What music DVD are you currently enjoying

[Johnloudb]

A Dual Disc is CD on one side, DVD-Audio on the other!

Well the world has turned on it's head, the Sony music label with DVD-audio content on it. :roll: Looks good though, I may get that.

[bigburner]

Dave Matthews Band - "Listener Supported" (2000)

Buying this DVD was a bit of a longshot but was well worth the risk. I don't own any Dave Matthews CDs but I'd seen him on a Warren Haynes DVD (recommended by missed HTG member Thelonious Funk) and thought he was worth exploring.

I couldn't believe what a big audience he pulled. I don't know this guy and he fills an arena.

The band has a great rhythm section. The drummer is excellent. Layered on top of that is Dave's acoustic guitar, electric violin, saxophone, clarinet, keyboards and Dave's unusual vocal delivery.

The sound quality on this DVD is excellent - deep and rich. The picture quality is quite poor, largely because the concert was recorded in the dark and presented in 4:3.

This DVD won't appeal to everyone, but to those of us who experiment a bit (including my guests on Friday night who enjoyed it) it's well worth it. I have already identified the next Dave Matthews DVD I want to buy.

Nigel.

PS. I forgot to mention that a subwoofer really helps because the bass player gives the bottom E string on his 5-string electric bass a good workout.

PPS. If you've got your subwoofer crossed over at 45Hz then it won't help at all.

[bigburner]

Freddie King - "Dallas, Texas Jan. 20th 1973" (2002)

I love Freddie King. I love the tone of his Gibson 355 guitar, the phrasing of his guitar, and his voice.

This is my fourth Freddie King DVD and there are only four you can buy. The sound quality on this DVD is pretty average because it's 1973. The picture quality isn't too flash either because it was recorded on video for an American TV show.

Freddie and his wonderful band play eight songs on this DVD. All these songs are on other DVDs that I own but I don't care; the versions are very good. Unfortunately three of the songs are spoilt because 20 - 40 second voice-overs have been inserted into them. Another studio pratt who doesn't really like his music works his magic again...

Freddie died in 1976 aged just 42, which is such a shame. If he was alive today he would be a star and the sound and picture quality of his DVDs would be fantastic instead of ordinary!

If you are an electric blues guitar collector then this DVD is an essential addition to your collection.

Nigel.

[Johnloudb]

Nigel,

I'd like to get a Freddy King DVD. What others would recommend? Is this the one the best?

[bigburner]

Nigel,

I'd like to get a Freddy King DVD. What others would recommend? Is this the one the best?

Gee, that's a good question John. I would start with "Live at the Sugarbowl: September 22, 1972" which is the same vintage as two of the other DVDs but if you want to see Freddie as an energetic and enthusiastic young man then "The!!!!Beat 1966" is the one to go for.

Nigel.

[Johnloudb]

Okay, I'll start with "Live at the Sugar Bowl," Thanks!

[kmcheng]

Diana Krall - "Live in Rio" (2009) Blu-ray

Besides Diana's vocals and amazing piano playing what grabs me are the passionate expressions of enjoyment etched on the faces of the musicians in addition to the interaction between them. I'd have bought this anyway even if it was only released on Std Defn DVD.

The band consists of:

Diana Krall: Vocals & Piano
John Clayton: Acoustic Bass
Jeff Hamilton: Drums
Anthony Wilson: Guitar
Paulinho DaCosta: Percussion

:T

I bought this Blu-ray title too. I like Diana Krall a lot, and she and her band sound great in this disc. However, I am disappointed that this is only 1080i. Seriously, why? Is the master tape not good enough?

After watching Chris Botti in Boston Pops on blu-ray, this Diana Krall disc is almost unwatchable. Good musicianship and great sound mix and everything, but the video is just horrible in comparison. Diana Krall and her band deserve much better video treatment!

