Cheap Cream - Royal Albert Hall - London May 2-3-5-6 2005 (DVD) (Martyn Atkins) Price

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Customer Reviews of Cream - Royal Albert Hall - London May 2-3-5-6 2005

Cream's Triumphant Return
Crream's triumphant return is brilliantly filmed during their week in Albert Hall. The sound quality and photography is first rate, and the images are well-timed and skillfully directed. <
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>The band itself is in top form and shows its musical age and experience brilliantly. Eric Clapton's guitar playing is as good as you will see or hear anywhere. Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker still are an exciting and stimulating rhythm section, and, in fact, Bruce does his famous duelling with Clapton on some of the numbers here. We see it especially in Sunshine of Your Love. Bruce and Clapton, despite their ages, still manage to sing their numbers with the same kind of verve as they did almost 40 years prior. <
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>Of special interest here is the lack of gimmickry. There are no wah-wah pedals, for example, and no real distortion feedback effects. Stilll, the DVD has much to keep up the interest of the Cream fan who watches it. <
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>No DVD of a live performance is perfect, and there are few but notable letdowns here. For instance, they include the witty but musically weak "Pressed Rat and Warthog" from the Wheels of Fire collection. The version of "Toad" here is rather long, and I'm not a fan of drawn-out drum solos, although Baker is amazingly energetic in this one. <
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>Still, for any Cream fans out there, this is a fine DVD to have. You probably won't watch this just once!

THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF THE CREAM IN 2005.
As I stated on the last DVD review of "CREAM FAREWELL CONCERT," I will be doing a follow-up and add to my friend Metamorpho's excellent reviews of all of CREAM'S legendary albums. I already wrote the review on the legendary historic DVD concert "CREAM FAREWELL CONCERT" from 26 November 1968. I will now write a review on the recent 2-3-5-6, May 2005 historic reunion concert of CREAM live at The Royal Albert Hall in London, England. With these two reviews and Metamorpho's excellent CREAM reviews, this will finally complete the CREAM series on a good positive note and not the way CREAM tragically ended in November 1968. Again, this one's for you Metamorpho and for the MIGHTY CREAM. <
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>I will be writing a review on the now legendary historic return DVD concert performance entitled "CREAM, ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON, MAY 2-3-5-6, 2005" by one of Rock's greatest legendary bands and the greatest three-man band ever assembled. I give you one of England's pride and joy's, the one and only, THE MIGHTY C-R-E-A-M. This legendary historic DVD concert performance was originally released in 2005 on Compact Disc and DVD on the Reprise Records label in association with Rhino Records Entertainment which is a Time Warner Music Company. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary historic DVD concert performance or the artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the best informative and most accurate review possible. And now, without further delay, it is now time for me to take you back in time to the accounts and events that would lead to the "CREAM REUNION CONCERT" from 2005. <
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>CREAM will forever be remembered as being Rock's first true supergroup and for being the greatest three-man band in Rock n' Roll history. CREAM would forever change the sound of how the blending and mixture of Blues and Rock n' Roll would flow through the speakers and amplifiers. When CREAM performed their final farewell concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London on 26 November 1968, Rock n' Roll would suffer a major loss and be dealt with a devastating blow. Thirty-seven long years would go by with no reunions or performances due to the inactivity of CREAM. How about this, actually from 1968 to 1993, twenty-five long years would go by with no reunions or performances due to the inactivity of CREAM until their induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in January 1993. CREAM would perform live on stage for the first time in twenty-five years. CREAM performed like they never broke up or left Rock n' Roll. In my opinion, this single 1993 performance would set the stage for the DVD concert I'm about to review for you now, twelve years later in the making. May I also add that I never thought in my wildest dreams, that I would ever be doing a review on the recent historic reunion concert by THE MIGHTY CREAM. From disbelief, I even had to see the concert on DVD for myself to make sure that it was CREAM. And sure enough, IT WAS. Seeing the concert, It was great seeing all three together on stage again. Eric looked great and Ginger looked very vibrantly healthy. Jack on the other hand, did not look very healthy at all. Please forgive me for saying this and I do not mean to offend anyone especially Jack, Ginger and Eric. I do not know if CREAM did this reunion for the money or not. In my opinion, I do not think money played a part in this reunion at all. I think that ONLY LOVE could have brought these three giants back together again. Which leads me to Jack. I think that Jack is terribly ill and sick. I think that it was Jack's dying wish and request to perform with the MIGHTY CREAM for one last time. When you see Jack performing on stage, he seems so terribly weak. He even has a stool on stage to sit on while still performing since he can barely stand up. I really truly hope that I'm wrong but if it is true, I praise Eric and Ginger for putting aside their differences especially between Jack and Ginger and perform as CREAM and bring back the magic one more time. It would also seem to me that with this historic reunion that an old Rock n' Roll warrior like Jack Bruce may have finally found some inner peace within himself and made peace with the other two members and a great legendary band called CREAM. The funny thing about this reunion concert is that CREAM would mark their triumphant return and perform at the very same place where they ended some thirty-seven years ago. In my opinion, this legendary historic concert is another true testament of the brilliance, greatness and genius of three extremely talented masterminds and a fine fitting tribute to a great legendary band that adds more fuel into the legend and legacy of the greatest three-man band that ever lived that was truly ahead of their time. And yes, THIS CONCERT DOES TRULY KICK A*S. A LATE NOTE: I would deeply like to thank my fellow reader and reviewer ...'s or "Saucerhead" for the new info on Jack Bruce. He is quoted as saying: "Jack Bruce was diagnosed with Liver Cancer in 2003 and in fact, had a liver transplant in that same year with near fatal post-operation rejection complications. This would definitely account for his unhealthy appearance in the 2005 CREAM reunion. According to WIKIPEDIA ORG, so far and hopefully, he has since recovered." I wish Jack Bruce well and pray and hope that he has made a full recovery. <
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>Now it is time for their music to speak for itself and do all of the talking. CREAM would take the stage before a thunderous ovation. On DISC ONE, the concert begins with the same legendary Rocker that the band ended with in November 1968, "I'm So Glad," the slow blistering shorter version Blues classic "Spoonful," the breathtaking Blues Rocker "Outside Woman Blues," the first time ever performed live and sung by Ginger, "Pressed Rat And Warthog," the slow beautiful soothing Blues classic "Sleepy Time Time," the energetic Blues Rocker "N.S.U.," the late great George Harrison composition Blues Rocker "Badge," the slow haunting killer Blues classic "Politician," the slow turned fast paced Rocker "Sweet Wine," the train sounding harmonica filled speedy drums number "Rollin' And Tumblin'," the flooring slow Blues classic "Stormy Monday," the amazing and incredible Blues Rocker "Deserted Cities Of The Heart," the mindblowing slow Blues classic "Born Under A Bad Sign" and the sizzling Blues Rocker "We're Going Wrong." The alternate takes of the blistering Blues Rockers "Sleepy Time Time" and "We're Going Wrong" are excellent and could have replaced the chosen versions easily. END OF DISC ONE. <
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>DISC TWO begins with the new blistering Robert Johnson Blues classic Rocker "Crossroads," the forever CREAM trademark Rocker "White Room," the return of Ginger Baker, the incredible "Toad" and concludes the concert with the forever CREAM trademark breakthrough heavy metal Rocker "Sunshine Of Your Love." The alternate take of "Sunshine Of Your Love" sounds about as good as the chosen version if not better. This disc also includes interviews with all three CREAM members and they talk about the events that led to the breakup in 1968 and the events that let up to their reunion concert in 2005. END OF DISC TWO. May I add that Eric Clapton played guitar with such raw energy and power that I have not heard from him in years. This concert is the best that I have ever seen Eric Clapton ever play. Eric Clapton must have found the fountain of youth because he KICKED A*S. Clapton was playing guitar incredibly well and was on fire. Ginger Baker played his drums like he also found the fountain of youth because he kicked a*s. Despite looking terribly ill and sitting on his stool for much of the time during the concert, Jack Bruce really dug deep down within his heart and delivered a blistering performance. Jack's bass playing and patterns were the breakthrough for all bass players and he proves it and shows why in this concert. <
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>Overall, this is one hell of a concert worth seeking and checking out especially for the new beginners and curious ones that are new to the sound and music of the MIGHTY CREAM. <
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>I would like to highly recommend purchasing this legendary historic DVD concert to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal DVD music concert collection. This legendary historic DVD concert has already proven to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, appreciated and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER. THIS CONCERT IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY IN THE MAKING, THIS IS ONE CONCERT THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE WITHOUT. <
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>In closing, CREAM has done the impossible. CREAM defied all the odds and came out of no where to bless us with their magic and presence in order to play and perform their own special blend of music one more time. With the extreme success of CREAM'S reunion concert at The Royal Albert Hall in London, England on 2-3-5-6 May 2005, concert promoters would get together and book CREAM here in the United States at New York's Madison Square Garden. Tickets would sell out immediately upon sale availability. I guess this shows that CREAM still lives and is still extremely popular to this very day. What now holds in store for CREAM? Only the future knows whats in store for CREAM and all of us and it will unfold before us all when it is appropriate. One thing that is certain is that CREAM'S contributions and accomplishments in Rock n' Roll and Blues are well secured and will never be forgotten. So here's to you Eric, Jack and Ginger. Keep Persevering. Keep The Faith. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. LONG LIVE THE CREAM. Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever In Rock, John L.