I didn't know Frank Marino before, so I'm even more grateful for the video, Clayton. Such versatile sounds and then his throaty voice!

Passages like 02:02 - 02:57 and 08:18 up to the end give me goosebumps. Wow, so powerful 👍. 

Thanks a lot

Birgit

He is amazing!

Back in 2010, he recorded 6 hours of performing at the Agora Theatre. I have to buy this DVD, it looks and sounds fantastic.

However, he wrecked his shoulder in the editing process and that forced him to retire. Watch this video to learn what happened.

Frank got a pro company to record some 12 hours of live performance in Cleveland in December of 2010 and then discovered that the drum tracks were not recorded due to a snafu.

So do another 12h of playing? No Frank decides he can fix the audio and proceeds to work for 5 years, as he describes it "and that doesn't mean five years of my spare time, it means every waking minute of those years, no exaggeration. And I really thought it might take only a few months."

Frank Marino: “I’m a bit under pressure right now because I damaged my shoulder and really badly actually. It’s called adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder. Mahogany Rush did a show in Cleveland on December 12th and 13th at the Agora, and I’d never done a DVD, I waited ten years to finally do a DVD. The reason I waited was because I didn’t like or believe in them, and just don’t like the way they’re done. It’s too much selling and not enough art. I always wanted to do a different kind of DVD and finally found my chance to do it. The video crew for Bruce Springsteen just happened to be fans of mine and they offered their services to come and shoot this thing for me. We shot a twelve hour concert and basically we booked the place for two nights. One night was the Soundcheck, the next day from noon to midnight was the show… and we played everything. We didn’t stop, only had two breaks, but pretty much played all day. We filmed it all on seven cameras and very professionally on a really good looking DVD, which I had to assemble on some form of condensed show.”

Frank Marino: “I had hoped to have it done by last December and that’s why I was working like a maniac. Now it could take till next December or longer. But I can tell you this …the video looks magnificent. And I hope people like it because it’s the only DVD I’m ever going to do. (All Laughing)”

Frank announced:

With sorrow I am forced to announce my immediate retirement from touring, and possibly all things related to continuing my career, due to an unexpected and debilitating medical condition which makes it impossible for me to tour. I want to thank all the people who supported me all of the last half-century. I know that many were looking forward to seeing us play this fall and I was looking forward to getting out again and doing more shows, but it now appears that in the absence of a miraculous recovery, my Concert DVD (Live at the Agora) will constitute the last show I will ever have played. I ask any that are believers to include me in their prayers. - Frank Marino

Here is a song I listened to a lot as a teenager. I was quite influenced by him, actually.

But the story is what's behind the story. This gig started as a conversation between Peter Daniel and his auto mechanic, who for decades boasted he was best friends with Frank Marino. Recently, the friendship proved true. Marino's wife phoned, asking Daniel's advice on a little projector that died. Daniel brought a replacement to the Annapolis, MD club.

A conversation led Daniel to convincing Marino that if he wanted a high-quality, live concert video equal to that of top artists, then Daniel should do it. Money was an issue for Marino. Daniel felt a moment of divine inspiration. “Frank had headlined on his own big tours more than 20 years ago and here he was, playing these little clubs. I wanted him to sell his video and make money, to have a big payday. It didn't take much for me to do this - I had the resources.”

The “best friend” decided to gather funds from friends, and Daniel gathered his own resources. Guy Benjamin handled pre-production, while Daniel arranged for a 6-camera HD DVD shoot for Dec. 10-11 at the Agora. Daniel gathered Bruce Springsteen's video crew of Phil Summer, Mike Colucci, Paul Whitfield, Kim Hampton, Kevin McGrath and Sam Fifield - headed by Video Director Chris Hilson. Lighting Director Charlie “Cosmo” Wilson (AC/DC, Foreigner) was brought in to rock the house.

Coincidentally, Hilson and Wilson were both fans of the band. Perfect.

Daniel, having executive-produced video, now found himself as production manager, tour manager and accountant for an entire concert. “It was a learning experince for me. I paid ALL the bills on this,” he says.

Cosmo Wilson looked at the small, in-house rig of 60 Pars and and enhanced it with moving lights, more Pars, ACLs and spot lights from the Agora's supplier, RCS Corporation.

“There was no set list, and Frank simply jams,” Wilson explains. “So I programmed generic cues of Par bumps and moving light options, just to give myself a palette, as to jam right with Frank and the band. It worked out phenomenally throughout the long days.”

“While the lighting rig was small, it was a good old rock & roll rig, the kind I specialize in, and perfect for this band,” Wilson says. “Frank Marino has never done a proper video. I have wanted to do lights for him for so long, it was an honor to do something rare that will last forever.”

Enhancing the lighting was Tom Pasour of Cosmic Fire Lightshow, who used a Barco 20K projector to splash his organic images on a 15x20 screen behind the band.

The show was recorded on Apple Final Cut Pro HQ. “It looked gorgeous,” Daniel says. Five manned cameras took the “zone” approach to the show, covering a territory to capture lots of reverse shots, “down the line” shots, straight-on shots featuring guitar riffs and drum solos. The sixth camera was locked down for the wide shots behind the FOH.

Even the rehearsal was filmed. The club let the crowd in at 6 p.m. during soundcheck and Marino kept playing. To the surprise of the crew, Marino played until midnight. The next day he came in at 2 p.m. and played 9 hours until 1 a.m. He essentially did three full shows, each three hours long. The crew had more than a 12-hour day. “Frank told me he hadn't seen this kind of production in 20 years and he was blown away. It helped him knock out a great performance,” Daniel says.

“Everyone on site was a pleasure to work with,” Daniel adds. “The local stage hands that stage manager Justin Sim got were great. The sound guys did a bang-up job. Frank was happy with the sound that Mike Brown of Lava Room Recording Studios captured for the show. We're going to end up with a fantastic DVD.”