The Bangles – Return To Bangelonia (Concert/DVD-Video)

 

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

 

 

As the Go-Go’s sadly broke up and faded away after 1984, The Bangles arrived in 1986 with a hit written by no less than Prince in his early prime (Manic Monday as “Christopher”) and had at least one hit a year until they broke up later in 1989 after a couple of #1s and some big hits of their own.  Return To Bangelonia has them back together again from a 2000 concert at The House Of Blues in Los Angeles.  The songs performed include:

 

1)     Hazy Shade Of Winter (Paul Simon)

2)     Live (Emitt Rhodes)

3)     If She Knew What She Wants (Jules Shear)

4)     Between The Two (Michael Steele/David Bergen White)

5)     The Rain Song (Susan Cowsill/Vicki Peterson)

6)     Manic Monday (Christopher)

7)     Here Right Now (Debbi Peterson/Peter Rafelson)

8)     September Gurls (Alex Chilton)

9)     Going Down To Liverpool (Kimberley Rew)

10)  I Will Take Care Of You (Susanna Hoffs/Dillon O'Brian)

11)  Get The Girl (Susanna Hoffs/Vicki Peterson/Debbi Peterson)

12)  In Your Room (Susanna Hoffs/Tom Kelly/Billy Steinberg)

13)  Stealing Rosemary (Susanna Hoffs/Vicki Peterson/Debbi Peterson)

14)  Angels Don't Fall In Love (Susanna Hoffs/Vicki Peterson)

15)  Hero Takes A Fall (Susanna Hoffs/Vicki Peterson)

16)  Walk Like An Egyptian (Liam Sternberg)

17)  Pushin' Too Hard (Sky Saxon)

18)  Eternal Flame (Susanna Hoffs/Tom Kelly/Billy Steinberg)

 

 

The closing song, despite becoming co-written by Hoffs with “future jingle writers” Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, was their last big hit before they broke up and remains one of their best songs.  The performance here is typical of the concert in general; good but not great, much like the many Go-Go reunions since their peak.  The talent it there and so is some of the energy, but in both cases, there is a certain heart and soul that is faded a bit, holding back the best possible performances.

 

It is certainly not from lack of effort, but that some of the chemistry is just not adding up.  However, it is still a good concert and one fans should be happy with.  Hoffs still had the voice at the time, which is a plus.

 

 

The letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image is a little soft and surprisingly not anamorphically enhanced, but color is good and editing is not bad, shot on video.  Some shots can look odd because lighting is not as clear due to the video source limits.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is better than the Dolby 2.0 as expected, both with surrounds, but the 2.0 is weaker than expected still.  Extras include stills, audio commentary by the band on the concert, two bonus performances (Manic Monday, Ride The Ride) and Story Of Bangelonia with interviews.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo