I've been desperate to review Now Is The Time - Live At Willow Creek for ages now, and finally today I've posted my review on Delirious.org.uk I really can not express just how much I love it and just how incredible it is. I've never been particularly eloquent when it comes to writing, so I quickly run out of superlatives. Over and over I wanted to write words like 'Stunning', 'Incredible' and 'Emotional' when reviewing the DVD. That last word in particular kept coming back to me as I watched it. It hadn't really dawned on me from the tracklisting alone - but actually this DVD has a very high concentration of emotion filled power songs. Our God Reigns, Take Off My Shoes, Miracle Maker, Every Little Thing, Majesty, What A Friend, Investigate. They all give you the chills as Delirious? work their way through some of the best tracks they've ever written.

I was never a huge fan of Our God Reigns on The Mission Bell (I gave it 3/5 stars in my initial review). But the version on this live album is just such a huge improvement that the chorus is now up there with one of my favourites. There are loads of nice touches on the DVD, things like Take Off My Shoes being shot in black and white, and then the colour gradually fading back in towards the end. I also love the occasional shot of Jon, Stew or Tim singing along.

The bonus features on the DVD are excellent too. The 30minute documentary is fascinating, full of interviews with each of the band individually, and lots of previously unseen photos and video clips. Some very scarey hair styles on display from the 'early days' too. Then there is a short behind the scenes look at shooting the DVD at Willow Creek, and the 'monitors wall' which shows what the DVD's director saw during the filming of Fires Burn. 8 diffferent camera angles on screen at once (see right), with the voice of the director choosing which shot to take next.

I can't stress enough just how brilliant this DVD is. Everyone involved, from the band, to the crew and technical staff at Willow Creek, should be congratulated on a superb product.

(You can view more screen shots from the DVD here)

Excuse me while I blow the dust off the Delirious.org.uk blog *cough* *cough* After a two month barren spell I thought it was time to write something again. With the DVD due in just over a month, and the UK Tour to follow that, I hope to be posting on the blog a little more often in the near future.

In the meantime, an interesting little story cropped up yesterday. Whilst browsing Cross Rhythms I stumbled across the transcript of a press conference Daniel Bedingfield held at Greenbelt a week or so ago. Mid way through the press conference a question arose about Delirious? After lavishing praise on them, Daniel went on to drop a tasty little hint: "I'm on their album, and they wrote a song on mine."

Most people are already aware of the fact that pop-megastar Bedingfield sings some backing vocals during Every Little Thing on World Service (although you have to really listen hard to notice it). So that covers the first part of his comment, "I'm on their album", but the interesting part comes next... "they wrote a song on mine". That means one of two possibilities. Either Delirious? wrote a song for Daniel's album, or Daniel has recorded his own cover version of a Delirious? song. His words make it sound as though this is a definite something. An event that has already occurred. My resident DB expert informs me that there are definitely no Delirious?-written tracks on either of his first two albums - and with recent media reports suggesting that Daniel is currently in the studio working on his third album - logic suggests that the new Daniel Bedingfield album (most likely due next year) will include a Delirious?-written song.

Coincidentally, just a few months ago Martin Smith told Cross Rhythms that "Daniel Bedingfield has often wondered about covering" There Is An Angel. Put two and two together and it seems like a pretty clear cut number four. However... my secret sources, whoose names I will not reveal (in true journalistic style), have informed me that whilst it is by no means certain that the track really will appear on Daniel's album, the likely candidate is not There Is An Angel, but a Bedingfield cover of another Delirious? track. It seems Mr B would like his world to be full of colour. If you know what I mean.

So, we wait and see what happens when DannyB releases his next album. If indeed he does cover a Delirious? song, imagine the compliment it pays to the band (not to mention the royalties! Sorry, let's not pollute the issue with talk of money). Not to get too carried away with a story that may never happen... but just imagine Daniel Bedingfield releasing a Delirious? song as a single and getting to number one? That would be a very interesting development. After all - being a friend of Delirious? is a sure-fire way to success in the British pop charts. Just look at Bob The Builder. Neil Morrissey shot to number 1 with that song in 2000, not long after befriending Delirious? and appearing at an HMV concert and the Glastonbury festival with them. No wonder Mr Bedingfield wants a piece of the action.