Graham Parker released his first ever live performance DVD titled Graham Parker & The Figgs: Live at The FTC yesterday. With backup from cult favorites The Figgs, Parker uses this occasion to celebrate his 20th album, Imaginary Television, released earlier this year on Bloodshot Records, as well as 21 classic cuts such as "Life Gets Better", "Mercury Poisoning" and "My Love's Strong". The performance was filmed in 5.1 on April 23, 2010 at Fairfield, Connecticut's FTC Stageone. The DVD also features a career-spanning interview with Graham Parker, as well as a companion CD featuring the concert in full.
Parker says, "Typically, when the film crew turns up for the one gig on the tour they are scheduled to film, something goes wrong and the band don't get a proper sound check. The singer (me) is sick with the tour bug and has lost half his voice. A blizzard occurs and half the audience don't show. Whatever: it's often less than ideal. Not the case with this little, beauty, thankfully! The band rocked like Safari Park Chimps, the film crew were non-intrusive, I was in full, strong voice, and the weather did not conspire to keep the punters at home. What a strange confluence of fortuitous events! This one's a keeper."
Executive Producer Seth Faber says, "After months of cajoling, Graham agreed to let us set up our cameras and capture his show at the FTC, so long as our approach was laissez-faire. That noninvasive direction proved wise; we skillfully captured Graham in his natural habitat, as honest, acerbic, and electrifying as ever."
