Music DVD Poll The Moody Blues - Hall Of Fame Live

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Rate the DVD-V "The Moody Blues - Hall of Fame Live"

  • 10 - Great Mix, Great Picture, Great Content

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2 - Poor Mix, Poor Content, Poor Packaging/Graphics

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1 - Complete waste of plastic

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    7
I gave this an 8. It would be better if it were widescreen, and a little more aggressive surround. The surround is good DTS, and I like it a lot. Much better than Red Rocks in technical quality for sure.
 
Music - 8/10 (Very Good)
Performance - 10/10 (Perfection)
DTS 5.0 Fidelity - 9/10 (Excellent)
DTS 5.0 Mix - 9/10 (Excellent)
Video - 8/10 (Very Good)

Positives:
+ Faultless performance by the band and orchestra. The band was clearly having fun and their enthusiasm was infectious.
+ Nice to see English Sunset from Strange Times; my favorite MB song.
+ Not a favorite band of mine, but orchestral arrangements even made songs I really could do without (e.g., Isn’t Life Strange) enjoyable.
+ DTS! :D
+ Mix effectively uses rear surrounds for ambiance of venue (rear echoes/reverberations and audience applause) and avoids being unrealistically aggressive by putting some of the instrumentation behind you while the band clearly plays in front of you.
+ Dynamic and fairly balanced sound.
+ Mix and fidelity effectively put you IN Royal Albert Hall.

Negatives:
- At times the vocals were mixed too low
- The vocals lacked a bit of clarity, thought it is unclear if this is due to the ambiance of Royal Albert Hall or the quality of the source/mix/mastering.
- Video is 4:3 not 16:9
- Video quality is somewhat soft; almost looks too clean (no-noised).
- Total running time far too short

ENTERTAINMENT (OVERALL) - 9/10 (Excellent)
(Submitted rating in poll)
 
Just goes to show how much is kickin' around here anyone can miss; I've had this DVD since the day it came out, and never noticed the thread...:D

A few thoughts:

1. A strong set, all the more important in 5.1 for the fact that Ray Thomas was still in the band(he eventually left due to health reasons)--and therefore, we not only get his talents(and an original Moody, which John and Justin aren't)but his "Legend Of A Mind," one of the best psych songs ever recorded, only lacking in the magic Mike Pinder brought to the band(something always lacking since he left in '78 for good).

2. The running time is deceptive; 81 minutes, yes, but the between-songs transitions have obviously been edited out. Don't know much about the circumstances of this performance, but assuming no songs were omitted(and to be honest, I've never bothered to check on that)or whether there was an intermission, this was like having a catbird seat to the show, without the pauses(or, one wonders, sound glitches)that occur with some live performances.

3. The mix is very good and sensible for the venue; however, there's at least one surround effect--was it a synth moving around the soundfield?--that was nicely, heh, inappropriate(happens early on). Although the band is kept mostly to the front, with an ork in tow, there's plenty of back ambience and, if you listen closely, occasional distinctive sound that make the rears more than mere ambience.

4. Fullscreen version, intended for home video, obviously. Not sure letterboxing would matter, and if this was shot fullframe, what would be the point? Most concert vids work fine in fullframe, or letterboxed IF composed that way(the owners of the Macca box, with its imposed aspect ratios on fullframe sources, would have something to say about that). Video quality, watching it tonite, is also very good, can't imagine how it could be better on DVD(the 'soft' images are typical of such vids, but this one is better than many that I own, especially given the venue and limitations of lighting inherent to the affair. It should look 'soft' except during the brightest passages(as when the lights go up at the finish).

Hard to rate musically, however....very good, but not great in the way the more recent tours have offered. An orchestra would be great if recreating DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED, but rather unnecessary for most of the band's repertoire. And, when you think about it, encumbering, keeps them from pushing their harder rocking songs(even factoring in the rehearsals that must have been done to get it this far).

Conclusion: worth owning for any MC fan; above average in all respects, has some fine passages, but not transcendent.

