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Castles & Dreams Blackmore's Night   As the sun sets on the village, the smell of roast boar lingers in the crisp, twilight air. At the local inn, kegs of ale are broken open and everyone’s thoughts transform to merriment and whimsy. It is the simple pleasure of enjoying one’s self with good food, song, and company. These are the quintessential ingredients to a good time and this is the feeling conveyed by Blackmore’s Night’s newest DVD, Castles & Dreams. In some regards, it is amazing that such wonderful minstrel and filk music comes from a guitar legend known more for “Smoke on the Water” and raising hell with Deep Purple and Rainbow, than for renditions of “Greensleeves.” But that is what makes this two DVD set—and Blackmore’s Night’s music in general—so special. Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night’s music is a surprisingly rich tapestry of sound and is reminiscent of the soundscapes created by Clannad, Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, and even Jethro Tull, but their music subscribes to a uniquely original excellence. Castles & Dreams is filled with over four hours of live music, interviews, and behind the scenes looks into the lives of Night, Blackmore, and the rest of their Bardic ensemble (Lady Madeline, Lady Nancy, Squire Malcolm of Lumley, Bard David of Larchmont, Tudor Rose, and Sir Robert of Normandy). This DVD is also a multi-language offering, with English concert lyric subtitles and all of Blackmore’s Night’s best songs. Surprisingly, there is even a cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a Changin’” and an acoustic version of a Randy Newman song, “I Think it’s Going to Rain Today.” The best performance, however, is the haunting “Ghost of a Rose.” Castles & Dreams is a must-have for fans of RenFaire music, filk, or folk music, or the hybrid combinations of these genres interspersed with classic rock. It also makes a perfect milestone documentary for the near decade that Blackmore’s Night has been together. (Oh, and before your eyes get too blurry from all that mulled wine, see if you can find former Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale in the audience!) — Michael Lohr

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