100 DVD Reviews in 100 Days

[gamrrpol]

Artist: The Who
DVD: Live at The Isle of Wight Festival
Year: 1970
Visuals: 3.5
Audio: 4
Performance: 5
Setlist: 4.5
Overall: 4.5

The Who took the stage at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival at approximately 3 AM. And proceeded to put on one of the legendary shows of that era. It captured the band as they were touring in support of Tommy, and featured much of that album. But it also featured pretty much everything that would become their famous Live at Leeds album. In short, it is a document of one of the best bands ever at the absolute top of their game.

Many criticize this DVD for the sometimes mindless camera work (out of focus shots, shots focusing on lights, cameras turned upside down, etc.). This is all justified comment (hey, it was the 60's man) but doesn't change the fact that it is a very good capture of a phenomenal show.

The Who are absolutely on fire from beginning to end. Pete Townsend, in particular, seems to be taking out an enormous amount of rage on his instrument. Keith Moon is trim and an absolute animal on the skins, simply destroying them. John Entwistle demonstrates why he's considered the best rock bassist of that era and Roger Daltrey just exuded pure power. All four members are at the top of their game and it is mezmerizing to watch.

The setlist is a veritable catalog of classic rock songs. A ferocious version of Young Man Blues. A bludgeoning trio of "pop" hits I Can't Explain, Shakin' All Over and Twist and Shout. Finally, a 15 minute version of My Generation that featured all The Who had to offer: catch pop sensibilities combined with adrenaline-pumping improvisation, standout muscianship, psychedelic soundscapes and a band tightness that is a joy to behold. Seriously, modern-day heavy metal bands wish they cold reach this level of power.

I'm not a big fan of Tommy, and whlie there are good moments from that portion of the show, I feel they aren't as strong as the non-Tommy portion. Overture, The Acid Queen and Pinball Wizard all shine, but most other songs are weak in comparison.

In total, this is a stunning demonstration of the sheer power The Who unleashed on audiences during this stage of their career. It's not the best as far as visuals, and the sound is good but not great. But the performance is an undeniable tour-de-force that any rock fan can appreciate.

Young Man Blues

[gamrrpol]

Artist: U2
DVD: Go Home
Year: 2002
Visuals: 4.5
Audio: 4
Performance: 4
Setlist: 4
Overall: 4

Well....the set-up here is about as advantageous as you can get. U2, perhaps the most popular / successful band from 1980 to 2001, playing at one of the absolute best outdoor venues in the entire world (Slane Castle) in front of the fellow countrymen who treat them as conquering rock gods. It's almost impossible for this to be a bad DVD.

And while there's nothing really surprising or innovative here, neither does the DVD disappoint. As with all U2 shows, Bono is the center of attention and he rightly lives up to his reputation as the best arena / stadium frontman. He and Edge truly seem to be enjoying themselves throughout the show, which isn't always true with those two. They seem to feed off the tremendous positive energy the delirious crowd provides.

By this time the setlist is pretty much set in stone for U2. You KNOW you're going to get New Year's Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, With or Without You, Bullet the Blue Sky, Where the Streets Have No Name, One. Added are not-so-surprising Desire, All I Want is You, Elevation, Beautiful Day and Staring at the Sun. About the only (mild) surprises are Kite and Out of Control. While I can't really argue with any individual choice.....this is pretty much the setlist of EVERY U2 concern since the mid-90's. Considering their catalog, it would be nice to see them mix it up a bit; I would LOVE to hear Bad at least once live.

Still...all of those are good songs and quite moving at times. For me, the clear highlight of the show is All I Want is You, concluding with Bono performing a patented call-and-respond with the audience before the song beautifully segues into the spell-binding opening of Where the Streets Have No Name.

Other highlights include Out of Control...where they re-enact their first Slane Castle show when they opened for Thin Lizzy (another Irish band). Elevation is an energetic opener that works perfectly. Disappointments are pedestrian versions of One (that song seems like it should be a perfect live piece but never seems to live up to its potential) and been-there-done-that-a-zillion times of the once anthemic New Year's Day and Sunday Bloody.

The show is shot beautifully and the editing is textbook for less-is-more with infrequent edits that does a great job of capturing the ambiance of the show. Slane Castle is perhaps the best backdrop of any large-setting venue and looks glorious throughout. The sound is solid if not spectacular.

All in all, there's little to complain about here. If you have no U2 DVDs this is one is clearly the best they offer and basically provides a very well done live greatest hits package.

