Review: Tony Carey’s Showtime DVD Set

Keyboard legend Tony Carey (Blackmore’s Rainbow, Planet P Project) has just released a two DVD set of live performances. This is the release that was discussed in the interview here:  https://indiepulsemusic.com/2016/02/09/a-conversation-with-keyboard-legend-tony-carey-2/   DVD 1 features the Sweden Rock Festival set from June 2015. This is…..dare I say….a hard rock set that features Tony Carey with Jan E. Holberg (bass), Jostein Svarstad (guitar), Anders Norman (guitar), Per Ole Iversen (drums) and a guest (stunning!) vocal performance by Age Sten Nilsen.

The opening track is Tony’s Ogallala Boulevard off The Long Road CD. An excellent choice as it’s high energy and has a very catchy melody. You’ll be singing along in no time! Why Me? is up next from the blockbuster release from 1983 by Planet P Project. In case you didn’t already know, Tony Carey IS Planet P Project. A faithful rendition. Jan Holberg funks it up 1983 style while Tony & guitarist Jostein Svarstad trade licks…that brought the house down! A nice buildup to start Burning Bridges…one of my fave Tony Carey tracks and this is a cracking version! Tony gives his keyboards quite the workout on this one…you’ll be banging your head by this point!

After kicking ass & taking names on the first three tracks, they continue with the haunting track from Planet P Project’s Pink World release, A Boy Who Can’t Talk. Again a faithful rendition with Jostein coaxing a slight twang out of his guitar….GREAT tone! Next up, A Letter From The Shelter. An even MORE haunting track from the Pink World cd. The multi-cam video editing is so good here….goosebump moments. Bedtime Story from the Der Joker soundtrack CD is next and I have to say that the guys are on a roll here. This is the best version of this track EVER….PERIOD!

Put the amps on ELEVEN. Tony pulls a couple of tracks from the archives that he recorded with Rainbow. The sold out crowd is going nuts and a smile appears on Tony’s face and then Age Sten Nilsen enters the stage to knock everyone out with his powerhouse vocals. Tarot Woman with Tony’s signature keyboard intro is played with reverence….and every ounce of energy the band had…..and the crowd sang along! Horns, fists & hands in the air. Run With The Wolf from Rainbow’s Rising album….These guys are like conquering heroes returning from the battlefield. Nobody has this kind of sound anymore and that’s too bad. I’ve literally heard this song 1000 times and this just might be the best version I’ve heard.

It’s Your Party from the Island & Deserts CD is up next and it’s a rocking version too. I want to know how many strings Anders Norman broke on his guitar this night…he was playing it for everything he’s worth. Holberg grabbed the spotlight for a bit….what a fantastic musician! Then Per Iversen showed us some tasty drum licks. More goosebumps! They wrap up this set with the mega-hit Fine Fine Day from Tony’s Some Tough City CD. Better than 30 years after it’s release it still sounds damn good and the crowd was into it big time. Something tells me we may see this band on stage again….sooner rather than later. Outstanding songs and outstanding musicians…..this experience is tough to beat. Check it out. You won’t regret it!!!

DVD 2 features Tony with the Zoller Network in a small venue. A very cool looking venue made to look like a village square. They open with Miles Away from the Island & Deserts CD. Again, a tight band of excellent musicians doing what they do best. The sound on this is just fantastic…..more goosebumps…yes, it’s that good! Be Free is next. This song could slay American radio if…..radio programmers didn’t have their collective heads so far up their collective asses! Room With A View, a huge hit in Germany from the Wilder Westen Inclusive soundtrack follows. This version is rock-y-er than the original and throw in a detour to DOORS land during the instrumental section….nicely done Ray…err…I mean, Tony.

Here’s some Blues for ya! Jonesy’s Blues to be specific. Tony’s vocals are well suited for this style of music….like perfect in fact….Tony, more Blues please! We jump to a different venue with the same band and bust into The Deal from the Storyville CD. Fantastic version…rockin’ with an awesome sax solo. Did I mention just how good the sound is on these tracks? It’s worth mentioning again.  Along The Ponchartrain, a Tony Carey ballad extraordinaire….a relationship gone bad…Tony Carey style. Take You Out Tonight….”I don’t want to love you for the rest of my life….I just want to take you out tonight”……I chuckle my way through this track every time I hear it…..again some nice sax work as well as some tasty bass work and don’t forget the groovy percussionist.

We now move on to Tony and a Grand Piano. For You from the album of the same name is first up. A better ballad I’ve never heard. This is a stunning track even when pared down to just Tony and the piano. All the tracks in this segment were good choices for the piano only renditions. Goodnight America…a dream that has derailed from Tony’s The Long Road CD. Hallelujah, Although I haven’t asked Tony nor have I heard him say it, I believe this is a personal story. A dark time for Tony and his fans. Hallelujah indeed….

Storyville from the CD of the same name…..a story of the ebb & flow and the music…in Storyville, “where there’s music in the air and time to kill”…The Stranger from Planet P Project’s, Pink World cd…..A post apocalyptic nightmare….can history repeat itself? Comes The Flood from the Wilder Westen Inclusive Soundtrack is next…a great ballad. Friends from the Der Joker Soundtrack is a FANTASTIC song well suited for this type of rendition. Room With A View…..a heartfelt rendition. What I Did….painful lyrics….this will give you a chill. Trampoline, a hit from the Storyville CD. This will bring you back up….another track that would dominate the radio if given the chance. Fool’s Gold (Jenny Lee) from The Boystown Tapes Reissued….a fun acoustic guitar version. Last track is Blue Highway…one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums. An excellent version!

This set is worth the investment….best money I ever spent. http://www.tonycarey.com

Audio samples can be found here: