In 2012, these prog rock Galacticos hit the road to promote their impressive debut album with a blink-and-you'll-miss-it world tour, capturing this gig in Holland on CD/DVD for the benefit of fans who weren't able to attend those shows. The result is an entertaining, albeit surprisingly workmanlike, package that adds enough extras to just about make it a worthwhile purchase.
The word supergroup is currently so overused that it's starting to lose all sense of meaning. That's not the case with Flying Colors, whose line-up reads like a who's who of progressive rock icons. There's Spock's Beard vocalist/keyboard player Neal Morse, guitarist Steve Morse of Deep Purple and the Dixie Dregs, bassist Dave LaRue – also Dixie Dregs - and former Dream Theater drumming legend Mike Portnoy. Completing the group is Casey McPherson, of Alpha Rev, on rhythm guitar and vocals.
Although hugely enjoyable, their debut album disappointed prog diehards, who were anticipating an indulgent orgy of craziness. This was slightly unfair, because it still contained impeccably crafted passages that encompassed jazz, folk and metal, only squeezed into a more conventional pop structure awash with huge commercial hooks.
Think Queen and Yes jamming Beatles numbers together and that's the melodically opulent, lushly textured sound they created.
It's no surprise that on 'Live In Europe' the band plays those songs perfectly, with the tunes gaining a more energised, lived-in quality as a result of the increased comfort with each other and the material. This is particularly evident on heavier numbers like the bruising ShouldaCouldaWoulda and the prog-metal drilling of All Falls Down.
But, considering the history of everyone involved, it's disappointing how similar these versions are to the studio recordings, as it was expected they'd expand and reinvent some of the songs on stage. Maybe that wouldn't fit their intended aesthetic, or maybe they didn't have enough rehearsal time, but a little variety would have been preferable.
That's not to say it isn't enjoyable. The harmonies between Neal Morse and McPherson are hazy and beautiful, while it's a pleasure to hear the luscious tones of Steve Morse painting all over the renaissance rock of Kayla and the epic prog-pop-jazz juggernaut Infinite Fire.
Fans of the individual musicians will also warm to the inclusion of tracks from each of their back catalogues. There's a truncated, heart of darkness rendition of Dream Theater's Repentance with Portnoy singing, a radiant version of Spock's Beard's June and a storming charge through the Dixie Dregs' instrumental Odyssey.
The real stand out moment comes from McPherson, who leads the band through a towering version of Can't Find My Way - a gem in the ambient Pink Floyd mould - from his former group Endochine. Unfortunately he also performs a solo version of Hallelujah that's so over earnest and ponderous it sounds like Jeff Buckley half heartedly reworking it while watching TV drunk.
Flying Colors' music feels like a joyful celebration, and although that's captured on the CD it doesn't come across as potently on the DVD. It's a pleasure to see these guys blazing away, but the stage needed a more colourful backdrop, the lighting should be brighter and the quality of the footage feels a little substandard.
Plus, McPherson isn't a natural frontman, with a more static, post-millenial approach that focuses on performance over showmanship. Fortunately, there's a lot of character at the back of the stage as gentle giant Neal Morse and de facto MCPortnoy spar with each other and create a great rapport with the audience. Finally, a 45 minute documentary includes revealing interviews alongside some dull backstage footage, completing a package that thrills at times and underwhelms at others.
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