Top Ten Concert DVD/Blu-ray Discs of 2010
I purchased my first Blu-ray disc (BD) concert video last year, and several of
them have made their way onto my 2010 top ten list. If you have a decent
audio-video system to watch these babies on, the improvements in audio and picture quality can be
quite stunning, especially if they were recorded and produced properly. BD
concert video sales have taken off remarkably since 2010,
thanks in part to more reasonable pricing - you can usually get them for about
20-30% more than their DVD counterpart - and the fact that most new concert
videos are now released on both BD and DVD format. Although 2010 wasn't exactly the
best year I've ever seen for concert videos,
there were certainly enough good releases to make my job at narrowing down this
top ten list a very difficult task. Here goes:
10. Marillion -
Out Of Season: This hidden treasure, which can only be purchased from
the band's own website, is a deluxe, three-DVD, boxed set that
captures all three nights of the band's Marillion Weekend 2009, in Port Zelande,
The Netherlands. Each night featured a different theme and a completely
different setlist, and was highlighted by an entire performance of their
acclaimed 1989 Seasons End album, which was the first album to feature
new lead vocalist Steve Hogarth, after Fish quit the band the previous year.
The real star of this set, however, was the third night where the band dusted off several
of their longest and most proggiest tracks - and this is where these progressive
rock veterans really shine. (DVD)
9. Bruce
Springsteen - London Calling (Live In Hyde Park): Although I have
already come clean as to not being the biggest Springsteen fan in the world,
you've got to give credit where credit is due. London Calling was
easily one of the best produced concert Blu-ray discs of the year, and Bruce and
his E Street Band simply did what they do best - turn in another kick ass live
performance. (BD)
8.
Metallica - Orgullo, Pasion, Y Gloria: This excellent concert DVD highlights
our favorite Hall of Fame inducted metal band during their three sold out shows in Mexico
City, during the summer of 2009, in front of about 155,000 rabid fans. Metallica had not
played Mexico in about ten years and their Mexican hermanos and hermanas were extremely
excited, to say the least. Kirk Hammett was not too far off when he remarked, "it's
like Beatlemania." The setlist offers an excellent career overview, going all
the way back to their 1983 debut Kill 'Em All album (has it really been that long?) on up to their latest offering, 2008's Death Magnetic.
(DVD)
7. The Rolling Stones - Ladies and Gentleman...The Rolling Stones:
It took nearly forty years for this video to officially see the light of day,
and it was well worth the wait. Ladies and Gentleman... captures the worlds
greatest rock & roll band at the height of their power during their 1972 North
American tour in support of their now legendary Exile On Main Street
album. Watching a 23 year old Mick Taylor lay down one amazing solo after another, as the already veteran Keith Richards holds down the groove,
is worth the price of admission alone. The concert was filmed on 16mm and then
blown up to 35mm for theatrical release, and it is presented in a nicely restored
widescreen picture with an impressive DTS surround audio track. (DVD)
6. King's X -
Live Love In London: King's X arrived on the scene back in 1988 with
the release of their debut album, Out Of The Silent Planet, but it was
the moment I heard their amazing sophomore follow-up, Gretchen Goes To
Nebraska, that this Texas power-trio became one of my all-time favorite
bands. They were on the verge of breaking big back in the early '90s after
getting some decent airplay with the singles "It's Love," and "Black Flag," but
the musical tides were also dramatically changing around that time, and grunge
soon overtook the scene. The concert stage is where King's X really shines,
and Live Love In London, their first official (professional quality)
concert DVD release really sets the record straight. King's X rocks! (DVD)
5. U2 - 360 At
The Rose Bowl: After a failed attempt to buy the International Space
Station to use as their stage for this tour, U2 eventually settled for a
164-foot tall, four-legged, steel, space monster, called "the claw," to play
their three decades worth of hits from. This is quite simply the biggest and
most elaborate concert stage ever devised, and if you are really lucky, you can
still catch one of these shows when their tour continues this summer in North
America. Although I find that U2 shines more in the more intimate settings like
their Elevation tour and their performance at the 25th Anniversary
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts, you really owe it to yourself to check
out this magnificent concert spectacle. (BD)
4. Eric Clapton
- Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010: Yes, the 2010 edition is
probably the weakest of the three Crossroads DVDs, but it's still a
hell of a lot better than most of the other concert DVDs put out last year.
There were some very interesting collaborations this year including Buddy Guy,
Jonny Lang, and Ron Wood laying down an instrumental take on the Stone's "Miss
You" - wrap that one around your head for a minute - Vince Gill, James Burton,
Albert Lee, Keb' Mo', and Earl Klugh riding the "Mystery Train" to Memphis,
and my man Joe Bonamassa lighting up the stage with Robert Randolph & the Family
Band. Nearly five hours worth of performance that feature something for
everybody. (DVD)
3. Transatlantic -
Whirld Tour 2010: After a nearly seven year absence from the scene, progressive-rock
super-group, Transatlantic, reunited in 2009 to begin work on their third studio album,
fittingly titled, The Whirlwind. Thankfully, the boys, Neal Morse (ex-Spock's Beard),
Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings), Pete Trawevas (Marillion), and
Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater), also found time in their already hectic schedules to
take on a short North American and European tour in 2010, dubbed the
Whirld Tour, and the results can be found on this excellent new concert DVD.
Whirld Tour 2010 is exquisitely produced and contains over three hours
worth of concert footage that is highlighted by a remarkable performance of their entire
77-minute Whirlwind album. (DVD)
2. Porcupine
Tree - Anesthetize: If only the setlist had been as strong as
their previous concert DVD, Arriving Somewhere..., this could have been
my number one pick, since the performances and production quality were so
phenomenal.
You know you are always going to get a world class audio mix when Steve Wilson is at the
helm, but the DTS-HD Master Audio track on the Blu-ray version of this video is amongst the best I have ever heard. Anesthetize starts with an
entire performance of the band's brilliant 2007 album, Fear Of A Blank Planet,
and then mixes in mostly b-sides and deep cuts from their most recent few
albums. One of the most impressive things to me about this video is that it only had one
song in common with their previous concert DVD. Sure, we may have missed out on
some of our favorite PT songs, but how refreshing is that? (BD)
1. 25th
Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts: This was a pretty
easy choice for me. Not just one artist I love laying down a killer performance,
but about 50 of the greatest artists in history all rocking the same stage for
two straight nights. The superb production quality and Joel Gallen's flawless
direction are what really put this one over
the top too. And where else are you ever going to witness something as
extraordinary as U2 serving
as backing band to Mick Jagger and Fergie's smoldering performance of "Gimme
Shelter?" Look no further. (DVD)
Honorable Mention:
Electric Light Orchestra - Live, The Early Years
Extreme
- Take Us Alive
Popovic, Ana - An Evening At Trasimeno Lake
Scofield, John - New Morning: The Paris Concert
Judas Priest - Live At The Seminole Hard Rock Arena
Purchase any of these DVDs at:
