BLACKMORE’S NIGHT RELEASES LIVE DVD/CD,
“A KNIGHT IN YORK,” ON UDR RECORDS
Performance recorded last fall in York, England perfectly captures
ambience and musical joy of a Blackmore’s Night show
Storm-Delayed East Coast Concerts Rescheduled for December
Blackmore's Night, the Renaissance rock band of iconic guitarist Ritchie
Blackmore and award-winning singer/songwriter Candice Night, has once again
thrilled fans worldwide with their latest concert DVD/CD release, A KNIGHT IN
YORK. The CD release debuted at #2 on Billboard Magazine’s New Age
chart in its first week of release.
Recorded live on September 30, 2011 at the Grand Opera House in York, England, A KNIGHT IN YORK is Blackmore's Night's third DVD release. It perfectly captures the essence of the Blackmore's Night experience. The “band of minstrels,” dressed in festive medieval garb, bring out the sheer joy and authenticity of Blackmore's Night's music, and the splendor of Ritchie Blackmore's musicianship is perfectly coupled with the ethereal presence of Candice Night's voice during this special autumn night performing in the city of York.
"York is an absolutely beautiful and historic city with a medieval wall fortifying the area,” says Candice Night, of the town that was England’s capital before London. “Just being in that town makes you feel as if you have stepped back in time. And, since we filmed in a 12th century castle and a historic theater for the last two DVDs, a beautiful English opera house seemed like the next logical choice."
A KNIGHT IN YORK represents the first show back in England for Ritchie Blackmore in four years. The Opera House holds a special place in his memory as one when he, as a starving musician many years ago, took up the challenge of spending the night in the allegedly haunted building. That night, he says, “I heard a voice whisper to me ‘Aubrey.’ Now whenever we come back to that venue,” says Blackmore, “we speak directly to the ghost, acknowledge Aubrey's existence, and the show goes smoothly.”
Much of the material on A KNIGHT IN YORK is culled from the band’s two most recent masterful albums, SECRET VOYAGE and AUTUMN SKY. Songs from both those albums, like "Locked Within the Crystal Ball" and "The Circle," are standouts on A KNIGHT IN YORK as they had already become favorites of the faithful. Of course, classic songs such as "Fires at Midnight" and "Dandelion Wine," from Blackmore's Night's earlier albums, are performed as well. And there is a marvelous rendition of Swedish folk duo Nordman's "Journeyman" and a stunning interpretation of the Bee Gees ballad "First of May.”
"I loved how ‘First of May’ came out,” explains Night. “Though it’s not an original song of ours, we play that one on very special occasions, and we had never recorded it before. You really feel vulnerable and naked on stage when you are singing a song as intimate as that one. But when it works, it's magic."
Through traditional melodies and original arrangements, Blackmore’s Night takes listeners on a journey to another time when a music performance was a much-treasured escape. Fans were able to capture their own unique live experience of Blackmore's Night this autumn as the band performed select dates in North America. A special concert in New York City, as well as one in Wilmington, Delaware, were postponed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged not only New York City, but Long Island where the Blackmores reside.
The shows have been rescheduled for Sunday, December 9 at the World Café Live in Wilmington and Wednesday, December 12 at The Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture in New York City. For ticket information, check www.blackmoresnight.com.
Ritchie Blackmore, who has made an indelible mark on hard rock music, has continued his storied career with the magic of Blackmore's Night. With vocalist (and wife) Candice Night by his side, Blackmore has almost as much time invested in Blackmore's Night as he did with his legacy in Deep Purple. Since 1997, Blackmore’s Night has won numerous gold records and awards. The band’s last studio album, AUTUMN SKY (2010), debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard New Age charts and remained in the Top 10 for 40 weeks. Now, with the popularity of history-based television series like HBO’s Game of Thrones and Showtime’s The Tudors, Blackmore’s Night’s established brand of Renaissance-inspired music is attracting an ever growing legion of fans.
Blackmore’s Night’s concert film A KNIGHT IN YORK is available in DVD and Blu-ray format from UDR Records, distributed in the U.S. by EMI. A KNIGHT IN YORK is also available in a special DVD/CD/Blu-ray Digipak, audio CD, double vinyl 12" LP (gatefold), digital downloads for both audio and video and a special, limited edition "fan package" (details available at www.udr-music.com).
A KNIGHT IN YORK track listing:
01 Locked Within The Crystal Ball
02 Gilded Cage
03 The Circle
04 Journeyman
05 World Of Stone
06 The Peasant‘s Promise
07 Toast To Tomorrow