Film  

The Josephine Baker Story originated as a 1991 television broadcast that was shown on the HBO network.  The movie covers Josephine Baker’s life as a young girl until her death and the ups and downs she encountered throughout her life and career.  Born Freda Josephine McDonald, we learn of Baker’s impoverished youth and her humble beginnings growing up in St. Louis, Missouri.  Her mother worked a washerwoman and her father was a drummer who would abandon them not long after her birth.  As a young girl, Baker was full of life and loved to dance and make silly faces which later helped her find her destined career path.

Josephine Baker (Lynn Whitfield) got her start performing comical skits with troupes and later went on to become a chorus girl after learning their routines in the hopes of taking over in the event of one of the girls getting sick.  Her preparations paid off and the audience loved her comic mugging and pretend clumsiness and she became a popular draw.  Her moderate success in New York was dwarfed however when she traveled to Paris for a new show called “La Revue Nègre.”  After posing nude for a Parisian artist, Baker discovers the power of sensuality and incorporates it into a new routine in her show called the “Danse Sauvage” by appearing topless wearing only a skirt of bananas or feathers.

Her new-found blockbuster success in Paris allowed her to finally have a lot of money and we witness her many purchases that include a leopard, a mansion, nice clothes, jewelry, and more.  She meets a self styled “count” named Giuseppe Pepito Abatino (Ruben Blades) who eventually becomes her lover and manager.  While their personal relationship will sour over time due to Baker’s moodiness, paranoia, and infidelity, her professional life continues to improve as she opens a new show called “La Folie du Jour” at the Follies-Bergère Theater which is a massive hit.  Thinking that she was now ready to win over audiences in New York, Abatino convinces Baker to star in ”Ziegfeld Follies” which doesn’t bring her the success she desired.  Angry that she wasn’t received by American audiences the way she expected, she fires Abatino and cheats on him just to spite him and then returns to Paris.

When World War II breaks out, Baker volunteers to spy on the Nazis and the Italian Fascists for the French Resistance. She reports on overheard conversations and smuggles secret documents in her underwear and more.  When the Nazis invade France, Baker journeys to Morocco where she suffers from another miscarriage and ends up getting an emergency hysterectomy.  While recovering in the hospital, she meets Sidney Williams (Louis Gossett Jr.), a military man who convinces her to entertain Allied troops which she does after imploring the segregated soldiers to sit together as one group.

After facing her fears about her reception in America, we see Baker go to the famous Stork Club where the club refused to serve her, she notices that the well known columnist Walter Winchell (Craig T. Nelson) does nothing to intervene with her treatment and she begins a media war of words with Winchell.  That war is fairly one-sided since Winchell has built up a media empire that drowns her out and she decides to leave America for Paris again.  One party that appreciated her fight against the Stork Club and Winchell was The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which later named May 20 Josephine Baker Day in honor of her efforts.

Back in Paris, Baker starts adopting children left and right, irregardless of their race and calls them her “Rainbow Tribe.”  She marries her French conductor Jo Bullion (David Dukes) and eventually pushes him away too when she ignores his pleas to stop adopting children since he knows they can’t afford it.  Once again, Baker has to do everything her way and lets him leave and divorce her instead of bowing to his wishes and reality.  It’s not long before she does run out of money and we watch her send her children away to family in the country before she is forcibly thrown out of her chateau and all of her possessions are taken away to clear her debts.  Time moves forward and thanks to friends like Princess Grace (who provided Baker and her children a place to live in Monaco), Baker slowly recovers and we witness her big comeback show in Paris, the place that always supported her and she enjoys one last moment in the sun before dying days later.

This movie does a good job covering both Baker’s professional and personal life and balancing the two.  As portrayed by this movie, Baker doesn’t come off too sympathetic since she continually sabotages both her career and personal life due to her inability to listen to others or to care what their opinion is.  Even her noble fight against the racism she encountered in the Stork Club and her fight with Winchell carries with it a tinge of self-destruction. Lynn Whitfied (who won an Emmy for this role) does an excellent job portraying the mercurial Baker, especially during the later stages of her life.  She is surrounded by a group of superb character actors including Craig T. Nelson and Louis Gossett Jr. in small roles.  Director Brian Gibson (who later married Whitfield) offers a complex look at Baker that’s not afraid to show her flaws as well as her strengths.

Video  

This 1080p (1.78:1) transfer looks surprisingly good for an older television movie.  The many colors of Baker’s dresses pop off the screen and there’s a decent amount of detail present.  That’s not to say that this is a perfect transfer, since there are many soft looking shots throughout the movie.  There’s also a light layer of grain present which gives the film a more cinematic look to it but the transfer is free from major blemishes.

Audio  

The Josephine Baker Story’s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is serviceable but nothing special.  This is almost an entirely front channel affair with hardly any attention paid to the rear channels.  That works fine for the dialogue which is clear and understandable, but it doesn’t do the musical numbers any justice.  There’s no major audio defects like hissing or the audio dropping out, but this could have been a lot better.

Special Features  

There’s only one extra on the disc so fans of Baker are sure to be disappointed.

• Audio Commentary – Lynn Whitfield, writer Ron Hutchinson, and associate producer Alisa Taylor share this commentary track with the bulk of the talking done by Whitfield who is very proud of the movie.  She also talks about making the movie and how the movie brought so much into her life since she won an Emmy, married the director, and had a child with him.  This is a pretty good and informative commentary and it’s too bad that the director died before adding his thoughts to this too.

Final Thoughts  

As a biopic movie, The Josephine Baker Story works very well as it covers the bulk of the star’s life and many of her travails and successes.  Lynn Whitfield throws herself into the role and convincingly lip-syncs the songs and pulls off the many dance routines.  While the Blu-ray itself could have been better, fans of the late singer/dancer will still most likely enjoy this high definition disc.

Order your copy today!

Film  

Paul McCartney was sitting in a plane as it sat on a tarmac awaiting approval to take off when he witnessed firsthand the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.  From his vantage point he could see one of the twin towers on fire and then was shocked along with the rest of the nation when he heard of the other crashes.  McCartney had been headed back to England to be present for his daughter’s birthday party, but once the attacks happened, he remained in the United States because he wanted to help in some way.  Remembering stories that his parents and grandparents told him of how music and entertainment had helped with morale in bombed out London during WWII, he thought what had worked before could work again.  As he later said, ”There was a feeling of shock and fear in the air that I thought we could help alleviate with music and the fact that so many people stepped up to join us made for a very uplifting evening for us all.”

Thus, The Concert for New York City came to life.  Fortunately, others felt as McCartney did and they were eager to join him on stage to raise funds for the families of the lost firefighters and policemen who died trying to save the victims of the burning towers.  Just to give you an idea of just a sample of who was involved in the concert, it starred McCartney, The Who, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Billy Joel, Elton John, James Taylor, Janet Jackson, Bon Jovi, John Mellencamp, and Kid Rock among others.  The show also had plenty of stars and comedians too including Harrison Ford, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael J. Fox, Robert DeNiro, Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Jimmy Fallon, Billy Crystal and more.

Much like he did in 1964 when he and his brother David filmed the clamor of The Beatles first visit to America, Albert Maysles along with co-director Bradley Kaplan filmed the background of the concert in a cinéma vérité style of the concert coming together.  What makes The Love We Make so interesting is watching the genesis of the concert and how McCartney deals with the tragedy and how others react to seeing him walk the streets of New York without an entourage of bodyguards.  I can honestly say that watching him do that after what happened to John Lennon (in New York) and George (in his own home), made me nervous for him, especially when a apparently crazy homeless person wouldn’t let go of him.  How he is able to keep his cool is beyond me since the loss of his partner John Lennon can’t be too far from his mind.

Maysles does a great job showing us a day in the life of Paul McCartney as he follows the star from gig to gig which ranges from appearing on the Howard Stern show, interviewing with Dan Rather, and then rehearsing for the concert with his band.  We also witness the great respect the other celebrities and musicians have for McCartney as they constantly make their way to him to pay their respects as the show goes on.  It’s still impressive that even after all of these years of success and coming from the greatest and most successful band the world has ever seen, McCartney still seems grounded and genuinely friendly to the people he meets.  It’s apparent that he isn’t untouched by his fishbowl life since a couple of times during the movie, we see him instruct his driver to try to lose the paparazzi that follows him constantly, with him even jumping out of the car to escape through the park so he can have some alone time.

McCartney’s efforts weren’t in vain as the concert was a financial and emotional success.  It was touching to see the grieving families holding up pictures of their family that was lost due to their attacks during the show.  We also witness emotional firefighters and policemen thank McCartney and the others for their efforts and join in for the final song.  The concert lasted 5 1/2 hours and it not only improved morale for New York but also much of the world and raised over $35 million for the charities.  It was a blockbuster success and as McCartney said later, “It was an honor to be able to help New York and America at that time in its history.”  Not only does this documentary capture the massive humanitarian efforts made by McCartney and the others, but it also gives the viewers a better understanding of McCartney himself who as famous as he is, has somehow remained somewhat elusive through the years.  Thanks to Maysles film, we’ve gained a little more understanding of McCartney the man but also a reminder that this is the Beatle who once sang “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”  It’s nice to see that he still believes that.

Video  

This 1080p (1.34:1) transfer is pretty impressive considering how many different sources the footage was assembled from.  The bulk of the documentary that was shot on black and white film by Albert Maysles looks sharp but it has a film-like grain that old school documentary fans will love.  There’s also some color film included during the Howard Stern segment and also during the concert itself that also looks pretty good.  The black and white film offers some very nice contrast and the detail of the picture is evident during close-ups.  The aged appearance of the black and white film may turn off some viewers, but I’m sure a lot of cinephiles will love it.

Audio  

Three audio tracks have been recorded for this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English LPCM 2.0 and English Dolby Digital 5.1 and they all sound pretty good.  This is primarily a dialogue driven documentary (until the end concert) and appropriately enough, this is a front channel heavy mix.  There isn’t much difference between the tracks but I think they could have done a better job with this mix.  It’s fine for the talking scenes as the dialogue is delivered clearly and with no distortion, but the concert with the amount of talent assembled should be presented with a better mix than this one which doesn’t deliver the goods per se.  That’s fine for the documentary part but most people are going to expect the concert part of the mix to take it up a notch  which it does not.

Special Features  

There are no special features on this disc which is too bad since that will drag down the final score.

Final Thoughts  

The Beatles are my favorite band and Paul McCartney has always been my favorite Beatle, so my liking this was never really a concern.  However, The Love We Make isn’t just about Paul McCartney and his efforts to raise money for charity, but it’s also about New York City itself and it’s resilient residents.  This is a great documentary and I highly recommend it!

Order your copy today!

Film 

Queen: Days of Our Lives is the latest and can possibly be called the definitive Queen story told from the remaining members of the band. The documentary features brand new and never-before-seen footage of the legendary band from their humble beginnings in the UK, in other bands, to the juggernaut that Queen became.

Queen is: Freddie Mercury (vocals), Brian May (Guitar), Roger Taylor (drums), and John Deacon (bass). Days of Our Lives traces the legendary band to the university where the lads were undergrad students, but all had a love of music. This love would bring them together, and the rest, as they say, is history. Days of Our Lives chronicles their journey starting around 1970. There would be trial and tribulations, and some would make it and some would not.

Queen happens to be one of my favorite bands of all time. The audio cassette of their Magic Live tour was technically my first Queen album purchase and I would not stop in collecting their entire catalog. What I really enjoyed about the Days of Our Lives Blu-ray is that it seems to be an honest retrospect by the people being interviewed. Brian May and Roger Taylor speak their minds and reminisce about the good times and bad times. Former producers, roadies, managers, journalists, etc., all tell their tales of being in the Queen machine.

It does get a bit on the extremely sad side towards the end when the documentary focuses on Freddie’s fight with AIDS, but it’s done with class and tactfulness. Queen: Days of Our Lives runs about 2 hours and the documentary is split into two parts, but you have the option of viewing it all the way through. The special features themselves run an extra two hours.

I do wish that the documentary ran a bit longer than two hours, because there’s so much more to tell, but the way it it’s presented seals the deal for me as a fan. I’m sure it will seal the deal for even the most devoted of fans.

Video 

Queen: Days of Our Lives is presented in 1080i – 16X9. This one is a curious presentation, because it is presented in HD (AVC), but I would say that 80% of the material is sourced from archived material. The other 20% of the material is newer and contemporary and it looks great. Flesh tones look nice and natural, but do blush on occasion in the cold London air.  I would say that the archived material has never looked better in high definition, though. It’s legit.

Audio 

Queen: Days of Our Lives is presented in LPCM 2.0 at 1.5 mbps. This is where it the sound drops the ball slightly. I would have preferred a full lossless 5.1 soundtrack, but then I have to remember that this isn’t a concert presentation, it’s still a documentary, so I understand. As a documentary, the 2.0 track is more than adequate. I’m sure all future Queen concert releases will be released in full lossless.  *crosses fingers*

Special Features 

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you – it’s a perfect five star for the special features. The gist of the special features contents are as follows: 7 brand new videos, 12 additional sequences, and 10 unseen interviews. Sure, on the surface they might seem superficial, but this is all quality stuff.

Additional Videos

Seven Seas of Rhye

Killer Queen

Somebody To Love

We Are The Champions

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Under Pressure

Radio Ga Ga

Additional Sequences

Queen: The Beginning

Queen On Tour 1974-5

Bohemian Rhapsody

Working Together

Leaving John Reid 1978

Don’t Stop Me Now

Flash Gordon

Making Video

Scrabble Wars

From Magic To The Miracle 1986-89

Going Slightly Mad: Making Innuendo 1990-91

Made In Heaven – 1995

Bonus Interviews

Return To Imperial College

Brian’s Health Scare 1974

Manager Jim Beach Meets The Band 1975

B-Sides

Freddies’s Outfits

Another One Bites The Dust

Song Writing Balance Changes 1980′s

Freddie Legless!

Highlander

The Show Must Go On

Final Thoughts 

Queen: Days of Our Lives is a great documentary that sheds light on one of the most legendary and popular bands of all time.The Blu-ray has adequate specs, but the special features make it a force to be reckoned with. Content and special features combined, Days of Our Lives clocks in at a whopping 221 minutes, so that unto itself is a major feat. I hope that Eagle Rock Entertainment, or whoever, releases more of their concerts and their videos on the Blu-ray format sooner than later.

Order Queen: Days of Our Lives on Blu-ray!

The Film 

The Rolling Stones: Some Girls – Live in Texas ’78 was their stop in Texas to celebrate and perform tunes from the their newest album Some Girls. It was smack in the middle of a hot Texas summer, so what a way to cool down (or heat up, depending on who you ask) from the weather. The Some Girls show is a pretty stripped down show in terms of grand special effects and what not. It was the end of the 70′s and the musical climate was about the change all over again, but The Stones weren’t gonna go without a fight.

The Some Girls Blu-ray is a 17 song set that features 7 songs from the Some Girls album which was sort of unprecedented at the time. Most bands toured and still tour to this day playing 2-3 new songs from their latest albums. The Stones played 7 songs from Some Girls album. The songs that rounded out the set weren’t even some of their most popular hits; only a few were.

Taking those factors in consideration how would The Stones go about not losing the crowd? Adapt or die. That’s what they did and it’s all in the stage presence. When Mick Jagger hits the stage in his mash up outfit that consists of a white sports jacket, shredded t-shirt, leather pants, and canvas shoes, you can totally tell he’s prepared for the future. He took all of these influences that were popular at the time and used it to amplify the power of rock ‘n roll. The Some Girls show doesn’t have any punk rock songs, but does have  plenty of attitude.

Mick Jagger has the swagger and bravado to lead the band all while never missing a beat or lick. He’s like a possessed preacher laying down all the tunes with tons of energy and attitude. The rest of the band is right there with him to rock out. Eagle Rock has done a great service to the fans of rock by remastering this now legendary, but obscure show. I’m glad I was able to discover it for myself on the Blu-ray format.

Set List

Let It Rock

All Down The Line

Honky Tonk Woman

Star Star

When The Whip Comes Down

Beast of Burden

Miss You

Imagination

Shattared

Respectable

Far Away Eyes

Love In Vain

Tumbling Dice

Happy

Sweet Little 16

Brown Sugar

Jumpin’ Jack Flash

Video 

The Rolling Stones: Some Girls – Live in Texas ’78 is presented in 1080i, 16×9, and in what appears to be an actual 1.66:1 widescreen format. Shot almost 34 years ago in 16mm, I will go on record and say that Some Girls ’78 looks as good as it has ever looked. Colors are bold and appear vibrant. Black levels look deep and inky, but contrast suffers just a bit. Softness also creeps in here and there, but it’s mostly due to the foggyness and hazyness of the show itself. Fog machines, smoke machines, props, etc… Close ups of the members do reveal detail and you can tell that they haven’t been DNR scrubbed to hell. That’s much appreciated. I’m happy to see concerts on Blu-ray that were originally shot on film. It gives the show a certain sense of gravitas, if you will.

Audio 

The Rolling Stones: Some Girls – Live in Texas ’78 is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1 and LPCM 2.0. For this review we went ahead and tested out the full lossless DTS track. One word: Holy crap! I can safely say that Some Girls ’78 is one of the best sounding Eagle Rock releases I have ever heard! Give the sound mixers a raise, because they went all out. Vocals are center channel driven, and guitars stay focused on the left and right channels, but the bass levels are what take the cake. Why have I not paid more attention to Bill Wyman? Dude is freakin’ amazing! Rear channels capture ambient noise in addition to some of the music that naturally travel from the front to the back. This is a great audio track.

Special Features 

The Rolling Stone: Some Girls – Live in Texas ’78 has a few extras that will delight more of the hardcore fan base. There’s a recent interview with Mick Jagger where he candidly talks about the Some Girls album and subsequent tour. It’s a very cool and honest interview. There’s an old Saturday Night Live clip where Mick is interviewed by Dan Aykroyd on his “Tomorrow” show – that clip also features the band playing a few tunes. The special features wrap up with Geraldo Rivera doing a piece on the band for ABC’s 20/20.

• Mick Jagger Interview 2011 (HD)
• Saturday Night Live: “Tomorrow” with Dan Aykroyd and Mick Jagger (SD)
• Beast of Burden / Respectable / Shattered (SD)
• ABC News 20/20 Interviews With The Stones (SD)

Final Thoughts 

The Rolling Stones: Some Girls – Live in Texas ’78 is a pretty cool concert and considering that up until the Blu-ray release there really wasn’t a decent way to experience the concert film properly. The boys had already been rocking audiences for about 16 years up until that point, so seeing this show on high definition before the turn of the decade was neat as hell. There was that transitional period in rock in the late 70′s, but as well all know, The Rolling Stones made it unscathed…for the most part. The Blu-ray of Some Girls is a winner.

Order The Rolling Stones: Some Girls – Live in Texas ’78 on Blu-ray!

