BIG BIG TRAIN 'Reflectors Of Light' (Blu Ray - All Regions) [Blu-ray] [NTSC]

On Saturday night I sat down with my wife and watched the first half. Feeling truly happy and content can be a fleeting objective, but thanks to a perfect storm of our recently installed 5.1.4 setup, being in a... relaxed... state, and watching a brilliantly produced (well sonically anyway - the 5.1 mix is fantastic; visuals are more of a mixed bag) Blu-ray showcasing music that is extremely my thing, I was left in a state of unfailing euphoria by the end - an increasingly precious commodity to me. Outside of my children, only music has the capacity to truly make me feel this way, and BBT speak to me, musically and lyrically, in such a way as to make a genuine and often lasting difference to my psyche when I listen to them. It doesn't hurt that the first half ends with A Mead Hall In Winter, which has quickly become one of all-time favourite songs, grabbing me musically and lyrically with both of its hands, its paean to the collective transcendent benefit of art, science and high human endeavour offering defiant solace in a world where, to my and I'm sure many others' despondence, it feels like superstition, lowest common denominator instant gratification and base self-interest are eroding some of the values that initially elevated our civilisation during the Enlightenment. We watched the second half the next day and it was just as wonderful. The picture is a bit of a mixed bag, but that is about the the only flaw I can think of with this release, and not enough to knock off a star or half a star in my view. BBT's musical ideas, their commitment to both the light and dark of storytelling, and their mix of warm, pastoral timbres (while still being able to rock out and punch you in the face when they want), their lyricism and benevolent ideals have made me a fan for life. This release is a brilliant showcase of their live talents and a must for any fan.

If you missed out on BBT's previous live BluRay 'Stone & Steel' (now out of print and commanding silly prices for secondhand copies on Amazon), 'Reflectors of Light' is a chance to catch up with the rise and rise of Britain's best progressive rock band. They've been around since 1990 but their current incarnation with David Longdon on vocals, ex-XTC guitarist Dave Gregory and Nick D'Virgilio on drums since 2009 has marked a distinct move forward in scale and ambition, and the addition of Rachel Hall on violin in 2014 and the incorporation of a brass section has broadened the sound and made Big Big Train a unique blend of pastoral/historical prog with ambitious arrangements and a winningly 'English' sound. Of course all of this could have been tricky to reproduce live, but the band has been careful not to overreach itself by throwing itself into extensive touring instead playing limited runs in aurally-sympathetic venues. This quality BluRay shows them concentrating on their musicality rather than staging a blinding lightshow or throwing money at theatricality (David Longdon's use of a Green Mask an honorable exception). While a relatively expensive proposition (compared with other concert disks) at around £20.00 have no fears about committing yourself to the joys of one of the very best bands around.

Big Big Train are a difficult band to compartmentalise. Clearly they are a very English melodic progressive rock band but large chunks of Folk and classical influence also permeate their sound driven fiercely by the astonishing rhythm section of founder member Greg Spawton on Rickenbacker bass (the first weapon of prog) and the wondrous Nick D'Virgilio (ex Spock's Beard) on thunderous drums. This incredible Blu Ray is the first time that some of their fans have been able to see them as a gigging unit, unless you were lucky enough to be at their recent concerts in London. Here you have a wonderful run through their back catalogue and the musicianship is nothing less than perfect and most of this is 'rehearsal' footage at Real World Studios in Wiltshire but not rehearsal standard in any shape or form. Each song is crammed with great musical ideas and changes of direction but my preferences are the phenomenal 'Victorian Brickwork', incredible 'Judas Unrepentant' (watch D'Virgilio go) and the exceptional 'The Underfall Yard'. Some nudges towards Genesis and Gentle Giant are suggested but this band have a sound of their own, gloriously recorded to turn up big time on your sound system. Let me be honest, this is an absolute necessity for all lovers of good music and particularly of prog devotees and to miss out on this beautifully packaged BD disc of the songs and splendid documentary footage is a grave mistake; you have been warned! Oh and why 'STEAM!!'. Look at whose studio these jolly folks used - Peter Gabriel and the fact that there are many references to the glory days of British Railways. Get It!

A cracking package all round. Neatly packaged in a CD sized case, but supplemented by a marvellous photo booklet, this looks like a quality package from the outset. And it is. Everything about this oozes quality, from the sound production, the camera-work and most definitely the music. And what music it is, a marvellous montage of English history, culture and whimsy, with brass bands, flute, violin and cowbell to boot. All topped off with a symphonic epic sweep. Everyone is so talented and the group still manages to be better than the sum of it's parts. My absolute favourite moments however are when the band unplug their instruments and perform two tracks. Most notable is Wind Distorted Pioneers, which is a mix of gorgeous piano / violin recital plus choir. It takes your breath away. Fabulous stuff, and I simply can't wait for more from this hugely talented group of musicians. Life is like a Big Big Train journey, and me and my fellow passengers are honoured to share the journey with this fine band. Now for Folklore :)

As with all BBT products, "Stone and Steel", has been put together with remarkable attention to detail and is a delight to behold. Whilst established "Passengers" will fully appreciate this collection, it is the ideal introduction for newcomers to this great band. The blue ray production is incredibly sharp and adds a great sense of intimacy , particularly for those of us who have yet to see them live. The set at "Real Word" is incredibly tight and the inclusion of the brass section on a number of the songs adds to a powerful sense of light and shade. My particular favourites from this part of the recording are "The First Rebreather", "Uncle Jack" and "Summoned by Bells". The concert material was particularly impressive and succeeded in capturing the sense of a great atmosphere with genuinely enthusiastic audience participation. I really enjoyed "Wassail"- have we seen the emergence here of pagan prog as a subset of this genre?

Stone and Steel on blu-ray is a fine documentary of this extraordinary band. The musicianship is top notch and never showey. Bringing a strong selection of their back catalogue to the stage, the preparation and performance in this studio setting is a pleasure to see. The audio is a little uneven in 5.1 That just might be might be my setup but it sounds great in stereo.

Basically I could not afford the trip or tickets at the time of this Wonderful Concert......So It is Very Definitely A Very Good Substitute for being There. Big Big Train are Fast Becoming One Of My Time To Date......Fave Brit Prog Bands , Nearly up there With Camel Genesis and Yes and Pendragon. Whats not to like about a Brit Prog Band with 2 Keys , 2 lead Guitarists , A Lovely Talented violinist , A Very Eccentric and Quitesentially British Lead Singer who plays flute and wears a flying helmet......One of the Very Best Bass Players in the business... The Great Nick De vig on skins and vocals oh and yes a Brass Band...........Let the Mallard of Prog Rock Roll Ever Onward along the Never Ending Forever Meandering Tracks of Melodic Rock. JOLLY GOOD SHOW ...can't wait for the next episode in BBT evolvings.

Beautiful packaging, sound quality wonderful. Bought this because I was there for one of the shows, and I love this band. But the video quality is execrable for pretty much the whole disc (certainly the in concert parts). There is way too much blue and pink lighting, and the cameras can’t cope. Buy the cd, and if you want to support a wonderful band that cares about the fans, buy this also, but you need to know that the video quality is poor throughout the concert. A real shame, but nobody’s perfect.

Bellissime musiche, ottimo sonoro. Sono molto bravi questi Big Big Train.

Big Big Train is a collection of stellar musicians gathered around the songwriting talents of bassist Greg Spawton and vocalist David Longdon. Brass, strings, electronics, violin, and flute join the typical rock ensemble to create epics that overflow the modern two minute attention span and leave the listener exhilarating. The latest is the best of the last decade of essential albums.

ottimo prog, grande concerto..immagini cosi cosi...nel 2020 non è possibile creare un bluray di buona qualita' sulle immagini?

I love the concert, playlist is amazing, but there are moments the image quality looks like a concert from the 80’s - with too much grain! Still the playlist and the sound quality make this a fantastic acquisition!!

If I could give 10 stars, I would. Such a hard to find concert of Big Big Train in America. Check them out. They are a classy top notch Progressive English Rock / Classical blend. Quartet / brass on some songs. All are beautifully written and performed. This Band is on the Tracks!!! Love them. Ric Scothern in Utah, USA.