I was a bit late in discovering the world of David Bowie. I was always aware of his music, but through my high school years I was of the persuasion that Bowie was just another musician from he past trying to keep his career going, and on top of that he was not in my genre of choice. Anyway, fast forward a few years, my attitudes have changed and I am now a full fledged Bowie fan. When this DVD came out it was only natural that I would pick it up. After viewing it, I can say without hesitation, that it is one of the best concert disks I've seen.
The show opens with Bowie and his bandmates taking to the stage opening with "Rebel Rebel." The crowd is immediately insane, singing along with Bowie. I'm not going to go through the setlist song by song, but I will say that I believe every album is represented somewhere in the 30 song set. Highlights include "Fame," "All the Young Dudes," "Under Pressure," "I'm Afraid of Americans," and "Bring Me the Disco King."
What this album lacks in extras it makes up for in a fantastic production. All of the musicians involved are first rate, keeping the pace with David and looking as if they are having a lot of fun. All of them play their roles and get their chance to shine playing behind a master. Bowie, himself, is in great form clearly having fun up there, occasionally flashing a big smile, and just plain enjoying himself. On top of all that his voice is in top form, after all these years his voice is still as strong as it was when he started nearly forty years ago.
Through all of his various personas that he has taken on through the years, Ziggy, Major Tom, and all the rest, he ends up being himself onstage, comfortable in his own skin. One of the few major artists who always rides the fringe and retains his artistic integrity. He commands your attention from the stage, he takes in all of the attention and is sure to divert it to his bandmates. He stands before the crowd, humble, unassuming, yet in complete control of the audience, it is quite a sight to behold.
Beyond the performance, as fantastic as it is, the overall look of the production is fantastic. It was filmed in Dublin, Ireland in November of 2003 in front of a full house. The stage is expansive, each musicians equipment dispersed throughout. Above them hang a series of large screens used to project images and feeds of the players. All around them lights strobe and flash and pick out Bowie and the others bringing the stage to life. The editing is a strong point here as well, in combination with camera effects deliver an energetic visual look at the show.
Many concert videos I've seen employ fast editing techniques which do nothing but annoy the viewer, never allowing them to focus on any one point or get a sense of the stage. Others use, or rather over use, camera effects which can be equally distracting annoyances. This show, however, employs both to great effect. Cuts timed with the music, effects that bring the songs to life. Over exposed film, the introduction of film grain, active camera motions, all of these combine to form a visual poetry over the music.
Video. The video is presented in an anamorphically enhanced ratio of, I believe, 1.78:1, and it looks great. Many different looks are used in his film including over exposure and a variety of camera effects, all of which affect the look of the video. I take this all into consideration as artistic choice, this is not a movie transfer, but a different genre altogether. Very nice to look at.
Audio. Presented in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0, and both sound very good. A strong mix with even representation of all instruments with Bowie always on top. Nicely done.
Extras. Virtually none. What we do get is a Bowie discography and the production credits for each of the songs presented.
Bottomline. This is a must have for any Bowie fan, for anyone interested in Bowie, or anyone who appreciates a good concert. The performances are great, the production is great, it is an all around excellent concert.
Highly Recommended.
Excellent show from a legendary artist who is only getting better.
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