Alter Bridge – Live From Amsterdam (2009/DC3 DVD)

 

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

 

 

I had not heard of the band Alter Bridge, though some members came form the commercial successful Creed after they had what turned out to be a temporary break-up and a band I barely heard of called Mayfield Four.  Live From Amsterdam has the band giving a fairly good concert, but I was not very impressed.  They sing and play with some energy, but not much about the following songs are memorable:

 

1)     Come To Life

2)     Find The Real

3)     Before Tomorrow Comes

4)     Brand New Start

5)     White Knuckles

6)     Buried Alive

7)     Coming Home

8)     One Day Remains

9)     Watch Over You

10)  Ties That Bind

11)  Blackbird

12)  In Loving Memory

13)  Metalingus

14)  Open Your Eyes

15)  Broken Wings

16)  New Way To Live

17)  Traveling Riverside Blues

18)  Rise Today

 

 

Besides the power ballad that does not work, turning too much to blues is not being a rock band and we have seen that too often since the later 1980s, especially when a band is trying to show its credibility as a talent.  They may be sincere, but it plays as formula too often and only fans will enjoy this release.  I was no big fan of Creed either and could not name one of their songs if I’d win money for it.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is a little soft for what is likely a 1080i HD shoot, but color is not bad, but maybe a reported Blu-ray would resolve some image issues better.  The DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo are sadly closer together than expected with the DTS having a choppy soundfield and Dolby sounding even smaller.  There are no extras.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo