The Alamo Review

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(More customer reviews)Carter Burwell's score for the epic Disney film "The Alamo" is a true example of great film music. It features a very interesting Mexican-Celtic blend of music, encompassing all the characters in the film (From the Mexican soldados to the Celtic-descendant Texans). Never is this mix more evident than in the track "Deguello de Crockett," where the Mexican brass music and David Crockett's soulful fiddle playing blend to make what can only be described as a "Mexican lamentation" that is part of what truly is the best scene in the movie. The rest of the score is solid, and belongs in the soundtrack collections of history and film buffs alike, and is the perfect background music to a superb historical epic! Grade: A

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1991: Year Punk Broke (1993) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my favourite film, I bought the video a couple of years ago & have watched it seemingly hundreds of times because it is pure fun. Thurston really became a hero for more resons than the excelelnt music w/ raps & rants like "tonight will be the night that the skies will open & spray forth the divine hand & poisoned finger & say everybody 'you're not just a duck, you are human, YOU ARE HUMAN! go forth, go forth & thrash'" which then segues into Negative creep by Nirvana. Kim & J talking is amusing. Dave & Krist pouring wine & fruit everywhere & Kurt being quiet generally except for ramming himself into the drums & spraying SY w/ beer. The onstage performances are generally brilliant, Thurston almost hangs off the front of the stage @ 1 point. Also notable is Courtney's 1st step into fame thanks to an mtv creew showing up. There's a lot more moments I could mention but you should watch it for yrself. Also recommened for Nirvana fans wanting to find out about Sonic Youth [you need to]. Oh whoever mentioned that 1st Teen Spirit performance that was in the Hype! film which focussed on Seattle whereas this here is more broad.

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Red Star: Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very pleased to see, yes, see, for the first time in my life, this magnificent chorus and dance ensemble. It is very well made and reflects the strengh of the records, for those of us who only have heard them through records. The dance sequences are beautifully choreographed, the best one is the sailors dance, superbly excecuted by the dancers. There are several solo balalaika songs and of course, there is the beautifull chorus, with their deep, strong, forcefull and vibrant voices, that make this chorus unique in the world. The selection of songs pertains mostly to russian and other ethnic group traditional songs as well as military songs all accompanied by a well trained young orchestra.
For those that are used to hearing the old records and the few cd's that have come out in the last 15 years, which are only a selection of the best of the emsemble throughout the years, you will notice that the chorus has thined out and a row of women singers has been added. It does not harm the integrity of the overall presentation, but what makes this chorus completely different is the powerfull male chorus, where bass and bariton singers are the stars. Most of the chorus singers are very young as well as two of the four male soloist. One of the old soloists you might recognize from the old ensemble, directed by Boris Alexandrov, Yevgeny Belyayev, sings several of his trade mark songs beautifully.
I wish and hope to see more of this ensemble in the future, as well as some day see the old chorus and band reproduced in a cd. You will not be disappointed with this production, considering the circumstances the country has had to overcome.


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This concert, given by the magnificent Russian troupe, the Red Star Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble, was recorded at the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow prior to a nationwide tour of the United States in the autumn of 1992. The 100-strong Ensemble was first formed within the USSR armed forces in 1977, performing concerts primarily for the army. Their repertoire ranges from popular folk tunes and songs of battle from all corners of the former Soviet Union to spectacular Cossack dancing and includes Glinka's Patriotic Song and Kamarinskaya, Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee, and folk songs Kalinka, Dark Eyes, A Birch Tree Stood in the Meadow, Happy Girl and Seven Sons-in-Law. All are performed with energy, enthusiasm and patriotic fervor.Patriotic Song • Meadowland • Regimental Polka • Cossacks' Dance • Paganini Variations • The Swallow • Dark Eyes • Russian Dance • Volga Boat Song • Kamarinskaya • A Birch Tree Stood in the Meadow • The Sun Set Behind a Mountain Sailors' Dance • The Flight of the Bumblebee • Song of a Flea • Happy Girl • Seven Sons-in-Law • Hopak Dance • Moscow Nights • Kalinka • On the March. Artistic Director: Colonel Anatoly Bazhalkin.

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Marilyn Manson: Guns, God and Government - Live in L.A. (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Thought fans like myself of Manson would like to know that this is NOT just a bluray reissue of the GG&G DVD from a few years back. Remember how that DVD was annoying as it was a weird cut together of several different shows? Well, this isnt, and it is SO MUCH BETTER. One night, one performance, as it should have been in the first place. If you are a fan of Manson before it started going wrong from GROTESQUE onwards, then this bluray is for you. Great HD quality (1080i though not 1080p) and sound all good as well. We can only hope Manson fins passion again one day as he did on the albums up until this point on this release. Saw his last 2 x tours - he looks bored and going through the motions now onstage, unlike his performance on this GREAT live set. Get it.

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Thelonious Monk - Straight No Chaser (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Here it is-Clint Eastwood's *other* jazz film. The core of this biographical documentary about the innovative pianist and co-founder of bebop Thelonious Monk is footage of a recording date and tour from 1968, plus priceless scenes of Monk offstage. Filmmaker Bruce Ricker lets the 1968 film, shot by Michael and Christian Blackwood, speak for itself, interspersing stills, interviews, and some equally priceless early Fifties television footage. The 1968 film is shot in gorgeous black and white; the dark smoky club is especially impressive, visually.
Monk himself is imposing in black and white, with his greatcoat, pointy beard, and assorted headwear. In one scene he rolls into the recording studio wearing a lensless eyeglass frame and a Polish cavalry officer's cap. He shambles through the film, all sweat and bulk and cigarettes and raspy voice. There are a couple of great shots of his distinctive, spinning dancing, full of little surprises.
The recording studio scene is fascinating on a couple of levels. We get to see Monk and sax sideman Charlie Rouse go over the score of a song together. But we are also reminded that this is the late Sixties, when jazz isn't selling, and Monk is not a legend yet. The clueless producer and recording engineer, while friendly, keep telling him to play something to warm up, and then neglecting to record it. Monk finally loses patience and stomps off to a corner to angrily suck down a cigarette.
The film also records a European tour, which also has its problems. The octet that is supplied to him for the tour is oversized and under-rehearsed. They learn their parts on the plane to London, and can't get it together onstage the first night there. Much to the band's embarrassment, Monk has to stop songs to get everyone back on track. But in a day or two they shine, and receive rapturous applause.
The tour has its lighter moments. Perhaps the funniest moment is Monk lying in his bed in a Copenhagen hotel, trying to get his familiar down home cooking from room service. "Say, man; you got any chicken livers?" "Umm...Ve haff chicken sahlad." "You got any regular liver?" "Regular..." "Beef liver?" "Umm...Ja, ve haff beef liffer."
Here and there we meet a surprise guest. Some late Fifties/early Sixties New York club concert footage shows a room full of heavy-lidded white hipsters enjoying music by Monk and none other than John Coltrane. In a club kitchen, Monk clowns with Baroness Nica, who befriended many jazz musicians and in whose apartment Charlie Parker died. There's a montage of his records, including _Underground_, which boasts the single coolest album cover in the history of recorded music. The interview segments, with T. S. Monk, Jr. and Monk's manager are touching, giving insight as to how Monk struggled with the black dog, depression. And a couple of greybeards play some of Monk's music arranged for two pianos. It's lovely, fitting for the tribute it is. Just like this film.

