News

Opeth Release Royal Albert Hall DVD

• 22nd Jul 2010

As part of the ongoing celebration of their 20th anniversary this year, Sweden’s OPETH are releasing audio and video from the band’s recent performance at the Royal Albert Hall. ‘In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall’ is set for release on 20th September.

Twenty years and nine records into their legendary career, Opeth’s “Evolution XX: An Opeth Anthology” tour brought the Swedish prog titans to six of the world’s most unique venues, and now, with the release of In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, into the homes of their fans.

The performance at the Royal Albert Hall (recorded on 5th April 2010) includes two sets, the first consisting of the band performing 2000’s now-classic, breakthrough epic, ‘Blackwater Park’ in its entirety, and the second, a chronologically arranged selection of material from Opeth’s extensive catalogue, totaling almost three hours of music. The front cover artwork concept pays tribute to Deep Purple´s ‘Concerto for Group and Orchestra’, underlining the band’s longstanding love for their prog-rock roots.

Thinking back to the concert, frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt said; “Opeth had a magical night playing the Royal Albert Hall. It was a dream come true, and now afterwards, it still feels like a dream. We got it all on film, and this, our third live recording and DVD might be my personal favourite. One couldn't help to think of all the fantastic artists that played there over the years. Looking back at this night of celebration brings me fond memories of our 20th anniversary—this package is the delayed birthday present. Enjoy!”

The release will be available as two very special configurations: a limited edition vinyl box set, which includes:

• Double-DVD set of Opeth’s performance at the legendary Royal Albert Hall, in its entirety, including bonus features.
• A set of four 180-gram LP’s of the concert’s live audio in its entirety. The vinyl is housed in black poly lined inner sleeves which are packaged as 2 double gatefold set with exclusive artwork. Vinyl only available in this box set.
• Exclusive, numbered lithograph with artwork designed by Mikael Åkerfeldt and longtime Opeth designer, Travis Smith.
• 20-page, LP sized booklet printed on coated paper stock that chronicles the night’s events in photos.
• Expanded, exclusive artwork and more.

..or, alternatively, a 5-disc set that consists of 2-DVD and 3 CD’s. The set not only includes the legendary evening captured on video, but the concert’s live audio in its entirety as well. Track listing is as follows:

Set 1
• THE LEPER AFFINITY
• BLEAK
• HARVEST
• THE DRAPERY FALLS
• DIRGE FOR NOVEMBER
• THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT
• PATTERNS IN THE IVY
• BLACKWATER PARK

Set 2
• FOREST OF OCTOBER
• ADVENT
• APRIL ETHEREAL
• THE MOOR
• WREATH
• HOPE LEAVES
• HARLEQUIN FOREST
• THE LOTUS EATER

In other news, OPETH play this weekend’s High Voltage festival at London’s Victoria Park (link) and headline the Bloodstock Festival on Friday 13th August at Catton Hall, Derbyshire (link).