Arena's Smoke and Mirrors is a terrific presentation from the packaging to the performance, the fun doubled and tripled with all the extra little goodies tucked inside this wonderful package. You'll need to spend a lot of time with this one, from the September 22, 2005 concert at Poland's Wyspiaski Theatre to fan footage taped October 16, 2005 in Holland. There's a biography of the band itself you can read, as well as separate bios for the players, so those new to Arena can catch up on drummer Mick Pointer, bassist Ian Salmon and their comrades. But it's the concert itself that is the centerpiece and the camera work and edits are absolutely flawless on most of the songs. The depth of the production is such that it is as close to 3-D as you can get on a flat screen with the camera movement and additional lenses following the musicians on the instrumental passages, weaving the imagery in a solid collaboration of sound and film. That said, there are sometimes too many quick cuts to vocalist Rob Sowden on "A Crack in the Ice" when a lingering shot would be easier on the nervous system. A minor distraction on an otherwise impressive filming. The band plays as smooth and sleek as a Mercedes on the 14-minute epic "Solomon," the use of the crane giving some exquisite video sweeps. The acoustic "Friday's Dream" is lovely and a nice contrast to the anthem feel of "Crying for Help VII." A four-page booklet is included along with Clive Nolan and Mick Pointer interview footage and more bells and whistles that are imbedded in a classy sandstone-style graphic. Very excellent for fans of the group, and a pleasant surprise for those who have never encountered Arena. ~ Joe Viglione