By: Poster collect
Introduction:
When I first began amassing my DVD collection, The Bee Gees- One Night Only was one of the first ones I noticed. Having a few fond Bee Gees memories from my younger days was not enough to overcome my indifference to give this release a chance. I was one of many who gravitated to hard rock and heavy metal music and left the widespread disco scene behind. It was the urge to hear something different after a two week drought from DVD purchasing that ultimately influenced my decision to pick up a copy. Since that time, this DVD has been played more often than any other in my collection due to repeat requests from family and friends. The overall quality is hard to beat.
Track Listing:
You Should Be Dancing
Alone
Massachusetts
To Love Somebody
I've Gotta Get A Message To You
Words
Closer Than Close
Islands In The Stream
One
Our Love (Don't Throw It All Away)
Night Fever
More Than A Woman
Still Waters
Lonely Days
Morning Of My Life
New York Mining Disaster 1941
Too Much Heaven
I Can't See Nobody
Run To Me, And The Sun Will Shine
Nights On Broadway
How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
Heartbreaker
Guilty
Immortality (featuring Celine Dion)
Tragedy
I Started A Joke
Grease
Jive Talkin'
How Deep Is Your Love
Stayin' Alive
You Should Be Dancing
Performance: 10/ 10
The Gibb brothers (Barry, Maurice and Robin) put on an excellent show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, their first U.S. concert in almost ten years. The Bee Gees perform most of their biggest hits as well as a good selection of gold and platinum music they (or Barry) wrote for other popular musicians. Some of their excellent renditions include 'Islands In the Stream' (Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton), Heartbreaker (Dionne Warwick) and Guilty (Barbra Streisand).
The show opens with a shortened version of 'You Should Be Dancing' and ends with the full song version. In all, the Bee Gees perform 30 different hits, with some shortened versions during their acoustic medley and a combined version of 'Night Fever/ More Than A Woman'. The acoustic medley features the 3 brothers sharing a single microphone with Barry accompanying on acoustic guitar. This is one of the highlights of the concert, showcasing much of their highly acclaimed harmonizing as well as friendly banter and audience interaction. I found nothing to criticize with the brothers' voices, although Barry's falsetto isn't quite what it once was, but this is nitpicking. His baritone has the same power as in his younger days and Robin's voice is as distinctive and emotional as ever. Maurice's friendly and playful personality shines through and his harmonizing abilities are second to none. He sings lead on one song, 'Closer Than Close'. I appreciate Maurice's talent more than ever since his untimely death in 2003.
Another highlight is the brothers' tribute to Andy Gibb, with sequential film clips of Andy's life appearing on a huge screen and the Bee Gees' back-up to Andy's recorded voice. Following their acoustic medley, the Bee Gees are joined on-stage by Celine Dion. This normally serves as my bathroom break, as I've never been a big fan of hers. Still, this is a definite highlight for my female viewers and I???m not saying I don???t think she has a good voice. I simply consider her to be over-rated and would much rather hear Karen Carpenter, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall or even Whitney Houston. To each his own I guess, I find many soprano voices a little annoying. The 'fake orgasm' (as I jokingly refer to it- my girlfriend hates me for it!) she displays at the end of the song cracks me up every time! They follow up this collaboration with some of their biggest hits including an outstanding vocal performance by Robin on 'I Started A Joke' and the Bee Gees accompanying Frankie Valli's recorded voice on 'Grease'. They close the set with the mega-hit 'Stayin Alive' and exit the stage, to return and introduce the band and production members. A high energy performance of 'You Should Be Dancing' follows to close the show. While other bands may have a more elaborate stage show, I found nothing to criticize and had no reservations to giving a perfect score. The Gibb brothers went all out to impress and it worked.
Audio Quality: 9/ 10
I honestly found nothing to complain about on this DVD. The instruments and vocals are clear and very well mixed. For my tastes, I would have preferred a little more bottom end but the sound engineer did a fantastic job. The DTS sound mix is far better than the Dolby 5.1 version, with a more realistic conveyance of concert hall acoustics and deeper bass.
Video Quality: 9/ 10
The video quality for this entire DVD is quite remarkable. The lighting is superb and the stage area remains well focused and crisp throughout the concert. Panning and camera cuts are done tastefully and are well timed. Many modern video mixers could learn a lot from studying this DVD. I find it most annoying to view a new camera angle every few seconds or being forced to see close-ups of things that aren't even relevant to the show. A first- rate video presentation was achieved for this DVD.
Extras/ Final Thoughts:
No extras appear on the disc, but that's okay. You get one hour and fifty minutes of a classic performance by three Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and it's well worth the money. Another version of this DVD has 'This Is Where I Came In: The Official Story of the Bee Gees' included and I highly recommend this release if you care to watch some entertaining footage and interviews covering the Bee Gees' lives and careers.
Enjoy! Curtis
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The Eagles Farewell 1 Tour: Live From Melbourne (2006)
By: Poster collect
Intoduction:
Well folks, to choose the best concert DVD release for 2006 was a no- brainer for me, and bonus, it's a double DVD set! The Eagles Farewell I Tour: Live From Melbourne is a superb high quality release from the Eagles. My only regret is that I paid the bargain price of $29.99 on the release date, here in Canada. Since then, I've seen it priced around the $12.00 mark at Wal Mart! But that's okay, now anyone can plan to add this essential concert DVD to their collection. For those of you who already own the high quality Hell Freezes Over release, my honest opinion (and all others I've compared notes with), is the Live From Melbourne release is superior in every respect except perhaps overall video quality, which I'll explain later in the review. The two and one half to three hour long show was recorded live in Melbourne, Australia for two nights and the DVD features an outstanding selection of Eagles and solo member hits.
Track Listing:
Disc 1:
Long Run, New Kid in Town, Wasted Time, Peaceful Easy Feeling, I Can't Tell You Why, One of These Nights, One Day At A Time (New Track), Lyin' Eyes, Boys of Summer, In The City, Already Gone, Tequila Sunrise, Love Will Keep Us Alive, No More Cloudy Days (New Track), Hole In the World, Take It To the Limit
Disc 2:
You Belong to the City, Walk Away, Sunset Grill, Life's Been Good, Dirty Laundry, Funk #49, Heartache Tonight, Life in the Fast Lane, Hotel California, Rocky Mountain Way, All She Wants To Do Is Dance, Take It Easy, Desperado
Performance: 10/ 10
The band rocks! Don Felder of course, is not present for the concert. I'm not sure of all the reasons for his split with the group but guitarist Steuart Smith fills the spot capably, sharing lead guitar with the incredibly talented Joe Walsh. Rounding out the group are Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy Schmit. Sharing drums with Don Henley is Scott Crago and, love it or hate it, a four-person horn section (Al Garth, Bill Armstrong, Chris Mostert and Greg Smith). I think the horns did not detract from the performance and I enjoyed their accompaniment on all songs. Glenn Frey leads off with "The Long Run" and "New Kid in Town". Don Henley's sings lead on "Wasted Time" and I feel his voice is not quite up to par with Hell Freezes Over, but he still sings very well. Timothy Schmit sings lead on "New Kid In Town" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive", his voice still high and distinctive. The harmonizing by the band members was very well executed for all songs. And now, the best parts of the performance for me, Joe walsh! "Did you ever have something you liked to do and had to stop? My favorite thing was drinking alcohol. I only got drunk once, for twenty years and I had to stop". This was Joe's introduction to his new song, appropriately titled "One Day at a Time". Joe's voice is excellent throughout the concert and is obviously thoroughly enjoying himself as he interacts with the audience and band members. Joe Walsh sings quite a few of his songs, including ones from his James Gang days. He wore a helmet camera foe "Life's Been Good", on the second disc, wearing a strange outfit (pajamas?). Don Henley's and Glenn Frey's solo hits are well represented during the concert as well and elicited much audience participation. I don't think I could ask for more in a concert and hope everyone gets a chance to see it.
Audio Quality: 10/ 10
My listening preference is for the DTS mix, enveloping the room with excellent instrument and voice placement, natural sounding percussion and delivering that elusive "live" feeling, missing on so many other concert DVD performances. The horns are placed to the sides and rear to good effect and the vocals are always easy to locate in the front. Well done!
Video Quality: 9.5/ 10
Although I'm sure a few other concert DVD's can top this release for video quality (Hell Freezes Over has long been a notable reference), I have to give The Eagles Farewell 1 Tour: Live From Melbourne a near perfect score for rendering an extremely clear image in a large arena setting with superb lighting and well paced cuts and pans. Note that this review was done with the standard DVD release- I've seen the HD DVD release advertised and will have to add it to my collection, whereupon I'll write it's review and inevitable comparison to this fine release.
Extras/ Final Remarks:
A short but interesting band interview lasting 11 minutes is included. The two and one half to three hour long concert will immerse you in good feelings over and over again. Try the HD DVD if you have the desire and equipment for entertainment as good as it gets!
Intoduction:
Well folks, to choose the best concert DVD release for 2006 was a no- brainer for me, and bonus, it's a double DVD set! The Eagles Farewell I Tour: Live From Melbourne is a superb high quality release from the Eagles. My only regret is that I paid the bargain price of $29.99 on the release date, here in Canada. Since then, I've seen it priced around the $12.00 mark at Wal Mart! But that's okay, now anyone can plan to add this essential concert DVD to their collection. For those of you who already own the high quality Hell Freezes Over release, my honest opinion (and all others I've compared notes with), is the Live From Melbourne release is superior in every respect except perhaps overall video quality, which I'll explain later in the review. The two and one half to three hour long show was recorded live in Melbourne, Australia for two nights and the DVD features an outstanding selection of Eagles and solo member hits.
Track Listing:
Disc 1:
Long Run, New Kid in Town, Wasted Time, Peaceful Easy Feeling, I Can't Tell You Why, One of These Nights, One Day At A Time (New Track), Lyin' Eyes, Boys of Summer, In The City, Already Gone, Tequila Sunrise, Love Will Keep Us Alive, No More Cloudy Days (New Track), Hole In the World, Take It To the Limit
Disc 2:
You Belong to the City, Walk Away, Sunset Grill, Life's Been Good, Dirty Laundry, Funk #49, Heartache Tonight, Life in the Fast Lane, Hotel California, Rocky Mountain Way, All She Wants To Do Is Dance, Take It Easy, Desperado
Performance: 10/ 10
The band rocks! Don Felder of course, is not present for the concert. I'm not sure of all the reasons for his split with the group but guitarist Steuart Smith fills the spot capably, sharing lead guitar with the incredibly talented Joe Walsh. Rounding out the group are Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy Schmit. Sharing drums with Don Henley is Scott Crago and, love it or hate it, a four-person horn section (Al Garth, Bill Armstrong, Chris Mostert and Greg Smith). I think the horns did not detract from the performance and I enjoyed their accompaniment on all songs. Glenn Frey leads off with "The Long Run" and "New Kid in Town". Don Henley's sings lead on "Wasted Time" and I feel his voice is not quite up to par with Hell Freezes Over, but he still sings very well. Timothy Schmit sings lead on "New Kid In Town" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive", his voice still high and distinctive. The harmonizing by the band members was very well executed for all songs. And now, the best parts of the performance for me, Joe walsh! "Did you ever have something you liked to do and had to stop? My favorite thing was drinking alcohol. I only got drunk once, for twenty years and I had to stop". This was Joe's introduction to his new song, appropriately titled "One Day at a Time". Joe's voice is excellent throughout the concert and is obviously thoroughly enjoying himself as he interacts with the audience and band members. Joe Walsh sings quite a few of his songs, including ones from his James Gang days. He wore a helmet camera foe "Life's Been Good", on the second disc, wearing a strange outfit (pajamas?). Don Henley's and Glenn Frey's solo hits are well represented during the concert as well and elicited much audience participation. I don't think I could ask for more in a concert and hope everyone gets a chance to see it.
Audio Quality: 10/ 10
My listening preference is for the DTS mix, enveloping the room with excellent instrument and voice placement, natural sounding percussion and delivering that elusive "live" feeling, missing on so many other concert DVD performances. The horns are placed to the sides and rear to good effect and the vocals are always easy to locate in the front. Well done!
Video Quality: 9.5/ 10
Although I'm sure a few other concert DVD's can top this release for video quality (Hell Freezes Over has long been a notable reference), I have to give The Eagles Farewell 1 Tour: Live From Melbourne a near perfect score for rendering an extremely clear image in a large arena setting with superb lighting and well paced cuts and pans. Note that this review was done with the standard DVD release- I've seen the HD DVD release advertised and will have to add it to my collection, whereupon I'll write it's review and inevitable comparison to this fine release.
