Hi guys,
Since good demo discs are always a challenge to find I thought I'd give my opinions on a few I've bought this last week in preparation for the upcoming Bristol Show. I figured I'd better find a few new music Blu-Rays since I've not done many AV demo's since the days when the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" DVD was popular! (films are ok but they have many flat spots and you're forever skipping to a select few scenes - fine in a timed demo but we like to keep it open and casual!).
I basically did a bit of "Googleing" and bought some based on recommendations I'd found (mainly from Steve Guttenberg, not the one from Police Academy but the AV contributor to Stereophile and general World authority on the subject! Also a very nice guy whenever I've met him!). I've not had the chance to watch them all the way through but overall have a good impression of what they're about...
Peter Gabriel, New Blood - Live in London:
Pretty much Peter Gabriel with an orchestra, overall quality excellent (though the swinging "stage cam" can get a little nauseating at times), production standards decent and sound/picture quality top notch. Sadly missing a little edge and "oomph" at times for me with the omission of the guitars and drums (no Sledgehammer on this disk!). The smaller venue also lacks a little atmosphere compared to his big stadium efforts. If you like the softer, deeper side of Gabriel you'll probably love this disk, there's much to commend it though for me it's a touch self-indulgent and lacking real excitement at times. 7/10
Stevie Wonder - Live at last:
This is an excellent demo disk! The production is bang on, the set list huge, picture has real "pop" and sound is faultless. The performances of all involved are also top notch. In the true Columbo style though there's a "just one more thing..." for me - Soul, or indeed lack of it. Everything here is so polished and perfect there's the feel that it's very much a "by the numbers" gig, something performed a thousand times over. The brass instruments, guitars and even keyboards all sound a little quiet and restrained compared to any one of a number of 70's Youtube clips of Mr Wonder - the performers almost seem as if they've been told they're not allowed to really let themselves go. This is nit-picking on my part to be honest, as a Stevie Wonder fan I'd love to see the afro-wearing, medallioned Stevie that appeared on Sesame Street back in the day! Now comfortably over 60 I guess for him and his band to still have that kind of energy is a little unfair to ask. Overall still an excellent statement from a past musical genius who still has plenty to offer in terms of performance, if not so much in terms of new material. 8/10
The Rolling Stones, Some Girls - Live in Texas '78:
Now this has everything missing from the previous two - the sound quality, though rougher, is still surprisingly good. The picture perfectly fits the era and event if lacking the polish of a more modern production. The thing which makes this disc stand out is the performance - it's a true gig and the band were at their musical peak. Sure there are rough edges, the Stones seem to be largely dosed up on various substances throughout *allegedly* (and the show is probably all the better for it). It's not a disc I would normally have gone for in all honesty - a live 70's recording hardly holds out great promise but it's the one that most people in the office have been impressed by, including our Westlife loving 25 year old Office Manager who seems more interested in the colour pink than "real" music or speakers wihch is a testament to just how good it is. It's the one I'd be most happy to whack on, sit down with a beer and watch from beginning to end, feeling closest to being there out of the trio I've tested. 9.5/10
I hope this may be of some use to anyone looking for some Blu-Ray music to try out! By all means pop in and have a listen at Bristol where these will be rotating with Toy Story 3 and a DTS Demo disk... Yawn!
Cheers,
Jim.
Since good demo discs are always a challenge to find I thought I'd give my opinions on a few I've bought this last week in preparation for the upcoming Bristol Show. I figured I'd better find a few new music Blu-Rays since I've not done many AV demo's since the days when the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" DVD was popular! (films are ok but they have many flat spots and you're forever skipping to a select few scenes - fine in a timed demo but we like to keep it open and casual!).
I basically did a bit of "Googleing" and bought some based on recommendations I'd found (mainly from Steve Guttenberg, not the one from Police Academy but the AV contributor to Stereophile and general World authority on the subject! Also a very nice guy whenever I've met him!). I've not had the chance to watch them all the way through but overall have a good impression of what they're about...
Peter Gabriel, New Blood - Live in London:
Pretty much Peter Gabriel with an orchestra, overall quality excellent (though the swinging "stage cam" can get a little nauseating at times), production standards decent and sound/picture quality top notch. Sadly missing a little edge and "oomph" at times for me with the omission of the guitars and drums (no Sledgehammer on this disk!). The smaller venue also lacks a little atmosphere compared to his big stadium efforts. If you like the softer, deeper side of Gabriel you'll probably love this disk, there's much to commend it though for me it's a touch self-indulgent and lacking real excitement at times. 7/10
Stevie Wonder - Live at last:
This is an excellent demo disk! The production is bang on, the set list huge, picture has real "pop" and sound is faultless. The performances of all involved are also top notch. In the true Columbo style though there's a "just one more thing..." for me - Soul, or indeed lack of it. Everything here is so polished and perfect there's the feel that it's very much a "by the numbers" gig, something performed a thousand times over. The brass instruments, guitars and even keyboards all sound a little quiet and restrained compared to any one of a number of 70's Youtube clips of Mr Wonder - the performers almost seem as if they've been told they're not allowed to really let themselves go. This is nit-picking on my part to be honest, as a Stevie Wonder fan I'd love to see the afro-wearing, medallioned Stevie that appeared on Sesame Street back in the day! Now comfortably over 60 I guess for him and his band to still have that kind of energy is a little unfair to ask. Overall still an excellent statement from a past musical genius who still has plenty to offer in terms of performance, if not so much in terms of new material. 8/10
The Rolling Stones, Some Girls - Live in Texas '78:
Now this has everything missing from the previous two - the sound quality, though rougher, is still surprisingly good. The picture perfectly fits the era and event if lacking the polish of a more modern production. The thing which makes this disc stand out is the performance - it's a true gig and the band were at their musical peak. Sure there are rough edges, the Stones seem to be largely dosed up on various substances throughout *allegedly* (and the show is probably all the better for it). It's not a disc I would normally have gone for in all honesty - a live 70's recording hardly holds out great promise but it's the one that most people in the office have been impressed by, including our Westlife loving 25 year old Office Manager who seems more interested in the colour pink than "real" music or speakers wihch is a testament to just how good it is. It's the one I'd be most happy to whack on, sit down with a beer and watch from beginning to end, feeling closest to being there out of the trio I've tested. 9.5/10
I hope this may be of some use to anyone looking for some Blu-Ray music to try out! By all means pop in and have a listen at Bristol where these will be rotating with Toy Story 3 and a DTS Demo disk... Yawn!
Cheers,
Jim.
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