Nektar - Pure - Live In Germany

Starring: Nektar Dvd Release: 2nd January, 2006 Number Of Discs: 2 Format: Box set, Colour, PAL, Region 0 Encoding

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Nektar was a 1970s progressive rock band based in Germany. The bands early albums such as Journey to the Centre of the Eye, Sounds Like This & A Tab in the Ocean were obscure psychedelic rock albums that won the band a small but growing cult following, based largely on word of mouth. The last of those albums was the first Nektar album to be released in the U,S. on the small Passport Records label. It was Nektars second US release, Remember the Future, that propelled the band briefly into mass popularity. A concept album about a blind boy who communicates with an extraterrestrial being, the music was a big leap forward for the band with a much more melodic sound than on previous albums. It shot into the Top 20 album charts in the US The followup album, Down to Earth, was another concept album with a circus theme; it also sold well, breaking into the Top 40 album charts & included Nektars only song to chart on the Billboard singles charts, Astral Man. The next album, Recycled, was stylistically close to bands like Gentle Giant & is considered by many fans to be Nektars finest moment.

Nektar first formed in Hamburg in 1968/69 & were at the forefront of European progressive rock in the early seventies. Those of a certain age, i.e. even older than me, may even remember them appearing on the Old Grey Whistle Test back in 1974.

They even managed the rare feat of cracking the Amercian charts when Remember The Future got to No.13 in the American charts. Even Down To Earth & Recycled managed to shift over 250,000 copies each. As with a lot of prog bands they staggered on into the eraly eighties before grinding to a halt.

However, the power of the 40 something disposable income saw them get back together for some live shows in 2000, & with a couple of new members, they're still going strong with a line up of original members Roye Albrighton, lead guitar, & Ron Howden, drums, with new members Randy Dembo, bass guitar, & Tom Hughes, keyboards.

2005 saw them taking their show to the Harmonie Club in Bonn, Germany, for a TV special, & this DVD is the result. To be honest, were it not for the truly outstanding keyboard contribution of Tom Hughes, I doubt their somewhat pedestrian prog would have got me going back for more. But he is a star, lifting the material out of the mire & into the stratosphere. It may be no coincidence that the new material outstrips the old.

Having said that, there are good songs tucked away under poor arrangements as the second DVD is an acoustic set recorded the following day, when Do You Believe In Magic & Always absolutely shine.

There are a few special features to draw in the fans, but it's not for the uninitiated. However, new album Evolution may be well worth tracking down.

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