Extras/ Final Remarks:
A short but interesting band interview lasting 11 minutes is included. The two and one half to three hour long concert will immerse you in good feelings over and over again. Try the HD DVD if you have the desire and equipment for entertainment as good as it gets!
The Moody Blues Hall Of Fame- (Live From The Royal Albert Hall) 2000
By: Poster collect
Overture Tuesday Afternoon English Sunset Words You Say The Story In Your Eyes I Know You're Out There Somewhere Haunted Your Wildest Dreams Isn't Life Strange I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) Nights In White Satin Legend Of A Mind Question
Ride My See-Saw
Introduction:
The Moody Blues perform a nice selection of their hits at the famous Royal Albert Hall backed up by conductor Larry Baird and The World Festival Orchestra. Larry also conducted on the Three Dog Night- Live with the Tennessee Symphony Orchestra DVD, another fantastic show. Find out what happens when you mix 4 legendary veteran performers, a top rated orchestra and a world famous hall.
Performance: 10/ 10
It was a great pleasure to watch this concert. The Moody Blues have the style of music that is complemented immensely by the orchestra. The performance opens with a powerful orchestral overture, leading into ‘Tuesday Afternoon’. The camera spends a great deal of time focused on some incredible vocal and guitar work by Justin Hayward. Graeme Edge shares drumming duties with a second drummer, maybe the pace of the show necessitated this arrangement. The drums are surrounded by a clear enclosure, probably to control the sound distribution. Ray Thomas pitches in with some excellent flute playing including a nice flute solo on ‘Nights In White Satin’. The song ends with an eardrum breaking orchestral crescendo, one of the high points of the show. John Lodge holds his own on bass throughout the show and it’s clear that the entire group is having a blast, playing their hearts out for their many fans. Other highlights include the rocker ‘I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)’ and another impressive display of dynamic range in ‘Question’. The performance cannot be faulted, they gave it their best, and it shows. Most highly recommended.
Audio Quality: 10/ 10
It may seem that I tend to be overly generous with the audio scores but believe me, this recording is that good! I’ve heard most of the other Moody Blues DVD’s and this one has the most real and dynamic sound of them all. Reference quality.
Video Quality: 9/ 10
Here’s a concert with high quality imagery throughout. The camera cuts are done rather well, changing tempo somewhat for the ballads. You will not be disappointed with the colour rendering, everything looks natural for the setting. Excellent execution!
Final thoughts/ Extras:
No extras are included on this disc but I don’t mind. I want to load the DVD player and enjoy the concert, no more, no less and that’s what you get. No interviews and banter between selections, no artificial cuts and fades, just the concert, please. I wish the concert could have been a little longer than the roughly 80 minutes by adding a couple more songs to the mix but the performance is what matters most and in that regard, the band and orchestra excelled.
Overture Tuesday Afternoon English Sunset Words You Say The Story In Your Eyes I Know You're Out There Somewhere Haunted Your Wildest Dreams Isn't Life Strange I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) Nights In White Satin Legend Of A Mind Question
Ride My See-Saw
Introduction:
The Moody Blues perform a nice selection of their hits at the famous Royal Albert Hall backed up by conductor Larry Baird and The World Festival Orchestra. Larry also conducted on the Three Dog Night- Live with the Tennessee Symphony Orchestra DVD, another fantastic show. Find out what happens when you mix 4 legendary veteran performers, a top rated orchestra and a world famous hall.
Performance: 10/ 10
It was a great pleasure to watch this concert. The Moody Blues have the style of music that is complemented immensely by the orchestra. The performance opens with a powerful orchestral overture, leading into ‘Tuesday Afternoon’. The camera spends a great deal of time focused on some incredible vocal and guitar work by Justin Hayward. Graeme Edge shares drumming duties with a second drummer, maybe the pace of the show necessitated this arrangement. The drums are surrounded by a clear enclosure, probably to control the sound distribution. Ray Thomas pitches in with some excellent flute playing including a nice flute solo on ‘Nights In White Satin’. The song ends with an eardrum breaking orchestral crescendo, one of the high points of the show. John Lodge holds his own on bass throughout the show and it’s clear that the entire group is having a blast, playing their hearts out for their many fans. Other highlights include the rocker ‘I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)’ and another impressive display of dynamic range in ‘Question’. The performance cannot be faulted, they gave it their best, and it shows. Most highly recommended.
