Does anyone care about Kamelot anymore ? New concert DVD....

[LarryD]

Found this at The Lasers Edge and ordered ......................

https://www.lasercd.com/dvd/i-am-empire-blu-raydvd2cd

I know lots of people have pretty much abandoned Kamelot over the past few years, and I wondered if they were going to release anything new, and this came out......
I'm viewing it as maybe my last Kamelot purchase ......ever. It's sort of like the last show I'll see of them, so I had to have it .......I like them with Tommy, but of course I loved them with Khan.....not that Tommy can't pull it off; he can. I'm missing some of the more epic / mid-tempo songs like off of Fourth Legacy, Epica and The Black Halo ( why no more March of Mephisto style material ? ). I like the last few discs, but the speed is really killing it for me. I've read that this show pulls from most of the last few discs, and it will contain that very speed I'm talking about - but I'm still all in on it, especially if I think it may be the last time I ever see them.......

Thoughts coming when it arrives ..............here is a sample in the meantime ......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUf6_L8Wyt0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4b1SkQfgUA

[introclaus]

Found this at The Lasers Edge and ordered ......................

https://www.lasercd.com/dvd/i-am-empire-blu-raydvd2cd

I know lots of people have pretty much abandoned Kamelot over the past few years, and I wondered if they were going to release anything new, and this came out......
I'm viewing it as maybe my last Kamelot purchase ......ever. It's sort of like the last show I'll see of them, so I had to have it .......I like them with Tommy, but of course I loved them with Khan.....not that Tommy can't pull it off; he can. I'm missing some of the more epic / mid-tempo songs like off of Fourth Legacy, Epica and The Black Halo ( why no more March of Mephisto style material ? ). I like the last few discs, but the speed is really killing it for me. I've read that this show pulls from most of the last few discs, and it will contain that very speed I'm talking about - but I'm still all in on it, especially if I think it may be the last time I ever see them.......

Thoughts coming when it arrives ..............here is a sample in the meantime ......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUf6_L8Wyt0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4b1SkQfgUA

I thought I was the grumpy one around here, but it seems every post from you these days are about "I only like the old version of band A", and "band B aren't what they used to be anymore". Come on Larry, get with the times ...

What do you mean about "the speed is really killing it for me"? Do you honestly think they've become a fast-paced band? I think 99% of their material is the same mid-tempo as always - unless you go back to "Fourth Legacy" and "Epica" (which you actually say you like), which are way speedier. I don't understand!?!?

Yes, I have the blu-ray and CD set. It's phenomenal, as expected. Kamelot has always been a band that does things the right way, and they sure didn't let us down here. That's how you do a LONG show with lots of guests, great show, and superb production. This year has given us some great live albums (Myrath, Ayreon, Pretty Maids, Neal Morse and more), but this one steals the show (pun intended).

[LarryD]

I thought I was the grumpy one around here, but it seems every post from you these days are about "I only like the old version of band A", and "band B aren't what they used to be anymore". Come on Larry, get with the times ...

****Have no fear -- you still are the grumpy one. I promise I will not post about older versions of bands A & B ever again .....

[gazinwales]

No I am the same, lost interest in them, starting to sound very samey and generic to my ears,

[BC]

Youngblood fell into a rut writing-wise and lost my interest a few albums ago.

[introclaus]

With Kamelot you know what you get - Thom obviously have found the formula to what works in terms of growing as a “product”. With each album the band gets bigger. The old school fans like us can either bitch about it (Larry) and move on, or embrace it for what it is. The discussion here is about the live DVD though... and it kicks ass!

[Scott B]

I go back a long way with this band. How long? I used to pass out flyers with Thom for upcoming gigs. A long, long time ago.

To be honest, I think that The Fourth Legacy may have well been the peak for me. I think it was also really the germination point for the "formula". As I recall, I gave the first album or two post-Khan a try, but the magic, for me, was gone.

That said, and while I have no interest in buying this DVD, I will say that the quality looks to be stellar and the performances top-notch. They have honed their product to the nth degree.

[Mardoch]

With Kamelot you know what you get - Thom obviously have found the formula to what works in terms of growing as a “product”. With each album the band gets bigger. The old school fans like us can either bitch about it (Larry) and move on, or embrace it for what it is. The discussion here is about the live DVD though... and it kicks ass!

This is the whole thing, right here. You get an incredibly consistent, polished, quality product on every iteration. I just don't have much interest in that product anymore.

[LarryD]

That said, and while I have no interest in buying this DVD, I will say that the quality looks to be stellar and the performances top-notch. They have honed their product to the nth degree.

****Exactly why I'm getting this ..... if it is the end of our relationship, I want to go out this way.

[Rycher]

I've been a little burnt out on Kamelot - the last three records sound so "samey," as if you could take any song from one of the album and put it on one of the other three records and it wouldn't make a difference. I didn't even really spend much time with The Shadow Theory. I just couldn't get into it at all. They still have some great songs like Insomnia, though, and I loved the idea of an official live album from the current lineup.

I was pretty blown away by the show after watching a few songs. Tommy handles the older songs quite well, and I give them a lot of credit for releasing an 18-song show and only having 5 songs from Roy's era in the setlist. Most of the songs came from Haven and The Shadow Theory, and two from Silverthorn. Sean injected a ton of energy into the band, and I didn't miss Casey at all - the current drummer is great. It's definitely worth the money if you like the band. They put together a great release and kick ass, even if it's heavy on newer songs. The video quality is absolutely pristine. Bonus features included a making of with interviews from band members and guests, and I a lot of the videos from Tommy's era of the band.

Watching the concert got me to go back to those last three albums again, rather than putting on the older albums, like I usually do.

[Mark]

I LOVE this DVD. I didn't bother getting any of the CDs post-Khan. (I only have one of the pre-Khan CDs too, but I actually play it about once a year.) Because after streaming them on Spotify a few times, I have the same observation as several people above: Kamelot has become formulaic and repetitive. That said, that formula is still pretty cool IMO, so a quality live presentation like this is EXACTLY the kind of thing that I would buy because it provides an overview of what I have to presume is the bands' own favorite tracks from the past few albums. Two thumbs up, love it, especially since I have not seen the Tommy-fronted version of the band live.

I also like that it includes all their Tommy-era music videos as a bonus feature.

[MitchG]

There was a time that Kamelot was my favorite band on the planet, and I probably had a man-crush on Roy Khan. But even the last release w/ Roy was showing real stagnation in the songwriting. When Roy left I gave Silverthorn a chance, and while Tommy was more than competent, it was lacking the soul that I felt Roy provided. I saw them on that tour, and it was a well-oiled machine, but there was no magic for me and I pretty much moved on. It sounds like this DVD is well-done, but nothing I need.

[Packgrog]

Well, this grump got bored with Kamelot before Khan left. Fourth Legacy through Black Halo is where it's at for me. After that, Khan started sounding really bored, along with his voice changing a bit. I've stated it in pretty much every discussion about the new Conception releases: Khan sounds excited again and it shows, even with his range being more limited now.

I also don't fault Tommy at all. I've heard some of the stuff with him, and he does a great job! I'm just bored with the formula. If it keeps selling for them, though, there's really no reason for them to change for us grumps.

[Harvester]

We really need to take this forum into the new era. I suggest changing the name to PMS as it fits better.

"Perpetual Motion Sequel" is obviously what I mean.

[LarryD]

This show is really high energy ......... all of the members are spot on and Tommy sounds amazing. Lots of guests, extra singers, etc ....... On the song "Under Grey Skies", if you close your eyes, you would absolutely think that Khan was singing this, it is just about impossible to tell the difference. There is lots of speed, as expected, but there are quite a few mid-paced burners as well. The crowd is amazingly into it, and if I'm not mistaken, the venue looks to be the same one that Arjen filmed the Ayreon shows, but I'd have to look that one up......

