Renaissance
50th Anniversary
Ashes Are Burning
An Anthology Live In Concert
(Cherry Red)
8/10
By Decibel Report

Revered progressive music group Renaissance continues its garlanded career on this momentous 50th-anniversary milestone recording. From their initial beginnings helmed by former Yardbirds stalwarts, Keith Relf and Jim McCarty, McCarty makes a welcome appearance here, their arc took a huge leap upon Annie Haslam passing her bucolic audition in deepest Surrey to join the group.

Now residing in Pennsylvania, Annie Haslam has, by necessity, created this venerable band in her own image following the death of longstanding member Michael Dunford. Something of a home gig, this devoted Keswick Theater (sic) PA audience clearly loves Haslam, and Renaissance's distinguished legacy of music, from the moment she gracefully entered the stage to reveal her intact five-octave vocal range on the incandescent classic Carpet Of The Sun. It's a wonder to behold how Haslam's voice retains the tonal quality and clear delivery of her range as showcased on Symphony Of Light from this venerated group's last studio album.

With their own ten-piece chamber orchestra dramatically expanding upon and allowing these beautiful songs to breathe a rarefied air, Haslam and her fellow Renaissance band players deliver a performance to savour. The DVD and Blu-ray discs bear further visual witness, in this clamshell compact box set, to the high calibre of this landmark momentous event.

All the fan favourites from Midas Man to A Song For All Seasons, apart from their only hit single Northern Lights, are covered herein with original founder member, Jim McCarty, finally re-joining on Island and set-closing song Ashes Are Burning. Ambitious and epic in composition and performance, Renaissance is reborn once again in this mesmerising concert.