the fist thing you would notice when holding the church dvd future past present, is the thickness, this is no normal dvd. it feels like a big thick book, and in a way this is what you hold.
there has always been a reluctance to release church live dvds, and if you have ever seen the church play you can almost understand why, how can you capture magick, the energy is not three dimensional, it's transcendent, a mixture of rich sound, eloquent rich narrative and the other more mystical ingredients, not to mention four musicians who have mastered their arts and craft it with just enough creative chaos to make it very different from conventional rock and roll.
three discs, three decades, three complete albums played live, i was there, right down the front and i'm pretty certain it was the defining moment of the band. after 30 plus years, numerous albums, loads of amazing live shows and some sort of history in the sound of my own life, the dvd encapsulates 'it' whatever 'it' is.

i always thought a dvd of the church would be filmed in the same vein as 'live at pompeii' where an early pink floyd play to no one, in the ancient amphitheatre. i imagined the church playing in the rainforest at dawn, dusk and night under stars, playing to the universe, and no audience, but i guess it's a logistical expensive nightmare and to be perfectly selfish i would have wanted to be there. 

so here on three discs we have the next best thing, hours of brilliant music, which visually maintains interest and as you watch steve's movements incorporate elements of dance, mime and invocation, the very occasional yet legendary wit and banter with the audience, you develop an understanding of personality within these songs. 'the disillusionist' is perhaps the obvious one, but every song has its own character and expression and the delivery is extraordinary.

'untitled 23' which i think sounds so much better live, 'priest = aura' and 'starfish' three incredibly diverse sounds, lyrically in the realms of the poets, energetically in the gateway of the gods, musicianship, texture, nuance and form in one cohesive night of unselfish and exceptionally generous performance by my favourite band. i am grateful to have seen this, i am grateful to have a dvd that i can play at home and transport me to the past, present and future.