[bigburner]

Chris Smither – “One More Night” (2008 )

I watched this DVD last night. Chris Smither is a singer/songwriter in the folk/blues genre. He plays acoustic guitar and sings his own songs (mostly) all of which have thoughtful, meaningful lyrics. The performance is recorded in 2007 in a small wooden hall in front of an audience of about 50 people. This DVD is quiet Sunday afternoon viewing rather than raucous Saturday night stuff, but everything about it is charming and I appreciated every minute. Even the two interview segments inserted into the middle were OK because they weren’t played over the music and they were appropriate for the “concert film” concept. [I usually despise interruptions to a concert.] The sound quality is very good but the picture quality is far from stellar and is presented in 4:3, which annoys me a bit for a 2007 recording.

Santana – “Sacred Fire” (2001)

I watched this one earlier this evening. In contrast to last night’s DVD this one was recorded in 1993 in an arena in Mexico City in front of 50,000 people. I have loved Santana ever since his 1969 performance at Woodstock and this DVD doesn’t disappoint. He and his excellent band play a blend of old favourites plus some lesser known material. The keyboard player Chester Thompson is outstanding. I did fast forward through two songs but the rest sustained my interest admirably. The sound quality on this DVD is very good – so good in fact that it sounds like the recording has been extensively overdubbed in the studio. However I couldn’t see one example of an overdub so I’m prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt. [In a Rolling Stones DVD it takes about 60 seconds to spot an overdub.] The picture quality is OK but nothing special and is presented in 4:3, which is acceptable given the 1993 recording date.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

The Levon Helm Band – The Midnight Ramble Sessions, Vol. 2 (2006)

Levon Helm – ex member of legendary 1960’s/70’s Canadian rock group The Band – regularly invites musicians to jam with him on his Midnight Ramble sessions at his studio "the Barn" in Woodstock, New York. Some of these sessions were recorded to help Helm raise money for medical bills and to resume performing after a nearly career-ending battle with cancer.

The Midnight Ramble sessions are open to the public, which would be great if you’re a local resident because they look like fun. It reminds me of the occasions when my musical friends come around to my house and we have a sing-along, though not as classy of course. The sessions on this DVD were recorded in 2004 and 2005.

Interesting things I noted on this DVD:
• Levon is in great voice, even though he had undergone treatment for throat cancer in the late 1990’s.
• Levon’s daughter Amy is one of the vocalists and she has a very pleasant voice. She packs a pair of jeans quite nicely too.
• Johnnie Johnson plays piano on most tracks, and to my ignorant ear he plays pretty well. Johnnie died in 2005 soon after these sessions were recorded.
• Dr John guests on one song and plays rhythm guitar because there’s only one piano and Johnnie Johnson has his dibs on it.
• Sean Costello plays lead on quite a few tracks and sings one song in an overly anguished manner. Costello was found dead in an Atlanta hotel room in 2008 from an accidental drug overdose.

The full list of musicians is as follows:
• Levon Helm: drums & vocals
• Amy Helm: mandolin & vocals
• Johnnie Johnson: piano
• Little Sammy Davis: vocals & harmonica
• Dr John: guitar & vocals
• Jon R. Smith: saxophone
• Sean Costello: guitar & vocals
• Andrew Shober: bass & vocals
• Julia Smith: vocals
• Stephen Bernstein: trumpet
• Byron Isaacs: bass & vocals
• Eric Lawrence: saxophone
• Tony Leone: drums & vocals
• Fiona McBain: guitar & vocals
• Glen Patscha: keyboards & vocals
• Larry Cambell: fiddle & vocals
• Jimmy Vivino: guitar & vocals
• Mike Merritt: bass
• Tony Leone: drums & vocals

None of the performances on this DVD astonished me so I wouldn’t necessarily crawl over broken glass to get hold of it. However it is interesting and I don't get astonished that often so it will definitely get another play.

Nigel.

[gimpy]

Chris D, I totally agree with you on "Chris Botti in Boston" (blu ray). I've watched/listened to it 3 or 4 times since buying it last week. Love it.

ShadowZA, I also bought the "Diana Krall Live in Rio" dvd (not blu ray). I haven't had a chance yet to sit and really listen/watch it real good, yet. I, too, really like Diana Krall. I like it, but not quite as much as the Chris Botti dvd, which I really like. Did I say I really like this dvd?