All I Want is You / Where the Streets Have No Name

[gamrrpol]

Artist: U2
DVD: Zoo TV, Live From Sydney
Year: 1993
Visuals: 4.5
Audio: 4
Performance: 4
Setlist: 4
Overall: 4.5

This DVD does a wonderful job of capturing what was the best stadium concert I ever saw (5th row, RFK Stadium). This was U2's first tour as a "mega-huge-over-the-top" band" and thus all the usual tricks and stage actions hadn't become cliches yet. The stage is a wonder to behold and, at the time, was easily the most extravagant set ever devised. Over 35 video screens bombarded audiences with a kaleidoscope of images and words audiences, aggressively supplementing the band's musical message.

Bono played a willing and able ring-master to this modern-day circus. At times he brought up the local broadcasts or dialed other artists to sing along. In the latter stage of the show he adopted his Mephistopheles alter-ego, complete with make-up and horns.

But it is the songs that are the strength of any U2 show and it's no different here. No fewer than 10 Achtung / Joshua songs show up here and make up all the great moments. Bono appearing atop the stage in front of a giant video screen, goose-stepping to Zoo Station. Bono being seduced by a graceful, seductive belly-dancer during Mysterious Ways. The emotion-laden conclusion of Running to Standstill segueing perfectly into Where The Streets Have No Name.

My one complaint...I really wish U2 had recorded a ZooTV show BEFORE the release of Zooropa. The pre-Zooropa shows on the ZooTV tour had almost perfect setlists, with virtually all the material from Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. The later shows suffered because they included up to a half dozen energy-zapping Zooropa songs. I mean seriously, would you rather hear Numb, Lemon and Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car or Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Red Hill Mining Town and Bad?

If you get only one U2 DVD this is the one I would recommend as most others are an old legend dutifully playing the hits. This captured U2 at the most extreme heights playing vibrant, vital, CONTEMPORARY songs.

Zoo Station

[gamrrpol]

Artist: U2
DVD: Under a Blood Red Sky
Year: 1984
Visuals: 3
Audio: 3
Performance: 3.5
Setlist: 3.5
Overall: 3.5

Fans of early U2 would probably give this a higher rating, as it's pretty much the only video evidence of the band before they became big stars. Also, this is a legendary concert played in one of the best outdoor venues, with U2 having to win over fans as opposed to having them worship every note of every song.

But I find it somewhat lacking. First, the show itself just doesn't seem that energized. Yeah, Bono goes through his normal routines but even this early in the game it all seems kind of pre-ordained. The audience, while receptive and having a good times, seems like pretty much any other outdoor audience. Considering the "legendary" stories of this show, it all seems underwhelming.

Also, I'm not a big fan of early U2; while I think Boy is great, both War and October and just meh to me. And since many of those songs make up the bulk of the setlist, I often find myself bored and ready to move on to the next song.

Still, the show is not without highlights. Both New Year's Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday are played with vigor and energy absent from the 8 zillion times the songs have been played since. An cat dubh / Into the Heart provide a quiet intensity the band would repeat many times in their career. And the final 30 minutes of the show alone is worth the price of admission as the band rips off one great tune after another (Electric Co., Gloria, Party Girl, 11 o'clock tick tock, I Will Follow). There's a reason these later songs were the ones included on the original live album release and that reason is they're the best songs from the show.

And finally we have the epic closer 40...where Bono dramatically leaves the stage only to come back for one last call-and-respond with the crowd. With the musicians having switched instruments the band lets the song fade and the audience finish the show by singing the lyrics...it's beautiful, unique and a brilliant finish.

All in all, the show doesn't live up to the hype, but it is U2 in their (relatively) early days doing their best to win over fans. Shot on video, the visuals are typically subpar and further suffer from some zany editing choices. For early U2 fans, a must-have, for the rest of us an interesting historical document.

40

[gamrrpol]

Artist: Yes
DVD: Symphonic Live
Year: 2001

Visuals: 5
Editing: 5
Audio: 5
Performance: 5
Set-list: 5
Overall: 5

This is the DVD that made me decide to restart this thread. I was simply overwhelmed by everything it offered.

First, most "symphony-backed" efforts are little more than window dressing, being barely audible behind the cacophony of the band playing in front of them. Simply not the case here. Yes's music lends itself perfectly to symphonic backing. Their ambient sonicscapes are perfectly accentuated by the symphonies musical flourishes. It certain cases, the entire combination resonates much more like a true symphony; something that almost never occurs in these situations.

Second, the set-list here is almost perfectly tuned to symphonic backing. Songs like Close to the Edge, Gates of Delirium and Ritual all feature lengthy instrumental sections allowing the symphonic instruments to really shine.

Third, the sound is absolutely astounding. Details can be heard, such as backup instruments playing during loud sections or, best of all, when everyone on stage is playing together it creates a true soundscape that simply must be heard. Almost brought tears to my eyes on several occasions.

