The Moody Blues – Lovely To See You – Live (HD-DVD/Image Entertainment)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B Extras: C Concert: B-
Though
they do not always get credit for it, The Moody Blues are one of the most
enduring bands in Rock music and unlike Yes, their line-up has actually been
more stable. So here they are, 41 years
later still touring and delivering their biggest hits. Lead singer Justin Hayward still has the
voice and the band (with some new members) can still play the hits, but there
was a bit of the snap and strength of the band missing for their 2005 concert Lovely To See You – Live, now arriving
on HD-DVD a while after its DVD release.
Songs
include:
1)
Lovely To See You
2)
Tuesday Afternoon
3)
Lean On Me (Tonight)
4)
The Actor
5)
Steppin’ In A Slide Zone
6)
The Voice
7)
Talking Out Of Turn
8)
I Know You’re Out There Somewhere
9)
The Story In Your Eyes
10) Forever Autumn
11) Your Wildest Dreams
12) Isn’t Life Strange
13) The Other Side Of Life
14) December Snow
15) Higher & Higher
16) Are You Sitting Comfortably?
17) I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock
& Roll Band)
18) Nights In White Satin
19) Question
20) Ride My See-Saw
It runs a
brisk 106 minutes and expect for some moments that do not work out, is not a
bad show, but it is not a peak example of the bands at their best. However, it is their first HD release and it
is not bad for it. It was best for them
to save the classic tracks for the end of the show and the audience is a plus
with their love and enthusiasm for the band.
They have taped better shows, but there are more ups than downs here and
that is enough to make it worth a good look.
The 1080i
1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image may have detail limits because it was
shot in older HD equipment, but I really liked the color quality and versus a
recent show as soft (The Eagles – Live
In Melbourne HD-DVD we never got for review) is a bit sharper and
cleaner. The way it is lit and is set up
helps.
The Dolby
TrueHD 5.1 mix is not bad, better than the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 and 2.0 mixes
also included, yet both have a limited soundfield that does not do justice to
the music. Audience notwithstanding, the
singing and instruments could have been more forward and better integrated and
we certainly have covered cases where their music sounds better. However, it is still a good mix for what is
here, but disappointing considering their usually high sonic standards.
The only
extra is a bonus interview with veteran members of the band, but it is an
enjoyable one and fans will enjoy it too.
As for
those better Moody releases with 5.1, we highly recommend the following as
reviewed elsewhere on this site:
Super
Audio CD Import Deluxe Editions of Days
Of Future Passed/In Search Of The Lost
Chord/On The Threshold Of A Dream/To Our Children’s Children’s Children/A Question Of Balance (4 of 5 with 5.1
mixes)
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3637/The+Moody+Blues
Live At Montreux DTS DVD Concert
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2289/The+Moody+Blues+-+Live+At+Mont
- Nicholas Sheffo
