This dvd is an interesting collection for fans of the fusion band Electric Light Orchestra. Founding member Jeff Lynne, along with longtime associate Richard Tandy reunite with a band that includes Milton McDonald/g, Lee Pomeroy/b, Donavan Hepburn/dr, Marcus Byrne-Bernie Smith, Chereene Allen/vio and background vocalists Melanie Lewis-McDonald, Mick Wilson and Iain Hornal along with a full string orchestra.
The September 2014 concert in Hyde Park has the band playing all of their most popular hits, stretching back to their first “experimental” album with “10538 Overture” and surprisingly including only one song from their halcyon release El Dorado, with “Strange Magic.” Hepburn does an impressive job filling in for Bev Bevan, hitting on all the right cues, while Lynne sounds superb vocally. These songs have aged well, and could easily be mistaken for the Beatles at their most St. Pepper-Magical Mystery Tour-est.
There’s a 15 minute with Lynne that delivers some insight into his thought process, but most interesting of all is an hour plus documentary on the bio-history of Jeff Lynne and ELO. Interspersed through various sequences of his days with the Move and Travelling Wilburys are interview including Monty Pythoner Eric Idle as well as Tom Petty. The vintage footage of recordings with Roy Orbison are a treat as are some great performances by Lynne himself. A real treat!
Eagle Vision DVD