UB40 – Live At Montreux 2002 (DVD-Video)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B     Extras: D     Concert: C+

 

 

I am not the biggest fan of UB40 and stick by everything I have had to say about them before.  You can read my previous review of a recent CD at:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3331/UB40+-+Who+You+Fighting+For?+(CD

 

 

And that was just a CD.  Now comes 97 minutes (!!!) of the band on the new DVD Live At Montreux 2002 with 21 songs from their surprisingly long career, including yet another rendition of Red, Red Wine, which the U.S. Government may very well be using to get information from prisoners at Abu Ghraib!  Maybe they can just play that one over and over in the battlefield until Al Qaeda surrenders.

 

In any event, it goes on far too long, never feels like Rock, Pop or Reggae but some kind of strange mush of the styles that only the band could deliver, which is the problem.  Tracks include:

 

1)     The Way You Do The Things You Do

2)     Here I Am (Come And Take Me)

3)     One In Ten

4)     Come Back Darling

5)     If It Happens Again

6)     Homely Girl

7)     Kingston Town

8)     Reggae Music

9)     Don’t Break My Heart

10)  Love It When You Smile

11)  Rat In Mi Kitchen

12)  Rudie

13)  Cover Up

14)  Since I Met Your Lady

15)  Maybe Tomorrow – Anything Mi Chat

16)  Johnny Too Bad

17)  Wear You To The Ball

18)  Red Red Wine

19)  Can’t Help Falling In Love

20)  Cherry Oh Baby

21)  Many Rivers To Cross

 

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image has some good color, but depth and detail issues, suggesting a 1080i taping.  The DTS 5.1 does pull through and will make fans happy, with the Dolby Digital 5.1 not as good and PCM 16/48 2.0 Stereo having some richness advantages over the Dolby.  There are no extras, though the brief paper pullout inside the DVD case is not bad.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo