Label: Frontiers
Review By: Alan Holloway
Heart have been a band that are all about ups and downs, their career bouncing around like a rubber ball in a bathtub. At the core, however, has been gifted musicians who can write some excellent songs, with many of those songs beating the ass off of the ones only casual fans are aware of. Their last two albums, "red Velvet Car" and "Fanatic" have shown a band revitalized, embracing their rock history and having fun with it, so it's about the right time to show what they can still do live.
As is the norm these days, and rightfully so, you get a DVD and CD recording of the concert, filmed in Ontario, Canada in 2012. Gone are the days when you had to imagine the band performing, as now you can watch it and get that little bit closer to the experience. Even when the set and band aren't exactly performing cartwheels and spitting fireworks out of their bums, as is the case here, it's great to see Ann, Nancy and the boys looking so confident, and it naturally raises the experience in a way a CD just cannot do.
Despite Ann stating that they would encompass the band's entire history as she introduces the wonderful "Dog & Butterfly" (on which she sounds terrific), they skip "Brigade", "Desire Walks On" and "Jupiter's Darling" completely, preferring to put five tracks from "Fanatic" into the set, although it has to be said this is not a bad thing. Those who only watch music TV will enjoy a cracking version of "What About Love", as well as "These Dreams" and "Alone", whilst Guitar Hero players will see how "Crazy On You" is really played. There's fourteen tracks in total, and none is less that excellently played, from opener "Fanatic" to closer and fan fave "Barracuda". My only personal disappointment is that my own favorite, "
Never", isn't included, but that's just me.
With a string section complementing the band and a tight sound mix that shows off their talent, "Fanatic Live..." is certainly a DVD that can be enjoyed time and time again, from the older, more acoustic tracks to the out and out rockers and everything in between.An essential purchase for fans of the band and their back catalogue.
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