[Chris D]

Since we've been talking about Botti so much lately, I just turned on HDNet and it's got "Chris Botti & Friends: Live at the Wilshire Theater". Sting, Gladys Knight, and others. Pretty good so far.

[bigburner]

The Corrs – “Live at the Royal Albert Hall” (2000)

Why did I get this DVD? I don’t own any other Corrs DVDs or any CDs of theirs.

I got it because I had read a very positive review by someone whose opinion I value and also because I’m keen on exploring new music.

Well I’m afraid this DVD only lasted until the seventh track “What Can I Do?”

What can I do to make you love me?
What can I do to make you care?
What can I say to make you feel this?
What can I do to get you there?

I have the answer. You can play some better songs!

If you don’t know The Corrs, it’s a band that comprises three attractive Irish women and their brother, plus some hired help in the form of a bass guitarist and a lead guitarist.

There’s nothing wrong with The Corrs, there’s just not a lot that’s particularly right. If I saw them live in an intimate club I might really enjoy their performance. On a DVD filmed in the Royal Albert Hall in front of an impassive audience they just didn’t generate any presence or excitement.

I couldn’t help comparing them to the Dixie Chicks, which is another band made up of three attractive women. Like The Corrs the Dixie Chicks rely on some hired help to do the heavy lifting musically. The difference is that the DVD I own of theirs (the Kodak Theatre one) has such an enthusiastic audience you can’t help being swept up by the excitement.

Another criticism of The Corrs – the sister who plays the drums isn’t a good drummer. She’s pub band standard. If she wasn’t a sister they’d hire a better drummer. You can get away with a lot if you have a good rhythm section.

Any good news? Yes, the audio quality is very good. Unfortunately the picture quality suffers from the darkness of the hall and the 4:3 presentation. However, the close-ups of the three women were crystal clear.

Oh well, no-one lost an eye so it’s not a big deal.

Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation – “Soundstage: Live” (2006)

I watched this straight after taking The Corrs DVD off. Wow, what a difference.

Half of the tracks on this DVD are reworked Led Zeppelin songs. The other half of the songs are from Robert Plant’s “Mighty Rearranger” album.

Dear reader, if you consider yourself a follower of rock music and you don’t own the “Mighty Rearranger” CD then give yourself a good slap on the face right now. It’s one of the most memorable albums in that great untidy pile of CDs that I refer to as my music collection.

I remember playing the song “Tin Pan Valley” from “Mighty Rearranger” to a friend a couple of years ago. We were in the sweet spot and it was really loud because my friend occasionally likes loud as I do. He couldn’t handle it and walked away. It’s an assault but such a compelling one, with quiet passages to reinforce the impact. On this DVD Plant ironically remarks “so loaded with understatement” at the end of the song. Indeed.

I prefer the Led Zeppelin song “Black Dog” on this DVD to the original. It’s just more interesting and incorporates the Moroccan rhythms that both Plant and Jimmy Page adopted occasionally in their post-Zep careers.

The band on this DVD is absolutely top notch. A particular standout is the drummer. He occupies a different universe to our drummer friend on The Corrs DVD.

The small audience in the Soundstage venue (500 perhaps) made for a very pleasing intimate environment. I thought that the setup of the stage was exceptionally good – a clever and visually appealing design without being over the top.

If you don’t own a subwoofer then you won’t get the best from this DVD. Low frequencies are a recurring theme throughout, generated mainly from the synthesiser I think (chip in if you can confirm this please).

The sound and picture quality are both excellent. I gave both the 2-channel PCM and the DD 5.1 tracks a go. They sound really different on this DVD, with the whole audio on the DD 5.1 track being front of stage and right in your face. I eventually settled for the PCM track.

If you haven’t already gathered, I really like this DVD. I have watched it five times in total and I would have to say that it’s a top-10 contender in my 300 DVD collection.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

Alison Krauss – "A Hundred Miles Or More: Live From the Tracking Room" (2008 )

Exquisite!

Nigel.

PS George, you were so close to getting an evaluation copy. Go and buy it. You and your wife will love it.

