In celebration of Lana Lane’s 10th anniversary as a recording artist, Think Tank Media, put out her second DVD. This time around it was a full concert as opposed to live selections on the Storybook dvd. Before I go on, both are essential for Lana fans, since there’s a ton of interview and tour diary footage on both dvds. The 10th Anniversary Concert comes in a DVD/CD format so the listener can watch or listen to the concert, which was recorded in Japan. For those that are aware, Lana Lane is very popular in Japan so it was only fitting this live document was recorded there.
The songs featured are from most of Lana’s albums, and with the current line-up, comes off as some of the best sounding versions to date. The line-up besides Lana and husband Erik, has some familiar faces as well as a new one. The familiar ones are Mark McCrite and Peer Verschuren on guitars and drummer Ernst Van Ee. The new comer is none other than Pain of Salvation bassist Kristoffer Gildenlow.
For those of us that have yet to see the full band version of Lana Lane, it’s a treat to watch this line-up in action as they captivate the crowd with their magic. For those that have seen the full band, can relive the experience in the comforts of their own homes. It’s truly one of those few dvds in my collection that will get a repeat viewing. Also on the dvd, there’s a Video Tour Diary with all sorts extras including backstage footage, rehearsals, views from the road, plus video of the band playing 'Someone to Believe" at the 2005 Sweden Rock Festival. I found it funny in one of the road entries that Erik was looking for a landmark so that people at home, especially those in California, wouldn’t think it’s somewhere in Oxnard.
Now the dvd alone would be worth the price of admission alone but Erik added in a bonus audio cd of the concert for added enjoyment. I personally enjoy listening to it on headphones for the surrealistic feel. Since audio cds can’t hold the same amount of music as a dvd, some songs were cut such as The Astrology songs. Other than that it’s a perfect live experience. This is the perfect purchase for newbies to the music of Lana Lane as well as her current fans. I’d also recommend this to fans of the symphonic hard rock/metal genre. It doesn’t get any better than this!
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on February 21st, 2006