It is a bit expensive, but you get the bluray, 2-CD set, and the DVD version of the show ...... The bluray video quality is outstanding although the audio seems quite compressed. I haven't played around too much with settings yet, but out of the box it's pretty compressed...... fortunately for us, Tommy's vocals are clear and up front and can easily be heard.

All in all - it's a worthy addition to anyone's Kamelot collection - and in this day and age we are lucky to be getting these shows ( I know it was filmed long before the pandemic ) but it's very uplifting to see a "current" concert. If you are tired of the "formula" you will certainly want to stay clear, but if you want to see Kamelot one more time in all of their glory, then this is certainly the way to go ...... this show is superb as is.

[Random Axe]

Larry, I'm thankful you started this thread. This week I've come to an epiphany regarding Kamelot.

I can actually dig the post Khan stuff.

I think subconsciously I was a bit spiteful Roy left. Tommy is ridiculously good but I just never saw him as a replacement since I loved Roy so much. They even dressed him the same. While I recognized the mastery of the music I also thought they were so damn repetitive and locked into a style without the possibility of growth. That was my mentality through all three Tommy albums. It got so bad that I listened to Shadow Theory ONCE and put it on the shelf. It just pissed me off that once again it was the same recycled guitar and key sounds, same tempos, same vocal structures.

Fast forward to today and I finally have come to terms with the switch and I'm digging the shit out of the new material. I'm working my way backwards in the Tommy era while at work today. Instead of concentrating on what didn't change I'm listening to his voice and enjoying the aspects that aren't necessarily improved but are still great. Not sure why they have so many chick vocal guest spots?

I've never heard him do Khan songs but now I'm wanting to buy the bluray set. Before this week that wasn't going to happen. I could've lived with One Cold Winter Night for the remainder of my life. Now I don't have to.

[LarryD]

Larry, I'm thankful you started this thread. This week I've come to an epiphany regarding Kamelot.

I can actually dig the post Khan stuff.

I think subconsciously I was a bit spiteful Roy left. Tommy is ridiculously good but I just never saw him as a replacement since I loved Roy so much. They even dressed him the same. While I recognized the mastery of the music I also thought they were so damn repetitive and locked into a style without the possibility of growth. That was my mentality through all three Tommy albums. It got so bad that I listened to Shadow Theory ONCE and put it on the shelf. It just pissed me off that once again it was the same recycled guitar and key sounds, same tempos, same vocal structures.

Fast forward to today and I finally have come to terms with the switch and I'm digging the shit out of the new material. I'm working my way backwards in the Tommy era while at work today. Instead of concentrating on what didn't change I'm listening to his voice and enjoying the aspects that aren't necessarily improved but are still great. Not sure why they have so many chick vocal guest spots?

I've never heard him do Khan songs but now I'm wanting to buy the bluray set. Before this week that wasn't going to happen. I could've lived with One Cold Winter Night for the remainder of my life. Now I don't have to.

****I could not have said this any better ........ your post mirrors my thoughts EXACTLY. As I watch this show now for the 2nd time, it only confirms my feelings of the past.... NO one could replace Roy, but as you will see with this show, Tommy channels Khan like no other ( well maybe except for the Black Fate dude ) ...... but Tommy rules here, hitting every note, doing the moves, everything ...... and yet, somehow it all works. As for the chicks - yeah, same question. But - when you see them on stage you won't care ...... I won't hide the fact that like others, I have hit my threshold for "the formula" ..... if that is the case, then this is the way to end such a long relationship - this is a fantastic, yet formulaic show. It's almost as if Tommy says to the doubters, " don't think I can do it ? watch me " ... and the magic is on.
For you - if you are going back into the catalog and digging all of the Tommy discs, then this show is going to do it for you ....... I only have one bitch with the show.....if I had a dime for every time Tommy roared at the crowd - ' HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY ' I'd be a rich man ........other than that, rock on my friend.......