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Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser. Filmmaker Bruce Ricker couldn't believe his luck. Michael and Christian Blackwood's extensive 1968 footage of the groundbreaking modern jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, including the only footage of the very private Monk off stage, was in excellent condition. The reels were, in Ricker's words, "just sitting there like the Dead Sea Scrolls of jazz." Ricker, as co-producer, joins director and fellow producer Charlotte Zwerin (Gimme Shelter), executive producer Clint Eastwood and others to bring these scrolls to astonishing life. Their Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser combines the Blackwood's rare footage of Monk in studio on tour and behind the scenes with new interviews, archival photos and more to create a landmark aural and visual treat.Tunes in order of appearance: Evidence; Rhythm-a-ning; On the Bean; Round Midnight; Well, You Needn't; Bright Mississippi; Blue Monk; Trinkle, Tinkle; Rhythm-a-ning; Ugly Beauty; Ask Me Now; Just a Gigolo; Crepuscule with Nellie; I Should Care; We See; Osaka T.; Evidence; Epistrophy, Don't Blame Me; Ruby, My Dear; I Mean You; Lulu's Back in Town; Off Minor; Pannonica; Boo Boo's Birthday; Misterioso; Monk's Mood; Sweetheart of All My Dreams; Round Midnight. Year: 1988 Director: Charlotte Zwerin

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How to Be a Megastar Live (DVD with CD) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Blue Man Group return to their rock concert experience in their latest DVD, captured during their "How to Be a Megastar 2.0" tour. If you already own "The Complex" much of this material will be familiar as it nearly the same format as the group's previous rock concert tour. That's not necessarily a bad thing. As in "The Complex," "How to Be a Megastar" opens with "Above," which if you've seen/heard from "The Complex" you know is simply an amazing song. The concert presentation is exciting, with a screen obscuring the stage and only shadows of the Blue Men projected on the screen as, one by one, each takes to their PVC instruments to begin the melody, with a swirling of images of the band and the Blue Men as the song launches into guitar, drums, keyboards, bass, and percussion in an explosive cresendo. Awesome. The remainder of "How to Be a Megastar" essentially follows the same progression as "The Complex" with some new material and new rock conert movements. The premise of the tour is the Blue Men have purchased an "updated" rock concert experience manual from an infomercial and are incoporating the new material into the show. The band is amazing, as it was before in "The Complex." I miss the guest vocals of Tracy Bonham and Annette Strean of Venus Hum. Annette was gorgeous and belted out an exciting cover of "I Feel Love" in her unique style in "The Complex" and is replaced on the current tour with a new vocalist. She's fine, but it's hard to follow in the footsteps of Annette and Tracy.
Bonus material includes a music video for "I Feel Love"; a piece of comedy called "Mono Makes a Plea -- Save the TVs" campaign (bemoaning the switch to digital signals which will effect us all...) and finally, and perhaps most importantly, a documentary called "Inside the Tube." It features the founders of Blue Man (Phil Stanton, Chris Wink and Matt Goldman) as they discuss the group, the philosophy of the Blue Man and the evolution of Blue Man from a theatrical presentation to the rock concert experience of "The Complex." It's a fascinating insight; Stanton, Wink and Goldman are extremely intelligent and creative individuals with a lot of passion for what they do. As far as I know the documentary aired only on PBS during a fund raising drive, with the documentary being sold as an incentive gift for new PBS members. If my memory is correct the documentary was being sold for a $75 contribution; now you can watch it for free!
If you already own "The Complex" and are on the fence about purchasing "How to Be a Megastar," I would suggest it primarily for the documentary included in the DVD extras. The DVD also includes a CD version of the concert, so for less than $20 you're getting a DVD and audio CD; a great deal. If you are new to Blue Man I would recommend starting with "Blue Man Group - The Complex Rock Tour Live" to see what you think. I think you will enjoy it.

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After playing to capacity crowds throughout 2006 and 2007, Blue Man Group's How to Be a Megastar Tour hits the road again in 2008. The live rock show takes the audience through a satirical workshop on how to create the perfect rock concert experience. In the process, they celebrate, skewer and otherwise deconstruct rock stardom in all of its narcissistic glory. Expanding on the Rock Concert Manual concept from The Complex Rock Tour, this time around the Blue Men download a new how-to manual that takes the audience through a uniquely clever and interactive show that guarantees to deliver hypnotic entertainment for all ages. CD/DVD of Blue Man Group's live concert that is currently touring the world. It will feature a live concert on DVD, a distilled version of that show on CD as well as the documentary Inside The Tube and the video I Feel Love as bonus features.