Audio Quality: 10/ 10
It may seem that I tend to be overly generous with the audio scores but believe me, this recording is that good! I’ve heard most of the other Moody Blues DVD’s and this one has the most real and dynamic sound of them all. Reference quality.
Video Quality: 9/ 10
Here’s a concert with high quality imagery throughout. The camera cuts are done rather well, changing tempo somewhat for the ballads. You will not be disappointed with the colour rendering, everything looks natural for the setting. Excellent execution!
Final thoughts/ Extras:
No extras are included on this disc but I don’t mind. I want to load the DVD player and enjoy the concert, no more, no less and that’s what you get. No interviews and banter between selections, no artificial cuts and fades, just the concert, please. I wish the concert could have been a little longer than the roughly 80 minutes by adding a couple more songs to the mix but the performance is what matters most and in that regard, the band and orchestra excelled.
The British Beat Live- Best Of The ‘60’s (2007)
By: Poster collect
Introduction:
I happened upon a PBS broadcast of this performance a few months ago and made the phone call a few days later with my pledge and selection of the 2 DVD set as my ‘gift’. The second DVD is titled ‘Ed Sullivan Presents Rock ‘N’ Roll Revolution’, which I’ll review separately. This is another fabulous PBS assemblage of top performers from a bygone era and PBS certainly deserves high praise for arranging the many similar shows through the years. There’s something about seeing performers, whom long ago had been assumed deceased or unable to perform, appear on the stage and perform at a level comparable to their younger days, that impresses and entertains me every time!
Track Listing (Disc 1):
Game Of Love- Wayne Fontana
Groovy Kind Of Love- Wayne Fontana
I Go To Pieces- Peter & Gordon
A World Without Love- Peter & Gordon
Needles And Pins- Mike Pender
Downtown Petula Clark
Do Wah Diddy- Paul Jones
Here Comes My Baby- The Tremeloes
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place- Eric Burdon & The Animals
The House Of The Rising Sun- Eric Burdon & The Animals
Time Of The Season- The Zombies She’s Not There- The Zombies
A Whiter Shade Of Pale- Procol Harem
To Sir With Love- Lulu
Wild Thing- Reg Presley & The Troggs
Ferry Cross The Mersey- Gerry & The Pacemakers
Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying- Gerry & The Pacemakers
Go Now!- Denny Laine
Bonus Performances (Disc 1)
This Is My Song- Petula Clark
I Just Couldn’t Live Without Your Love– Petula Clark
Don’t Sleep In The Subway– Petula Clark
Tell Her No– The Zombies
I’ll Be There – Gerry & The Pacemakers
Love Is All Around- Reg Presley & The Troggs
Mighty Quinn- Mike d'Abo
Love Potion No. 9- Mike Pender
When You Walk In The Room– Mike Pender
Silence Is Golden– The Tremeloes
Bad To Me- Billy J. Kramer
It’s My Life– Eric Burdon & The Animals
Performance: 9/ 10
This amazing spectacle of talent is hosted by Petula Clark, who performs two songs during the regular show and later, two bonus songs. One of the perks of being the hostess, I guess. Wayne Fontana, of ‘The Mindbenders’ fame, leads off the show with a fine duo of hits, setting the bar high for the following performers. Next up are Peter and Gordon, definitely the senior performers of the night. After settling myself down from the minor shock of seeing the vastly aged duo (especially Gordon), I was elated to hear some note perfect harmonizing and guitar playing- well done indeed! A wild eyed Mike Pender of The Searchers delivers the hit ‘Needles & Pins’ and Petula Clark follows with a nice two song performance, including her signature hit ‘Downtown’ with nice orchestral touches and accompanied by her capable back-up singers. Next, Paul Jones of Manfred Mann fame, sings the crowd-pleasing ‘Do Wah Diddy’. The Tremeloes follow up with ‘Here Comes My Baby’, and then a rather large Eric Burdon (yeah, I’ve gotten larger, too) appears with his