Steve Miller Band - Live From Chicago
Performance
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Steve Miller Band - Live From Chicago
Performance
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Music has been such an integral part in my life that I can still clearly remember the first three albums I ever bought with my own money. Big deal you say? Well, that was over 30 years ago, and I was only about twelve years old at the time. Steve Miller Band's Book Of Dreams was the third album, and it took a few week's worth of my hard earned allowance to get it. It was also quite a departure from my first two albums, Aerosmith's self-titled debut, and Black Sabbath's Technical Ecstasy. Book Of Dreams was released in 1977, and it followed the equally successful Fly Like An Eagle, which was released the previous year. These two multi-platinum selling albums launched the Steve Miller Band to superstardom in the mid-70s, behind a string of hit singles that are all performed on this DVD. Miller's 1978 release, Greatest Hits 1974-1978, featured all of the best tracks from those two albums, along with the "The Joker" from the 1973 album of the same name. That album went on to sell over six million copies and firmly cemented Miller's position on every rock radio play list to this day. Live From Chicago was recorded on July 13th and 14th, 2007 during the Steve Miller Band's two night run at the Ravinia Amphitheater, in Highland Park, Illinois, which is just north of Chicago. Steve Miller's recording career spans four decades now, going all the way back to his 1968 debut album, Children Of The Future, but don't expect to hear too many songs from that period on this DVD - or anything remotely new, for that matter. For the most part, Miller sticks with his familiar mid-70's hits, the Greatest Hits 1974-1978 album was played in its entirety, but he also throws in a few songs from the surrounding years. I can't really blame Miller for playing this type of set list for the taping of his first ever concert DVD, and I'm sure that was what most of the fans came to hear, but I am disappointed when such an established artist as Miller ignores their less popular early period. He also didn't play anything from any of his post-Abracabra albums. I would have preferred that over the three cover songs he did. Miller kicks off the show with "Fly Like An Eagle", and believe me it was not the same "Fly Like An Eagle" that all of those forty-something year old soccer moms in the crowd used to dance to back in grade school. Miller turns this one into a 15-minute, extended, blues jam that gets briefly interrupted by a ridiculous rap section by Miller's keyboardist, stuck smack-dab in the middle of the song. That was definitely one of the more out of place things I have seen at a rock concert lately. The one and only time Miller goes back to his 60's, psychedelic, blues-rock roots was during the second song when he played "Living in the USA" from his 1968 Sailor album. This is one of the only songs from that era to remain a staple of Miller's live shows. It's amazing to think that a lot of people were first turned on to the Steve Miller Band via their goofy 1982 pop hit "Abracadabra". That is actually the first song that turning me off from the Steve Miller Band. Steve Miller Band's music could really benefit from being played with a slightly heavier edge live, but they mostly play faithful or even tamer versions than the originals. Kind of like Eric Clapton the last couple of decades - until Doyle Bramhall II joined his band and reignited a little fire in him again. Not that I don't appreciate a little nuance and subtlety when it is warranted, Miller can be a master of both, but when the album version of "The Stake" completely out-muscles this live version, especially Miller's guitar solo, that was kind of a bummer. I'm really just nitpicking here, because there is plenty to get excited about with this excellent DVD. Some of the highlights for me actually came from Miller's more eclectic, lesser-known numbers like "Serenade", "Dance, Dance, Dance", "Wild Mountain Honey", "Winter Time", and a killer "Mercury Blues". Before "Wild Mountain Honey", Miller tells the story of how he came across the amazing guitar he uses on the song, for sale for 125 dollars in some used guitar "barrel" at a local music store. He then goes through a hilarious description of the multitude of strange features on the guitar. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame recently offered him 632 THOUSAND dollars for the thing. Miller certainly sent his fans home satisfied this night when he closed out a nearly two hour show with an incredible string of hits, including "Rockin' Me", "Take the Money", "Jungle Love", and a particularly rockin' "Jet Airliner". The only thing missing was that cool "Threshold" intro to "Jet Airliner". Live From Chicago is easily one of the best produced concert DVD packages to come out this year. The three-disk set is packaged in a three-panel, digipak that is housed inside of a beautifully embossed slipcase that features the Steve Miller Band Pegasus logo. A 12-page color booklet is also included that features an essay detailing Miller's long career, as well as some color photos from the show. The concert was filmed in Hi-Def, and the anamorphic widescreen transfer is sharp, colorful, and full of detail. Four different audio options are included, with a powerful DTS 5.1 surround mix leading the way. Also included are Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo, as well as a rarely seen 5.1 SRS Circle Surround track. The DVD was directed by Daniel E. Catullo III, who also directed Rush In Rio, and Godsmack's Changes DVDs, and he keeps the camera angle changes coming in a hurry. Catullo also spends way too much time on the crowd close-ups, for my taste, but he did capture the electric atmosphere of the show well using a wide variety of superb camera angles. The bonus disc includes a photo gallery, a 20-minute documentary, and an interview by Chicago radio personality Joel Selvin, where he and Miller drive around the South Side neighborhoods in a Checker taxi cab and reminisce about Miller's old Chicago blues roots. I don't think I know anyone who doesn't at least like the Steve Miller Band. They've got a little something for everyone - rock, pop, blues, prog, country, and it is all as catchy as hell. Live From Chicago captures a Steve Miller Band still going strong after forty years, and I highly recommend it. Look for a new album coming soon too! Reviewed by Paul M. Roy - June 2008 |
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Running Time: 109 Minutes |
DVD Release Date - May 2008 |