6/23/04 - TAPNotes by Matt Rowe
I am so bloody embarrassed. I present a new column and what do I
do? I just plain disappear, that's what I did. The important thing
is that I'm back, and so intend to be back more regularly. It's why
they call it a column, right? In my absence, I've dug out a few
oldies that I thought that you'd be interested in as well as some
upcoming and current releases. And they're lots of fun.
Just
FYI, all titles reviewed in TAPNotes
can be ordered from Amazon.com by clicking on the cover art (as
always, doing so supports The Digital
Bits).
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The
Doors of the 21st Century: L.A. Woman Live
This controversial reunion of originals Ray Manzarek and Robby
Krieger, with Cult's vocalist extraordinaire, Ian Astbury, and
drummer Ty Dennis created a lively discussion among fans,
culminating in the usual "Is it real or is it Memorex?"
question. In this DVD issue, you get to search your heart to see
if this band should be on the road... or not. There is the full
complement of Doors songs occasionally sandwiched by
explanations, like the humorous reasonings for LSD usage and the
need for spirituality that comes after Break
on Through to the Other Side. I'll divorce my own
thoughts on this formation and say that this DVD completes the
experience for people who have seen this version of The Doors
and want a document for the keeping. The music is top-notch and,
coupled with Cult-sounding vocals (duh) and 60s acid-drenched
visuals, this DVD works. The old-timers haven't lost it. Most of
your favorite songs are here along with a chilling version of
Riders on the Storm. The
rest of the DVD is rounded out by a stills gallery, song
selection and stunning DTS 5.1 audio along with Dolby Digital
5.1 and 2.0. |
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The
Cult: Live Cult - Music Without Fear
Although Ian Astbury is presently with D21C (see The Doors
above), his heart and soul lies firmly within the confines of
The Cult. With the Cult, Astbury gets to be himself, and here he
makes a fine show of it. Performing with Billy Duffy and Matt
Sorum (presently of Velvet Revolver), this 17-song live set at
The Grand Olympic Auditorium shows you just why fans love this
band. Energetic and full of good stuff, this DVD serves as a
reminder of great rock. The disc serves up DTS 5.1 and Dolby
Digital 5.1 and 2.0 audio. This DVD also has a Behind
the Scenes featurette that shows a brief look at the
evolution of the show, and made me miss my days as a promoter. I
can't recommend this one enough. And if you're a Cult fan, but
came on the scene with their Electric
album (Love Removal Machine),
jump back a space and pick up their Love
album as well. It enjoys permanent residence on my IPod. |
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Show:
A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty
This 2-disc set contains a 2003 show recorded at the Philips
Arena that is, simply put, worth the price all by itself. With
20 songs, including fan favorites Push
and 3AM, as well as a
time-blend of their other songs (no Rest
Stop, boo-hoo), the first disc is a great time spent.
But I did say 2-disc, right?. The second disc is complete with a
documentary, Tour!, that
spins through the band's experiences on the road. Also on Disc
Two is a standard photo gallery, multi-angle renditions of Soul
and Bright Lights, and
complete lyrics that scroll... fast (you'll want to use the
'pause' button on your remote a lot). The sound is Dolby Digital
5.1 (no DTS - bummer) and 2.0. There's an Easter egg for you
too, free of charge. On Disc One, highlight "Individual
Songs" and press the right arrow. A red dot will appear on
the bottom right of your screen. Press enter for a comedy
routine. This is a satisfying DVD that, if you're a fan, could
live in your player for several weeks before removal. |
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Saturday
Night Live: 25 Years of Music
This 5-volume box of Saturday Night
Live's great years of musical guests is a dream issue
that stands the test of time. Many of our great bands received
first recognition from audiences on this show, and it's only
fair that we recognize the necessity of this package. You'll
find the set divided by musical timeframes and interspersed with
comedy sketches - the format is familiar and somehow feels
natural. As far as the musical acts, you'll run across the likes
of Patti Smith, Elvis Costello, The Band, The Talking Heads,
Duran Duran, Sting, The Pretenders, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Paul
McCartney, Dave Matthews, U2 and scores of others. Surprisingly,
this is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. You won't
regret picking up this nostalgic treasure box of music from 1975
to 2000, narrated by Chevy Chase and Lorne Michaels. There's a
lot of segments here so historically rich and steeped in trivia
that you'll find yourself spending serious quality time with
this DVD. It's a beautiful thing. |
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Wishbone
Ash: Classic Rock Legends
For fans of classic rock and Wishbone Ash, this DVD from
Classic Rock Legends presents the second go-round of the band's
original Mark I lineup. Culled from the tour that supported
their second IRS Records release, Here
to Hear, this DVD offers up 6 songs plus a medley of
5 more. The show is full screen only but the clarity is nice,
making this set a plus for Wishbone Ash fans. Additionally, the
label is a cool place to get discs from other 70s-era bands like
Uriah Heep, Steeleye Span, Hawkwind and more. I chose this disc
not only to present the label's cool classic rock bent, but also
because I think Wishbone Ash is the finest of the classic rock
bunch, highly under-rated and having the best of the guitar
heroes in Andy Powell. For a complete listing of all Classic
Rock has in DVD goodies,
click
here. |
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Go
West: Kings of Wishful Thinking - Live
80s singles band, Go West, released a flood of songs between
1985 and 2001, including some of the most popular stuff from the
period. Songs like Call Me
and We Close Our Eyes, as
well as the popular King of Wishful
Thinking, were among their strongest efforts
stylistically. Angel Air from England has issued a pretty good
live concert in this set, which contains 17 songs plus bonus
features (song previews, an interview with Cox/Drummie and a
history of Go West). This band always put on a great show, so I
was pretty interested in the presentation. This DVD runs almost
3 hours and is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. For nostalgic
80s/retro lovers, Angel Air also has a set of concert DVDs for
Culture Club (Live at the Royal
Albert Hall - The 20th Anniversary Concert),
Colosseum (The Complete Reunion
Concert - 1994) and Saxon (Rock
Has Landed - It's Alive). There are other great
titles as well, so let me point you over to
the Angel
Air website for a complete listing. Note that they also
release concert CDs for 70s and 80s bands. |
I
want to close by telling video fans about the 5-6 music video
packages that Universal has been releasing in greater numbers as
time goes by. Some of their latest include ABC,
Tears for Fears, Asia,
and others. With a very nice price, they make for lots of fun
viewing. Also, next edition I'll have a special treat for Pink Floyd
fans. No, it's not the long awaited Pulse,
but it's a surprise ne'ertheless.
Thus concludes my second edition of TAPNotes.
I'll be back in a much shorter timeframe than the last, I promise.
In the meantime, pick up a music DVD and enjoy great performances
from your favorites. I hope that I've pointed you toward something
you might interested in here. Additionally, if you have a suggestion
for a great music DVD for review, let me know. I'm open to anything;
just e-mail me at the link below. And if you're an issuer of music
DVDs and would like me to consider reviewing one of your titles in
this column, give me a holler.
Matt Rowe
mattrowe@thedigitalbits.com |