Film 

Some of the stuff put into this film was made solely for women to awe at. Early in the concert, the ENTIRE concert room becomes quiet, and Usher… Well takes his shirt off. Pretty awkward if you ask me, but when you see how hard this guy works and how much he sweats, it’s understood. I was happy that he started singing Yeah after that. His performance was honestly flawless. It is not an easy task singing in front of a live audience, and Usher handles it with great dexterity. About 10 seconds after the song ends, he disappears for literally five seconds, comes back, and his entire outfit is changed. Didn’t know quick changing was apart of the business!

While I would not classify this as “real music”, I can see why this guy has a following. He has got some talent. More importantly, he has one of the best falsetto’s that I’ve ever heard from an artist. Right around the eighteen minute mark, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Hell, I’d go so far as to say he sounds a bit like Michael Jackson at that point! I’m just saying, if he was in my choir class, he would definitely be one hell of a tenor (or maybe HIGH baritone, you never know). I can’t really point out any flaws. He’s a great live singer, unlike Taylor Swift (don’t get me started on that subject). Anyways…

Not only is he a great live singer, he is a pretty fantastic dancer! Okay, on to the flaws, which are, in fact, the lyrics to the song. Although these songs are so undeniably catchy, the music itself speaks as a joke to the greats like Led Zepplin and The Beatles (both fantastic bands that serve as REAL music). Usher is ambiguously provocative in his stylish type of entertainment, but pays off in the overall satisfaction of the viewer.

I feel as if I should give a recommendation, as hard as it may seem. Usher seems to have more of a female following based on the thousands of female audience members in the audience and the few gentlemen. This is a pretty short concert (unlike some other concert Blu-ray’s I reviewed in the past), and there is a certain amount joy watching this talented man wooing a large audience, yet I cannot find myself giving this a proper recommendation. If you are in no way familiar with this artist, it’s a rental. However, for any fan, this is a must buy.

There are 19 tracks featured here, and they go as follows:

Monstar
She Don’t Know
Yeah
U Remind Me
U Don’t Have To Call
You Make Me Wanna
Mars Vs Venus

OMG

Video 

Usher OMG Tour LIve From London is presented in 1080i (1.78:1). Needless to say, this looks magnificent. Since there are numerous, fantastic choreographed dance numbers, it really lights up on the Blu-ray screen. Color tones are all over the place (in a good way, obviously) and it never interferes with another color. Tones are very bright, most notably during the dance numbers, and impressed me. Well, most of the concert Blu-rays have impressed me quality-wise, but this is the most recent of them all, so it is only suitable that it looks best.

Audio 

Usher OMG Tour Live From London is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1. My speakers went berserker over this! I cranked the volume up 5 (10 is the loudest, while negative 70 is the softest), and while I believe that I may have broken an ear drum, it was totally worth it! Smooth tones throughout go hand-in-hand with some fantastic musical numbers that really set the tone for a wild ride. Hell, I would go so far to say that this is [almost] the real concert experience!

Special Features

I will not award those who give lackluster special features.

Final Thoughts  

Order Usher: OMG Tour, Live From London on Blu-ray!

Film

The British rock band Procol Harum is now on Blu-ray, with Procol Harum: Live at the Union Chapel, a concert that took place in late 2003 at London’s Union Chapel which was was the last night of their tour that had them traveling from London to Europe, to Japan to North America, back to London. The band obviously had a great time and the audience went wild.

Something that kept catching my eye during this was the lead Pianist/Vocalist Gary Brooker, who not only reminds me of the late comedian George Carlin, (only looks, not sound). Anyways, back to the Brooker. He has a great voice, that is soothing to the soul (literally) and has a distinct taste to it that is quite possibly the reason the band bodes so well with fans.

Easily my favorite aspect of watching a concert film is knowing that the band members are having a good time, and I know when they are faking (take Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden for example). It’s pretty obvious that this band is having a damn good time, and that brought my final grade up from a 3 to a 3.5. This is quite a long watch, so it should be viewed sections at a time.

Featured Songs:

Video 

Procol Harum: Live at the Union Chapel is presented in 1080i (1.78:1), and looks good for how it’s presented. Colors, tones, and all that jazz have good saturation and do well in HD, and serve the British rock band well. For a concert that took place in late 2003, the conversion was done surprisingly well. A win in the video department.

With most of these Eagle Rock releases, it has been successful in the audio department. Procol Harum: Live at the Union Chapel is no exception; it is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1, and sounds quite exhilarating. Given that I’m not a die-hard fan of the band, I still found myself enjoying most of the songs, and I can imagine if my speakers could speak (LOL), they would agree with me.

Special Features 

Unacceptable. Lackluster special features will not be rewarded.

• Interactive interview with Gary Brooker
• Alternative Angles
• Earlier in the day montage
• Comments from the bar

Final Thoughts 

Order Procol Harum: Live at the Union Chapel on Blu-ray!

Band members Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, and Alan White are Yes, who fulfilled a dream by performing a nearly three hour show in Amsterdam that took place in 2001. Joining the band on stage was the European Festival Orchestra which was conducted by Wilhelm Keitel.

As I previously mentioned, Yes is not my type of band. I am in NO way a fan of them, nor am I interested in them. Having said that, they do have a nice tone to them, and are very tolerable (at times), but are brought down by many reasons, including the Blu-ray’s overlong running time (at a whopping 194 minutes), as well as the repetitiveness of the entire film.

The film itself is presented unlike any other Eagle Rock Blu-ray. Between certain songs, there are BEAUTIFUL shots of animated deserts, grasslands, etc. that all look great and really add to the style of the band itself. Again, the repetitiveness of the film brings it down, hence my grade.

Tracklist:

1. Roundabout

Video

Like the usual Eagle Rock Blu-ray’s, Yes Symphonic Live is presented in 1080i, (1.78:1), and looks very good for what it represents. There are clear shots all around, and yes, the sweat on the entire band’s face (which may not be such a great thing… too much detail sickens the audience sometimes). Toning is well-used, and the animation shots look clear as day. A win in the video department.

Not surprising, considering the last three concert Blu-ray’s I’ve reviewed haven’t been awarded over 2 stars.

Dreamtime – It’s an uninteresting documentary. What can I say, not my cup of tea.

Don’t Go – Video of their popular song “Don’t Go.” Pass.

Order Yes: Symphonic Live on Blu-ray!

Film 

The famous English Rock band is back together for a concert that takes place at the Wiltern Theatre, February 2003, in L.A. Vocalist Chrissie Hynde, guitarist Adam Seymour, bass player Andy Hobson, drummer Martin Chambers, and keyboardist Zeben Jameson are the Pretenders. The band has changed over the years, what with the drug-related deaths along with the numerous charges, but Hynde has always stayed with the band.

Listen, I am all for a good concert movie; I tend to enjoy them for the most part, but every now and then, I come across a band I dislike (and eventually a Blu-ray I came to dislike). Regardless, I will try to sound as unbiased as possible in my upcoming paragraph regarding the bands style of music.

Before I go on, I have found out that I am in the minority after researching this band. The Pretenders receive quite a bit of praise from music critics such as Rolling Stone and Blender. If you are a fan of the Pretenders, go for it and get this Blu-ray. For non-fans, stay far away because it’s highly unlikely this will convert you into one. I find their rock music incredibly unoriginal, repetitive, and quite dull. In other words, you have to have a very specific taste in music to enjoy this.

The film itself has many issues. It is franticly shot, hard to keep track of, incredibly dull, and a truly sloppy presentation. There are a total of 26 songs included in the feature presentation:

Video 

Pretenders Loose In L.A. is presented, like all Eagle Rock Blu-rays, in 1080i, (1.78:1). The difference between the others is that they all have a better-looking picture. First off, I didn’t like the way the film was shot in, which consists of non-stop franticly paced shots spanning throughout the entire band. Additionally, there are times when the lens flares get in the way of a decent shot, resulting in an abomination. A let down in the video department.

I hate throwing average scores around but it happens so darn much. Pretenders Loose In L.A. is presented in the acceptable but very average DTS-HD MA 5.1. To put this in context, I have four speakers that operate with my Blu-ray player, to get the best possible sound. The LAST thing you want from a Blu-ray is to have a DVD-sounding audio quality. If this was a DVD, it would’ve gotten at least four stars, but there is no excuse for this. Tones are sharp from time to time, but the songs aren’t nearly as good quality-wise as they could have been.

Sorry, the people at Why So Blu? don’t reward laziness.

You Know Who Your Friends Are – Full-length video of the song with backstage concert footage overlapping the performance. Pass.

Backstage Footage – Uninteresting documentary that lasts about 10 minutes showing what it was like backstage for the band.

Concert Montage – Another backstage montage with an overlapping song. Pass.

Final Thoughts 

First of all, I did not like the movie. I found it boring, repetitive, and quite annoying. Watching it on Blu-ray didn’t help at all. Nothing went above average in any department, and completely fell apart in the special features section. I didn’t expect much, but it could’ve been a hell of a lot better.

Order Pretenders: Loose in L.A. on Blu-ray!

Film  

Gary Moore: Live at Montreux 2010 was Gary Moore’s final recorded show that took place at the Montreux in July 2010 before his unpredictable death in early February this year. Moore was an unbelievably gifted artist, and an exceptional singer. Aside from supplying the stampede of greatness that is his vocals, he is also an extravagant guitarist, who shows his true colors with his countless remarkable guitar solos.

A quote on Gary Moore regarding the Montreux Jazz Festival: “The best thing about playing at Montreux is that you’re alongside so many great musicians, people like Larry Carlton. Not only that, but when you’re there you become totally immersed in music The whole town becomes part of the festival – and it’s not just jazz, there’s great variety. Walking down the street you’ll hear blues and American college bands, rock and pop.”

Now that line spoke to me in many ways, but I guess the biggest way it stood out to me is that it sounds quite awe-inspiring. The way he describes his infatuation for the art of music is poignant, genuine, and relatable. As a colossal music fan (my iTunes library contains just about six thousand songs), and a minor fan of Moore’s work, this is a Blu-ray to keep.

It’s miraculous seeing Moore on stage again. Throughout the concert, you can really observe the passion (and sweat) on his face and see his enthusiasm for the arts, as well as his fans. It is also pleasurable seeing him singing a few new and old songs:

2010

Bonus Tracks 1997

Video 

Gary Moore: Live at Montreux 2010 is presented in 1080i, (1.78:1), and looks extraordinary, as anticipated. Again, the same approach that is with most concert films applies to this one too; it consists of shots solely focusing on the stage, with brief moments of audience fandom. The lighting is fine and colors are blended well. I might go so far as to say this quality is detailed to an extent where you can see the sweat dripping off of Gary Moores face… in magnificent high definition

Audio 

Gary Moore: Live at Montreux 2010 is presented in glorious DTS-HD MA 5.1. Needless to say, this sounds dazzling. Songs are consistently well performed and the Blu-ray presentation of all the music is as sharp and clear as it could be. The instruments, vocals, and audience ambience sounds throughout are equally balanced. An all around win in the audio department.

Special Features

Unfortunately, Gary Moore: Live at Montreux 2010 comes supplied with the very lazy and limited in the special features department. There are four additional tracks not in the movie.

Bonus Tracks 1997

Final Thoughts 

Gary Moore is a fantastic artist. He is a great blues musician and knows how to get an audience going. If only he was still here today to see how grateful we are for his wonderful music. This is a fine Blu-ray that has sharp video and audio, but falls apart when it comes to extras.

Order Gary Moore: Live at Montreux 2010 on Blu-ray!

Film 

Cream: Live at the Royal Albert Hall is a concert for the band Cream that took place in London on May 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 in 2005 at the Royal Albert Hall. The band members are Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, and master guitarist Eric Clapton. What was supposed to end in 1968, reunited for four final farewell concerts to say a final goodbye to their new and old fans.

Now I’m not one to like concert movies, but I can’t resist it if the music is THIS good. I mean, c’mon, they sang songs such as “Sleepy Time Time” and “Sunshine of Your Love”. Great songs, administered by great musicians, and the whole package, making this a pretty fun time that is best to be watched in bits and pieces, as the running time lasts almost three hours!

The only reason my grade was dummed down to a three was solely due to it’s lack of replay value. It’s certainly good for a one time watch, but don’t expect it in the Blu-ray player again. It’s pretty crazy to imagine myself watching this whole film again. Of course if I were a bigger fan of this band I would have a much more positive recommendation for you, but it’s essentially for die-hard fans. However, if you have a killer surround sound system, or are at all interested in this band, check out Eagle Rock’s Cream: Live at the Royal Albert Hall.

This definitely ranks up with the greats such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Cream features plenty of catchy, memorable, and well performed songs administered perfectly from the three leads, who are still able to shine which is quite a surprise considering their ages. Overall, I’d only recommend this to Cream fans.

There is a wide array of songs from the band, and they go as follows:

I’m So Glad
Spoonful
Outside Woman Blues
Pressed Rat and Warthog
Sleepy Time Time (The best song by Cream)
N.S.U.
Badge
Politician
Sweet Wine
Rollin’ and Tumblin’
Stormy Monday
Deserted Cities of the Heart
Born Under a Bad Sign
We’re Going Wrong
Crossroads
Sitting on the Top of the World
White Room
Toad
Sunshine of Your Love

Video 

Cream: Live at the Royal Albert Hall is presented in 1080i, (1.78:1), and looks pretty good. The fact that there isn’t a wide array of shots, as it’s mainly focused on the stage and the band. It looks great, but the constant strobe lights and flash lighting get in the way of what could have been a great looking concert film. That’s the bad part; the good part is that there are some pretty wonderful tones and the saturated colors are great. Additionally, the [brief] backstage moments are perfect and look fantastic in the definition it was meant for.

Audio

Man, we’ve had some average scores so far, good to see a perfect one. Cream is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1. It sounds outstanding. After I popped the disc in, I pumped up the volume to 50, and hoped for the best. Trust me, it is worth it. All of the songs are perfectly clear and sharp, and the guitar solos from Clapton sound great and mixed well with the way the audio was arranged.

Special Features

This part didn’t come as a surprise to me. Concert movies don’t usually contain a supply of special features, and this is no exception. The special features on here are useless; 3 IDENTICAL songs performed from different nights, and an incredibly boring interviewing session.

• Alternate Takes: Alternative performances from different nights of the SAME songs – Sleepy Time Time, We’re Going Wrong, Sunshine of Your Love.

• Interviews: Very uninteresting (unless you are a die-hard Cream fan) interviews with band members Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, and Eric Clapton.

Final Thoughts 

I wouldn’t classify myself as a “fan” of Cream, but I am definitely impressed by their unique style that is still maintained with millions of fans, over 40 years later. The Blu-ray doesn’t have much to offer except a killer sound, and some great music. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this is for Cream fans only.

Order Cream: Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2005 on Blu-ray!

Film 

For you Counting Crow virgins, the performance consisted of: Adam Duritz (vocals); Jim Bogios (vocals, drums, percussion); David Bryson (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars,); David Immergluck (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, pedal steel guitar); Millard Powers (vocals, piano, bass); Charles Gillingham (vocals, piano, harmonica, accordion, Hammond B-3 organ); Dan Vickrey (electric and acoustic guitar).

First the video is amazing, you feel like you are in the first row. It gives a feeling of almost a private concert with the band tearing through their debut album track by track and holding everyone’s attention as if you were at the live show.

Watching Adam put his emotions into the songs gave a feeling of intimacy I have never experienced at a concert before and well, let’s just say, I never would have thought I would have wicked thoughts about him (dreadlocks and all).  His facial expressions alone are worth watching this DVD from beginning to end and again.

Secondly, the audio is dazzling as well. All the music came through crystal clear and I was feeling like I should put my cell phone in the air (do they even sell lighters anymore?).  The song “Thunder Road” converging into “Rain King” was badass to me and anyone who adores these songs will, hopefully, agree with me.

The interviews were fun to watch and sometimes made me feel as if I was a personal friend of Adam’s with his openness about his songs and his own words regarding each one. I have always enjoyed the idea of getting to know the people behind the music and I was not let down with this one.

A fan of Counting Crows? Then don’t miss this gem.

Setlist:

1)    Round Here

2)    Omaha

3)    Mr. Jones

4)    Introduction to Perfect Blue Buildings

5)    Perfect Blue Buildings

6)    Anna Begins

7)    Time and Time Again

8)    Rain King

9)    Introduction to Sullivan Street

10) Sullivan Street

11) Ghost Train

12) Murder of One

Video

Counting Crows: August and Everything After is presented in Eagle Rock’s usual 1080i, 1.78:1, format.  Considering the performance is more of an intimate one, I found no irregularities in the bulk of the show.  Black levels are deep and inky, contrast never runs hot considering the lighting can get a bit tricky here and there.  Flesh tones look as natural as they can – these are musicians after all, so that helps.  The video presentation is consistent throughout.

Audio

Counting Crows: August and Everything After is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1.  Again, for such an intimate club gig, the lossless track delivers on all fronts.  Lead vocals by Duritz are clear and never muffle, even after the crowd noise kicks in.  There are some moments where they join in, but the sound never falters during those scenes.  Instruments are equally balance and never run into each other, and the subwoofer handles the lows without overpowering the stage.  The Counting Crows sound great on Blu-ray.

Special Features

Counting Crows: August and Everything After contains just one special feature and this an interview that runs about 41 minutes long.  It’s presented in HD 1080i, so that may be worth your while.  I wish there was more stuff on the Blu-ray, but oh well.

• In Depth with Adam Duritz and Charlie Gillingham

Final Thoughts 

Ladies, if you’re a fan of the Counting Crows like me, and you own a Blu-ray player then you know what you need to do.  Get on this train before you get left behind.  Counting Crows: August and Everything After is a great show and the Blu-ray offers great video and sound, but skimp somewhat on the extras.  Check it out!

Order Counting Crows – August and Everything After: Live at Town Hall on Blu-ray!

Film 

Live at the Paramount, on Blu-ray, was released yesterday to coincide in celebration as part of the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind album.   What a day!   The Blu-ray concert disc features a never-before released live performance of the legendary grunge rockers at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle from October 31, 1991.   In case anyone cares, I saw the band live exactly two years later on Halloween night in Akron, OH.  Anyway, I digress…

And it should be noted, that before I go any farther in this review…I wanted to give a big round of applause and special thanks to Justin Sluss over at High Def Disc News for him letting me use these Nirvana screenshots he has online here.  Thanks Justin!

What makes this previously unreleased show so special is the fact that it’s the only live Nirvana concert recorded on 16mm film.  But wait!  There’s more!  With the good news always comes the bad, right?  Until December 27th of this year, this Blu-ray disc remains a Best Buy Exclusive.  Boo!   That’s right.  The blue and yellow guys win this round.

It should also be noted that I dispute the claim “previously unreleased” as a whole in reference to this Blu-ray.  Some of the performances of “About a Girl,” “Breed,” “Polly,” and “Endless, Nameless” were previously released on the live home video compilation Live! Tonight! Sold Out! Being the hardcore Nirvana freak I am, I instantly recognized those scenes.  In addition, the audio of “Negative Creep” was previously released on the live compilation album From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah.  And last but not least, “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam” was previously released on the DVD of the box set With The Lights Out.  Now that you are armed, use this knowledge however you chose.

So you are probably all wondering with me being such a huge Nirvana nut, why only a score of 4 here, right?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic to finally have my boys home kicking a$$ on the Blu-ray format, but let’s face it…this isn’t their finest moment.  I have seen and heard far better performances from the group, but in the meantime, Live at the Paramount is rightfully their heavyweight champion on the Blu-ray format that intimately captures a visceral performance of the band right before they took over Michael Jackson, annihilated the Top 20 charts and conquered the world.  Does it get any better than this?

The Blu-ray concert features the following 19 tracks in the order they appear below.

“Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam”

“Aneurysm”

“Drain You”

“School”

“Floyd The Barber”

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

“About A Girl”

“Polly”

“Breed”

“Sliver”

“Love Buzz”

“Lithium”

“Been A Son”

“”Negative Creep”

“On A Plain”

“Blew”

“Rape Me”

“Territorial Pissings”

“Endless, Nameless”

P.S.  I love the Catwoman-like sexy dancers they have on stage during “Rape Me.”  Brilliant, Kurt!

Video 

Alright, so here’s the deal.  Do you remember how soft and muted Black Swan looked on the Blu-ray format?  If not, I’ll pause for a moment while you go check it out.  Okay!  You back?  Good!  Well, like Black Swan, Live at the Paramount was also shot on 16mm film.  What you see is what you get.  There’s nothing wrong with this Blu-ray’s picture.  It’s just not as polished as your current Hollywood blockbuster film.  The visuals are as rough and aggressive as the band’s legendary sound and quite frankly, you will only hear me say this once about a Blu-ray’s inferior appearance, I couldn’t be happier with it!  It should also be noted that you have the option to view the MPEG-4 AVC encoded concert in full film frame (1:37:1 pillar-boxed) or 16:9 widescreen optimized.  I’ll leave it up to you to check it out and see what works best for you.

Audio 

Let me be the first to say, if it hasn’t been said already, this Blu-ray kicks some serious a$$ in the audio department.  The disc’s three choices of PCM Stereo, PCM 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 all peel the paint off the walls.  It’s not as eloquent and thunderous as my favorite sounding Blu-ray concert audio, some Beyonce disc I forgot the name of, but it’s balls to the walls and once again…I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER.  The crisp sound of Kurt’s voice instantly transported me right back to 1991 and I honest to God, did not want to come back to reality, but I had to for sake of this review, of course.

Special Features  

If you are a loyal Blu-ray supporter, like myself, then you’re out of luck in this department.  Geffen left us high and dry here. You get nothing but the big goose egg fellow reviewer Gerard Iribe is so fond of.  The DVD version of Live at the Paramount, NOT the Blu-ray, includes four music videos for the four singles from the historic Nevermind album.  I would have been happy with these being included, even if they were only presented in Standard Definition, but they ultimately were not.  What the ‘eff Geffen?!

However, it should be noted, as per the image above, High Def Disc News owner, Justin Sluss, found two hidden live performances and an intro sequence for the disc’s menu.  The two live performances are “Breed” and “Territorial Pissings.”  Both performances are live from Commondore Ballroom in Vancouver, British Columbia on March 8, 1991 and feature PCM Stereo sound.  Leave it to Nirvana to hide something.  LOL.

Once again, thank you Justin!  I searched high and low for ways to access these on the Blu-ray disc so if you know of anyway, please post those directions in the comment section below.  I would be most appreciative!

Final Thoughts  

If you call yourself a Nirvana fan, then why the F are you still reading this?  You should have been out the door on your way to Best Buy the moment I said hello to you in this review and if that’s not the case, then I just provided a very non-selfish generous link to order it online and pick it up later.  Who ever said that I‘m not thoughtful?  I look out for the people with jobs and responsibilities.  Enjoy this gem!

So, as I mentioned at the beginning of the review, I was cruising the Amazon website when I came upon PM5k’s latest album entitled Copies, Clones and Replicants and was pretty stoked to get my grubby fan boy hands on the album as soon as possible.  I purchased the MP3, and it was on!  Keep in mind this was also at one in the morning.  It didn’t matter, because the album is less than forty minutes long.  It’s a quick listen, and it’s chalked full of high energy. I knocked the entire album out in one listen.  Did I mention that this is a complete cover song album?

I was actually surprised by that, but wasn’t quite phased by it, because Powerman 5000 have done covers in the past, so it wasn’t necessarily a big deal that they actually cooked up a full length album of covers this time out.  I made mention of this to some friends and they quickly commenced to drinking the haterade, because they don’t like cover albums at all.  That’s all fine, but I don’t quite get the hate for cover albums by established bands.  Honestly, I can’t even tell you which bands have done cover albums without me having to do some research on it.  Is it that common for bands to make entire cover albums nowadays?  I’m leaning towards no.

As far as the meat and potatoes of Copies, Clone and Replicants go, there’s a nice blend of new wave, rock ‘n roll, synth, and metal equally distributed throughout the album.  It’s obvious that PM5k has been influenced by quite a variety of artists from the past ranging from David Bowie, Van Halen, Devo, and Twisted Sister, to more mellow artists like INXS, etc…  Can you even call INXS mellow?  The Clash?  No, it’s an eclectic roundup of musical choices, that’s for sure.

My favorite tracks off of the album are: We’re Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister), Jump (Van Halen), and are quickly rounded out by the synth-new wave covers of Electric Avenue (Eddie Grant), Pop Muzik (M), and Candy-O (The Cars).  Whip It (Devo) is also pretty cool along with Devil Inside (INXS).  The two songs that are a bit of a head scratcher, are Space Oddity by David Bowie and Should I Stay Or Should I Go by The Clash, because they sort of bring the album to a halt.  They’re SLOW songs.  I don’t have a problem with slow songs, but when you’re in the middle of some high energy tunes and a slow song comes on it sort of kills the buzz, in my opinion.  They’re nicely constructed songs, and I am a fan of musicians who create cover songs that improve or challenge the original.  Why create a cover song if you’re gonna make it sound like the original?  If I wanted to listen to a cover song that sounded like the original I would listen to the original.  So…yeah, the David Bowie and Clash covers are the weak links in an overall great product.  Maybe if the latter songs were placed in a different order on the album?  Anyways.

Copies, Clones and Replicants is a pretty good album that should hold the fans over until the next full length original album hits the marketplace.  I hope it doesn’t take too long.  In the meantime, I will see about getting some tickets to catch these cats live.  It’s been far too long since I’ve seen the Worlds Collide.  Are you ready to go?

Track Listing

1. 20th Century Boy

2. Electric Avenue

3. Whip It

4. Jump

5. Space Oddity

6. One Thing Leads To Another

7. Candy-O

8. Devil Inside

9. Pop Muzik

10. Should I Stay Or Should I Go

11. We’re Not Gonna Take It

12. Under The Milky Way

Order Copies, Clones and Replicants!

Film

In a unique show of…uniqueness?  Eagle Rock has released Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising on Blu-ray which features a thirty minute set live from Budokan in 1975.  If my facts are correct, this would have been the last or one of the last shows before Deep Purple Mark III split (or merged) into Deep Purple Mark IV.

The first part of the program on this Blu-ray is thirty minutes of the Budokan set played live on December 15, 1975.  It is a five song set and consists of:

1. Burn

2. Love Child

3. Smoke On The Water

4. You Keep On Moving

5. Highway Star

This performance has never been released before.  It’s quite fitting for them to be remixed and released on Blu-ray high definition all these many years later.  It serves as a time machine.  The tunes are great and the band is great to watch live as they do their thing.  This, of course, is part one of a double whammy of what’s on the Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising Blu-ray.

After you have finished watching Deep Purple tear it up in Japan you can quickly bounce over to this full feature documentary entitled Gettin’ Tighter. This is an 80 minute long presentation with current interviews with former Deep Purple members Glenn Hughes and Jon Lord.  It’s also why I enjoy the rock n roll genre so much.  It’s a fascinating look at the excesses that go into being a rock star.  Sex, drugs, alcohol, more sex, more drugs, etc… This, unfortunately, always comes with a price as several members of the band found out.  Some barely escaped with their lives, and others did not.

Glenn Hughes and Jon Lord are a treat to watch and listen to as they tell the tales of their journey into the machine that is Deep Purple.  You will see footage of the band at several shows and venues that most bands that were famous at the time would have never gone to.  Deep Purple was truly a “world” band.  They were true globetrotting rocknrollas for sure.

Another unique aspect of this Blu-ray is that you can actually watch this program in reverse order.  Having watched the Budokan performance first then the documentary second, there are several insights that were revealed to me after the fact.  That is why I recommend that viewers watch the documentary FIRST and the Budokan performance second.  Glenn Hughes and Jon Lord let you in on what happened before they went onstage that fateful night in 1975.  It’s pretty trippy.

Video

Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising is presented in 1080p 16X9 (1.78:1) widescreen.  Considering this is a concert and documentary presentation, I have to give it the benefit of the doubt when grading the Blu-ray presentation.  The 30 minute concert was shot on film and does retain its grain.  It’s a bit on the heavy side, but this was the mid 70′s.  When we switch over to the documentary portion of the show.  Glen Hughes and Jon Lord are interviewed in a contemporary setting and the video looks great.  It is mixed in with stock and archival footage almost forty years old, so take that with light grain of sand.  Colors do remain bold and loud.  The 70′s were quite garish and colorful.  The Blu-ray has no trouble handling the color wheel.  

Audio 

Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1 (for the concert) and DTS-HD MA 2.0 for the documentary.  This one is a bit perplexing.  The concert is full lossless, but I could only hear the bass.  I never felt it, though.  In replaying some of songs the subwoofer (LFE) never turned on during the performance.  This could be considered a 5.0 mix, if I were to get technical.  The music mix is spot on and the instruments never overlap or get sloppy.  There’s a perfect balance onstage.  The documentary is presented in lossless 2.0.  It’s a pretty good sound documentary.  Even the archival material sounds great in this lower 2.0 mix.  Considering there is no LFE for the main show, and the doc is 2.0, I give the audio a semi-neutral 3-star.  It’s above average.   

Special Features 

Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising contains many special features worthy of note.  In fact, if one were to REALLY get technical, you could consider the documentary a special feature unto itself.  For all intents and purposes, we won’t do that here.  We’ll just grade the plethora of other features that are separate from the two main programs.

• Audio Extra: The Official Soundtrack and More!
• Rare Live Tracks From MKIV History – Digitally Remastered in 2011
• 1. Burn (Long Beach) 2. Gettin’ Tighter (Japan) 3. Love Child (Japan) 4. Smoke On The Water (Japan)/Georgia On My Mind (Japam) 5. Lazy (Long Beach) 6. Homeward Strut (Long Beach) 7. You Keep On Moving (Japan) 8. Stormbringer (Long Beach
• Jakarta, December 1975 – Interview with Jon Lord & Glenn Hughes
• Come Taste The Band - Electronic Press Kit

Final Thoughts

Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising may or may not be a turn off for the casual fan, because it doesn’t so much focus on the actual music of the Mark III-Mark VI line-up as it focuses on the events that happened around that time period.  I thought it was a neat little compilation, and know that the serious Deep Purple fan will gravitate towards this release.  If you do, I can say that you will definitely be entertained.

Order Deep Purple: Phoenix Rising on Blu-ray!

Film 

Bad Company are Paul Rodgers (vocals, guitars, piano), Mick Ralphs (guitar), and Simon Kirke (drums) and they are back in the UK to play at a sold out show at Wembley Stadium.  They are rounded out by Howard Leese (guitars) and Lynn Sorensen (bass).  First of all how old is Paul Rodgers again?  Dude is in great shape.  What’s neat is that he’s constantly on hard rock lists for being one of the best vocalists of all time even though he doesn’t play metal.  That’s a great feat, all things considering.  He’s got the pipes, and judging by some of the photos posted, he’s got the guns, too.

The boys of Bad Company find themselves in the UK in a bit of a coming home kind of show where they perform in front of a sell out crowd.  They start the party off right with familiar tunes like Can’t Get Enough and Honey Child before bringing it down a couple of notches.  As I watched Bad Company: Live at Wembley I really got into the vocal and musical arrangement of the performance.  This Blu-ray pulls no punches in terms of content; a sixteen song set list is presented.  The crowd is a bit on the reserved side, but don’t let that fool you.  You know you’re at a true rock show when the audience sings the chorus back to the band.  This is what the audience would do on several occasions.  They made have had seats, but most were on their feet.

Bad Company rip through their set and finish the night off with their classic tunes like Feel Like Makin’ Love (love the ukelele intro) and Bad Company. They finish off the night’s performance with the raunchy Deal With The Preacher.

As of this writing Bad Company is on hold, because Rodgers is working on more solo material.  I do hope that once he wraps that up the boys of Bad Company can get together once again and tear it up.  Can’t get enough. 

Set List:

1. Can’t Get Enough

2. Honey Child

3. Run With The Pack

4. Burnin’ Sky

5. Young Blood

6. Seagull

7. Gone, Gone

8. Electric Land

9. Simple Man

10. Fell Like Makin’ Love

11. Shooting Star

12. Rock And Roll Fantasy

13. Movin’ On

14. Ready For Love

15. Bad Company

16. Deal With The Preacher

Video 

Bad Company: Live at Wembley is presented in 1080i  16X9 (1.78:1) widescreen.  Eagle Rock continues showing the world of live music how Blu-rays should be presented.  Under the hot lights Paul Rodger’s tan come through extremely clear.  You’d think he just got back from the beach.  The lightning and strobe system is a bit on the flashy side, but not bothersome.  The projection screens display clear images and montages of pictures that are easily seen and defined.  Black levels are good.  There is a thin layer of grain, but that’s inherent to the source.  Banding is never a problem, and edge enhancement is kept at a minimum.  

Audio 

Bad Company: Live at Wembley is presented in DTS MA-HD 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and LPCM Stereo.  Guess which one I went with?  Full lossless sound ovah here!  Again, Eagle Rock has shown tremendous care in providing some incredible sounding tracks to their Blu-ray releases and they continue the trend with Bad Company: Live at Wembley. Instrumental placement is great.  Paul basically has the entire center channel at his disposal and let’s it rip.  Guitars are equally placed to the left and right channels, drums come through with punch and feeling, and the crowd cheers and sings through the surrounds.  The ambient environment is great. 

Special Features

Bummer.  Just one special feature included on this Blu-ray.  Interview with the three members of Bad Company.

• Band Interviews

Final Thoughts

Eagle Rock continues to impress with their high quality Blu-rays.   Bad Company: Live at Wembley is no exception.  The band and all those involved have a great energy and chemistry playing together.  This Blu-ray amplifies that.  With several audio options and terrific video quality the Bad Company: Live at Wembley is a great release on the high definition format.  The only downside is that the special features contain just one interview.  That takes the overall score down a notch.  Other than that, this is a highly recommended release for classic rock ‘n roll fans!

Order Bad Company: Live at Wembley on Blu-ray!

Film

Frontman of Talking Heads fame David Byrne decided to take his solo show on the road with dancers, instrumentalists, and a tutu.  Prior to this Blu-ray release I had very minimal awareness of who or what David Byrne was outside of Talking Heads.  Better yet, I only knew of the Talking Heads single Burning Down the House. Yes, I grew up in the 80′s, but I did not listen to new wave or alternative then.

For this eclectic outing Byrne decided to bring contemporary dancing and choreography to the masses by integrating dance and music.  Literally.  What I mean by that is that as David Byrne is singing and playing guitar he has three dancers busting out these whacky moves all over the place in a kind of controlled and spastic chaos.  At some points during certain songs they actually use him as a prop and vice versa.  It’s a pretty unique visual experience.

At 87 minutes in length I don’t think this should have been called a documentary, because it’s a live show that has bits and pieces of making-of and featurettes that run right after the songs are finished.  I’m not a big fan of that.  Considering that this Blu-ray contains no special features it would have been more appropriate to have those behind the scenes snippets as supplements.  Then again, the set list would have run for about an hour.  I do know that certain songs, for whatever reason, did not make this final cut.  This is according to some fans that actually attended show.  I did not, so I cannot comment further.

Now as for the dancing and dancers involved.  They were pretty cool, but in some cases very distracting.  My girlfriend is a contemporary dancer and I’ve been to her shows and other shows featuring various dancing troupes and I would have much more preferred these dancers to be off to the side or in the background. The choreography itself is okay, but weird.  There isn’t that much finesse to it.  There many times throughout the show where they almost collide with David toppling him over.  I get it’s part of the show, but still, when you think the lead singer is about to get taken out by his own dancers it’s a bit of a head scratcher.  The rehearsal footage is excellent as is his New York music studio that isn’t very tidy.

Ride, Rise, Roar is going to be one of the most unique musical shows that you will experience.  David Byrne is a true artist in that he dabbles in music, fine art, and is an accomplished author.  It’s all about the art for Byrne.  Big props also go out Brian Eno who co-wrote the music to this performance show and has been a long time collaborator of Byrne’s for many years.

Set List

Once In A Lifetime

Life Is Long

I Zimbra

Road To Nowhere

One Fine Day

The Great Curve

My Big Nurse

Burning Down The House

Houses In Motion

Air

Life During Wartime

Heaven

I Feel My Stuff

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

Video 

Ride, Rise, Roar is presented in 1080i (2:1) widescreen.  Yep, you guessed it, it’s another winner.  Considering that that all of the performers including Byrne all wear white the contrast levels are handled amazingly.  There is no boosting or tweaking of any kind found here.  Black levels are also pretty good with no crush and they really compliment the contrast levels mentioned before.  Lighting colors are bold, with just a tad bit of banding.  DNR is not present, and neither is any serious edge enhancement.  I would say that the worst looking portion of the Blu-ray would have to be the black and white documentary portions of the show.  Other than that minor quip, this is a video winah!

Audio

Ride, Rise, Roar is peculiar in that it is presented in LPCM, Dolby Digital 5.1, and DTS 5.1.  Be warned that the back of the box and the menu screen indicate that there is a lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1. track on there, but that is INCORRECT.  There is no lossless track on this Blu-ray release.  The DTS 5.1 track included is at 755 kbps.  Regardless, that DTS 5.1 track is a treat.  I did not release David Byrne could sing this well.  The vocals are handled effortlessly by the center channel and the backing band is also handled really well by the rest of the speakers.  Instruments have a steady balance to them and do not run into each other.  Crowd levels are also kept in check and do not get in the way of the music.  The LFE channel also gets a bit of a workout as it is always present on this 5.1 mix.  Such a shame that there is no lossless track on this release.  I am certain it would have elevated the overall finished product. 

Special Features  

There are no special features on this Blu-ray.

Final Thoughts

A truly unique performance piece hampered by the omission of a couple of songs, lossless audio, and special features.  David Byrne and Eno’s Ride, Rise, Roar is a valid entry into alternative music and dance category that deserves a shot at being experience.  If not for the visuals then for the sonics.  David Byrne is a great vocalist and guitar player.

Order David Byrne: Ride, Rise, Roar on Blu-ray!

