Blackmore’s Night – A Knight in York
UDR Music
http://www.udr-music.com/
Rating: B
Ritchie Blackmore, the guitar god for Deep Purple and Rainbow, has spent the last decade and a half playing acoustic instruments with his wife in his band Blackmore’s Night.
Against the odds, the band has a large worldwide following. This, the band’s 3rd DVD release, is also a live album. The concert, recorded in York, England in 2011, features the best songs by the group.
The band plays newer tunes “Locked Within the Crystal Ball” and “Darkness” to the adoring crowd and they get as much applause as when they trot out older songs such as “Fires at Midnight.”
The DVD is fun to watch as one can’t believe their eyes as the man who used to play sold out stadiums, bashing out the opening chords of “Smoke on the Water” is now in tights playing the hurdy-gurdy!
This concert features not only the hurdy-gurdy but also the mandolin, mandola, pennywhistles, wood winds, and plenty of tambourines.
The beautiful Candice Night leads the way, vocally, while Ritchie shows off on his ancient instruments. The band members are Bards, Squires and even someone named Gypsy Rose!
This music is the real deal as the songs “Gilded Cage,” “The Peasant’s Promise” and “Dandelion Wine” prove. The Man in Black has once again resurrected and maintained his career, albeit in a way that no one would have believed in 1972.
By Jeb Wright
