Music DVD Poll Moody Blues Live - Lovely To See You

[JonUrban]

This is a new 2006 release with both a Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround track. I listened to the DTS track.

First off, it's a beautiful 16x9 anamorphic video that looks damn near HD on my Pioneer Plasma screen. This alone gets it a few points.

The set list is pretty good, with tunes from throughout their career, not just "Nights" and "Tuesday" (which are there, of course). The highlights for me were the two songs from "Threshold of a Dream", the lead off track "Lovely to See You", which still rocks, and "Are You Sitting Comfortably", with dual flutes replacing Ray Thomas, who is sorely missed. I really enjoyed Ray Thomas's music, and wish he had not retired.

Other "deep tracks" include "The Actor", "Steppin' in a Slide Zone", "Talking Out of Turn", "Story in Your Eyes" (not really "deep"), "The Other Side of Life", "Higher and Higher" , "December Snow", "Lean on Me", and "Ride My See Saw". Along with "Tuesday" and "Nights", the hits include "The Voice", "I Know You're Out There Somewhere", "Forever Autumn", "Your Wildest Dreams", "Isn't Life Strange", "I'm Just a Singer..." and "Question".

Now, the bad part. Well, it's not THAT bad, but the surround mix (at least the DTS) is very discrete, but the rears are strictly audience and ambience. The band is up front, but the overall presentation is a "like you were there" deal. Not bad at all, much better than stereo, but not an enveloping mix.

If you have attachments to these tunes, then this disc is a must buy, IMHO. There are quite a few MB DVDs, but this one is a gem. It's from Image.

I could not find it at all at my local BBs and CCs, so I ordered it from CD Universe. It's also available on redbook CD (audio only), which I did see in the BB.

For Picture: 10
For Content: 9
For Surround: 5
Overall: 7

One more thing I almost forgot. There is an interview with the 3 remaining Moodies, Hayward, Lodge, and Edge. They talk about family, music, etc. It's interesting to long time fans, but would be boring to new fans.

 

[jeffty]

The Moodies have been one of my guilty pleasures for a very long time now. I didn't care for the Red Rocks show from about a decade ago, they looked and sounded kinda washed up to me. This new DVD is something else altogether. I REALLY enjoyed this show and I thought they sounded great sans orchestra. They hit a lot of my favorite album cuts and it was a real joy for me.

I thought the DTS 5.1 track was a little light on the bass guitar although the kick drum was well represented so I don't know what the issue is there. The rest of the balance was good although there seemed to be little but ambience in the rear speakers most of the time. The stereo mix is a better overall balance but a rougher sound to me so you can take your choice. I also noticed there is a minimum of "fixed" or overdubbed tracks on this disc and I really appreciated that.

Being a F/T working musician (re: poor) I have taken to using Netflix instead of buying my DVD's these days. I was moved to watch this disc twice before returning it though and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. A real return to form for these gentlemen and their fine backup players. I gave it a 9 and I recommend it to any Moodies fan out there. Now...if only those SACD's would arrive...

 

[EMB]

First of all, this is a hidden gem in the Moodies video canon! :banana: Pretty much unheralded(even the LIVE IN PARIS disc--not live at all, of course--got more press and fan reaction), but well worth having as a document(the disc has the basic set list from the tour), and because the video quality is superb! Best I've ever seen for the Moodies, and very representative of what their show looked like(though we get to see angles from the sides and back not available to even first-row seaters). This is truly a 'you are there' experience, and a must not only for fans but anyone who *hasn't* seen them in concert in recent years, this is typical of what their shows are like visually. And, unlike so many concert vids(including RED ROCKS, regrettably), the editing and cutting of shots and angles isn't irritationg or repetitive. Very nicely done!

Now, on to the audio. The front separation is pretty good(though in concert, it's a full frontal assault, usually with tight separation and way, wayyyyyyyyyy too loud). We hear details in vocals and bass that tend to be lost at the venue, but that's due to having the multis to reference and adjust as the band wished. As noted, the rears are for ambience and the audience, which, while it might seem closer to the 'live' experience, really isn't, especially the closer to the stage you are. Anyone with concert experience knows that more than ambience winds up behind you: there's also the venue's acoustics that tend to exaggerate certain things which can't really be replicated with any remix.

The mix also tends to showcase the pitfalls of aging. Justin's vocals ain't what they used to be(even though he remains one of the most underrated axemen in rock history, able to effortlessly shift between lead and rhythm stylings with ease). He does his best, but isolating his vocals so much(John seems to do better, but then his range was more limited all along)doesn't sound at all as it does at shows, where the band tends to drown him out.

Overall, for what it is--and given the nature of such music DVD's in general--this gets a 10 for video, 8 for audio. Even though it's not the best mix that could have been made, it's better than any other Moodies live video I've heard, and the presentation is topnotch...

3 other things:

The band knew it was being taped and recorded that night, and at times I almost felt the core trio were all to conscious of it(Edgey usually wears some outlandish shirt while capering during "Higher And Higher," but not here, something uncharacteristically basic).

Note that like the latter-day Dead, the Moodies have two drummers)(not sure why, really, except for a few songs where a little extra percussion is needed for dramatic effect, or with H&H, to let Edge come down from his kit)and a singer, Bernie Barlow, who really doesn't have much to do, yet they put her behind a keyboard(which she doesn't play--watch at one point where they show her with her hands totally still on the keys! ).

The bonus interview is kind of strained and reserved, but nice, all the same, typical of the guys' easygoing nature. They don't tell too much, but their constant touring and connection with their fans over 37 years is very evident, they did this for us, just to kind of say hi and thanks.

ED

 

[beached]

This is my second best sounding DVD-V. Two Against Nature just pips it for its airy yet powerful sound. DTS is the reason. 10.

 

[quadtrade]

Interesting thing about this title, is that Justin did the mix for this, and is particularly proud of its content.

The Moodies have been one of my guilty pleasures for a very long time now. I didn't care for the Red Rocks show from about a decade ago, they looked and sounded kinda washed up to me. This new DVD is something else altogether. I REALLY enjoyed this show and I thought they sounded great sans orchestra. They hit a lot of my favorite album cuts and it was a real joy for me.

I thought the DTS 5.1 track was a little light on the bass guitar although the kick drum was well represented so I don't know what the issue is there. The rest of the balance was good although there seemed to be little but ambience in the rear speakers most of the time. The stereo mix is a better overall balance but a rougher sound to me so you can take your choice. I also noticed there is a minimum of "fixed" or overdubbed tracks on this disc and I really appreciated that.

Being a F/T working musician (re: poor) I have taken to using Netflix instead of buying my DVD's these days. I was moved to watch this disc twice before returning it though and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. A real return to form for these gentlemen and their fine backup players. I gave it a 9 and I recommend it to any Moodies fan out there. Now...if only those SACD's would arrive...