Owl City: Live From Los Angeles (Blu-ray Review)
It’s funny that up until now I had no idea who Owl City was. Looking at the cover I initially figured it was some just some singer or whatever. I asked a friend if they had ever heard of that song Fireflies and I said no. Another friend said that if I was into computer music then I would actually dig him. Looks like I had to do a bit of recon before opening up the Blu-ray from Eagle Rock Entertainment for review. Was it everything I had hoped for? Was Owl City going to rock or suck? Keep reading to see if Owl City: Live From Los Angeles made the cut.
Film 
Owl City: Live From Los Angeles is a one man band that has a band which is fronted by Minnesota native Adam Young. I knew next to nothing before diving into the Blu-ray for coverage. After sitting through the performance in Los Angeles on Blu-ray I can honestly say that I am NOT a fan. I don’t hate Owl City I just don’t care. They’re not for me and it’s not what I am normally into. With that being said, the interesting aspect of Owl City saga is how Adam Young came to be a band unto itself.
Adam Young was born and raised in a small town in Minnesota and worked at a local grocery store as a stock boy. His insomnia kicked in, so he worked nights. During his breaks he would be out in the back writing and composing little bits and pieces of music and emailing them to himself and family. He eventually started up his own MySpace page and uploaded those tunes for the world to hear and that was the beginning of Owl City.
Adam was also painfully shy, but figured he had to overcome his shyness and fear of the stage if he were to grow as an artist. He can’t get enough of it now and tours as much as he can whenever possible. His songs have sold millions worldwide and he has headlined all over the world. I have heard people make comments that Owl City a Death Cab For Cutie and Postal Service rip-off, but since I don’t know who those bands are, it means nothing to me.
That’s the back story on young Adam, as for the show, well, that’s something else. Adam has a whiny falsetto vocal that never deviates from song to song. This would not be a problem if I didn’t actually like the band and music. There are a few neat electronic beats and samples that are used in the show, but they are not enough to elevate the performance. Looking at the fanbase I can say that I don’t fit in the general demographic. It looks like a combination of bible camp and emo. I also don’t think you’re allowed to be 21 and older to dig Owl City judging by the crowd in attendance. This Blu-ray is for fans only.
Set List
The Real World
Cave In
Hello Seattle
Angels
Swimming in Miami
Umbrella Beach
I’ll Meet You There
Plant Life
Setting Sail
The Bird and the Worm
Lonely Lullaby
Fireflies
Dreams Don’t Turn to Dust
Meteor Shower
January 28, 1986
Galaxies
Alligator Sky
Deer in the Headlights
The Yacht Club
How I Became the Sea
If My Heart Was a House
Video
Owl City: Live From Los Angeles is presented in 1080p, 16X9 1.78:1 widescreen. Yes, you read that correctly – it’s in 1080p. Eagle Rock releases usually tend to come in 1080i, so it looks as though it’s a misprint on the back of the case. The show is a visual feast for the senses. The transfer handles the varying sometimes dizzying lighting without any problems. Banding is there, but only in certain spots and doesn’t interfere. Skin tones are natural, but start to flush when the band members really get into the show. The Blu-ray handles this effectively. Contrast levels are nice and steady and black levels are pretty spot on. If it weren’t for the miscellaneous banding issue I’d say it was a reference disc in the video department. As it stands it only gets a near reference mark.
Audio
Owl City: Live From Los Angeles is presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and LPCM Stereo. I went for the lossless track and have to say that the Blu-ray hits it out of the park. If you’re a fan of Owl City then this is the way they need to be heard next to seeing them live. The whiny vocals take the center stage while all other instruments are redirected to their speaker counterparts. LFE (subwoofer) handles the bass amazingly and the highs never clip or distort. The surround channels handle crowd noise and random electronica effects superbly. Now this lossless track is what I call reference.
Extras
Owl City: Live From Los Angeles has one special feature and it’s an interview with the owl himself Adam Young. Dude’s a very nice guy and obviously enjoys what he does. This interview, in my opinion is better than the concert itself, so take that as you will.
- Interview with Adam Young
Summary
In any event – Owl City: Live From Los Angeles is obviously for fans only as I did not care for the music or performance. I did enjoy the history of how the band came to be. I’ve always enjoyed stories about people doing their own thing and making it big on doing just that. It’s awesome in its own right. This Blu-ray features top notch video and audio, with a sad extra, so the score averages out in the end.
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