ED :)
 
Overall, an '8', because their later concerts have more going on, though this one does have the core of their repertoire(how could it not?)

Not sure what the HALL OF FAME tag means, since they won't be going to the US edition anytime soon(pity), though an Albert Hall gig does suggest they should be in somebody's HOF.


ED :)
 
Overall, an '8', because their later concerts have more going on, though this one does have the core of their repertoire(how could it not?)

Not sure what the HALL OF FAME tag means, since they won't be going to the US edition anytime soon(pity), though an Albert Hall gig does suggest they should be in somebody's HOF.


ED :)

Ed,
the Hall Of Fame title, says the band backstage, was done specifically to tell the guys in Cleveland they can put their label oriented, ridiculously biased ways up their cold Cleveland arses. Hall of Shame for the bias against progressive rock. Playing in that Hall year after year entitles you to call your video Hall of Fame. They are playing there again this fall.
 
Which is no surprise. I've seen them many times in concert, always a blast and great time, even if the travel is exhausting!

It's interesting that anyone would think of the Moodies as 'prog rock,' which Yes, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, and some others are tagged with. The Moodies are really a basic rock band that has writers capable of great ballads. They began as one of the many R&B-influenced working class bands out of England, and with Hayward & Lodge, moved toward something far more sophisticated, yet the rock remained. "Peak Hour," "Ride My See Saw," "Lovely To See You," "The Story In Your Eyes," "I'm Just A Singer(In A Rock And Roll Band)"--just to name some obvious Original 7's--plenty of Rock'n'Roll there! I don't think, over the years, the better ballads have so overwhelmed public perception that even casual fans don't realize the Moodies have always been basic rockers blessed with a great Mellotron man(Mike Pinder)and the knack to adapt to changing musical shifts without losing their style or identity.

But if it took a decent band like the Dave Clark Five all these years to get to the HOF(and very, very sad Mike Smith died before he could get there and bask in some overdue recognition), we shouldn't be surprised that others have also been screwed by elitist critics and others.

ED :)
 
Way back when, I enjoyed the Dave Clark Five more than the Beatles or the Stones. Have all of their albums in mono.

I was a big DC5 fan in 1964, the group was commercially successful for several years and I always looked forward to their Ed Sullivan appearances. I was sorry to read that Mike Smith passed away.

Chris
 
The Moodies are just as much a rock band as the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Mama's and the Papa's and the Four Seasons - if not MORE "Rock and Roll". For them to be excluded is a joke, IMHO.
 
Well, the word on the HOF is, it's who you know, really....which I think is proven by the ease with which guys like Jackson Browne and Billy Joel were inducted. A lot of people blame Jann Wenner and his music critic buddies(and I've no doubt they play no small part in who gets in or doesn't), but it's also about politics and lobbying...and I'm sure if the Moodies really wanted it badly enough, held out an olive branch(or maybe donated some stuff to the HOF), they'd probably have a better shot. More to the point, however, is that, eventually, they may get in because as the years go by it's harder for the HOF to ignore them, given others also eligible that are so obviously of lesser talent and stature. That's probably why--finally--the DC5 got in, something that, IMO, should have happened many years ago.

ED :)
 
The Dave Clark 5 were at least one year too late as many of you may know, lead singer (and Vox Continental organ player) Mike Smith died last week of pnuemonia at 64. I may have to get out the old Ready Steady Go! tapes tonight. :( John S.
 
There is a very cool Mike Smith tribute show on the MTV HD channel put together by Paul Schaeffer (Dave Letterman's band leader) which features performances from The Zombies, Denny Laine (Wings), Peter & Gordon (reunited for the first time in 30 plus years), Billy Kramer, and the Fab Faux (a great Beatles tribute band featuring Will Lee (Letterman show's Bass player) and Jimmy Vivino (Conan's Guitar player - and brother of Uncle Floyd!) - they do killer versions of "Catch Me If You Can." and a dead on "Penny Lane." All live from BB King's Time Square club - and a fun, discrete/live surround mix to boot.
 
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