[bigburner]

Someone old, someone new

First the old…

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Soundstage (2005)

I’m a Tom Petty fan and this DVD didn’t let me down. Interestingly half of the songs that Tom and the boys do on this DVD are covers. That’s interesting because Tom has such a large catalogue of his own songs. The picture quality on this DVD is not great. It looks like video that has been recorded for an old American TV show which means it’s going to be crap compared to a European TV show. The sound quality is pretty good but nothing special with DD 2.0 and DD 5.1 options being offered. At the end of the DVD I was saying “good one Tom” but I wasn’t jumping up and down and nothing on this DVD astonished me as Tom has delivered this sort of performance three thousand times or more. On a positive note his band is excellent and this kind of DVD is important to me because it has wide appeal (especially with the popular cover songs) so I’ll be able to play it for women friends and non-muso blokes who can’t cope with the weird stuff that occupies much of my catalogue…

which brings me onto the new…

Mark Selby – Rockpalast (2008 )

This is the only music of Mark Selby’s that I own and I’m most impressed. Unlike Tom Petty this guy hasn’t done it all before and he knows he’s got to make a good impression in front of 2 million (or whatever) German TV viewers who watch Rockpalast. Being a European TV show the video quality is stunningly good and the audio isn’t far behind. For those of you who don’t know Mark Selby (like me who didn’t know him until a week ago) he plays a blend of rock, blues-rock, and pop-rock music. He’s the song-writer for this material, he sings the songs, and he plays 6-string guitar (electric and acoustic). He is supported by an excellent bass player and drummer. In contrast to Tom Petty, at the end of this DVD I’m saying “holy sh*t, that was good!”

Mark Selby might not be everyone’s cup of tea but he’s new and keen and enthusiastic and talented. In my musical voyage of discovery that’s just what I’m looking for.

Nigel.

[Johnloudb]

It looks like video that has been recorded for an old American TV show which means it’s going to be crap compared to a European TV show.

According to my aunt who recently visited Europe, everything is better in Europe than here in America. "We're so far behind" she was telling my dad. I have no opinion since I haven't been there. There's two sides to every coin I say. Probably from an infrastructure point of view they have advantages.

[gimpy]

Just bought last week Monster Music's, "George Benson and Al Jarreau, Givin' it up". I really like the music and the dvd (DD and DTS) has a huge amount of surround coming out of the speakers. If you're into surround, this would be a good one to try.

[Chris D]

Bringing this up AGAIN, just came from CEDIA last week. Two manufacturers were using this disc for reference demonstrations, including Onkyo/Integra showing what Audyssey DSX can do, and Triad, who had the best theater at the show--totally sound isolated, right on a showroom floor. People are taking note of this disc.

[bigburner]

Joe Bonamassa - "Live North Sea Jazz" (2007)

In a week's time Joe Bonamassa will release his "Live from the Royal Albert Hall" DVD. Currently Jeff Beck's "Live at Ronnie Scott’s" is the best music DVD of 2009. Perhaps Bonamassa's new DVD will give Beck some competition? I really hope so.

"Live North Sea Jazz" is a fan project DVD distributed amongst music lovers on a not-for-sale basis. It is better than a large proportion of the DVDs that I have bought. Most of these fan project DVDs are recorded in digital format directly from high quality television broadcasts. The quality of this particular DVD is very good but not excellent.

The North Sea Jazz Festival is held in Rotterdam, Holland. Joe looks pretty relaxed because he's playing at a music festival, not at the Royal Albert Hall. He's in a 4-piece band (the 4th man is a keyboard player) and his set is much less full-on than his 2006 Rockpalast DVD that I love. He plays a couple of songs on acoustic guitar and there's even a jazz number - approachable melodic jazz, not hard-work pseudo intellectual jazz. The change from the Rockpalast set demonstrated Bonamassa's variety and maturity, and was a pleasant surprise.

I loved every minute of this 68 minute DVD and wished it had continued a lot longer. Joe Bonamassa is an absolute star - perhaps even up there with Clapton and Beck - and my fingers are tightly crossed that the Albert Hall DVD will meet or exceed my high expectations.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

Joe Bonamassa - "Live from the Royal Albert Hall" (2009)

This is an exceptionally good DVD in all respects.

