showing the band at their absolute peak.

TRACKLIST:

Child Of The Universe
Rock and Roll Star
Hard Hearted Woman
Suicide?
Mockingbird
Polk Street Rag
Hymn
Crazy City
For No One
The Great 1974 Mining Disaster

Special Features:

Fully Animated Menu
The Drury Lane Concert (1974)
Biography
Band Member Profiles
Discography