band to deliver back to back smash hits, ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ and ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’. Some nice bluesy changes were done to accomplish a much different yet pleasing rendition of these two classics. Can this show get any better? Oh, yeah! Probably the highlight of the show is the Zombies (Rod Argent & Colin Blunstone) with a high energy execution of their hits ‘Time Of The Season’ and ‘She’s Not There’. Both are in fine voice and showcase some of the best harmonizing of the ‘60’s. I’ve always enjoyed Colin’s vocal work on various Alan Parsons Project recordings and was happy to finally put a face to the voice. Rod Argent displays his masterful keyboard talents with an extended ending on 'She's Not There'. A change of tempo and another classic follows with The Procol Harum signature tune ‘Whiter Shade Of Pale’. What follows is Lulu’s emotional and inspiring performance of ‘To Sir With Love’, arguably the single best vocalizing for the entire show, with her characteristic changes of pitch (melisma) sounding as awesome as ever. If her voice doesn’t move you, her mesmerizing beauty will! Following Lulu’s performance, The Troggs get the audience moving with the classic ‘Wild Thing’, then Gerry & The Pacemakers take the stage. The crowd settles back down to enjoy ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’ and ‘Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying’, with a nice orchestral arrangement. The show ends with original Moody Blues member Denny Laine belting out a rousing version of ‘Go Now’. The ending bonus performances are uniformly enjoyable, with the highlights for me being the Animals and, of course, the Zombies!
Audio Quality: 6/ 10
Upon unwrapping the DVD set, I was stunned to discover a 2 channel Dolby mix as the only available audio selection. I have other superb 5.1 channel mixes on other PBS releases and I’m quite annoyed that someboby cut corners on such an important project! After listening to the incessant banter and hype during the broadcast, I can’t help but feel disappointed with the final product. Still, the music was clear and pleasing overall, but definitely failed to convey anything approaching the actual acoustic signature of the venue, I’m sure. Shame on the misguided soul who put profits ahead of common sense posterity- guided rationale.
VideoQuality: 8/10
The video quality for this DVD is very good. The lighting is well placed throughout the entire stage area . Panning and camera cuts are done tastefully and are well timed. Camera angle changes are comfortably paced and avoid extreme closeups. Nice Job!
Extras/ FinalThoughts:
The bonus performances included on the DVD are a welcome addition but I can’t help but think it’s a marketing ploy of sorts. Why not leave the performances in the actual order instead of adding them to the end of the disc, almost as an afterthought? Extras have never influenced my decision to buy, but the marketing gurus must know what they’re doing. My biggest pet peeve with many movie DVD releases is the highly touted inclusion of alternate endings and outtakes. If the scenes weren’t good enough for the final cut, why waste my time? With a few internet offerings priced $15.00 for this DVD, it represents an excellent value. Enjoy! Curtis
Introduction:
I happened upon a PBS broadcast of this performance a few months ago and made the phone call a few days later with my pledge and selection of the 2 DVD set as my ‘gift’. The second DVD is titled ‘Ed Sullivan Presents Rock ‘N’ Roll Revolution’, which I’ll review separately. This is another fabulous PBS assemblage of top performers from a bygone era and PBS certainly deserves high praise for arranging the many similar shows through the years. There’s something about seeing performers, whom long ago had been assumed deceased or unable to perform, appear on the stage and perform at a level comparable to their younger days, that impresses and entertains me every time!