Finally, the setlist is very, very good with only a few missteps. Best of all, the band played complete versions of three monster epics, the aforementioned Close to the Edge, Ritual and Gates of Delirium. These three alone account for 70+ minutes of music and are clearly the foundation of the show. They feature all the progressive elements of the band (for better or worse); I'm happy the band was willing to use the setting to play the songs in their entirety and embrace their past. Other stalwarts include predictable choices such as Lond Distance Runaround, Starship Trooper, And YOu and I, Seen All Good People, Owner of a Lonely Heart and Roundabout. ONly a few songs off the mediocre Magnification album slow the show.

Finally, I can't explain how good these guys are on their instruments. In particular Steve Howe is a freak of nature. While he was 54 at time of recording, he looks like he's 64. But man can he play. He simply nails every section of every song and he's covering a bewildering array of styles featuring (mostly) highly complex, challenging fretwork. He seems as good here (and on every DVD I've seen of him) as ever.

Too bad he's such a wet fish on stage, showing virtually no enjoyment or interaction with others. At one point Chris Squire tries to engage him and gets nothing more than a blank stare; he doesn't try again.

The rest of the band is outstanding and, based on their play, seem to have suffered no decline in abilities from aging. Jon Anderson is especially amazing as he sounds as good as ever.

The sound and visuals are as good as could possibly be hoped for. The relaxed editing allows viewers to feel as if they're really there and, again, the sound is jaw-dropping. Putting yourself in the middle of a good DTS stereo and turning the volume UP is highly recommended.

One last thing I'll say is...if you were to see video shots of a Yes audience and video shots of a CPA convention, you'd be hard-pressed to figure out which is which. Heavily male, middle-aged, conservatively-dressed...that's what you'll get here.

Still, in total among the very best DVDs I've reviewed; so good it inspired me to restart this thread.

[gamrrpol]

Artist: Black Country Communion
DVD: Live Over Europe
Year: 2011

Visuals: 4
Editing: 4
Audio: 4
Performance: 4
Set-list: 4
Overall: 4

Black Country Communion is a throwback to bygone era, playing music that would have fit very comfortably into 1978 FM playlists but somewhat out of place today. As bassist / singer Glenn Hughes states on the DVD: "we're playing music we fans enjoy and want to hear but no one else is playing".

I'm pretty much the target audience for this and, as far as I'm concerned, the band hits the spot. Hughes has been around forever, most notably as part of Deep Purple, but I've never actually seen him before. Despite, as my wife says, being "too old to doing that onstage" he's a provocative frontman. His singing chops are limited but he does pretty well.

Guitarist Joe Bonnamossa, however, is a man in his prime and he's a beast throughout. His playing is the highlight of virtually every song and when he sings I have to admit I wish he'd take the mike more often. Drummer Jason Bonham is pedestrian, good enough but nothing of the legend of his father. Keyboardist Derek Sherinian seems to be doing much but is lost in the mix.

The band, as a whole, is the real strength here. They really are a band, when the could have simply been a collection of players. This is true throughout the setlist, which is solid from beginning to end. Highlights include The Battle for Hadrian's Wall, The Ballad of John Henry, but really, all the songs are pretty good.

A band out of time playing music out of time...this is a solid DVD. If you're interested in this type of music or these players I recommend it. If you're not a fan of music from that era, it's probably not for you.

[gamrrpol]

Artist: Cheap Trick
DVD: Budokan
Year: 1979

Video: 2
Editing: 3
Video: 3
Performance: 2
Setlist: 3
Overall: 2.5

Some legends should be left to themselves.

Cheap Trick's original "Cheap Trick at Budokan" live release propelled them to superstardom. It was a 10-song masterpiece that perfectly captured the band's power-pop before an adoring audience. Over the years, that performance and the original release have been leverage by the record companies in numerous ways: remastered versions, expanded versions, expanded remastered versions and lastly DVD/CD combos that included not only the complete original show but the show from the night before.

This is one instance where the expansions, rather than enhancing the greatness of the original, revealed it to have a perfect capture of what the band did well. In other words, those 10 songs on the original held up very well on their own. But their impact was watered down when lumped in with the entirety of Cheap Trick's entire set from those shows.

Unfortunately, this DVD goes even further in pulling back the curtain, and revealing the "legendary" show instead as an average performance by an average band. I cannot stress how disappointing this show is.

Look, I understand this is 1978 and the video is taken from a Japanese television broadcast. I'm not expecting stellar visuals or audio, and I get what I expect. Poor camera angles, mindless edits and inferior lighting all combine to make the video here borderline unwatchable.

What is surprising is the uninspiring performance. From opening to ending this seems less a band on the edge of superstardom and more a cartoon band almost lampooning themselves. Rick Nielsen is the primary culprit here, as he seems more interested in the bill of his baseball cap than actually playing guitar. His actual contributions on the guitar are amateurish, barely registering.