Film 

On Sheryl Crow’s latest album  Miles From Memphis the singer decided to strip down from her rock ‘n roll roots and take it to the soul if you will.  This Blu-ray chronicles her performance at the world famous Pantages Theater in Hollywood.  The Pantages is famous for once being owned by Howard Hughes and being home to the Academy Awards from 1949-1959.  If I remember correctly, this would be the last stop on Sheryl’s tour, too.  Very fitting.  A classic venue for a classy artist.

The Miles From Memphis Blu-ray also showcases the new backing band for the tour who go by the name of “The Thieves.”  These guys rock without rocking if you get my meaning.  The bass player Tommy Sims rules, as does guitarist Chris Bruce.  Doyle Bramhall II takes lead guitar duties.  This is a full band and they never miss a beat; Sheryl gets to do her thing.

When one sees this show or listens to the Miles From Memphis Blu-ray it comes off more like a few friends getting together for a cool jam session.  I’ve read some reviews of the album (not the Blu-ray) and was surprised to read that the reaction from fans was almost mixed.  You had a certain group of fans say that Sheryl miscalculated her range and that she didn’t quite pull it off as a “black soul singer.”  I’ve heard the term “white soul” used as well.  Now I won’t be going off on a rant like that, but rest assured that Sheryl Crow on Miles From Memphis is anything other than the great singer she has always been.  She’s not trying to channel any new characters or trying to impersonate anyone.  She’s an artist of the highest caliber, has always been able to sing her heart out; much props and respect should be given to this artist for trying something new.

The Blu-ray showcases her wonderful talents in high definition video and sound.  If you’re so inclined (and 21 and over) open up a bottle of your favorite wine, pop in Miles From Memphis on Blu-ray and let the music take you away.  These are some cool jams at their finest.  

Set List

Our Love Is Fading

A Change Would Do You Good

100 Miles From Memphis

Can’t Cry Anymore

Strong Enough

Summer Day

My Favorite Mistake

Redemption Day

Long Road Home

Everyday Is A Winding Road

Sideways

Roses And Moonlight

If It Makes You Happy

Soak Up The Sun

Peaceful Feeling

All I Wanna Do / Got To Give It Up

I Want You Back

I Shall Believe

Video 

Sheryl Crow: Miles From Memphis is presented in 1080i 16X9 (1.78:1) widescreen.  I’m going to continue to sound like a broken record and give props to Eagle Rock Entertainment for presenting their Blu-rays in 1080i.  They get that 1080i is the way live music events should be filmed in.  Colors are dynamic as are skin tones.  Black levels, and there are quite a few instances of where music is played in total darkness, look good, but do crush just a tad bit.  Contrast is not boosted for the most part.  DNR is absent, and banding nearly absent.  The image is pretty consistent throughout.  Edge enhancement is gone, and the image never fluctuates between heavy grain or softness.  Sheryl Crow looks great in high definition! 

Audio 

Sheryl Crow: Miles From Memphis contains three audio track options.  There is a stereo LPCM, Dolby Digital 5.1, and a full DTS-MA HD 5.1 lossless track.  You know how we do it.  This is another winner.  Sheryl isn’t known for speed metal or anything like that.  Her music is mellow and cool to jam to.  The lossless track handles all of the musical instruments with ease. Sheryl Crow is a great singer, so the center channel on this presentation has to do most of the work.  Fear not, it succeeds where most would fail.  Crow’s vocals come through exquisitely.  You’d think she was in your living room doing a show just for you.  Ambient surround effects also get a bit of a boost, but never interfere with what’s going on the stage.  The crowd never drowns out the band.  Sheryl Crow: Miles From Memphis on Blu-ray is the next best thing to seeing Sheryl Crow live in person.

Special Features

All good things don’t last forever.  That goes for the special features on this Blu-ray, too.  There’s a featurette that has Sheryl talking about coming back to Hollywood to play at the world famous Pantages Theater, in addition to doing a sound check, and playing two full songs as well.  A booklet with her addressing the Blu-ray release is included with this disc.

• Behind the Scenes with Sheryl Crow featuring rehearsal versions of Eye to Eye and Stop

Final Thoughts 

There are many Sheryl Crow DVD’s out there, so here’s hoping that those come to Blu-ray, because if Miles From Memphis is a any indication, it will be a great day for music and the Blu-ray format.  If you’re interested in a collection of awesome tunes in lossless surround sound sung by a beautiful and classy woman then you really shouldn’t hesitate in scooping up Sheryl Crow: Miles From Memphis Live At The Pantages Theater. It’s a great Blu-ray.  

Order Sheryl Crow: Miles From Memphis on Blu-ray!

Film 

I have to start this review and confess that I had not heard any of Primal Scream’s music until their mid 90′s album Give Up But Don’t Give Out hit the streets.  After that album came out the hit single Rocks went into some serious rotation along with being on Beavis and Butthead.  Who knew that that particular album would have been met with backlash from the Primal Scream community as being too “dancy” and non-Primal Scream?  That’s actually the irony, because if you know anything about Primal Scream is that they genre-benders to the extreme.

When Screamadelica: Live on Blu-ray came in for review I quickly dismissed it as rubbish, because it did not sound anything like what Rocks sounded like.  See, I was judging a book by its cover, too!  I took a deep breath, hit the lossless track, and let the sights and sounds take me.

That’s actually what ended up happening as soon as the trippy rear projections hit the screen.  I had to sit up straight and not try to focus on them so much.  Psychedelic is one word to describe Screamadelica: Live on Blu-ray.  This being a special event and all, the boys were to play the Screamadelica album live for the first time ever in its entirety.  Primal Scream brought a gospel choir, brass section, and artist Jim Lambie onboard to enhance the experience.  Not only was this part one (part two technically) of the set, but Primal Scream would also be playing an all rock ‘n roll set of “other than” Screamadelica material.

I’ll be honest and also say that on this Blu-ray, I was not a fan (that much) of the rock set.  It would be a prologue to the much bigger event to come later on that night.  Bobby Guillespie pretty much mumbles his way through most of the rock set tracks which really irritated me, because I wanted to experience Rocks live.  It was not meant to be.  That’s what made me take a deep breath and put the Blu-ray aside for a few hours.  Once I recovered I went to the Screamdelica: Live set and I was a goner.  It’s a ten song set accompanied by some of the greatest visuals in recent memory; a visual and sonic feast, if you will.  This I approved of.  I could actually understand what Bobby was saying, too!

Screamadelica: Live is a great Blu-ray disc which comes packed with amazing special features and should be part of your Primal Scream arsenal.  Don’t let the weak rock set throw you off, in fact, on the Blu-ray both sets are broken in two.  You have the option of selecting them individually, and since it’s called Screamadelica: Live, guess which one comes first by default?  That’s right.

Screamadelica: Live setlist

Movin’ On Up

Slip Inside This House

Don’t Fight It , Feel It

Damaged

I’m Coming Down

Shine Like Stars

Inner Flight

Higher Than The Sun

Loaded

Come Together

Rock setlist

Accelerator

Country Girl

Jailbird

Burning Wheel

Suicide Bomb

Shoot Speed/Kill Light

Swastika Eyes

Rock

Video 

Screamadelica: Live is presented in 1080i 16X9 – 1.78:1 widescreen.  This is what it’s all about.  Colors are BRILLIANT and three dimensional.  They leap out at you and pull you in to the sounds.  With such bold and beautiful colors come some slight consequences, though.  Banding is a bit obvious at times, but that’s due to the heavy amount of color saturation during any given time.  Edge enhancement is also present due to some of the rear projection shots enveloping the band.  It’s not distracting, but it’s there.  Black levels are pretty consistent and they don’t crush too severely.  I’d say the contrast/black levels look their worse during the rock set, because that set is bare bones in terms of over the top production.  With that aside, Screamadelica: Live has a wonderful color palette that will sear your eyeballs.  In a good way.

Audio 

Screamadelica: Live contains three audio tracks for your pleasure.  There’s a LPCM stereo track, a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, and a gorgeous DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless audio track.  Guess which one I went with?  That’s right!  The lossless track wins hands down.  Vocals are discreetly centered with minimal echo, but enough envelopment.  This is a very large venue.  The people in the back should have had no problem hearing the lyrics.  The LFE was low and deep, and the guitars never ran into each other.  The sound stage was very efficiently maximized.  It’s a sound designer’s dream to work on something like this.  Screamadelica: Live is a near reference Blu-ray when it comes to sound quality and design.

Special Features 

Screamadelica: Live contains many special features.  So many that the total running time for this program is 208 minutes.  Trust me, for a concert video, that’s a lot.  In fact, it’s pretty unique, because Screamadelica: Live is basically the feature film and the rock set is a special feature.  Think about it for a minute.  The rock set is a special feature on its own.  The powers that be could have easily released this as two separate videos instead of one.  In addition to the rock set there’s a Primal Scream special on Classic Albums that showcases the humble beginnings of the Screamadelica album and the (heroin) aftermath.  That alone is one hour and there there’s almost half an hour of additional footage that didn’t make it to the finished show.  It’s great!   Bands need to take heed, because this is how rock ‘n roll special features are done!

• Rock Set
• Classic Albums: Screamadelica
  
• 30 minute deleted scenes from Classic Albums: Screamadelica

Final Thoughts 

I may have jumped the gun initially, but that was my fault.  Whatever you do, play Screamadelica: Live in its entirety first before going into the rock set first.  You’ll enjoy it more.  There are many sights and sounds to be devoured on this Blu-ray release.  A very generous portion of special features will expose and answer every question you ever had about the band and the making of the landmark Screamadelica album.  This Blu-ray is a testament to that groundbreaking album twenty years later.  Enjoy.

Order Screamadelica: Live on Blu-ray!

EAGLE TO RELEASE DEEP PURPLE’S PHOENIX RISING ON DVD, DVD/CD, AND BLU-RAY JUNE 28

BAD COMPANY LIVE AT WEMBLEY DUE JUNE 28 IN THREE FORMATS

In addition to conceptualizing the project as a TV show over  a movie, it was also Murphy’s idea to create the tour which features cast members Lea Michele (Rachel), Chris Colfer (Kurt), Dianna Agron (Quinn), Cory Monteith (Finn), Amber Riley (Mercedes), Kevin McHale (Artie), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), Naya Rivera (Santana), Harry Shum Jr. (Mike), Chord Overstreet (Sam), Ashley Fink (Lauren), Darren Criss (Blaine), Mark Salling (Puck), and oh-my-god-girl-can-you-dance Heather Morris (Brittany).  On June 14th, 2011, this amazing cast made Cleveland home for a night as they took to the stage at Quicken Loans Arena.  So how was this unconvential transition from TV to stage?  Before we answer that, we need to check out the opening act.

If you’ve never visited www.TheLXD.com, you need to do that right now.  Go ahead.  I’ll wait.  This article is still going to be here when you get back.  For those not familiar, LXD stands for the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers.  Created by director Jon Chu (Step Up 3D), this web-based series (which is also available on DVD) follows a good versus evil plot line focused around dance.  Their dancing builds momentum and energy which can manifest itself into a physically damaging weapon.  You’ll experience hip-hop, breakdancing, expressionist/modern dance, pop lockers and some people that are darn near acrobats.  Taking the stage for about 20 minutes, the LXD troupe featured approximately 8 dancers, all taking their turns on stage to wow the crowd.  However, there were fleeting moments when the choreography actually allowed them to go all out.  Quite frequently, it was far too contained and fragmented for the most part, prohibiting that energy from reaching the audience for the maximum effect.  Make no mistake; this group can bring it any day of the week.  I just wish their choreographer let ‘em bring it that often.

After some 40 mnutes of downtime, the lights finally went down again and the 16,000+ audience unleashed a shrill yet positive scream of approval (it seems that Glee‘s got a significant teenie-bopper fanbase).  My prediction was the show would close with Journey’s famous “Don’t Stop Believing,” a song made hugely popular once again through its revival on the first season of Glee.  As it turns out, I was completely wrong and this is what the show opened with.  The place went nuts and as for the cast members, well, they pulled it off with spunk and energy, not to mention a heaping round of solid notes.  The entire show is comprised of songs performed on the show, and while doing so, the cast remained in character.  This added a little bit of well-placed humor to the evening and pretty much gave the audience what they wanted.

Some of the other highlights of the evening included Heather Morris’ performance of Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U,” which she pulled off with incredible ease and sex appeal.  This girl has moves and believe me, she knows how to use them.  Kevin McHale gave a dance-inducing delivery of Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.” while Harry Shum Jr. danced his seemingly boneless body around the stage.  Even Darren Criss brought out his pack of Warblers (which drew more than a few favorably mammoth screams of approval) for some smooth-steppin’ tunes backed up by some very prominent stage presence.  Minus the Warblers, the whole Glee cast came out for an abridged version of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” while donned in white t-shirts labeled with their characters’ flaws.  The most savvy performance of the night has to go to Chris Colfer and Lea Michele’s “Happy Days Are Here Again / Get Happy.”  It was nothing short of beautiful and was easily one of the most memorable moments in the entire show, and let me just add, Lea Michele is something incredible in person.  This girl just belts out one tune after another with depth and passion.

So with that in mind, fans of the Fox show will most certainly get their money worth.  For those with no opinion of Glee, I would still recommend catching this act when it’s in town, simply because it’s just damn good music and a box full of talent (not a little box either…like an arena-sized box).  And for those who don’t like Glee, well doom on you, sourpuss.  The cast gave us attendees 90 amazing minutes of entertainment and I did not see one person exit that building without a smile emblazoned on their face…including yours truly.

The standard release of the album (there are so many flavors and editions) consists of 14 tracks.  Interscope Records released the album on Monday, May 23rd.  That’s an untraditional release date in my opinion.  Don’t you think?  Usually works of art are released on Tuesday’s or the occasional Friday’s.  But anyway, that’s what happened.  I’m not really sure of why it is, but let’s just roll with it for now and not sweat the small stuff.  However, interestingly enough, before her latest effort even hit retail outlets, 4 tracks (“Born This Way,” “Judas,” “The Edge of Glory” and “Hair”) were released for radio airplay.  Those were also accompanied by 2 music videos (“Born This Way” and “Judas”).

So what does it sound like?  I’m sure you have already heard it, but just in case you have not, go put in some of your old Madonna CD’s from the 80’s and 90’s.  You know you still have those.  There’s nothing to be ashamed about.  I’m a huge fan of Madonna, so you already know I’m digging this latest effort from Gaga.  I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this album is a hybrid and throw back to the pop, dance and electronic music of the 80’s and 90’s.  There’s nothing that’s going to blow your mind here or make you say “Wow!  I have never heard something like this before.”  But that’s okay.  Just like in the case of movies and their plots, there is really no such thing as an original sound anymore (in my opinion).  I think that died with the advent of Korn back in the 90’s (LOL).

Here’s a fun fact for you.  I just thought I would throw this out here.  The single “Born This Way” (track #2) is the fastest selling song in iTunes history.  However, like my buddy Gregg said the other day, there’s no “Bad Romance” on this album.  And this is just my opinion, but it may take several listens before you truly appreciate the sounds here.  That was the case for me.  There’s nothing that mind f*&^ed me here like “Bad Romance,” “Telephone” and “Alejandro” did on her latest outing (see my complete review here).  There is however, history here for me.  What do I mean?  Calm down!  I’m getting to it.  Geez!  Impatience is not attractive on you.  She wrote the song “You and I” (track #13) right here in the hometown of yours truly, even though the song is about Nebraska…LOL (go figure).  How many people can say that?  I know this to be true as Lady Gaga told us the last two times she was here in concert (see our reviews here and here).  She wouldn’t lie to us, would she?

Born This Way features contributions by Fernando Garibay, DJ White Shadow, RedOne, Jeppe Laursen and others.  And I’ll be honest.  I was exaggerating a bit when I said it sounded all like classic Madonna.  Sure, the album could be called a throwback to Madonna, but there are many varying styles of music to be found here.  If you listen close enough, you can even find elements of jazz and metal mixed in, among others.  You get the picture.  This isn’t a clone of everything came before.  This release sees Gaga taking a sharp right turn from the candy pop that made her famous and I always applaud an artist for taking risks, especially ones that work.  However, if it was a perfect word and I had my way in everything, then I definitely would have chose different cover art.  Gaga’s face and arms are fused/superimposed into a motorcycle.  WTF!  It looks like a bad Photoshop job that I could have made.  Instead, why wouldn’t she have played off her sexuality?  All the images contained within the booklet are turn-on’s, so why couldn’t the cover art have been?  I’m sure when we get Born This Way 2.0 I will get my wish, but until then I will just have to grin and bear it.  Dammit Gaga!

All kidding aside, I really only have three minor complaints in regards to the songs contained on Born This Way.  I would have picked a stronger opener than “Marry The Night.”  The song is not atrocious, but I would have picked something banging to lead off the tracks of the most anticipated album of 2011.  My other two complaints are purely based off my own personal likes and dislikes.  I’m not a fan of “Hair” or “Bad Kids.”  “Hair” is a song I would throw on the B-side of the single back in the days and “Bad Kids” just sounds too immature like it should have been a song Britney Spears could have lip-synched in her Mickey Mouse club.  That’s all!  And now with the good!

The song that initially took me the longest to get used to as a single on the radio has ended up becoming my favorite track on the album.  I’m talking about the subtly titled “Judas.”  The video may not be as dynamic and mesmerizing as “Bad Romance” was, but this song definitely sounds killer blasted while driving down the highway.  I don’t know.  Maybe it’s just me.  Other highlights, excluding “Born This Way,” include “Heavy Metal Lover,” “Bloody Mary” and the German thriller, “Scheiße”  Scheiße, loosely translated, means poop (or the expletive version of it).  Ha ha.  Brilliant!  I love it!  Perhaps, the best lyrical line, as pointed out to me by my buddy Gregg again, is in the song “Heavy Metal Lover.”  If the hypnotic electronic opening wasn’t cool enough for you, try these lyrics on for size.  “I want your whiskey mouth all over my blonde south.”  If you don’t understand what that means, then you shouldn’t be reading this review. You’re too young!  Get out of here!

The song titles, as found on the standard US release, are as follows.

1. Marry The Night

2. Born This Way

3. Government Hooker

4. Judas

5. Americano

6. Hair

7. Scheiße

8. Bloody Mary

9. Bad Kids

10. Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)

11. Heavy Metal Lover

12. Electric Chapel

13. You and I

14. The Edge of Glory

So there you have it folks.  I definitely wouldn’t call it the masterpiece Gaga refers to it as, but in my opinion, Born This Way has more memorable moments than dull ones.  That’s always a good thing in my book.  If you were among the lucky ones to score this album at the rock bottom download price of 99 cents on Amazon last week, then praise the Lord.  If not, there’s still time to get this at a really good price while the getting is good.  Amazon is currently selling both the CD and mp3 versions of Born This Way for an ultra cheap price of $7.99 and $6.99.  That’s a real good deal in my opinion.   What’s your take?  What are you waiting for?  You could be listening to Lady Gaga’s newest release right now.  The album is only a click away.  Get it now!  Thanks for reading!

Film 

It had been nearly fifteen years since the band we all know now as Heaven & Hell played together live.  It was time to rectify that.  The boys reunited for a tour which also paved the way for their newest album entitled The Devil You Know. Lots of special projects were to follow from both Heaven & Hell and Dio’s own band.  This of course would never come to fruition due to Ronny James Dio’s untimely death on May 16th, 2011 due to stomach cancer.

Heaven & Hell: Live Radio City Hall is the perfect testament and tribute to the legendary hard rock heavy metal vocalist.  The band line up consists of: Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on the bass, and Vinny Appice on the drums.  The boys are all in form I must say.  For such a little guy Dio belts out these impressive lyrics which such force, energy, and enthusiasm.  I got chills.  In fact when the band performed Children of the Sea I almost lost it.  It was so freakin’ cool!

Besides the obvious force of Dio’s vocals the band sounds tight and seem to have it all together.  From Iommi’s sinister guitar riffs, to Butler’s thunderous bass notes, to  Appice and his cannons  for arms, etc.  I thought he was going to topple his drum set a few times.  It also helps that all of these songs are smart, clever, and just plain well written.  Black Sabbath was never known for being a band that wrote “stupid” or “childish” lyrics.  Not in the Ozzy days and not in Dio’s days.  I think that’s why people connect with both incarnations of the band.  They’ve got something for everybody.

Heaven & Hell: Live Radio City Music Hall on Blu-ray runs at nearly three hours and that’s just the concert itself.  Yes, you will get pummeled by their musical fury.  Heaven & Hell are a force to be reckoned with no doubt.  I can go ahead and say with confidence that I have become more of a fan than I was before.  I used to be a casual fan here and there, but the Blu-ray has seen to that and my impulses have gotten the best of me.  I’m on a mission to track down all of Heaven & Hell’s material.

If you’re just getting into the band or need an ample kick in the behind I would highly suggest you get in on what will possibly be  Heaven & Hell’s final show on the high definition format.  Metal fans, you know I don’t need to tell you what you need to do, right?  LOOK OUT! the sky is falling down!  LOOK OUT! The world is spinning round and round and round!  LOOK OUT! The sun is going black, black! LOOK OUT! It’s never never never coming back, LOOK OUT! 

Track Listing:

1. E5150/After All

2. Mob Rules

3. Children of the Sea

4. Lady Evil

5. I

6. Sign of the Southern Cross

7. Voodoo

8. The Devil Cried/Vinny Drum Solo

9. Computer God

10. Falling Off The Edge Of The World

11. Shadow of the Wind

12. Die Young

13. Heaven and Hell

14. Lonely is the Word

15. Neon Knights

Video

Heaven & Hell: Live Radio City Music Hall is presented in 1080i 16X9 widescreen 1.85:1.  Here’s another winner from Eagle Rock Entertainment.  They know what’s up when it comes to video encoding.  When shooting a live show in HD (along with sporting events) the optimal resolution is 1080i.  This is all due to motion and how the camera captures it, but that’s a dfferent post altogether.

Heaven & Hell looks terrific.  Flesh tones look nice and healthy, the stage design really lends itself to high definition really well.  With just a minor bit of some banding and a miniscule amount of crush I would say that this is one of the best looking live concert Blu-rays out there.

Audio 

Heaven & Hell: Live Radio City Music Hall is presented in DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and LPCM Stereo.  I watched it in the DTS lossless 5.1 and  LPCM (1.5 mbps), and I think the lossless soundtrack sounds the best.  The center channel is the workhorse, because it has to handle Dio’s magnificent vocals, and does so without a problem.  Iommi’s guitar creeps in from the right, and Butler’s bass from the left with Appice’s drums handled by the LFE.  Once the band gets into the groove of things (30 seconds in) the music envelops the room.  The surrounds never echo and handle the crowd cheers without distraction.  The Devil would be proud of this display of sonic bombast, in my opinion.  I know I was.

Special Features 

Heaven & Hell: Live Radio City Music Hall has just under an hour of special features, but contains an EXCLUSIVE 11 minute interview(s) that can now be considered somewhat haunting.  It’s very cool, though.  The rest of the features contain interviews with the band, the crew, and the fans.  It’s your backstage pass to Heaven and Hell.

• “Road Movie” – is a revealing behind-the-scenes look at the 2007 tour originally planned as a one-off that was so spectacularly successful, it not only solidified the lineup but spawned a new album, 2009′s The Devil You Know.
  
• “Hail The Gods Of Metal” – takes the viewer into the inner sanctum of the Dio/Iommi/Butler/Appice chemistry.
• “Meet The Mob” – shows just how beloved these musicians are to their fans.
• “Radio City” takes us on a tour of this most hallowed hall.
• “The Wisdom Of Dio” – speaks for itself. These never-before-seen additional interviews are only available in the Blu-ray format.

Final Thoughts 

Whether a you’re fan of Black Sabbath, Dio, or heavy metal in general, Heaven & Hell: Live Radio City Hall on Blu-ray is the perfect way to relive the joy that these men have brought the world for over thirty years.  Ronny James Dio may be gone, but his voice will never be silenced.  It has been immortalized on this Blu-ray for all time.  RIP RJD \m/.

Order Heaven & Hell: Live Radio City Hall on Blu-ray!

ONE OF THE SEMINAL ALBUMS OF THE 1990s—SCREAMADELICA BY PRIMAL SCREAM—RETURNS!

EAGLE ROCK TO RELEASE SCREAMADELICA LIVE CONCERT ON DVD/CD & BLU-RAY!

~Award-Winning Documentary Series Classic Albums Goes Behind-The-Scenes On Blu-ray-Only Exclusive~

Screamadelica defined a generation. The band, originally formed in 1982 Scotland, made its mark in London with its 1987 Sonic Flower Groove debut. Screamadelica, in 1991, was their third album and made them international kingpins of alternative British rock. Utilizing ample parts indie-rock, house, dance, dub, gospel, pop and more, it set the scene for dozens of like-minded bands on both sides of the Atlantic.

Screamadelica Set List:

1) Movin’ On Up

2) Slip Inside This House

3) Don’t Fight It, Feel It

4) Damaged

5) I’m Comin’ Down

6) Shine Like Stars

7) Inner Flight

8.) Higher Than The Sun

9) Loaded

10) Come Together

Rock Set List:

1) Accelerator

2) Country Girl

3) Jailbird

4) Burning Wheel

5) Suicide Bomb

6) Shoot Speed / Kill Light

7) Swastika Eyes

8.) Rocks

Order Screamadelica by Primal Scream on Blu-ray!

HEAVEN & HELL—DIO! IOMMI! BUTLER! APPICE!—ONSTAGE AT RADIO CITY

~HISTORIC METAL NIGHT AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY MAY 17!~

Pre-order your CD today!

It’s usually difficult to find someone who shares the same fanfare as myself when it comes to concerts. Fortunately, planning for this show started off on the right foot for me as I was to head out with an even bigger little monster than I, though I had never met her. My first meeting with her would be one to catch me off guard as I approached the skeleton-faced makeup of my partner in crime for the evening. Donning a blonde wig and cosmetic artistry that mimicked Lady Gaga’s voodoo-like appearance in the ‘Born This Way’ video, we immediately struck up a conversation on the approaching show.

The hours passed quickly as we eventually made our way across the street to Quicken Loans Arena with a show slated for an 8:00 start time. Let me repeat that…an 8:00 start time. Somewhere around 8:30, the opening DJ known as Lady Stardust made her entrance, complete with a full bottle of Jack Daniels in hand. Aside from some attempts to dance on stage while downing gulps of the Tennessee liquor, she spun some hardcore records from some of my favorite bands like Metallica and Faith No More. Talent was fairly non-existent here though cramped as we were on the standing-only floor, I think people just wanted someone to come out and do something. After all, the occasional shove from behind and rising humidity in the close proximity of others was starting to take effect.

After Lady Stardust made her exit, opening band Semi Precious Weapons came out to perform, putting a cap on an overly long delay between acts. With humorous taglines in the songs such as “put a diamond in it and bite down” and “I can’t pay my rent but I’m fu***ng gorgeous,” they provided a smile if nothing else. As my fellow fan next to me said, “I just want to see Gaga already.” I second that, honey. Things started to heat up for fans and not in a good way.  The levels of irritation had long since surpassed a state of mild annoyance at that point. 

It all started with a trio of girls who insisted on pushing through everyone to get a better position closer to the stage. The reluctance of others, yours truly included, resulted in them playing the pout card. Too bad, so sad. The next undesirable event came when a fishnet jumpsuit-wearing individual next to me accidentally clobbered me in the head during his arm-raising cheer. Nothing like an elbow to the back of the cranium. Effectively pissing everyone off in our area, the same guy was trying to maneuver his way to different people over the course of different songs. Finally, my cohort tried making him aware of his aggitating actions. His response was telling the girl next to him, “I’m gonna bring a friend of mine up here to stand in front of you, but don’t worry, she won’t block you.” She won’t block you? Is she invisible? Finally, my temper reached its climax from the constant bumping, nausea-inducing smells and rising temperatures when I blatantly gave Mr. Fishnet his behavioral option. That’s singular. He was not provided with multiple choices at his disposal when it came to rectifying his actions. Thankfully, he disappeared.

Now, on to the show. On to Lady Gaga! Wait, who? The clock struck 10 and we still waited for the pop culture queen to make her appearance. The stage had long been prepped and ready, but the seemingly incessant delay was nothing short of painful. Everyone was getting a little edgy and understandably so. Finally, at around 10:30, the show started. I understand that unexpected delays happen, but for the courtesy of the fans, you need to give them an explanation. It’s like showing up 2 hours late for a date and acting like there’s nothing wrong with that. Still, Gaga is very good to her fans and watching her perform that up close and personal was nothing short of amazing. I have to mention that at one point in between songs she said, “Some people ask me if I lip sync.  No.  F##k no.”  Ms. Spears, are you reading this?  Take notes.

The evening’s set list consisted of the usual favorites like ‘Poker Face’ and the opening tune, ‘Dance in the Dark’.  She even included a ballad rendition of the title track off her new album, ‘Born This Way’, of which she played on her burning piano. In addition, she also played another song off of her upcoming album, this one titled ‘You and I’; a song that she stated was completely written in Cleveland and whose guitar rhythms will be played on the album by Queen guitarist Brian May. The jazzy-sounding piece with frequent tips of the hat to the home of rock n’ roll ignited the crowd, which, like all of her other songs, ended with resounding applause.

Great music and awesome choreography couldn’t save the night though. The awful waiting, irritating fans, wafting body odor, and awful waiting had done its damage (did I mention the waiting). As my concert other-half said to me last night, “This is more draining than a sporting event,” and she meant actually competing in the event. It was taxing to be sure, so with dignity intact and enough stamina to reach the concession stand for some revitalizing Aquafina, we re-energized enough to head out before the show’s closure. We missed ‘Bad Romance’ and the encore, but between the two of us, we felt like we just finished the Boston Marathon…twice. In short, it was time to go. Lady Gaga sounded great but the delaying antics were too hard to swallow to keep the enjoyment buzz going.

Born This Way arrives May 23rd, 2011

So yeah, I’m always on the lookout for new and fresh music/artists that I can eat up and what’s better than free?  Right?  I know!  So as I was busy at work Friday morning I checked to see what the free single of the week was on iTunes and low and behold there was this beautiful/seductive temptress there basically saying just download me.  Who the hell am I to resist?  I read a few of the user reviews, but I’m like what the hell.  It’s free!  What do I have to lose?  If it sucks, I will just delete it.  Either way it’s a win-win situation.  And man…was it ever a win!  Friday morning I discovered one hell of a song.  Now that’s not to say this tune doesn’t come without controversy.  Many will say she is completely manufactured sound and looks.  I guess at this point in my life, since I don’t know too much about her, I can’t agree or disagree with those critics.  Others say they liked her voice on her previous recordings and this track sounds completely different.  Well duh!  Aren’t artists supposed to grow and take risks?  Again, I can’t find much on her to honestly debate this other than mentions of a band known as Porcelain and the Tramps.  Did she sell out? Who knows, who cares? What I do know is that her groove is infectious and her looks catapult between Lady Gaga and a seductive female version of Marilyn Manson.  And I love that yin-yang thing she has going on.  It’s quite a turn on for this closet gothic guy.  But anyway, I digress.  Let’s let the music speak for herself.

Like I said before, I was hard pressed to find anything on the Internet about my newest diva discovery.  Oh yeah, I guess I should mention her name, huh?  That would be nice!  LOL.  I’m talking about the one and only Miss Porcelain Black.  Her newest single with Universal Republic is titled “This Is What Rock N Roll Looks Like.”  I’ll be the first to admit.  It’s bubblegum rock.  But it’s catchy as hell.  IMO.  Her raspy voice and exotic appearance just does me in.  I’m hooked.  I’m addicted.  I’m yours Porcelain Black.

The following is reprinted from an article I found today on www.rap-up.com and I wanted to share with all my readers.

Lil Wayne knows a bad chick when he sees one.  The Young Money chief is convinced that Porcelain Black is the next big thing, praising the glam rockerwhile on set of her video for “This Is What Rock N Roll Looks Like.”

“The baddest bitch in the game, you feel me?” said Weezy, who appears in both the video and on the single.  “I said it, you dig?  And I’m aight, too.”

The 25-year-old Detroit native, who is currently opening on the “I Am Music II” tour, explained that the single is for anyone who’s ever been bullied or treated like an outcast.  “I think that was a really important song for us to be the first single because it’s a good message, but it’s badass as f**k at the same time and there’s lots of kids out there that got picked on growing up,” she said.  “You gotta embrace who you are and never be ashamed of who you are.  It’s important to be creative.  It’s important to be different.”

Again, I don’t know about you, but she seems like my type of girl.  Her first single speaks to me like a rebellious rock anthem I needed in school.  Porcelain is currently working on her Universal Republic debut with producer RedOne.  I’m looking forward to that one.  Can I please review it Miss Black?  Is that a yes?  So without further ado, click below to check out Porcelain’s debut single with Universal Republic, “This Is What Rock N Roll Looks Like.”

Click below to stay in touch with Porcelain on the World Wide Web.

]]> http://whysoblu.com/porcelain-black-rock-n-roll-looks-like/feed/ 8 http://whysoblu.com/rory-gallagher-irish-tour-74-blu-ray-review/ http://whysoblu.com/rory-gallagher-irish-tour-74-blu-ray-review/#comments Sat, 09 Apr 2011 22:47:21 +0000 Gerard Iribe http://whysoblu.com/?p=23202 I’m always up for new discoveries when it comes to music and musicians.  Being a hard rock aficionado and guitar geek, why is it that I had never heard of Rory Gallagher?  In fact the whole staff at Why So Blu hadn’t heard of him.  I decided to go ahead and venture into unexplored territory with the Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 Blu-ray.  In a sense you really can’t go wrong when some of the greatest living guitar legends of all time like Slash, Brian  May, Glenn Tipton, and The Edge, cite Gallagher as a major influence in their playing of the guitar.  That’s all I needed to know before I dove into the Blu-ray. 

Film  

Rory Gallagher and his band of Irishmen toured all of Ireland during times of political unrest during the 70′s.  It’s this sense of fearlessness to bring his fellow countrymen rock ‘n roll that won the hearts of his people and planted the seeds of the early “Irish Rock” movement.  Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 chronicles several tour dates of his Irish tour.  A pretty successful one at that.

Irish Tour ’74 is a concert and a film all in one.  The film opens with some beautiful shots of the Irish coast while the opening song “Walk On Hot Coals” jams over the footage before cutting to Rory and the band on stage jamming on.  In all honesty, the band ROCKS!  Rory is a great guitarist and his voice is very soulful.  If you were to look at him you wouldn’t think the boy could have belted out vocals the way he did.  But he did!  In addition to being one of the earliest Irish guitar Gods of the time, Rory Gallagher and his band could have even been considered a progressive band of sorts.  There are only nine songs on the Blu-ray, and it runs at almost 90 minutes in length.  That’s nearly ten minutes per song averaged out.  Wow!

The track listing is as follows:

• Walk On Hot Coals
• Tattoo’d Lady
• Who’s That Coming
• A Million Miles Away
• Going To My Home Town
• Cradle Rock
• As The Crow Flies
• Hands Off
• Bullfrog Blues

One of the things that really struck a chord is that during an interview portion of the film Rory says that he has never wished for fame or money or any of the excesses or rewards that come with being a famous musician.  Rory totally downplays his emerging success, but it’s believable.  He seems like he was most content to just get up there and jam with his mates.  He was of afraid of losing that.

Rory Gallagher passed away in 1995 due to complications from a liver transplant.  If you’ve never heard of the man or seen any of his shows on television or video then you owe it to yourself to give Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 spin on Blu-ray.  If you’re a musician or play the guitar then you really NEED to check this Blu-ray out.  The only critical drawback of this release is that it’s really short.  Other than that, it’s pretty amazing.  Pass me a Guinness!

Video 

Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 is presented in 1080i 16X9 (1.78:1).  1080i is the optimal playback resolution for live music and sporting events, so please don’t get upset that it’s not 1080p.  1080i is the way live music should be watched on Blu-ray.

I did not know until the credit scroll at the end that this film was remastered (or restored?) in 2K.  It sure didn’t look it.  I think they may have remastered it from 16mm, but I can’t confirm that.  Scenes not involving their musical performances were generally good.  Every one looked healthy, flesh tones looked natural, and grain was not overly present.  The image was soft during daylight scenes, and did contain a bit of white digital noise or speckle.  During the late night jams and during the darkened stage performances the backgrounds had an almost midnight blue appearance with some crush and heavy grain in parts.  This is obviously the best the material will ever look, so I would hate to see the original footage in whatever state it may be in.

Audio 

Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 is presented in DTS HD Master Audio 5.1.  For all intents and purposes this track ROCKS!  Wow, there were certain parts during the film that I had to turn it down a bit thinking I was going to get a knock on the door from the neighbors.  Eagle Rock have done a great job with the sound mix on Irish Tour ’74. I have one other release from Eagle Rock Entertainment and it’s the Alice Cooper: Live in Montreaux Blu-ray and I thought that was a near reference disc in lossy DTS.  Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 buries that sound track.  Vocals come through crisp and clear, as do the bass, guitar, keyboards, and drums.  None of the instruments overpower each other or come off as sloppy.  The sound stage is easily distinguishable, and here’s hoping that Eagle Rock Entertainment continues the excellence with these lossless audio tracks.

Special Features 

Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 has a smidgen of special features.  There’s a half hour segment for a television show called Music Maker on which Rory Gallagher is profiled.  There’s a really cool film reel video of Rory and the boys visiting Japan during their stop; filmed in 8mm, because their music is played over the reel.  This is the best feature of all.  Lastly we have an audio commentary by Donal Gallagher (Rory’s brother and tour manager) and longtime friend and bassist Gerry McAvoy.  It’s a very warm and cool reflection on Rory’s life and legacy.

• “Rory Gallagher: Music Maker”
• “In Your Town” – Japanese 1974 Tour home footage
• Audio Commentary by Donal Gallagher  and Gerry McAvoy

Final Thoughts 

If you want to discover some Irish hard rock embedded with some blues then all you need to do is get yourself a copy of Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 on Blu-ray. The only drawback , as I mentioned before, is its running time.  If it would have been at least two hours, it would have been great.  This is an almost forty year old film, so please take this review as a vouch that the  Blu-ray looks good and sounds great.

Order Rory Gallagher: Irish Tour ’74 on Blu-ray!

PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT INVITES YOU TO EXPERIENCE THE INTIMATE AND INSPIRING STORY OF ONE BOY WHO TURNED
HIS BIG DREAMS INTO REALITY

JUSTIN BIEBER:

NEVER SAY NEVER

Bring Justin Home on FRIDAY, May 13

in a Blu-ray™/DVD Combo with Digital Copy or a Standard DVD
Including Exclusive New Footage

HOLLYWOOD, CA (March 30, 2011) – The captivating and inspirational story of a small town boy who became a pop phenomenon through sheer talent and determination takes the stage when the feature film JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never debuts on Blu-ray/DVD Combo and DVD Friday, May 13, 2011, from Paramount Home Entertainment.  JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never follows Bieber’s journey from his early years to his rise from break-out internet sensation to global superstar, culminating in a sold-out show at the famed Madison Square Garden.  Incorporating personal home footage that chronicles Bieber’s prodigious talent from early childhood, the film also features all-star musical performers.  JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never is the highest grossing concert-themed film ever in U.S. history, having earned more than $72.2 million at the domestic box office, surpassing the lifetime domestic grosses of
Michael Jackson’s This Is It.

The JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never Blu-ray/DVD Combo with Digital Copy and standard DVD include a concert dance off that was not shown in theaters in which Bieber and his crew show off their amazing moves, a full-length concert performance of “Favorite Girl” from the Director’s Fan Cut of the film, footage of Justin’s team surprising lucky fans with free concert tickets and a final farewell to Bieber’s signature hairstyle.

JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never Blu-ray/DVD Combo

The JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Surround and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The Digital Copy is presented in English Stereo with no subtitles.  The Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack breakdown is as follows*:

Blu-ray:

o   Feature Film (HD)

o   Concert Dance-Off (HD) – Justin and his crew showcase their incredible dance moves

o   Favorite Girl (HD) – Live performance from Madison Square Garden

o   Giving Back (HD) – An extended look at Justin’s team surprising lucky fans with free concert tickets

o   R.I.P. Hair Flip (HD) – The cameras were rolling when Justin cut his famous hair

DVD:

o   Feature Film

o   Digital Copy

JUSTIN BIEBER: Never Say Never Standard DVD

The single disc DVD is presented in English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround, Spanish 5.1 Surround and English Audio Description with English, French and Spanish subtitles.  The DVD includes the following*:

o   Concert Dance-Off

o   Favorite Girl

o   Giving Back

o   R.I.P. Hair Flip

Order Justin Bieber: Never Say Never on Blu-ray!

From left to right: Donovan (bass), Patrick Ols (guitar), Jackie LaPonza (vocals), Mike LaPonza (drums), Matt LaPonza (drums)          

Sure, there are hundreds of bands that make it to the big show and get an album to the masses via national marketing.  And for every one of those bands, there are hundreds more that fall by the wayside due to lack of effort and/or talent.  Jackie is on their way to the former.  Formed in the early 2000′s, the band has roots that stretch much deeper than that.  The band is a family affair, with lead singer Jackie LaPonza sharing performing duties with her two brothers since they were kids.  Their dad Sam also got involved, serving as their manager, who has guided them on their current path to greatness since their days in grade school.  Granted, they’re no longer kids, but Papa LaPonza is still there overseeing the band’s national tour, studio work, and creativity come together for one hell of a rock band experience.  The band’s music has evolved over their short time together, culminating today in what is best described as a mix of Evanescence’s dark overtones with Paramore’s aura and overall sound.  At the end of the day, it’s a note-laden recipe that Jackie cooks up to make it their own.         

The band got its name in sort of a default manner.  They didn’t have a solid identity yet and as they readied to play gigs, and their name was just sort of bestowed upon them.  When all else fails in thinking of a title, go with the most recognizable band member; the lead singer.  There are moments when the whiskey-hinted sounds of Jackie’s voice, solicit a calm a before the storm until the drums explode with a thunderous announcement of percussive presence while the lead and bass guitars enter the fray with Jackie’s lyrics leading the charge.  Such is the case with one of their songs, titled “Always.”  Standing in the audience after our interview,  I drank the lyrics and inhaled the emotion that the band spilled forth, creating one of those moments where the hair on your arms stands on end and you just get lost in the music.  When is the last time you can say that happened to you at a live gig?  I went to an Ozzy concert recently and had a blast, but never once while I was there did I get the downpour of adrenaline that I got from this band.          

The energy this band unleashes on an audience is like an ever-expanding ring of shockwaves from a detonation.  It envelopes you like some audible drug that makes you an immediate addict for more.  Still, the band does have one serious drawback.  Their shows end.  This may not be the best parallel, but remember when you were a kid and your mom called you inside because it was late out but you were still having fun?  That’s a Jackie concert.  Hey I’m a taxpayer!  Get up there and play more tunes!  Ah, but as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end.  The personalities of each band member make these concert experiences just that magnetic.  They’re a group of down-to-earth musicians who love to do what they do, and do it well they do.  When they approached the stage for their set, you see this transformation take place from a sense of serenity to this increasingly amped vibe.  You can’t just succeed at playing music to wow thousands of people at a show; you need to excel at it.  And you can’t just excel at playing music; you need to perform it.  Whether it’s one of the LaPonza brothers hammering away on the drums or sister Jackie singing her heart out and romping from one end of the stage to the other, this quintet knows how to get it done.  They don’t sing.  They don’t play instruments.  They perform.  The instruments are nothing more than an extension of the high octane musical energy that’s waiting to bust open the floodgates and flow into the spectating souls in front of them.          

Drummers Mike and Matt LaPonza split duties on their tools of the trade with a fierce intensity.  Bass guitarist Mike Donovan owns stage left with a confident smirk as he plucks away while lead guitarist Patrick Ols mans the opposite side, putting his abilities up there with the best in the business.  Then there’s Jackie LaPonza, donned in rebellious punk attire, belting out note after note, while commanding the stage with a piercing gaze, strong vocals and enough sex appeal to make a construction crew switch from wolf whistles to crooner’s tunes.  Get these traits in the same room and you’ve got yourself a musical force to be reckon with.  They may share similarities with other artists out there; the aforementioned Evanescence, even a hint of vocal similarity to Pink but a tad higher on the note scale, but at the end of the day Jackie is its own driving force, not copying, not borrowing, but paying homage to and introducing the world to their own powerful style.  Combine an iron horse work ethic with an arsenal of talent and the equation equals what this band has to offer.          

So what’s the band like off the stage?  What started off as an interview, morphed into a twenty-minute relaxed and entertaining roundtable discussion with the bandmembers of Jackie.  They talked about coming together as a group, their experiences on the road, and last but not least, their music.  If there’s one last thing I can add before you move on to the audio clips below, it’s this.  I know talent seekers in the music industry can’t be everywhere at once, but come on, guys!  You’ve got a gold mine sitting here.  Record labels are doing themselves and fans around the globe an injustice by keeping this band a secret.  Jackie deserves nothing less than to be in venues like the Staples Center and on program powerhouses like MTV.  It’s been a long time since music of this genre got my adrenaline going and that’s when Evanescence released Fallen.  With two albums under Jackie’s belt and four-song EP coming in February, not only am I onboard, I want to pilot the damn ship.  So without further ado, here is Why So Blu’s interview with the band Jackie…         

For more information on the band, check out their official website at http://www.worldjackie.com         

Above photography courtesy of Discovery Photo / Scott T. Morrison        

 For a little audio appetizer from the band, check out their single, The Choice:       

Once inside the venue we got ourselves some Jameson whiskey and began watching the opening bands play.  There were two opening bands that played. The first band was called Alevela.  Alevela was pretty damn cool!  They’re a hard rock/metal outfit that crank out the tunes with heart and ease.  They even performed a cover of Lady Ga-Ga’s “Bad Romance” which made everyone feel happy.  What makes them unique is that they have a keyboard/synthesizer player who takes lead.  They have a very multi-layered set-up.  I wish we could have gotten there earlier to check them out from the beginning.

When Alevela finished up their set me and the GF went further into the floor area.  The second band up was called Runner Runner. This is where it got kind of painful, because my music sensibilities never deviated to pop.  They sucked, in my honest opinion.  It was too bubble gum-pop for my (our) tastes.  I think my GF hated them more than I did.

After Runner Runner got off the stage it was now time for Lit to take over and show the youngsters how it was done.  The lights when down, the feedback and bass hum kicked in and the boys exploded onto the stage.  Time had stood still.  I was transported back to my younger days and the band had not skipped a beat.  Lit cruised effortlessly from song to song as if they had never been on a hiatus.  This was the first time the band played at this venue since the death of their original drummer and founding member Allen Shellenberger.  It was a debut show of sorts.  Nathan Walker was the new man on the skins with an even newer addition to the band in Ryan Gillmor who would handle additional guitar and keyboard duties for the band.

Lit played an electrifying set which included old school material mixed in with newer tunes.  I must say that the new stuff sounds GREAT!  Word has it, or at least according to the band, that writing and recording is currently taking place with a new album to be released this summer.  Stay tuned for the official announcement right here on Why So Blu.  After the initial assault on our senses from the first section of songs, the lights went dim and three cellists appeared before us on the center stage.  Jeremy and A.Jay Popoff (guitar and vocals) played a special tribute song to their fallen brother in rock with a special photo album playing on the plasma screens.  It was very cool and heartfelt.

After the touching acoustic/classical tribute ended the boys came back out and proceeded to annihilate us with a few more songs before calling it a night.  They ended the show with “My Own Worst Enemy.”  I looked at my watch and after it was all set and done Lit’s performance only lasted about an hour and forty minutes.  That was kind of short, but then again I am spoiled when it comes to bands that I want to see. I want an epic run time, but understand why a just under two hour show is needed.   Now how did Lit do overall? That’s a loaded question, but I’ll be as impartial as I can.  The brothers in arms Jeremy and A.Jay havent’ slowed down for anything.  They’re beasts.  They own the stage.  No lie.  Kevin Baldes (bass) gets down with a pick and fingers, and never missed a beat.  Although I did see a Youtube clip of him doing a Highway to Hell cover which was pretty impressive.  The new guys, and how did they do?  Nathan Walker (drums) played his heart out and never missed a fill.  Ryan Gillmor (guitar and keyboards) was cool, but got kind of shy towards the very end during the Lit pyramid.  Nervous?  I don’t know, but he blushed.

In wrapping up I will break it down to its bare skeleton.  The show rocked.  The band is back, sound great, and have  a renewed sense of enthusiasm.  I can’t wait for the new record which (I hope) comes out this summer.  I hope people give them a chance, because the true fans (like me) will be here waiting.  They made Big Al proud.

]]> http://whysoblu.com/lit-hob-anaheim-10-year-anniversary-series/feed/ 4 http://whysoblu.com/greggs-2010-album-of-the-year/ http://whysoblu.com/greggs-2010-album-of-the-year/#comments Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:38:45 +0000 Gregg Senko http://whysoblu.com/?p=16660 As of a few weeks ago, I had no intention of writing this article, simply because I had no material worthy of this honor.  The top 40 on the radio usually consists of “in the moment” tunes that may be decent, but come from albums that lack a solid performance from the first track to the last.  From where I stood, it was an anemic year for music.  Linkin Park brought us something new, but not necessarily something exciting.  The Black Eyed Peas’ latest work didn’t exactly send people to the moon either.  Another example is the band Daughtry, of whom I’m a fan.  Their collaboration with Carlos Santana covering Def Lepperd’s “Photograph” was uninspiring to say the least.  What’s that mean when even bands you like aren’t measuring up?  It means quality is going to hit you when you least expect it. 

If, 365 days ago, you would have said that my pick for the best album of 2010 was a film soundtrack, I would have thought you to be slightly off your rocker.  So the shoe is on the other foot.  Daft Punk’s scoring of Disney’s Tron: Legacy came out on top this year.  The movie achieved a tepid status with me, but the music hit a much higher note.  I recall in July at this year’s Comic-Con when director Joe Kosinski fielded a few questions of what it was like to have the kings of techno handle the complete soundtrack for his movie.  Though his exact words escape me, his expression stated it was a no-brainer to bring those guys on board.  It was a calculated risk bringing a pop culture duo or group aboard to compose the full Tron: Legacy soundtrack.  Sure, Daft Punk is proven, but what was their exposure to putting together all the music for a feature film? 

When that opening scene started, a smile fell upon my face as the sounds of a keyboard synthesizer graced the cinema speakers.  It was a sound I grew up listening to and was one I immediately associated with the original Tron.  From there, the soundtrack blossomed into one that wasn’t merely limited to techno club rhythms, but that of a full symphonic delivery with a synthetic string and brass section as the percussion erupted into a plethora of bass.  There is not one mundane or filler piece of music on the Tron: Legacy soundtrack.  This is one bragging right that not too many albums can claim these days.

I bought a Daft Punk album back in the 1990′s (Homework), which I still have today.  I enjoyed it then and now, though it didn’t convey anything even close to the range of mood and emotion that was put forth on this Hollywood album.  My personal favorite track of the bunch is #8, “The Game Has Changed.”  There’s such a sense of urgency and challenge threading the tune’s notes, that my ears can’t help but get sucked in to the picture it paints and the emotion it instills.  One of the more publicized tracks is “Derezzed.”  The fatally labeled piece sounds more like Daft Punk’s older work, firing off rapid, repetitious beats that fulfill a hectic pace and taunting flow. 

Other tracks deliver a hypnotic sound, capable of drawing in the listener, just like any of the other numbers on the album that total between 22 and 24.  The number varies because it depends on where you buy it.  If you buy the physical CD, there are 22 tracks.  If you get it from Amazon purely as a download, there are 23 tracks, the last of which, “Sea of Simulation,” is an Amazon exclusive.  And finally, if you get it from iTunes, you’ll pay $2 more than on Amazon, but you get 24 tracks.  Is the $2 worth it?  I’ll leave that up for you to decide.  If you already have an iPhone or iPod, you’re paying more for the iTunes convenience than you are the extra track. 

Regardless of what format you buy this on, you can’t go wrong…that is of course you despise techno, but I think if you made it this far in the article, there has to be some attraction to the synth-music genre.  Daft Punk did a phenomenal job putting this album together, morphing it to fit the mood on screen and building it to what has also become a great stand-alone album.  Congrats!

 CD:

MP3 Download:

Taking place on December 12, 2010, at the Gibson Amphitheater, located in Universal City, CA (next to the Waterworld: Stunt Show Spectacular or whatever that attraction is called that is better than Costner’s flop), this was night two of a two night event.  The previous night featured a lineup of acts that included:  The Smashing Pumpkins, Social Distortion, My Chemical Romance, Jimmy Eat World, Bad Religion, and Cake.  While I enjoy a good number of those bands, night two was really the show I wanted to see.  The lineup for night two featured:  Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, Brandon Flowers, The Black Keys, The Temper Trap, Neon Trees, Florence + The Machine, Broken Bells, and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.  This was the night that caught my eye and now I am prepared to share how much fun it was…to the best of my under qualified abilities.

For those unaware, KROQ (Kay-Rock) is a Los Angeles based radio station, which mostly airs modern rock, broadcasted all over Los Angeles and Orange County.  This concert has been running since 1990, always taking place mid-December, featuring a solid lineup of popular rock and alternative music groups.  Despite the non-insubstantial price of tickets for the concert, the event does sell out quickly.  Night one sold out in less than 30 minutes.  Night two sold out in less than 15 minutes.  It was a battle for me to log in online and get through the server to purchase my own pair of tickets, although that doesn’t sound epic enough, so let’s say that I had to wrestle a grandma to get one of the last pair, that’ll do.  The proceeds of the Acoustic X-Mas concerts benefit Para Los Ninos, the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center, and other local charities.  It really is a show focused on having a great lineup, with intentions of giving and helping out others for the holidays.  So enough preambles, let me get to the concert.

The Concert

After fighting through traffic on the 101 freeway and within the Curious George parking lot to reach the show’s location, my friend and fellow UCSB graduate, Jessica, and I were ready to rock out.  The show started at 6:00 p.m., and with 9 acts to get through, one of the coolest aspects was how the stage at Gibson Amphitheater was set up to rotate.  This meant that as one group would perform in front of the audience, the proceeding group would be setting up on the opposite side.  This process meant no lag time between sets, which meant “Hell Yeah!” for all of us excited to see these acts.

The first act up was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.  Besides having one of the coolest band names in the business, this was a fun start up to the show.  Singer Alex Ebert (who I only just recently found out is also the lead singer for indie group Ima Robot, who I really enjoy) managed to lead this 9-person ensemble well, as he made for a fun guy to see interact with the crowd.  Not at all unwilling to be a part of the audience, Alex wandered into the crowd, while continuing to sing, and even gave away a tambourine to a lucky fan.  As every band had only so much time to play, ES and the MZ’s (even their acronym is cool!) delivered a solid setlist, which of course consisted of their two most popular tracks, “Janglin” and “Home.”  By the time the “Zeros” had finished, I am sure the rest of the audience was more than psyched to see this opening act momentum carry on throughout the night.

So next up to play was Broken Bells.  A fairly new group, which has the distinction of being made up of DJ Danger Mouse and lead singer of The Shins, James Mercer, this act was another solid entry in the lineup.  Focused mainly on delivering the music and less on crowd interaction, Broken Bells delivered the goods, as they performed their set, played their songs well (as one would hope, and I am a fan of their self-titled debut album), and made a pumped-up crowd pleased with a more low-key, melancholy, rock sound.  Those unfamiliar by name with Broken Bells, just look up their hit single, “The High Road,” and recognition should occur fairly quickly.

Due to a schedule change, which I will get to later on, the next group up was The Temper Trap.  Fortunately, this Australian, alternative foursome managed to bounce very well off the rhythm of the night so far established, following the Broken Bells set.  Known well for their very popular hit song, “Sweet Disposition,” The Temper Trap made sure to alert the audience to their near obsessive amount of instrument work by lending a majority of their act to very atmospheric set of songs and sound.  Things certainly got tribal, as lead singer Dougy Mandagi eventually left the mic behind and focused on banging on his one large drum during the aptly titled “Drum Song”.  While enthusiastic about keeping the crowd engaged, the dedication to creating the music sans vocals, for the most part, was certainly a way to keep the audience members, who were big fans, held at bay by sounds they would consider mesmerizing.

Next up, a band that certainly commanded the night early on, based on how enthusiastic their lead singer was, Neon Trees performed a fantastic set on stage, which certainly made me a bigger fan of what they had to offer.  Breaking out much bigger this year, with hits like “Animal” and “1983”, Neon Trees truly was a force to be reckoned with, as they arrived on stage, dressed festively, as they had the holiday spirit in mind.  Lead singer Tyler Glenn, who knew how to where a spiked mohawk quite well and, as Jessica pointed out, had quite a large mouth, was certainly going for the gold as he belted out the group’s hits, danced along all silly-like, engaged the audience frequently, and even brought out Santa Clause to hand out presents.  What more could you ask for?  How about a chance to sing-a-long?  Well that happened too, as Tyler gave some simple instructions and the audience readily complied.  While already satisfied, the sudden amp up in faster-paced rock undoubtedly got me even more pumped up.

Following Neon Trees, arriving just in time apparently, as we were informed that traffic getting to Gibson Amphitheater from the 405 freeway was a bitch, Florence + The Machine appeared on the other side of the rotating stage and were ready to get heavy.  Just as I was saying that this concert could use both:  more cowbell and a manic, pixie dream girl, Acoustic X-Mas delivered on at least one point, by letting me listen to London-born lead singer Florence Welch.  While I didn’t get to hear a cowbell, I was compensated by watching a fantastic set that featured incredible vocals by Welch, who was accompanied by her backing band (The Machine), which included a pretty awesome golden harp.  While the whole set was a great and impressive joy to watch (“Cosmic Love” was definitely a highlight), “Florence” ending on the popular hit, “Dog Days Are Over,” was pretty cool due to the fact that their late arrival on stage left them with little time to finish; so the band wholeheartedly continued to play, even as the stage was rotating to bring in the next act.

And speaking of that next act, The Black Keys came onto stage, starting out strong with their recent hit, “Tighten Up.”  The Black Keys were one of my top three reasons for going to the concert, and once again, as I have seen them a few times now, great things came from their performance.  Announcing early on that they had little time and would perform as many songs as they could, the “Keys” wasted no time, as they delivered strong with the dirty, bluesy, rock and roll that was so desired by the squeaky clean audiences, politely going insane with joy.  The duo, consisting of Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals and Patrick Karney on drums, surely knew how to please their fans, as the setlist consisted of 8 songs, all performed expertly.  Ending on their single, “I Got Mine,” my feelings certainly matched those sentiments.

Following The Black Keys, The Killers front man, Brandon Flowers, was next, embarking on his first Acoustic X-Mas show as a solo artist.  Clearly very popular, while I may not be the biggest fan of his or The Killers, I certainly observed an artist delivering a show that was intensely satisfying for all his followers.  Flowers started out with his newest single, “Crossfire” (which I got caught up in), but had some special surprises in store for the crowd later on.  Flowers told the audience that he has had some time to rework some of The Killers’ songs, which lead to a slow, acoustic (fitting) performance of “When We Were Young.”  I found this to be pretty cool.  At the end of his set, Flowers then managed to put on a techno-remix performance of “Mr. Brightside,” which was a good way to let things finish out.

Not averse in the slightest to having fun with their own image, Vampire Weekend was next to come out onto stage, with a well placed hip-hop beat backing their entrance.  Following this joyful announcement of, “Yes, we are here to have fun,” the New York originated, preppy-dressed, indie rock band started off with a fitting song for the night’s theme, “Holiday.”  I could continue to list off songs, as Vampire Weekend is one of my current, favorite groups, but suffice it to say that this group knows precisely how to blast out their intricately constructed, catchy songs.  Bigger singles such as “Cousins” and “A-Punk” were played and played well, only to be followed by the laid back pseudo-lecture that is “Oxford Comma.”  Even after settling into some of their more island-tinged songs such as “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” Vampire Weekend decided to go out on a great upbeat note with “Walcott.”  One final note, having seen this group a couple times now, I must point out that bassist Chris Baio is a fine multitasker, as he knows how to display some fancy footwork, while performing.

Closing out the night was Phoenix.  Consisting of four, polite, French men, Phoenix has a knack for delivering both:  an amazing performance that echoes the sound of their studio albums and an excuse to try and rave to the sounds of alternative French pop, as the intricate lighting setup of their act will certainly be hard to avoid, let alone separate yourself from, as the fresh sounds of their upbeat melodies never seem to get old.  Phoenix may have been the most difficult group to attempt to photograph, but they certainly put on a damn fun show to watch.  Lead singer Thomas Mars seems to have the qualities of an all around nice individual, as he warmly greets the crowd and heads into the audience to continue his vocal performance.  Guitarist Christian Mazzalai seems to be having plenty of fun as well, as he toys with the audience by hitting simple chords at a time with nothing but smiles for the crowd.  Even with the shortened set time, Phoenix still managed to find time for their almost completely electronic (with some instrumental help) tracks, “Love Like a Sunset, Parts I and II.”  “Lisztomania” may have been played quite early to satisfy many, but Phoenix could of course not get away without playing their massive hit, “1901.”  Despite claiming to end the night with either “Lasso” or “Girlfriend” (or something else I can’t remember, as I was having too much of a good time), the band of course quickly bounced back onto stage and performed their biggest single for the enjoyment of many.

Overall, the night was pretty fantabulous (yeah, 2000 words in, I’ll just start making some up).  As I mentioned, this night two show of KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas sold out in less than 15 minutes, so clearly I was not the only one looking forward to what was a pretty fantastic setlist.  Each group brought their unique brand of (mainly) alternative rock to the stage and performed more than adequately.  It is cool to see some of your favorite bands live.  It is even better when you watch them not suck on stage.  That was certainly the case here.  To make things even better, the rotating stage setup was great, as the show rarely slowed down.  Once things got going, it was a great musical experience to witness on a strangely warm December night in Los Angeles.  I hope to carry on the this rock momentum into 2011.

One final note:  I managed to video record several clips of the performances I saw on my iPhone 4.  Using an app, I was able to create a nice little video collage of several songs performed that night.  Feel free to enjoy it in all its HD glory.

Find more pics and get more info about the event at:  http://kroq.radio.com/shows/21st-annual-kroq-almost-acoustic-christmas/

Film 

There’s never been a band in the history of music bigger than the Beatles.  By the time they disbanded, all of the infighting, the miscommunication, the lawsuits, and just overall exhaustion took a toll on all four members.  Every one of them coped in different ways after the break up with varying degrees of success and happiness, but for John Lennon it took a little longer.  Life in London was very hard on John and Yoko because of the incessant fans and because of the hostility of some of those fans and the press because of Yoko.  It’s easy to lay all the hard feelings on the public perception that it was because Yoko broke up the Beatles and although I’m sure that played a part in it, I don’t believe that was entirely the cause.  John on his own, had increasingly become more and more vocal over time about his opinions and not everyone agreed with him and many thought he should just stick to his music.  Outrageous stunts like the bed-in where Yoko and John stayed in bed and invited the press to talk to them while a sheet covered their heads, probably caused more to question his well-being than his desire for peace.

The situation grew bad enough that the Lennons moved to New York City in 1971, where they immediately felt at home among a city full of fellow anti-war artists and musicians.  The American anti-war movement was equally happy to have John with them as he brought his considerable fame with him every time he performed, which allowed the movement a white hot spotlight to spread their beliefs.  Pretty soon, John started speaking out again while performing concerts for a variety of causes like freeing prisoner from prison (which worked) to raising funds for a mental institution and schools.  When people saw that his celebrity and commitment to his beliefs could actually implement change, it galvanized the anti-war movement and at the same time, alarmed the U. S. Government who deemed Lennon a viable threat and started what they termed “a strategic counter-measure,” by notifying Lennon of deportation proceedings.

As the film’s director and writer Michael Epstein makes clear, this threat by the Nixon Administration had a severe effect on John who dearly loved New York and had no desire to leave.  The stress from the possibility of deportation combined with Nixon winning his re-election bid, engaged John’s self-destructive streak. After drinking heavily, Yoko and him went to a party and he grabbed a woman there and loudly made love to her while Yoko stood there completely embarrassed in front of their friends.  This disrespect to Yoko made her send John away so they could have a break and she sent their assistant May Pang to go with John when he moved to Los Angeles.

The movie spends quite a bit of time covering what John would later describe as his “lost weekend,” which lasted eighteen months.  This dark chapter in his life shows how John at this point had lost everything that meant something to him and how he spiraled out of control and sunk into a deep alcoholic fueled depression that only got worse as time went on.  Although his band members and friends were concerned about him, none of them felt that they could really help him. Paradoxically, for Yoko everything was going great.  Her work was being viewed more favorably and she had never been more productive.  Calls from John’s friends to her asking her to take care of John went on deaf ears as she felt that they had never wanted her around and now John was their problem to deal with. John’s alcohol intake was growing exponentially and his drunken antics began to put him in danger and also in the newspapers.

It wasn’t until 1974 that John came back to New York intent on becoming sober and making an album and by doing so, getting his life back in order.  The resulting album, “Walls and Bridges” provided him with his only #1 single apart from the Beatles with “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night,” which also featured Elton John. John joked that if the song ever hit #1 then he would join Elton on-stage at Madison Square Garden and when it did, he kept his word.  It was at that concert that John connected with Yoko again and they eventually resumed their relationship which provided the stability that John needed.  When his son Sean was born in 1975, John finally found the life he had been searching for.  All in one day, John realized his heart’s desire as the day that Sean was born was also John’s birthday and also the day he finally won his deportation case and was allowed to to stay in the U.S. legally.  Being with Yoko and Sean in his adopted hometown of New York and free from any threats of being deported, grounded him in a way that never seemed possible before.  John decided to step away from his musical career to care for Sean and that break lasted five years.

In 1980, John was back in the studio, happy, healthy, and ready to pick up where he had left off with his career.  His first single was appropriately titled “(Just Like) Starting Over,” which was followed by the album “Double Fantasy.”  His new-found happiness was captured in the album and it was his intention for it to appeal to people his own age, which caught some of the press off guard.  John Lennon was content to no longer be viewed as a rock and roll icon, but instead as just a human being doing the best that he could.  John, having finally found the peace and happiness he had long sought, would have it all taken away on December 8, 1980, when he was murdered in front of his residence by a “fan” for whom he had signed an autograph for earlier in the day.

This movie captures the life and times of John Lennon well.  Using in between session dialogue and off-the-cuff banter and home movies, we get to see and hear the unfiltered John Lennon.  He was always known for being witty, but there was several times during the movie that he made me laugh with his tongue-in-cheek comments.  When he was interviewed on the radio about the government’s efforts to deport him, John offered a sly compromise by joking that “maybe they could just ban me in Ohio.”  In the same discussion, John takes over the DJ’s duties and began describing the local weather report by commenting “they say the air is unacceptable, but I accept it.”  In addition to the funny parts, there’s also some very touching scenes with Sean and with his former Beatles.  Knowing and seeing that John made peace with his former band-mates, especially Paul, before his death pleases me very much.  Seeing footage of the two of them together at ease and friendly once again was just one of the highlights of this movie.

Another one was hearing a recording of a discussion between John and his son Sean talking about Sean’s favorite song “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Hearing John talk about the Beatle song is moving because not only do you sense his mixed feelings about his son’s choice, but also his pride as well when Sean starts singing the lyrics (while images of the Beatles appear onscreen).  It really hit me emotionally to observe that private side of John who must have struggled a lot internally on how to deal with his former band’s success while at the same time distancing himself from it.  I can only imagine it must have been wonderful, irritating, amusing, and frustrating all at the same time for John, especially at times like this, when his own son has picked a Beatles song over one of his own solo songs.  To his credit, John seemed amused by the song choice and it took him a a minute to remember the song title before gamely going along with it like the good father he was.  Moments like these, along with some honest comments from Yoko, really offer some new insights into John Lennon and who he was and what he stood for.  His legacy will live on through songs like “Imagine,” “Give Peace a Chance,” and of course all of those legendary songs he co-wrote with Paul McCartney.

“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” – John Lennon

Video  

The movie is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer that looks very good if you take into account the amount of archival footage that’s been included in the movie. Recent interviews have a solid and sharp look to them and the old footage from home movies looks okay too but of course it’s never going to look brand new. Despite the mixed and matched footage gathered from a variety of different sources, the overall quality is pretty good.

Audio  

There are options to listen to this in Dolby Digital 2.0 or in 5.1 and the 5.1 track sounds very good which is good when the movie is about one of music’s greatest practitioners.  Dialogue is clear and front heavy but the music is well divided across all of the speakers.  I’m fairly certain that the Blu-ray of this movie will most likely sound even better than this DVD.  There’s a few instances where it’s hard to hear the dialogue but I attribute that more to the source material than this track.

Special Features  

There are no special features at all on this disc.

Final Thoughts  

Today marks the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death.  I was eight years old when my family and I heard the news that he had been killed while we were in the car.  I can still remember my shock and disbelief that someone that I cared so much for was taken away like that.  At the time, my feelings of extreme sadness were also tinged with anger because I knew that there would now never be a Beatles reunion which was one of my strongest desires.  As time went on and I grew up and had a son of my own, my feelings changed because now the sadness I feel is not because of the lack of a reunion, but because John Lennon was never given the chance to really enjoy the life he had fought so much for.

He never got to see his sons grow up or had the chance to spoil grandchildren, and now as a father myself, that really gets to me.  It’s still tragic that the world will never benefit from hearing new songs from John, or that there will never be a Beatles reunion, but the real travesty is that a light for the world was extinguished for no good reason and left a wife and two sons without a father.  I plan to honor his memory by listening to his music and hopefully through this review. I highly recommend this movie to any fan of John Lennon and anyone curious about one of the most warm, talented, and opinionated trouble-makers to ever appear on the world stage. As he said, “part of me would like to be accepted by all facets of society and not be this loudmouthed lunatic musician.  But I cannot be what I am not.”

John Lennon 1940-1980

If you are interested in John’s life after the Beatles, take a look at this!

Watch the full episode. See more American Masters.

So at work Monday morning, I got a few “How could you have not heard them before?  Don’t you know…”  No, apparently I didn’t but now it all makes sense.  I figured ‘Halford’ was someone’s name in the band, namely the lead singer.  *Ding, ding, ding*  That’s one right for me so far.  Still, I had no clue who that was.  *Bzzzzt!*  Hey, one out of two is a good batting average.  Halford is indeed the name of lead singer Robert Halford, who is the former frontman for landmark rockers Judas Priest.  Since the 90′s, Halford the singer has been making music with Halford the band, and what music it is.  In all the concerts I have attended, my experience with opening acts has not been a favorable one.  Halford made sure to up-end that experience. 

These guys were awesome in every sense.  It was just good old, head-bangin’, kick your @$$ heavy metal.  As my dad stood next to me moving subtley to the rapid fire rhythms, I could tell he too approved of the band’s unforgiving wickedness.  The group played at a blistering pace through what would be a set just shy of an hour.  Lead singer Halford spoke to the audience a couple times during the night, and while this is always welcomed interaction, the man knew the audience wanted metal, metal, and more metal.  Halford heard the call and answered with a resounding performance.  These guys will give any metal band a run for its money and while there aren’t as many out there today as there used to be, don’t be surprised if and when this material makes a resurrgence in the near future as mainstream music continues to be bogged down by lip synching and a auto-tones.  What album of there’s should I buy?  Does it matter?  You might as well throw a dart in trying to decide becasue you can’t go wrong with Halford.

After the close of Halford’s performance and some fine-tuning of the instruments, a giant video screen came to life at the back of the stage.  Combining some of today’s most iconic pop culture shows and films, Ozzy’s intro contained scenes from productions like Avatar, Twilight, Iron Man 2 and Jersey Shore.  These weren’t just straight scenes though.  In the Jersey Shore clip, we see Ozzy’s face almost seamlessly digitized over that of the Situation’s, while bluntly asking the crew of short gal Snookie, “Who invited the midget?!”  I have to say, I laughed pretty dang hard at all this, especially the clip from Iron Man 2 when Iron Man’s mask is removed revealing Ozzy’s face where he exclaims, “I AM Iron Man!”  It was clever, well thought out and brilliantly assembled.  Nevertheless, as humorous as the video collage progressed, we were all eager to finally get to Ozzy himself.  When the clips wrapped, the words “Let the Madness Begin” appeared on the screen and out came Osbourne in a quick step donned in a black trench coat. 

As the crowd came to life once again, Ozzy and company hit the ground running, opening with “Bark at the Moon.”  This was followed by “Let Me Hear You Scream,” the first single off his newest album, Scream.  As the night progressed, so did the energy, contributed considerably to by Ozzy’s band, consisting of Adam Wakeman on the keyboard, Rob Nicholson on bass guitar, Guinness World Record-holder Tommy Clufetos on the drums (this guy is unreal, but more on him in a second), and the phenomenal Gus G. on lead guitar (talent personified).  Clufetos brings a stage presence that is really difficult to equal; not just in the realm of drummers, but performers in general.  I saw this guy last year in Detroit when he was touring with Rob Zombie.  Now he’s with Ozzy and he’s still wound up and ready to attack the nearest drum kit.  The guy plays hard, fast (what he’s in the Guinness Book of World Records for), and adds a whole lot of spirit to his performance while he reaches to the heavens, drum stick extended, in rhythmic succession.  If I were any inanimate object, I would not want to be one of his drumheads.  Talk about taking a beating!

Let’s not forget about Ozzy though.  Turning 62 last week, Ozzy still darts around the stage with the energy of someone twenty years younger.  On occasion, the Prince of Darkness would man a firehose on stage and spray the first half dozen rows of the audience with fire-dousing suds.  At one point late in the show, a camera focused on one particular fan in the first row.  With his arms extended and mouth wide open, this happy concert-goer looked like the skinniest snowman I’d ever seen, completely covered in what looked like shaving cream from head to toe, all courtesy of Ozzy’s hose antics, of which he replied, “AFTER ALL THESE YEARS AND I’M STILL F#####G CRAZY!” 

The former Black Sabbath lead singer made sure to revisit tunes of old as he and the band played one of my favorites, “War Pigs,” along with other classic songs from his past like “Iron Man” and “Rat Salad.”  And after all these years, not only is Ozzy still crazy, but the guy still has it.  He’s grabs the audience’s attention with the ferocious grip of a hawk’s talons and never lets go.  Once you’re along for the ride, buckle up.  Ozzy’s vocals are undiminished, dazzling the many generations of the audience with his penetrating sound and dominating presence.    The stage’s pyrotechnic effects were the perfect blazing accents to a show that was on fire from start to finish.  Closing out a two-song encore with “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and “Paranoid,” the quintet of hard rockin’ musicians, took a simultaneous bow.  Ozzy was the last to leave the stage, wishing all a Merry Christmas and bidding farewell to the crowd until next time. 

Set List:

Encore:

Let loose and Scream today!

Just to give you an idea of how prolific they’ve been and how successful as well, here is a look at a small portion of the movies they’ve provided music for: The Sword in the Stone, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Aristocats, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Charlotte’s Web, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and they are still producing even more music!

They’ve been nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two of them (Best Song and Best Score for Mary Poppins), and five Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards (winning for Best Original Score for Mary Poppins)!  They’ve also been inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2005, given a star on the Walk of Fame in 1976, and awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2008, which is the highest honor given by the Unites States of America to artists.

