Live in Rome (InsideOut Music, 2014)
Former Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery has a new double live album recorded in Italy. We received the download version that only included music so I can’t comment on the DVD.
The first disc contains the best material on the album. It’s a series of instrumental pieces composed by Rothery. He is an excellent guitarist who has mastered various techniques and showcases them throughout the album. Rothery is not a shredder who likes to show off. Instead, his focus is developing outstanding melodic pieces using progressive rock along with blues and folk music influences.
The guitar techniques range from mesmerizing slide guitar to guitar synths and epic solos. The entire Disc 1 is a keeper. Highlights include the Middle Eastern-influenced ‘Kendris’ and the exquisite slow tempo ‘The Old Man Of The Sea’.
There is less progressive rock on Disc 2. This part of the album contains Marillion songs from the band’s post-progressive rock era. It’s material from late 1980s and 1990s albums featuring guest Italian vocalists Manuela Milanese and Alessandro Carmassi, who do a pretty good job. It’s mainstream rock with memorable solos. The best of the vocal cut is ‘Cinderella Search’, a song that appeared on 1984’s Real to Reel.
The last two pieces are from Italian band Ranestrane’s concept album A Space Odyssey. Rothery’s keyboard player Riccardo Romano is a member of Ranestrane, and both Rothery and Marillion’s Steve Hogarth appeared on the recording.
Steve Rothery will release a studio album titled ‘The Ghosts of Pripyat’ in the next months. Guests featured include Steve Hackett and Steven Wilson.
Steve Rothery tour:
4th October – John Dee, Oslo – Norway
6th October – Konserthus Lilla sale, Vasteras – Sweden
15th October – Kulturhuset Viften, Copenhagen – Denmark
16th October – Kulturmaskinen, Odense – Denmark
17th October – Knust, Hamburg – Germany
18th October – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg – Germany
19th October – Kubana, Siegburg – Germany
23rd October – Cultuurpodium Boerderij, Zoetermeer – Holland
24th October – DRU Cultuurfabriek, Ulft – Holland
25th October – La Maroquinerie, Paris – France
26th October – Spirit of 66, Verviers – Belgium
5th November – Oran Mor, Glasgow – UK
6th November – Band on the Wall, Manchester – UK
7th November – Robin 2, Bilston – UK
8th November – Bush Hall, London – UK
15th November – Sala Music Hall, Barcelona – Spain
Live in Rome demonstrates that Steve Rothery is an exceptionally good guitarist who has recorded a beautifully crafted live album.
Buy Live in Rome