Frontman Robin Zander fares better, looking and sounding more like a member of an actual rock band. Too bad he's limited by the ordinary songs, which rarely reach beyond basic garage-band pop rock. Even he, though, is limited due to constantly playing a guitar while singing, limiting his stage presence.

Yes, the few great songs from the original LP are there (Ain't That Shame, I Want You to Want Me and Surrender). But here they seem like rare gems amongst an avalanche of ordinary rocks. Only Drowned stands out among all the other songs.

In total, I can't recommend this for anyone, Cheap Trick fan or others.

Surrender

[gamrrpol]

Artist: Dream Theater
DVD: When Dream and Day Reunite
Year: 2004

Video: 4
Editing: 5
Audio: 4.5
Performance: 5
Setlist: 4
Overall: 4

This is not an official release but is one of the band's "official bootlegs" through their Ytsejam Records. Of all the releases available there, this is probably the best. It captures the band playing their original LP When Dream and Day Unite in its entirety.

This is noteworthy for two important reasons. First, James LaBrie is singing the songs instead of original singer Charlie Dominici. Second, the sound of this live release is vastly superior to the sound found on the original LP.

Surprisingly, both the sound and visuals of this "bootleg" are top notch. While not quite up to those found on the band's Score DVD, they're only a step below, and superior to what's found on Metropolis 2000. Obviously, the setlist is somewhat limited, with only the 8 songs from WDADU and two "bonus" songs. BUt most of these songs have never appeared on any of the band's live DVDs.

The highlight of the show is a stunning rendition of the 10-minute epic The Killing Hand, complete with extended intro. Afterlife, A Fortune in Lies and Ytse Jam are also outstanding, with the remaining songs strong but not as compelling.

As always, the band is extremely tight and nails everything perfectly. John Petrucci, as ever, seems capable of playing anything flawlessly. The bonus songs (To Live Forerver and Metropolis) are pretty cool, as former member Dominici and Derek Sherinian join the band. An extended jam during Metropolis allows the band to stretch out and Sherinian, in particular to shine.

For fans of the band, I'd consider this a must-have as it features the best means possible to experience the songs from WDADU. For non-fans, it's probably interesting but not worth more than a rental-type investment.

Afterlife

[gamrrpol]

Artist: Dream Theater
DVD: Santiago, Chile 12/06/05
Year: 2005

Visuals: 3.5
Editing: 4
Audio: 4
Performance: 4
Setlist: 4
Overall: 4

This is another among Dream Theater's "official bootleg" series. It's also among the best, along with their When Dream and Day Reunite.

While the visuals and presentation is not up to par with their official DVD releases, they are still high quality. As usual, you get a top-tier performance from the band, with all members displaying their usual high-quality chops. James LaBrie, in particular, has completely healed his once-shredded vocal cords and is demonstrably better than any live release from 1997 through 2003 or so.

The set-list is wide and sprawling, with several highlights. While many of the songs appear on other DT DVD releases, songs like Caught in a Web and Peruvian Skies are better here than on the (relatively) ancient release they were on originally. The only real drawback is how Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is broken up with only bits and pieces played here and there. I'd prefer they play the whole thing or none at all.

Perhaps the true star of the show is the audience. As with seemingly all South American shows, the audience is ramped up from the opening note to the final cymbal crash. It was the largest DT crowd the band had ever played to at that time and you can tell they feed of the energy of the people.

Yet another great release from a band that seems capable of churning out high quality live DVDs whenever the feeling strikes.

Caught in a Web

[gamrrpol]

Artist: Coldplay
DVD: Live 2003
Year: 2003

Visuals: 4
Editing: 4
Audio: 4
Performance: 1
Setlist: 1
Overall: 1

This isn't really fair. I'm not a Coldplay fan, and find their music to be....lacking depth (that's about the best way I can say it). There's virtually no scenario I can imagine where I would end up giving a favorable review of this. It's kinda like a classic music lover reviewing death metal.

But....the DVD is in my collection for reason I can't remember...so here I am. Basically, you get what you expect here: Chris and his cohorts competently going through their repertoire and the fans eating it up...all captured gloriously in eye-popping visuals and surround sound stereo.

Admittedly, the opener is somewhat compelling, as the band bangs to live with Politik, about the concert's only edgy moment. From there they go through the motions with professionalism but little passion. It's middle of the road songs for a middle of the road audience. The best songs are the ones you already know, and the others pretty much sound the same to me, but, again....I'm not the best judge here.

Look, if you're a Coldplay fan, this DVD will give you everything you're looking for. If you're not...it will just confirm you're already ambivalent feelings towards them.

Politik