The English Beat In Concert At The Royal Festival Hall
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Concert: B
In yet another reunion that works, The English Beat (known
as simply The Beat back in the U.K.) are back together and as vibrant as ever
with their 2004 concert at The Royal Festival Hall. Having spilt and formed two separate bands,
General Public (with Ranking Roger (aka Roger Charley) and Dave Wakeling) and
the bizarre Prince-inspired Fine Young Cannibals (with Dave Steele & Andy
Cox), they did not quit making music.
From 1980 to 1983, they had three studio albums (I Just Can’t Stop It,
Wha’ppen? and the immortal Special Beat Service) along with a
massive farewell package (What Is Beat?) and they have remained
important, influential, popular and held up remarkably well a quarter-century
later. This concert features the
following classics:
1) Ranking
Full Stop
2) Rough
Rider
3) Noise In
This World
4) Hands
Off She’s Mine
5) Doors Of
Your Heart
6) Too Nice
To Talk To
7) Tears Of
A Clown
8) Twist
& Crawl
9) Spar Wid
Me
10) Two Swords
11) Big Shot
12) Get A Job
13) Stand Down Margaret
14) Mirror In The Bathroom
15) Stranger On The Shore
16) Save It For Later
17) Click Click
18) Can’t Get Used To Losing You
19) Best Friend
20) Jackpot
They too were from the amazing 2-Tone label, but I.R.S.
released their work, but this is another fine DVD from Secret Records. Saxa (the saxophone player for those not in
the know) is the third original member back, while Steele (bass) & Cox
(guitarist) are succeeded by Andy Pierson on bass and Neil Deathridge on
guitar. Wakeling also handles guitar as
he always has. The songs mix so much
world music and like no other band, including the joyously pervasive pre-Reggae
genre Ska. The concert runs over 85
minutes.
The letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image is lacking a bit, with
detail limits, but works well otherwise.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 mixes are not that different, with the 5.1
a bit better, but not up to how good it could have sounded. Too bad this was not DTS, because this
concert sounds like it has more punch than we are hearing. The extras include a long interview with the
original members who returned and runs about 40 minutes, though the sound and
image seem out of sync, plus you get a text biography of the band and a stills
gallery. Though purists may miss the old
members or want the original studio albums and concerts, The English Beat In
Concert At The Royal Festival Hall delivers and is recommended.
- Nicholas Sheffo
