Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Arena
Label: Verglas Records
Release: 1997
Rating: 3.5/5
The guys in neo-prog heavyweights Arena were clearly kicking themselves for leaving the encore songs off their first official live document »Welcome To The Stage« (1997) instead of putting the whole thing out as a double album. So they gave their loyal fans a chance to hear the three ‘missing’ songs from the 1997 show in Quebec (Canada) as a mini EP called »Welcome Back! To The Stage«, which for a long time was only available through the band’s official website and at early shows. That means this release is really only of interest to the hardest-core Arena devotees, the ones who have to own everything their heroes put out, even though »Welcome Back! To The Stage« still packs a good half hour of top-notch music, while the magnificent epic »Empire Of a Thousand Days«, which got plenty of attention in the review of the album »Pride« (1996), is simply one of the best things in the whole story of these often-overlooked foot soldiers of the modern British prog rock scene.
The no less thrilling epic »Fool’s Gold«, yet another brutal social satire with a Victorian-era vibe, is a real rarity at Arena gigs these days, so it’s always more than welcome. The band comes across as an incredibly well-oiled virtuoso machine throughout, whether it’s Clive’s keyboard wizardry, Mitchell’s weaving of complex guitar improvisations, Jowitt laying down melodic bass lines, Pointer’s merciless punches around the drum kit, or Wrightson’s strikingly charismatic yet sensual vocal performance, while the energy between the stage and the rather loud Canadian crowd is at a superb level the whole time. The piano-driven power ballad »Crying For Help IV«, where vocalist Wrightson really shines with his heart-wrenching reading of a melancholic yet uplifting lyric, is the Arena classic they often play at the end of a show so the crowd can sing along. A really lovely, almost ideal ending to this very interesting mini EP.
»Welcome Back! To The Stage«, the missing live material from »Welcome To The Stage«, is a tasty treat for all loyal Arena fans and collectors of rare releases, while anyone who doesn’t count themselves among the most fervent fans of these champions of neo prog rock is advised to rather wait for the reissue of »Welcome To The Stage« as a double release, provided, of course, that they don’t stumble across this mini EP at a nicely discounted price.
Lineup
Paul Wrightson – vocals
Clive Nolan – keyboards
John Mitchell – guitar
John Jowitt – bass guitar
Mick Pointer – drums
Production
Clive Nolan
Tracklist
1. Empire Of A Thousand Days
2. Fool’s Gold
3. Crying For Help IV