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The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie was a video before MTV.
The video for " I Am a Walrus" is worth having the movie withstanding anything else.
It is aproximately 100% better than any of the crap seen on MTV, MTV2 or Fuse today.
More creative, more inventive with primitive tools.


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Australian DVD (NTSC/Region 0) of the notoriously weird Beatles vanity project that began as a feature film & ended up as a TV special, taken from the same master as the 1988 videocassette release. Features seven songs as well as some newsreel excerpts chronicling Beatles efforts, a brief production history, & trailer. Approx. 50 mins. RBC Entertainment. 2004.

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Collision Course (Explicit Lyrics) Review

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(More customer reviews)They were asked to just do a couple songs to make the show happen, there was no need to record the vocals. They made 6 tracks, and re-did the vocals just to make everything perfect. A band of perfectionists mixed with a rapper who's been in the game for a long time makes a 5-star album.
Big time hits from Linkin Park and Jay-Z came together to give a musical high for any music fan.
Linkin Park's "Numb" mixed with Jay-Z's "Encore" is the first single from Collision Course. Already high on the charts and moving up.
The album debueted at #1 beating out U2's "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" selling over 300,000 CDs in a week.
A great album for anyone who likes, rap, rock, or anything close to Jay-Z or Linkin Park.

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MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups is one of the biggest musical events in years, premiering on MTV with a show featuring the multi-platinum Linkin Park, the biggest contemporary rock band in the world, joining forces with the multi-platinum Jay-Z, one of the biggest stars in hip-hop. Mash-Ups brings together artists from different genres to seamlessly blend their songs, creating an exciting and unique musical experience. Offered in both CD-sized Digipak and Amaray package, it features a CD with versions of existing Linkin Park and Jay-Z tracks mixed together in the studio; and a DVD featuring two versions of them performing these Mash-Up tracks for MTV.

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This Is Elvis (Two-Disc Special Edition) (1981) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is Elvis is a Documentary that traces the life of Elvis from his early days in Tupelo and Memphis, his audition for Sam Phillips at Sun records, his first rush of fame, his early TV apperances, the contraversy over his performing style, his army years and his first meeting with Pricilla, his movie years, his 1968 comeback, his touring years in the 1970, up to his death in 1977. This is elvis combines actual footage of Elvis with reenactments with actors representating him at 11, 23, and 42 years old. It is narrated by Ral Donner, an Elvis impersonator who sounds excatly like him. Also other people in Elvis life, including former girlfreind Linda Tompson and road manager Joe Espisito, also provide narration.
As noted in previous reviews, you do get to see upstairs at Graceland, as well as how it looked when Elvis died. Scenes from his early TV apperances, including the Milton Berle performance that caused a scandal as well as the "above the waist" performance on Ed Sullivan. Concert scenes from his 1968 show, Thats the way it is, Aloha from Hawaii, and from his last filmed show in 1977, are here as well. The 1977 show has never been on DVD, manily because Elvis was in bad health and it was just seven weeks before his death. Still he sings a good verison of My Way.
This DVD set will include the original Theactral version from 1981, and the version that has been on VHS that had more footage. As noted in a review, Elvis does make some off color remark to his friends about a woman he had been with the night before, in the home verison, Ral Donner overdubed something less off color. Also the theatracial verson, in the 1977 concert, had the version of Are You Lonesome Tonight, where Elvis fouls up the spoken part of the song saying plus tax etc. In the home version, it is replaced with Love Me.
Thanks to The Elvis Presley Estate for finally releasing this on DVD. It is a must for all Elvis fans, young and old.

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THIS IS ELVIS:SPECIAL EDITION - DVD Movie

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Leave Your Sleep Review

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(More customer reviews)Releases by Natalie have been few and far between since she left 10,000 Maniacs, so the release of the first new material in 7 years will be welcome news to her fans. Natalie is now signed to the Nonesuch label and this album is available in 2 different versions. A 2 disc set [the Complete Works] and a Selections from the Album Leave Your Sleep [Selections from it] . Initially Natalie wanted to release it in two separate volumes, but the record label decided it would be better to release it as a double album - as it currently sits so high in the Amazon charts the marketing men obviously got this right. I think there will be a lot of people who will turn their nose up at this because of what it is percieved to be - childrens poetry set to music. But anyone who has heard any tracks from it will be pleasantly surprised.
That music and poetry should meet at some point is not a surprise. There has over the years been a number of musical projects related to the work of different poets, I can think of the "Now & In Time to Be" project that featured the works of WB Yeats or Rufus Wainwright recent trips into Shakespeare territory. And now we have this release. An initial glimpse at the poets involved lead to the thought "who be them?" as I had never heard of many of them before, but dont let that put you off.
This is not an album for children. It is at some level an album about childhood. From Natalie's own words it features poetry "about, for or by children" and "a child's emergence into the world of language". It may well appeal to children, but it is, as far from, a kids record as you can imagine. The complexities of the arrangements and the music itself make it something far more mature, almost encyclopedic in its exploration of different musical genres. It really is an amazing record. Many of these poems, taken at face value, you think could have never made an interesting song. But how wrong you would be. All the songs seem to have a life of their own. Even when the lyrics seem throwaway, the final finished song is not, and that says so much about Natalie's skill and ability, as an arranger and vocalist.
Some of the songs that stand out for me are - "Nursery Rhyme of Innocence" a poem about a child verging on adulthood, not a kids song at all, recorded with the wonderful Irish band Lúnasa. It has a deeply celtic feel to it, and sounds like it has always been destined to be a traditional folk ballad. "Isabel" has a real rollicking old-timey stringband feel to it, with lovely fiddle, banjo and guitar playing. The song "It makes a change" almost has a late 1960 English pop feel to it. For some reason it reminds me of the Beatles. "Bleezer's ice cream" has a bouncey/jazzy setting to it, while the song "The peppery man" goes for a very deep south bluesy/jazz backing - with Waits-ian beat and brass section and gospel-like harmonies. "The King of China's daughter" takes us too a sound that seems totally Chinese, accompanied by traditional instruments and players, again with lovely harmonies. There is a very nice video of this on Natalie's website. "If no one marries me" has a very haunting acoustic sound allowing the lyrics to stand out. "Spring and fall" reminds me of something that Kate Bush might record and has a very sad orchestral sound. You almost need to keep a checklist for the genres this album delves into.
There is a very dreamy quality to much the album - the songs and lyrics have innocence to them at one level but on some levels a darkness and melancholy to them. Some of the lyrics maybe nonsense, but there are couplets from them, which make sense and strike a cord with the listener. As well as painting very vivid images in the imagination. The album covers such a wide variety of musical genres that its suprising it holds together so well as a single work, but that is down to Natalie's voice which has never sounded better. Her voice is so clear and restrained and has a beautiful vibe to it. You can almost sense that she is singing to, or with, her daughter.
Natalie's belief in this project is to be commended, she funded the project herself, in order to maintain control and retain the rights over the music. Natalie is on record as saying she actually had 50 songs prepared for the project and these are the final 26 she chose for the project. So I imagine there is a possibilty there may be a volume 2 at some point in the future, especially as this looks destined to be a great success, and I for one would be over the moon! [With or without the cow] .
The only thing that is disappointing about the album is we have to wait longer for an album of new material, written by Natalie. It really is a great album, one I have been looking forward to since seeing her appearance on Celtic Connections back in January. It has been well worth the wait. In short I would recommend this album to anyone who got as far as searching for this page on Amazon.
Highlights:
Nursery Rhyme of Innocence
The Dancing Bear
The Peppery Man
It makes a change