Film 

For as much joy these two men have brought the world, you’d think that they would’ve had their own happy-ever-after ending but unfortunately life got in the way.  Life started out pretty good for the two brothers whose father Al Sherman was a well known Tin Pan Alley songwriter who introduced music into their lives at an early age.  The Sherman family moved to Los Angeles because Al Sherman was offered a job at a studio, but when that fell through after they arrived the family decided to stay in L.A.

Growing up, Bob wanted to be a novelist while Dick became interested in music after a original song materialized in his head and he realized that he had a musical ability.  Eventually, Bob went into the military and during his service saw many terrible things and was even shot in the knee which left him dependent on a cane for the rest of his life.  He was also one of the first troops to enter the concentration camp of Dachau, all of which affected him deeply.  When he returned from the war, he was a changed man and the polar opposite of his sunny and outgoing brother Dick.

Despite their differences, they discovered that they worked really well together and began collaborating on music along with another partner for Bob’s new music company Music World Corporation.  When that partner grew jealous of Dick’s increased role, he threw scissors at Dick and Bob promptly threw him out of the office and from then on it was solely the Sherman Brothers.  Their first success came in 1958, when one of their songs “Tall Paul,” was covered by mouseketeer Annette Funicello.  After the success from that, they began writing more and more songs just for her and the popularity of those songs brought them to attention of Walt Disney who requested that write a song for her new movie The Horse-masters.  They went on to write more songs for Disney such as “The Monkey’s Uncle,” that featured The Beach Boys who were at that time, a relatively unknown band who sang the background chorus.

Walt Disney was so happy with the Sherman Brothers that he signed them on to be the in-house Disney songwriters and they began writing music for Disneyland attractions and the movies.  For the theme parks, they are best known for writing “It’s a Small World,” and “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” being the most prominent.  They had a life-changing hit with Mary Poppins which won them accolades and awards and success on a scale that they never dreamed of.

With songs like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “I Wanna Be Like You,” “Winnie-the-Pooh,” and more, they cemented their legendary status and earned the right to be the only songwriters ever put under contract by Walt Disney.  When Walt Disney died, their position and enjoyment level at Disney disappeared and they decided to go freelance which allowed them to join Cubby Broccoli’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which also allowed them to re-team with a lot of the Mary Poppins cast and crew but also more awards and nominations for their work.

As good as things were professionally, the behind the scenes reality was that the brothers were drifting apart due to different personalities and lifestyle choices.  We get a glimpse of Bob’s desire to be apart and his brother’s disapproval of how much money he liked to spend, while we also see that underneath his sunny demeanor could have a temper and controlled his money tightly.  They would continue to work together professionally but that was it.  Their families no longer talked to each and they avoided each other publicly as much as they could which was really hard on their families.

As Dick’s son Gregg  later said, ““My family would see his family at a Sherman Brothers event, but we would never be seated at the same table or near them in the theater.   We would acknowledge that they existed, but we had no relationship with them.”  It was also hard on the other side of the family as well as Bob’s son Jeff also was unhappy with the new arrangement.   He would later state, “it’s uncomfortable to go to a premiere and smile for the camera, and then walk to separate sides of the theater.  I got dribs and drabs of the story as time went on, but we were all told ‘they have their life, we have our life and they shouldn’t cross.’  As adults, Gregg and I decided to break that tradition.”

After finally talking to each other at an after party for the new stage musical of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the sons of the Sherman Brothers, were able to finally talk and empathize with each others position.  “It was the first time we ever really spoke,” said  Jeff later, “We talked for hours at the after-party. As we caught up with each other, we realized that most of what we had been told about our family was very different. It was like we were looking through two separate halves of a pair of binoculars focused on the same thing.”  Their reunion led to the making of this documentary by the songwriters two sons who both conceived, produced and directed it which allowed a degree of intimacy and respect that really added a lot to the movie.

I found this documentary very moving and was saddened to discover that the men whose music I’ve loved my entire life have had such an unhappy relationship.  It’s not a matter of fault, or that there’s someone to blame since I believe that the brothers love each other but for some intangible reason, they can’t get past the walls of their self-imposed disconnection with each other.  It’s frankly amazing that they can continue to work together as well as they do considering the circumstances.  My guess, is that they’ve learned their own way of coping with that distance and how to get around it while working.  It’s apparent that Dick would love to have a close bond with his brother but sadly it’s equally clear that Bob has no interest in pursuing that.

There are some touching scenes where Dick reveals a beautiful poem that Bob wrote for him on his birthday that tells him how much Dick means to him, and it breaks your heart to see how much that means to Dick but in the end, they are still cut off from each other.  After Bob’s wife died, he moved to London to avoid seeing any memories of his late wife while Dick remains in Beverly Hills. Now that they’re separated by distance as well as emotion, any reconciliation at this point seems doubtful.  Bob is content to continue creating paintings, while Dick continues to make music and be the Sherman Brothers ambassador to the world at events celebrating them.  With insights and anecdotes from Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, John Williams(!), Barbara Broccoli, Hayley Mills, John Lasseter, Alan Menken, Angela Lansbury, John Landis, Roy Disney, and of course interviews with both Dick and Bob and others, this is a comprehensive look into the success and personal failures of two immensely talented men.

Video 

This picture quality with its 1.78:1 aspect ratio is pretty good for a DVD.  Of course I would prefer to see this on Blu-ray but they did a good job on this.  The old footage looks good and the recently filmed interviews look great too.  Flesh-tones were a little to warm for my tastes, but the black levels are mostly good throughout the movie.  The detail is also good for a DVD and I think most people will be happy with this until a Blu-ray arrives.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track is pretty good.  Dialogue is clear and most importantly, the music sounds good for a documentary.  I do wish that they had allowed more of the Sherman Brothers musical numbers into the movie instead of just clips of them, but overall this is a satisfactory mix.

Special Features 

I really enjoyed the extras on this DVD but I wish they had added some commentaries to it since there is so much history to cover.

Bonus Features Include:

• Why They’re “The Boys” – Through interviews with their friends and co-workers from throughout the years, we learn how they earned their nickname as boys and how it stuck with them for their entire career.
• Disney Studios in the ’60’s – A look at the era of the legendary studio when the Sherman Brothers were under contract and part of the life and culture of a creative playground of animators, filmmakers and producers. There’s also a nice duet of the boys and Walt.
• Casting Mary Poppins – Learn how Julie Andrews got the part of Mary Poppins from the point of view of Bob and Richard and also from Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.  This was a nice synopsis and it had two of my favorites in it!
• The Process – Join Richard Sherman for a look at the Sherman Brothers’ song writing process.  This was very interesting to see the interplay between them and how they go about creating these wonderful songs.
• Theme Parks – In addition to composing scores for many classic Disney -movies, the Sherman Brothers also wrote many popular songs for Disney theme parks.   A talk about how they went about composing a song for rides such as “It’s a Small World,” and “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room,” and other attractions that opened in Walt Disney World.
• Roy Williams – Roy Williams was a Disney animator who had an office right next to the Sherman Brothers. Through Roy’s artwork, we learn some of the stories of what it was like to work in the Animation Building in the 1960’s through his rough drawings.  He would slip the artwork under their door and kept a continuous flow through the years and we get to see a lot of them.
• Bob’s Art – In addition to being an amazing lyricist, Bob Sherman’s other passion is painting.   He doesn’t seem to have a set style but some of his work is very good and it appears that he has even had some art shows.  His website is www.RobertShermanArt.com
• Celebration – A collection of testimonials from celebrities, Hollywood legends, and admirers who share their experiences about the Sherman Brothers, this piece earned “The Boys” the National Medal of Arts from the President of the United States.
• Sherman Brothers’ Jukebox – This collection of Sherman Brothers songs and the stories behind the songs provides a unique look into the extensive careers of Bob and Richard. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes info and also just to listen to Bob and Dick play these songs for us as if they were in our living room.  I originally thought it was just a music jukebox that simply played the songs but it’s a lot more so don’t skip over this feature.  Here are the songs included:
  • “Tall Paul”
  • “Chim Chim Cher-ee”
  • “Feed the Birds”
  • “Gold Can Buy Anything (But Love)”
  • “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”
  • “Jolly Holiday”
  • “Oh, Gee, Georgie!” (performed by Eddie Cantor, 1924)
  • “Up, Down and Touch The Ground”
  • “A Spoonful of Sugar,” performed on the guitar by Laurence Juber
  • “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”
  • “Ugly Bug Ball” Der Wienerschnitzel Commercial

Final Thoughts

This is a fascinating, touching, and illuminating look at one of the biggest songwriting teams since Gilbert and Sullivan, and Rodgers and Hammerstein.   I’m not sure why I am as sad for them as I am but I guess it’s because their music has brought me so much pleasure over the years and I wish that some of that magical happiness that they created was saved for themselves.  It is nice to see their sons step away from their father’s implacable example and to create something wonderful together without the same discord of their fathers.  At the very least, they’ve learned from their father’s mistakes which allows this film to end on a slightly optimistic note.

Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter that a rift exists between the Sherman Brothers because it never stopped their infectious music from being shared with the world.  The tagline for the original poster (which should have been used for the DVD cover and you can find below), summed them up perfectly:  Brothers.  Partners.  Strangers.  True as that statement might be, pictures like the one above and the one below, gives me hope that perhaps one day they can be more than songwriting partners…but also the close brothers they once were.

Order your copy today!

]]> http://whysoblu.com/the-boys-the-sherman-brothers-story-dvd-review/feed/ 2 http://whysoblu.com/trans-siberian-orchestra-boredom-or-bedazzler/ http://whysoblu.com/trans-siberian-orchestra-boredom-or-bedazzler/#comments Mon, 29 Nov 2010 23:59:51 +0000 Gregg Senko http://whysoblu.com/?p=15360 For longer than I can remember, my senses have been bombarded by the annual holiday season advertisements and catchy seasonal tunes. One constant amidst this barrage of Christmas time cheer is the yearly return of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Before this past weekend, I had yet to add a TSO show to my concert-going repertoire. That all changed on the afternoon of November 28th as the lights went down at Quicken Loans Arena (affectionately known as ‘The Q’) and the multi-faceted production took the stage. Would this holiday-themed concert live up to its hype or fall short of expectations?

As the show began, I quickly realized the stage and set I was laying my eyes upon was one of the most elaborate, if not thee most, I had ever seen in person.  There were 64 remote controlled turret-based, color-changing lights on the back wall afixed amidst a backdrop of video mesh.  Then there are the numerous concert lights secured to the overhead scaffolding offering yet another dimension to the lighting.  The stage was lined with lengthy bars of color-changing lights, illuminating the environment to resemble something reminiscent of a Tron landscape.  No cent was spared as two catwalks extended over the audience, of which the undersides were covered in video screens.  In addition, there were the alternating pyramid-shaped video screens that hovered above the performers.  Last but not least, were the numerous displays of pyrotechnics that offered jaw-dropping color-changing flames from an unearthly deep orange to blue to an eerie green. 

The group consisted of four female vocalists, three male vocalists, a narrator, a violinist, two pianists, three rhythm guitars, one bass guitar, a drummer, and a string section made up of approximately six violinists and two cellists.  That aforementioned string section was comprised of local performers from the Cleveland area whereas the rest of the cast are part of the regular touring act.  As for the show itself, a TSO concert is divided into two acts.  The first delivers a somewhat confusing, but modern story.  As Lady Gaga’s numerous wardrobe changes were a buzz kill to the flow of her show, the narration, while delivered in a booming voice recited from memory and not a teleprompter, was only a fraction of the first act that seemed to be never-ending in an unpleasant sense.  With roughly only one or two tunes in that first act that really got out to chase the hare, I found myself wanting the show to end quickly.  It was ultimately 80′s hair metal ballad collides with Christmas song. 

For the most part, that first act was ballad after ballad after ballad after ballad.  The lack of energy was simply draining, culminating with one of the male vocalists who talk-sang his way through a tune that felt like it was approaching the ten-minute mark.  With all that being said, this is how the show achieves such a wide-ranging audience; from the 13-year old boy in front of me to the 75-year old woman at the end of the row.  If you expect the older generation to leave a performance of hard rock guitar riffs smiling, you’ve got to apease them as well as the younger crowd.  TSO seems to gracefully walk this fine line.

Despite the overall slow pace of Act I, there is an incredible amount of talent on the stage in many forms.  The pair on the keyboards, one of which is the show’s musical director, tap the artificial ivory in rapid and flawless succession, threading the needle from one note to the next.  The violinist is a ball of energy as he guided his bow over his expertly played strings (the photo above was from a different performance).  The female vocalists are easy on the eyes in their incredibly beautiful and sensuous appearance, only matched by their easiness on the ears with their harp-like voices.  The guitarists, however, are front and center as the show tends to place the spotlight on them more than the others.  With the production’s roots in a metal band known as Savatage, it is no surprise why.  From this sound is where TSO was born. 

The second act took off like the proverbial bat out of hell.  The music grew in intensity.  An aggresively heart-pounding drum solo graced the stage.  The lights and lasers filled the air in luminescent frenzy.  This was the image and sound that came to mind when I think of TSO.  After a disappointing opening, my ears were finally digesting the Christmas-laced ferocity I was after!  What the heck is that?  No, this was no mad rush for a department store sale.  This was ‘Little Drummer Boy’ on steroids.  This was ‘Deck the Halls’ on a missile.  Pure electricty had surged throughout the sellout crowd and the very mixed demographic of the audience loved every bit of it.  Since the show was born out of Cleveland, Ohio over a decade ago, it was only appropriate to close out with a local song that concert-goers would truly appreciate; ‘Cleveland Rocks’. 

The applause was deafening and the show enjoyable, but would I return to another TSO concert?  Chances are, probably not.  That first act was an anchor on a ship trying to get out of port.  The second act cut that line and let TSO show what they’re fully capable of.  It’s unfortunate that the show’s first-half pace doesn’t allow them to let loose a little sooner.  I’m no expert (yet), but when assembling a production, rule numero uno is to not bring the audience down for too long with slow numbers.  That aside, I would attach an honorable yet simple badge of “good” when describing the overall entertainment value of the performance.  With that being said, “good” just isn’t good enough when it comes to earning my ticket sales a second time. 

For tour date near you and more information on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, check out their website at:
http://www.trans-siberian.com/

Famed conductor Leopold Stokowski volunteered his services for free after sparking to the concept during a chance meeting with Disney.  Although Fantasia didn’t do as well financially as had been hoped, it eventually became very successful and is considered to be one of Walt Disney’s greatest successes.

Fantasia

Fantasia was the first movie to be shown in multi-channel sound thanks to a new process Disney came up with called Fantasound, and the original release was 2 hours and 20 minutes long.  Five additional re-releases followed the original release in 1940, including a second release in 1940, plus 1946, 1956, 1963, 1969, 1977, 1982, 1985, and 1990, although in a much edited versions.

Every release had different cuts and most of the original footage wasn’t seen until the DVD release in 2000, and since they didn’t have a digital score they brought in Irwin Kostel to re-record it.  Eventually, the original Stokowski  conducted score was restored for this Blu-ray in addition to the bridge introduction scenes presented by Deems Taylor which had been removed long ago.  With this Blu-ray, Fantasia has finally been restored back to the original Roadshow version that Walt Disney released.

Although each clip has an introduction, I am going to focus solely on the actual animated segments.  Here is the order that they appear in:

• Johann Sebastian Bach‘s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor – This sets the tone for the rest of the program and also let audiences know that this wasn’t going to be the usual Disney fare.  Abstract light patterns and symbolic and suggestive images dance across the screen in a celebration of music.
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky‘s Nutcracker Suite – A look at the cycle of changing seasons through the work of faeries.  Different sets of faeries either bring about Spring, Winter, Autumn, etc. through dance and magic.  An idea that would carry over years later in the solo Tinkerbell series.
• Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – The most well known and beloved segment of this movie that stars Mickey Mouse as an assistant to a powerful Sorcerer.  When his master grows tired and goes to bed, leaving his wizard hat behind, Mickey quickly takes the hat to use the magic to help him do his chores which if course starts great and then backfires horribly.  This is my favorite one in this version too.
• Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring – A darker look at the evolution of the Earth and the creatures that reside on it.  A fairly bleak and somewhat violent look at the fate of the dinosaurs and I regretted accidentally showing it to my 2 1/2 year old son as I had forgotten about it.  Not for very young children.
• Ludwig van Beethoven’s The Pastoral Symphony – A fairly bizarre look into Greek mythology that didn’t make any sense and is definitely the weakest part of this movie.  There’s no clear narrative and it looks like they just took a bunch of random ideas out of a hat and put this together.
• Amilcare Ponchielli’s Dance of the Hours – My son enjoyed this one a lot more with it’s dancing ostriches, hippos, elephants, and alligators.  This is ha highly polished segment and we enjoyed the high flying well choreographed dances.  Intricate in design and original in execution.
• Modest Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain – The darkest segment that starts a two part look into the cycle of life and death with this one focusing on the death aspect.  Chernobog the demon starts off by raising the dead to attack a town during the night.  The animation is stellar and fairly nightmarish in design so don’t let young children watch this one.  The demon does all the damage he can and even enjoys torturing his own minions so this is really not Snow White.  I liked seeing Disney venture off into a darker direction since they never went back to that well until a long time later with The Black Cauldron, and after that one failed, they’ve never tried again.
• Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria – A very weak way to end the movie, as it’s far to ambiguous and long and it really serves no purpose.  It’s supposed to be a look at the renewal of life but an extremely long shot of what appears to be monks walking along a path while holding lanterns or something just didn’t cut it for me.  All it did was make me think of the Elves leaving Middle-Earth in the Lord of the Rings movies.

While this movies has an excess of creativity and imagination, the languid pace and a couple of weak segment really undermined my appreciation of this movie as a whole.  It’s even worse when the last segment (which should send you home buzzing), is anti-climatic and pointless.

That’s not to say that this movie doesn’t have plenty of positive things going for it as it does as there’s creative lighting for the live-action shots, some amazing animation, and some great musical choices too.  The fact that Disney created a new process for the multi-channel audio and then made sure that it was installed in the theaters before they could show his movie, increases my already considerable admiration for him.  It’s really a shame that he was never able to do another Fantasia in his lifetime but some consider Make Mine Music to be an unofficial sequel since some of the discarded numbers from Fantasia made their way into that movie.

Video  

Considering that this movie is 70 years old and looks like it was made last year should give you a clue on what a masterful job Disney did restoring this classic. This 1080p transfer with its 1.33:1 aspect ratio looks incredible.  I think Disney right now is now the studio putting out the most consistently excellent transfers around.  Even their direct to video Blu-rays look great and this one is no different but it’s just even more impressive considering the movie’s age.  Colors are vivid and plentiful and with this movie especially, they colors go across the spectrum and this remastered  print shows them all brilliantly.  Black levels are deep and plentiful as well especially during certain sequences like with the demon Chernobog.  Detail is very impressive and there’s only a few minor issues but nothing huge that stands out.  This is another home run for the restoration team at Disney!

Audio