Motorhead - Stage Fright (HD-DVD/Concert/2004/SPV Records/Steamhammer)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: C Concert: B-
Motorhead
has managed to keep it together for over 30 years and continue to sell records,
find their music in many bad films, an occasional good one (Shoot ‘Em Up) and are still performing
in concert to a faithful fan base. Stage Fright was produced in 2004 with
home video in mind and the band that continues to be one of Britain’s most
enduring Heavy Metal bands becomes the first to issue a concert in the HD-DVD
format with the same concert.
SPV
Records has issued this decent 20-song show from 12/7/04 as recorded in HD at
The Philipshalle in Düsseldorf, Germany including:
1)
Dr. Rock
2)
Stay Clear
3)
Shoot You In The Back
4)
Love Me Like A Reptile
5)
Killers
6)
Metropolis
7)
Over The Top
8)
No Class
9)
I Got Mine
10) In The Name Of Tragedy
11) Dancing In Your Grave
12) R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
13) Sacrifice
14) Just ‘Cos You Got The Power
15) Going To Brazil
16) Killed By Death
17) Iron Fist
18) Whorehouse Blues
19) Ace Of Spades
20) Overkill
AC/DC’s
Blu-ray concert of Live at
Donington hit shelves about the same time, but was made back in
1991, so this is also among the earliest of concert discs in general and in
that minority, most are recent HD productions.
Though I am no big fan of the group, I have never disliked them either,
finding them among the few authentic, original Rock survivors around. The Rock music attitude is undiminished as
well and this is already the 11th configuration of the band. How many bands could survive that?
The 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image is
consistent, has a few good moments, is lit semi-brightly as the genre dictates
and is better than it would be on standard DVD.
However, there is a slight weakness throughout that cuts into a richer
look and as lead singer Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister tells the audience, this is being
shot for “DVD” so we believe the problem is simply not expecting how vivid and
effective HD-DVD and Blu-ray could be as they had not been introduced yet. Fans will find this very watchable otherwise.
The DTS
HD options are interesting, offering the usual HD 5.1, but the higher lossless
DTS MA (Master Audio) track is only here in 2.0 Stereo and though that is very
good, it is an admission of the sonic limits of the soundmaster. As a result, it is not as impressive as the AC/DC Blu-ray 5.1 mixes or the MLP
(Meridian Lossless Packing) 96/24 5.1 mix of Metallica’s The Black Album in the near-dead DVD-Audio format, but
it is superior to the quality of dainty downloads and CDs of similar material. Hardcore vinyl fan will have their own
objections, but in the digital realm, Stage
Fright is an inarguable high sonic watermark despite minor limitations.
Extras
include stills, picture-in-picture commentary exclusive to this format, road
crew featurette, snapshot capacity to freeze your favorite images from the
show, a create your own setlist function, Backstage Rider, L.A. Special, making
of featurette, testimonials from fans and a weblink function. Much of that is shorter than it should have
been, but it is better than nothing.
For more
on the band, try this link to the Classic Albums series DVD documentary on
their 1980 breakthrough Ace Of Spades
Album:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/2189/Classic+Albums:+Motorhead+-+Ace
- Nicholas Sheffo