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'This album captures so many magical moments, the best times I've ever had as a musician,' declares singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant of 'Leave Your Sleep,' her ambitious, two-disc Nonesuch debut. Merchant, celebrated solo artist and one-time voice of 10,000 Maniacs, took on what could have been a daunting task: she's adapted 19th and 20th century British and American poetry - well-known and obscure works, anonymous rhymes, children's lullabies, all of it timeless material full of direct emotion - and fashioned new songs from these words. Among the poets she chose were Robert Graves, Charles Manley Hopkins, Edward Lear, Ogden Nash, and Robert Louis Stevenson. The project, five years in the making, has clearly had a liberating effect on Merchant. Never has she sounded so free-spirited, so full of musical adventure, whether backed by small jazzy combos or elegant chamber ensembles. The tracks she's created range from exotic ('The King of China's Daughter') to earthy ('Peppery Man'), soothing ('I Saw A Ship A-Sailing') to swinging ('The Janitor's Boy'), mischievous ('It Makes A Change') to moving ('Spring and Fall'). The string arrangements are particularly stirring, recalling Joshua Rifkin's now-classic work on Judy Collins' 'Wildflowers.' There's plenty of child-like wonder, counterbalanced with grown-up sophistication. Says Merchant, 'It was an exciting, new approach for me to work with rhythm and rhyme schemes created by other writers. The poems inspired vastly different musical settings with their themes that ranged from humorous and absurd to tragic, romantic, and deeply spiritual. Over the course of three years I wrote 40 of these poem-songs and 30 were eventually recorded.' Merchant co-produced 'Leave Your Sleep' with Venezuelan musician-composer Andres Levin, a frequent collaborator of David Byrne and Arto Lindsay, and one of the creators of the eclectic Red Hot charity series. Over the course of a year's worth of exhilarating, musically shape-shifting sessions, they drew upon no less than 125 musicians from the varied worlds of, among other things, Cajun, country, jazz, chamber music, R&B, Celtic, and reggae. The revitalized Merchant explains, 'I called on old friends and approached many new musicians I only knew through admiring their work... The sessions were recorded in live ensemble workshop settings that captured pure and authentic sounds played with incredibly fresh and spontaneous energy.' 'Leave Your Sleep' is an inspired return for Merchant, her first studio album in six years - an effort long awaited by her considerable fan base. It also marks her 25th year as a uniquely successful major-label artist, one whose work has consistently enjoyed equal measures of commercial and critical success. Though she has regularly lent her talents over the last few years to the many nonprofit causes she supports, Merchant has actively returned to the concert stage in recent months, previewing material from 'Leave Your Sleep,' on a series of dates in England and continental Europe. A full U.S. tour is being planned for summer 2010.

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She Blinded Me with Science/Tour De France Review

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(More customer reviews)This CD has "She Blinded Me With Science," but it's the album version, and it's definately NOT live. Don't waste your money. I wish I hadn't.

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U2: 360° at the Rose Bowl (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)Long time fan since early 80's. Own it all. Seen them on several tours. I like the band. Seen their concert films. Was particularly moved and impressed with the U23D I saw at imax. This U2360 Blu-ray is very hard to watch. Put simply. How does the biggest band in the world. With the biggest stage and production in one of the biggest venues in the US not consider the home viewer of this DVD? One needs to capture the concert experience. The majesty of the set. The narrative of the songs and flow of the show. They have done this before in their other video releases. Other artists like Peter Gabriel and countless others get this concept. Apparently the director and editor of this production did not. Jump cuts and shaky footage can be useful for effect and to make visual points and are great when they are used sparingly. But when not a single shot lasts more than 3 seconds and there are jarring zooms and pans in them...You get a mess. We have split screens. Super imposed shots. Quick shot of Bono's shoes to a quick shot of the back of Larry's head. Those things work in a 4-5 minute song video..But a live concert has to take you there. I think of New Years day at Red Rocks. I think of Exit in Rattle and Hum. I think of Origin of Species in U23D as amazing moments of u2 on video. This concert film does not have those moments and it is not because of the performance, the sound, or their material which is great...It is because the editor and director approached this like a communication student that just got final cut pro. I will watch it again because I own it. Maybe dig around on the disc menu for alternate shots. Or just treat it like a really expensive live CD.