You know you've made it when you play at the Royal Albert Hall but you still have to nail the performance, and Bonamassa certainly does here. I sensed it was going to be a big night when he received a standing ovation from half the audience when he walked onto the stage. There was a high degree of expectation. The air was electric.

The first thing that really struck me about this DVD was the sound quality. It is unbelievably good - better than any other DVD I own I think (I listened to the DD 2.0 track). The soundstage was as wide as the Albert Hall stage. The separation of instruments / vocals was superb. There's not a hint of harshness anywhere and my system is rather severe on harsh recordings.

Joe lost about a stone in weight for this performance. Compare the cover of this DVD with the North Sea Jazz one above. He's had a haircut, his image manager has got him some new designer clothes and shades, and he looks the part of an artist who has made the top level.

Eric Clapton makes an appearance for one song (being blessed by 'God' is another sign you've made it) and their guitar dual is excellent. The tone of Eric's Strat and Joe's Les Paul contrast beautifully.

There is so much more I could say about this DVD - the fine camera work, the two drummers, the horn section etc etc - but who would read it?

If you want to see and hear a modern master of the electric guitar then buy this DVD. As a bonus you'll get a reference recording that will make your system sing.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

Good Rockin' Tonight - The Legacy of Sun Records (2002)

Sun Records is the studio that made Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Howlin' Wolf and many other musicians famous. This DVD is a documentary that takes a nostalgic look at the history of the studio. It contains some good historical footage of the artists that made the label famous plus some modern covers of the great songs performed by people like Paul McCartney, Mark Knopfler, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant etc. The highlight for me was Jerry Lee Lewis at age 70+ playing along with Rob Thomas & Matchbox Twenty (a new band for me). To his amazement Jerry Lee loved it. I stood up in my living room and applauded. These moments are why I watch this stuff. The low point was listening to Sam Phillips - the founder of Sun Records - blowing his own trumpet. Where I come from you let other people speak highly of you (it's a Kiwi thing). You could see some of the musicians around him thinking "w@nker" and I'm not referring to the chap at the Chocolate Factory.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

Adrian Belew Power Trio - "Live at Rockpalast" (2008 )

When middle of the road just doesn't do it for you any longer then pop this into your DVD player.

59 year old Adrian Belew is a lead guitarist best known for playing with Frank Zappa, David Bowie and King Crimson in the late 70s. His bass player and drummer – 19 and 20 year old sister and brother Julie & Eric Slick – are brilliant young newcomers whom Adrian discovered in a rock school. Everyone raves about Jeff Beck's young female bass player Tal Wilkenfeld but wait 'til you hear Julie Slick. She is impressive.

Together Adrian, Julie and Eric make really interesting experimental-rock, jazz-rock music, but it's not for the fainthearted.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

The Beatles - "The Mini Documentaries" (2009)

Much has been written about the recently released remasters of The Beatles' 13 albums. Strangely almost nothing has been written about the bonus DVD that is included in the box set of stereo remasters. That's very strange because "The Mini Documentaries" is a mini masterpiece.

In 50 minutes "The Mini Documentaries" covers all of the 13 albums in the sequence that they were released. That's a big challenge from a music perspective because it's impossible to adequately address such a huge catalogue in such a short time. They do a remarkably good job though.

However that's not why this DVD is a mini masterpiece. It's a mini masterpiece because the video is so good. Every photograph and film clip is beautifully prepared and perfectly positioned. It must have taken them many hundreds of hours. Some of the photographs have been give a 3D treatment so that the band members stand out from the background. It is a very effective technique. Old film clips of them singing have been perfectly synched with the remastered audio. It's not authentic I know but you forgive them when you hear the quality of the audio.

The documentary also includes numerous comments from George Martin and the boys - lots of them amusing and every one of them relevant and perfectly positioned. Just sorting through all of the available audio material would have taken hundreds of hours.

The end result of all this effort is a very compelling DVD that has been highly praised by all my friends who have been lucky enough to see it.

Nigel.

[Ovation]

Genesis--When in Rome

[gimpy]

"Josh Groban, Awake, Live" Blu Ray.

[Thelonious Funk]

I have not watched it yet, but I am eagerly awaiting Christmas day when I open and watch the Black Keys dvd. Old Time balls to the wall rock and roll.

[Johnloudb]

Andrea Bocelli

I was looking for Andrea Bocelli's "My Christmas" CD and also came upon this bluray. So I just bought both, and given the reviews on the internet is likely is good. It includes Sarah Brightman, Chris Botti, Kenny G, and others. I'll give a review when I get it in a few days.

http://www.amazon.com/Andrea-Bocelli-Vivere-Tuscany-Blu-ray/dp/B001I5M9SC/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_2

[Chris D]

Huh... with those other names as well, I'm interested! Yes, please let us know!

[bigburner]

Cheap Trick - "Sgt. Pepper Live" (2009)

John Lennon once said that Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band could never be performed live. Well he was wrong!

http://www.concertdvdreviews.com/Reviews/CheapTrick_Sgt.PepperLive.htm

Nigel.

[Johnloudb]

Huh... with those other names as well, I'm interested! Yes, please let us know!

Fluff ... Pure fluff unfortunately. Well, I was kind of underwhelmed and I bought this because my mom saw him sing a duet on Oprah, and that song is on his Christmas CD "My Christmas." I haven't listened to that yet.

Everything is sung in Italian. In the duet with Elisa he kind of drowned out her voice when they would sing together. People say he has a great voice, and I have to admit he probably hits all the right notes but it's kind of bland and monotone. Kenny G was good but didn't have a big role in the music, which was bland. I haven't gotten to the duet with Sarah Brightman yet.

So, I'm disappointed. But, I can recommend this if you are suffering from insomnia. This disc will put you in a hypnotic trans and you'll go to sleep. :T

For those who are already a Andrea Bocelli fan, you'll probably like it.

[Chris D]

Huh... thanks for letting us know!

[Gump]

Joe Bonamassa - "Live from the Royal Albert Hall" (2009)

This is an exceptionally good DVD in all respects.

You know you've made it when you play at the Royal Albert Hall but you still have to nail the performance, and Bonamassa certainly does here. I sensed it was going to be a big night when he received a standing ovation from half the audience when he walked onto the stage. There was a high degree of expectation. The air was electric.

The first thing that really struck me about this DVD was the sound quality. It is unbelievably good - better than any other DVD I own I think (I listened to the DD 2.0 track). The soundstage was as wide as the Albert Hall stage. The separation of instruments / vocals was superb. There's not a hint of harshness anywhere and my system is rather severe on harsh recordings.

Joe lost about a stone in weight for this performance. Compare the cover of this DVD with the North Sea Jazz one above. He's had a haircut, his image manager has got him some new designer clothes and shades, and he looks the part of an artist who has made the top level.

Eric Clapton makes an appearance for one song (being blessed by 'God' is another sign you've made it) and their guitar dual is excellent. The tone of Eric's Strat and Joe's Les Paul contrast beautifully.

There is so much more I could say about this DVD - the fine camera work, the two drummers, the horn section etc etc - but who would read it?

If you want to see and hear a modern master of the electric guitar then buy this DVD. As a bonus you'll get a reference recording that will make your system sing.

Nigel.

Excellent recommendation, Nigel!
I really enjoyed this one. Watching the smiling expression on EC's face as he watched Bonamassa play during their song together was interesting....perhaps there is a potential heir to the throne after all.

Anyone who enjoys GREAT guitar playing should have this in their collection.

[bigburner]

Steve Vai - "Where the Wild Things Are" (2009)

Steve Vai is a guitar virtuoso - no argument. His band is first rate. The concert is beautifully filmed and the sound quality is excellent.

Unfortunately the songs don't match the other attributes of this DVD. They are simply a vehicle for Vai to demonstrate his astonishing technique.

This double disc DVD will therefore go onto the big "to be played at a later date" heap that I kid myself will one day be revisited.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

Steve Vai revisited

Earlier this evening I went to the big "to be played at a later date" heap and grabbed the Steve Vai DVD. This time I found the groove and really enjoyed it.

It's a funny old hobby.

Nigel.

[Thelonious Funk]

Umphrey's Mcgee's Soundstage performance on PBS is a bit of a letdown. The band normally performs with such joy and here, be it because of nerves or the fact that the average age of the crowd was over 50, the energy is completely lacking. Video and Audio are better than the other two DVD's I own, but the DVD falls short.

Joe Bonamassa - Live From the Royal Albert Hall is everything Nigel said it would be.

However.

The Rockpalast DVD, for me, wins out. LFRAH is beautiful and sounds wonderful and Eric Clapton and all of that. But Rockpalast cooks with such intensity. You feel as if you have to catch your breath after every song.

LFRAH leaves you happy and content. Rockpalast leaves you ravaged. Both are terrific.

[1oldguy]

Umphrey's Mcgee's Soundstage performance on PBS is a bit of a letdown. The band normally performs with such joy and here, be it because of nerves or the fact that the average age of the crowd was over 50, the energy is completely lacking. Video and Audio are better than the other two DVD's I own, but the DVD falls short.

Joe Bonamassa - Live From the Royal Albert Hall is everything Nigel said it would be.

However.

The Rockpalast DVD, for me, wins out. LFRAH is beautiful and sounds wonderful and Eric Clapton and all of that. But Rockpalast cooks with such intensity. You feel as if you have to catch your breath after every song.

LFRAH leaves you happy and content. Rockpalast leaves you ravaged. Both are terrific.

Eric Clapton you say? Tell me more Please.lol Maybe I'm too old but maybe I missed the title of this thing on Eric Clapton.If you would be so kind.Thanks. ;x(

[Thelonious Funk]

Eric Clapton you say? Tell me more Please.lol Maybe I'm too old but maybe I missed the title of this thing on Eric Clapton.If you would be so kind.Thanks. ;x(

Clapton is a guest on Joe Bonamssa's Live From Royal Albert Hall, which is great. If you like great guitar, you aren't going to be let down.

[Hammie]

I watched Hitman: David Foster and Friends blu-ray. Really enjoyed it. The sound was awesome! Very pleased with this blind buy.

[bigburner]

Joe Bonamassa - Live From the Royal Albert Hall is everything Nigel said it would be.

However.

The Rockpalast DVD, for me, wins out. LFRAH is beautiful and sounds wonderful and Eric Clapton and all of that. But Rockpalast cooks with such intensity. You feel as if you have to catch your breath after every song.

LFRAH leaves you happy and content. Rockpalast leaves you ravaged. Both are terrific.

I agree Eric.

A wise music critic once said "the Rockpalast DVD is hot burning blues lava" and he was right!

Nigel.

[bigburner]

Wilco - "Ashes of American Flags" (2009)

I bought this DVD 8 months ago but I was so Wilcoed out at the time that I put it aside and didn't start watching it until quite recently.

At times I have considered that Wilco are the best band in the world. Certainly their live performance at Byron Bay in 2008 was the best concert I've ever been to. So I should really like this DVD, particularly as the SQ and PQ are so good,

but...

it somehow misses the mark. The DVD is made up of highlights from 4 concerts at 4 different venues and basically this detracts from the musical experience. You can't beat a single concert where the band is cooking and the intensity builds and builds. "Ashes of American Flags" doesn't allow this to happen.

I do have a Wilco DVD that in my opinion is much better, but you can't buy it. It's a not-for-sale copy of Wilco performing at Austin City Limits on November 3, 2007. The DVD is distributed with the blessing of the band as long as no money changes hands.

The SQ and PQ on the Austin DVD are both inferior to "Ashes of American Flags" but it's a superior musical experience so it gets my vote as the better DVD.

Nigel.

[Johnloudb]

Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971

I like Wilco. :T

This "Live at Massey Hall 1971" is a good'n and is a CD/DVD combo. The CD is HDCD encoded and the sound is superb on our new OPPO BDP-83 Nuforce Edition :B, which plays HDCD and everything else. The DVD has home movie quality, but they utilize this effect with great skill. I haven't watched much of the music DVD yet but it has some interesting stuff, showing him playing live and some real home movie content.

[Thelonious Funk]

I agree Eric.

A wise music critic once said "the Rockpalast DVD is hot burning blues lava" and he was right!