Track Listing (Disc 1):
Game Of Love- Wayne Fontana
Groovy Kind Of Love- Wayne Fontana
I Go To Pieces- Peter & Gordon
A World Without Love- Peter & Gordon
Needles And Pins- Mike Pender
Downtown Petula Clark
Do Wah Diddy- Paul Jones
Here Comes My Baby- The Tremeloes
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place- Eric Burdon & The Animals
The House Of The Rising Sun- Eric Burdon & The Animals
Time Of The Season- The Zombies She’s Not There- The Zombies
A Whiter Shade Of Pale- Procol Harem
To Sir With Love- Lulu
Wild Thing- Reg Presley & The Troggs
Ferry Cross The Mersey- Gerry & The Pacemakers
Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying- Gerry & The Pacemakers
Go Now!- Denny Laine
Bonus Performances (Disc 1)
This Is My Song- Petula Clark
I Just Couldn’t Live Without Your Love– Petula Clark
Don’t Sleep In The Subway– Petula Clark
Tell Her No– The Zombies
I’ll Be There – Gerry & The Pacemakers
Love Is All Around- Reg Presley & The Troggs
Mighty Quinn- Mike d'Abo
Love Potion No. 9- Mike Pender
When You Walk In The Room– Mike Pender
Silence Is Golden– The Tremeloes
Bad To Me- Billy J. Kramer
It’s My Life– Eric Burdon & The Animals
Performance: 9/ 10
This amazing spectacle of talent is hosted by Petula Clark, who performs two songs during the regular show and later, two bonus songs. One of the perks of being the hostess, I guess. Wayne Fontana, of ‘The Mindbenders’ fame, leads off the show with a fine duo of hits, setting the bar high for the following performers. Next up are Peter and Gordon, definitely the senior performers of the night. After settling myself down from the minor shock of seeing the vastly aged duo (especially Gordon), I was elated to hear some note perfect harmonizing and guitar playing- well done indeed! A wild eyed Mike Pender of The Searchers delivers the hit ‘Needles & Pins’ and Petula Clark follows with a nice two song performance, including her signature hit ‘Downtown’ with nice orchestral touches and accompanied by her capable back-up singers. Next, Paul Jones of Manfred Mann fame, sings the crowd-pleasing ‘Do Wah Diddy’. The Tremeloes follow up with ‘Here Comes My Baby’, and then a rather large Eric Burdon (yeah, I’ve gotten larger, too) appears with his band to deliver back to back smash hits, ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ and ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’. Some nice bluesy changes were done to accomplish a much different yet pleasing rendition of these two classics. Can this show get any better? Oh, yeah! Probably the highlight of the show is the Zombies (Rod Argent & Colin Blunstone) with a high energy execution of their hits ‘Time Of The Season’ and ‘She’s Not There’. Both are in fine voice and showcase some of the best harmonizing of the ‘60’s. I’ve always enjoyed Colin’s vocal work on various Alan Parsons Project recordings and was happy to finally put a face to the voice. Rod Argent displays his masterful keyboard talents with an extended ending on 'She's Not There'. A change of tempo and another classic follows with The Procol Harum signature tune ‘Whiter Shade Of Pale’. What follows is Lulu’s emotional and inspiring performance of ‘To Sir With Love’, arguably the single best vocalizing for the entire show, with her characteristic changes of pitch (melisma) sounding as awesome as ever. If her voice doesn’t move you, her mesmerizing beauty will! Following Lulu’s performance, The Troggs get the audience moving with the classic ‘Wild Thing’, then Gerry & The Pacemakers take the stage. The crowd settles back down to enjoy ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’ and ‘Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying’, with a nice orchestral arrangement. The show ends with original Moody Blues member Denny Laine belting out a rousing version of ‘Go Now’. The ending bonus performances are uniformly enjoyable, with the highlights for me being the Animals and, of course, the Zombies!
Audio Quality: 6/ 10
Upon unwrapping the DVD set, I was stunned to discover a 2 channel Dolby mix as the only available audio selection. I have other superb 5.1 channel mixes on other PBS releases and I’m quite annoyed that someboby cut corners on such an important project! After listening to the incessant banter and hype during the broadcast, I can’t help but feel disappointed with the final product. Still, the music was clear and pleasing overall, but definitely failed to convey anything approaching the actual acoustic signature of the venue, I’m sure. Shame on the misguided soul who put profits ahead of common sense posterity- guided rationale.
VideoQuality: 8/10
The video quality for this DVD is very good. The lighting is well placed throughout the entire stage area . Panning and camera cuts are done tastefully and are well timed. Camera angle changes are comfortably paced and avoid extreme closeups. Nice Job!
Extras/ FinalThoughts:
The bonus performances included on the DVD are a welcome addition but I can’t help but think it’s a marketing ploy of sorts. Why not leave the performances in the actual order instead of adding them to the end of the disc, almost as an afterthought? Extras have never influenced my decision to buy, but the marketing gurus must know what they’re doing. My biggest pet peeve with many movie DVD releases is the highly touted inclusion of alternate endings and outtakes. If the scenes weren’t good enough for the final cut, why waste my time? With a few internet offerings priced $15.00 for this DVD, it represents an excellent value. Enjoy! Curtis
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)