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U2'S RECORD BREAKING ROSE BOWL CONCERTFilmed on 25th October 2009U2360° At The Rose Bowl was the penultimate gig of last year's U2360° tour in support of their Grammy-nominated album No Line on The Horizon. The Rose Bowl performance was the band's biggest show of 2009 and U2's biggest ever US show, with a live audience in excess of 97,000.The show was also streamed across seven continents via YouTube. The first ever live streaming of a full-length stadium concert, U2360° at the Rose Bowl had over 10 million views on the channel in one week. Shot entirely in HD, the concert was filmed with 27 cameras and directed by Tom Krueger who had previously worked on U23D, the first live action 3D concert movie taken from U2's Vertigo Tour.Available in standard and two disc deluxe DVD formats, U2360° At The Rose Bowl will also be U2's first concert available in Blu-ray. The deluxe formats and the Blu-ray will feature a new documentary called Squaring the Circle: Creating U2360°, with new interviews from U2, Paul McGuinness and the team behind the touring production.CONCERT:Get On Your BootsMagnificentMysterious WaysBeautiful DayI Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking ForStuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out OfNo Line On The HorizonElevationIn A Little WhileUnknown CallerUntil the End of the WorldThe Unforgettable FireCity of Blinding LightsVertigoI'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy TonightSunday Bloody SundayMLKWalk OnOneWhere The Streets Have No NameUltra Violet (Light My Way)With Or Without YouMoment Of SurrenderAspect 16:91080iSound (Concert):PCM Stereo, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1Sound (Bonus Material):Dolby Digital StereoDuration:4 hours 11 Minutes (approx)Language:EnglishSubtitles:English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese (Not including any subtitling of songs)

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Phil Collins - Finally...The First Farewell Tour (2DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)So, Finally it's here, the 5th official live video release from Phil's 6th worldtour as a solo artist (previous releases count the Passadena 1982 video, the Dallas 1985 video, the Berlin 1990 video/2DVD, and the Paris 1997 video/DVD). As such, one cannot quite keep from comparing this release to these former releases, when one wants to make an evaluation of the DVD. This being said, I shall emphasize that if your relatively new into Phil's music, or simply haven't bought the older releases for one reason or another, this is an excellent show, featuring a wide range of his greatest and best loved hits, and giving a very fine overview of how Phil is on stage. Furthermore, you'll have a large amount of extra features thrown in as an added value.
- THE TRACK LISTING -
Perhaps the greatest pro of this release is, that it features the FULL concert. A full 24 tracks are we treated with, which can only be described as generous. The only other complete release so far was the 1990 Serious Hits In Berlin (re-released in 2xDVD last year), and it is always a great frustration to the fans, when one of their favorite songs are cut away in the editing.
Furthermore, the set-list of this tour is quite well-balanced, featuring practically all the greatest, old as well as new - In The Air Tonight, Susudio, One More Night, Dance Into The Light, Another Day In Paradise, Can't Hurry Love, Can't Stop Loving You, and I could go on and on. Of course, a few tracks that I'd love to have seen here are missing - not one track from the Both Sides album - according to Phil his best, and I agree - is included, the title track would have fitted in perfectly; his most recent hit-single from the Brother Bear soundtrack, Look Through My Eyes, is omitted, this soundtrack being represented instead by the ballad No Way Out - which is in fact not a bad treat. I should have loved to have had the piano version of Do You Remember?, as performed on the '97 tour, but of course the line has to be drawn somewhere.
Instead, we are treated with several very pleasant surprises: An absolutely amazing gospel-version of True Colours, far superior to his '98 remake; a lovely version of Come With Me from his recent Testify album, again drawing on his amazing 5-piece of back-up vocalists; an impressive rendition of the gospel-like No Way Out, again using the full power of this vocal potential; and nearly last but not least, another track from the Testify album, It's Not Too Late, another of my favorites, and again presented in a wonderfull new version.
- THE PERFORMANCE -
The performance is, overall, great without being superb. Phil is in good vocal shape, but not as amazing as on the Live And Loose In Paris release from '97. The musicians play amazing, and overall this will probably rank second - after the 97 Paris concert, that was probably Phil's best ever - amongst his live releases. The arrangement is excellent, the upbeat songs are perfomed spotlessly, and the real power of the shw comes with the amazing vocal arrangement on several of the ballads, as mentioned above - True Colours, Come With Me, No Way Out and It's Not Too Late.
Generally, the on-scene performance is pretty dynamic and goes well along with the music - still, the scene doesn't quite give the same space for playing and entertainment as did the circular in-the-round stage used on the '97 tour. The lighting is ok, but I was not impressed - again, comparing with the amazing work on the '97 show, this was a minor let-down.
- SOUND AND FILMING -
The sound is virtually perfect, at least I can't find anything to complain on here. The sound of the music is much more pleasant than on the Berlin '90 show, which was perhaps the greatest weeknes of that show in my oppinion. The filming is excellent as well, the picture quality is great, and I don't miss the multi-camera angles option, which is even included on a few tracks.
- EXTRA FEATURES -
All the videos for the featured songs are included - a generous treat for the fans. Ok, most of the videos are quite mediocre, but still, Phil could've released a seperate video-DVD and ripped the fans of another 20 £. Of course, this is no guarantee that such a release will not come, as the videos of songs not played in the concert are not included. Of course, that should've been nice ... we're talking another 5 or 10 videos here I think.
Some old live-footage is included here, but frankly, this is nothing to go for. The Live Aid Against All Odds performance and the Secret Policeman's Ball In The Air Tonight performance are both in pretty lousy quality, mainly of interest for the serious fans. The 'wild card' features a 20-minutes performance with the Big Band, which never was my taste, so I can hardly appreciate this piece. Instead, there are loads of rare footage not included, that would've been obvious to include: The fantastic Policeman's Ball performance of The Roof Is Leaking, the very rare 1997 performance of The Same Moon with Laura Pausini (not sure whether this was a radio or TV show, this might not have been filmed), the 2002 TV performance of Wake Up Call, and I could go on. Perhaps one day, on future releases, these gems will se the light of day.
Still, these features, and also several documentaries, TV-specials and a gallery, are much more that what've been included on earlier releases, and with a full 224 minutes of extra material (yes, that's nealy 4 hours!), and a 133 minutes live-show, this can only be described as an extremely generous release, and defenitely woth bying, die-hard fan or newcommer.
Overall Rating: 9/10

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An eight hour DVD featuring Phil Collins' performance from Paris that formed part of the Final Farewell Tour. The 2-DVD set not only includes the live performances, but is also jam-packed with 22 promotional music video clips from the singles played during the concert. In fact-music videos from of his Billboard #1Singles are here: "Against All Odds," "One More Night," "Separate Lives," "Sussudio," "A Groovy Kind of Love," "Another Day in Paradise," and "Two Hearts." And if that isn't enough, the DVD also features backstage and documentary footage plus a photo gallery.Track Listing: 1. Drums, Drums & More Drums 2. Something Happened On the Way to Heaven 3. Against All Odds 4. Don't Lose My Number 5. Chat to Audience 6. You'll Be In My Heart 7. One More Night 8. Can't Stop Loving You 9. Hang in Long Enough 10. True Colors 11. Come With Me 12. Groovy Kind of Love 13. I Missed Again 14. Another Day in Paradise 15. No Way Out 16. Separate Lives 17. In the Air Tonight 18. Dance into the Light 19. You Can't Hurry Love 20. Two Hearts 21. Wear My Hat 22. Easy Lover 23. Sussudio 24. It's Not Too Late 25. Take Me Home 26. Wear My Hat 27. Easy Lover

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