Nigel.

Well, lucky you, he's going to be at Byron Bay this coming April.

[bigburner]

Well, lucky you, he's going to be at Byron Bay this coming April.

It will be interesting to see which band he has with him. If it's the power trio band with bassist Eric Czar and drummer Kenny Kramme you won't find me objecting. I was surprised that those guys weren't with him at the Royal Albert.

Nigel.

[gimpy]

"Peter Cincotti, Live in New York". DVD/CD combo set. Love it. The sound and the music.

[bigburner]

Them Crooked Vultures - "At Rockpalast" (2009)

Them Crooked Vultures is a modern day supergroup that comprises John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) on bass, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) on guitar and vocals, Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters) on drums, and Alain Johannes on guitar and keyboards. The group first started collaborating in 2005 but didn’t produce anything until 2009.

This DVD is a recording of a concert that they played in Germany in December 2009. The concert was broadcast on hi-def TV for Rockpalast on the WDR channel. A music DVD enthusiast has authored the DVD and it is now distributed amongst music lovers on a not-for-sale basis.

If you enjoy heavy, grungy rock then this DVD is for you. I enjoyed it but it’s definitely one that needs you to be in the right mood. It was energy sapping. I have never seen a Rockpalast audience as boisterous as this one. In fact I was quite glad that I wasn’t there because it was a crush too. If I had been there I’d be hoping I was wearing a pair of heavy shoes.

The PQ and SQ were both very good for a TV broadcast that has been authored at home. The audio is presented in 2-channel Dolby Digital, 48kHz, at 448 kbps.

Them Crooked Vultures will be playing tomorrow night in Wellington (New Zealand’s capital city). I won’t be there so watching the DVD was my inexpensive alternative. Incidentally AC/DC are playing in Wellington this evening.

Nigel.

[RonC]

New Ideas

Great thread, thanks for all the contributions and ideas. I feel obligated to contribute as well in return. First, I rate music DVDs along the following dimensions: Audio quality, Audio content, Video quality, Video content, and overall experience. Unfortunately, measured across these dimensions, there are very few "off the charts" music DVDs out there that score 5 out of 5 on all dimensions.

I do have to say that the best DVD I have ever seen on these dimensions is the Allison Krause + Union Station Live which was previously recommended. There are some other good ones though that I have not seen mentioned in this lengthy thread.

One I recently discovered and really enjoyed is Electric Light Orcehstra (ELO) - Zoom Tour Live. I have always liked this band's music (though have never been a huge fan), and this DVD gave me a much greater appreciation for Jeff Lynne, who is one of the most underrated musicians of the baby boomer generation (check out his bio on Wikipedia). The DVD is solidly entertaining and scores decent marks on the various dimensions above.

Another great DVD is Lorenna McKennitt in Nights from the Alhambra. She has an awesome voice, tremendous band with all sorts of eclectic instruments and plays a great harp and piano. It is a really fabulous experience (as are her live concerts if you are lucky enough to attend one). Her genre is sort of New Wave, or a mix between classic and rock. The lighting is a bit dim on this one.

Jewel has two DVDs that are truly enjoyable if you like her. One is Live at Humphrey's by the Bay, and the other is A Life UnCommon. These are not off the charts in quality, but very entertaining and the sound quality on both is very good.

Carlos Santana in Supernatural Live is quite entertaining with all the guests he had to make the album (every song features a third party star including Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas, Sarah McLachlan). The concert appears (and I believe is) staged rather than performed in front of a real live audience, but picture and sound quality is very high, and if you like the Supernatural album (as several million people did), you'll like the content and watching and listening to Santana's handiwork on the guitar.

Dave Matthews in the Central Park Concert is Dave at his rocking best in front of a huge audience. Given the challenges of doing recording this concert, it is very good.

Finally, if you like Los Lonely Boys, Live From Austin is good and really gives you an idea of how much music these three can make with a relatively simple band setup. The music is mostly off their first hit CD. I will say its been a while since I have seen this DVD and something was lacking in it to make it a favorite, but if you like the band, you will like the DVD.

Hope you enjoy these selections.