Mike Oldfield: The Art in Heaven Concert (Live in Berlin)

Time, place, and content come together nicely in this concert extravaganza, spectacularly produced by German light show specialists Art in Heaven and featuring guitarist-keyboardist Mike Oldfield and a cast of thousands (well, dozens) performing in Siegessaule Square in Berlin on New Year's Eve 1999. Totaling 80 minutes, the show is divided between “classic songs” (including a brief version of “Tubular Bells,” still by far Oldfield's best-known piece) and “Millennium Bell"songs. The latter are a bit more beat-heavy than Oldfield's earlier work, but for the most part his accessible New Age/progressive sound remains intact; unfortunately, the fact that Oldfield helped pioneer that style doesn't keep it from sounding a bit dated. This couldn't have been one of his most comfortable gigs--it's disconcerting to see the musicians' breath, or watch them wearing overcoats, furry hats and even gloves--but the huge crowd remains enraptured throughout. Bonus features on this Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 recorded DVD include an Oldfield interview. An optional purchase for larger music collections. Aud: P. (S. Graham)