Phish - Live in Vegas
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Movie Reviews of Phish - Live in Vegas
Movie Review: Good audio, lousy picture
Summary: 3 Stars
I've been waiting for years for Phish to put out a DVD like this,bringing the concert experience home, while giving us 5.1 audio and stellar picture quality. Unfortunately, the picture quality isn't there. I'd compare it to a worn VHS tape... a tape you'd rent from Blockbuster that's been rented thousands of times before you. I understand the show was originally taped for a webcast, hence the lack of picture quality. Well fine, but maybe they should have picked a better show then. There is about a half hour of bonus footage from the following day's show, and the picture quality there is fine ( But the audio there is only Dolby Pro logic).
Any, that being said, the audio is very good on this DVD. I was interested in how they would break up the various instruments over the 5.1 channels. Page's vocals and keyboards come through the left main and left surround. Trey's guitar comes through the right main and right surround. Trey's vocals seem to come from the center. Fish's drums come from the left and right mains, but not the center. One of Fish's drums comes from left surround. The center speaker seems very under-utilized. I couldn't seem to hear Mike at all through much of the show... but then again my subwoofer isn't the greatest, so I might not hear it anyway. (In the extras, with dolby pro logic, I could hear Mike very well).
If you're a phish fan, you'll find a lot about this DVD you'll like. I especially like the Maze jam, similar in quality to the Maze from the extras of Bittersweet Motel. Also the Mike's seemed especially good to me, with good camera angles featuring both the band and the crowd, making you feel like you're there.
Movie Review: Outstanding Audio, but doesn't deliver on video quality!
Summary: 3 Stars
I was so anticipating this DVD to be a home theater showpiece, to display the capabilities of my new 5.1 surround sound system and HDTV rear projection TV....but Phish only delivered on half of those expectations.First let me start by saying the audio quality is outstanding, for this alone the DVD is well worth it. They did a terrific job of creating a crystal clear sound out of a live concert, as well as projecting the music and audience through Dolby 5.1 Surround...hats off to the audio crew.
Now for the not so good part. I was very disappointed with the video clarity. The picture is grainy and blurry, especially on the distant shots of the band. The only time the picture quality seems ok is when it is a close up shot highlighting only one or two of the band members. Once the camera pulls back, it is difficult to even make out the faces (say nothing of the expressions) of the band members. I was hoping this DVD would bring me closer to capture the expressions and actions of the band as they played, instead many times I felt as though I had another upper balcony ticket to the show! At first I made excuses for the video quality (well there shows are not well lit and all the lighting effects make it difficult for good video quality...etc.), but then I compared it to the clarity of the live clips from Bittersweet Motel and realized that displaying a clear live Phish video is not impossible.
To wrap things up, do buy this DVD. If you like Phish, you will appreciate the playing and quality of this show. As long as you don't have high expectations for video quality and know this going into it, you won't be disappointed.
Movie Review: Great audio, terrible video, average show...
Summary: 3 Stars
I agree with most of the other reviewers about the sound quality and video quality. The audio is crystal clear and LOUD- you can crank this baby up and wake up your neighbors. The video quality is not that bad for up-close shots of the band members, but it is absolutely horrible for any far-away shots. The show itself is nothing more than average (it would be well below average if not for the good setlist). There were very few "big-jam" songs played, and those that were (Mikes Song and Sand) were short, substandard versions. I think the band was tired after 2 days in Vegas (Trey looks like an extra from Night of the Living Dead...). Still, there are a lot of good songs on the DVD and a few funny moments- Trey and Mike's antics at the end of Emotional Rescue are almost worth the price of the DVD alone. The other big redeeming factor is the bonus footage of the 20+ minute Piper->Guy Forget->Jam from the 10/1/00 show.
Overall, I give the audio 5 stars, the video quality 1 star, and the show itself 3 stars for a grand total of 3 stars.
Movie Review: Jchescavage
Summary: 3 Stars
I purchased this DVD yesterday and spent about 45 minutes flipping through some of my favorite parts of the show. (I, like other reviewers, was also at this particular show). I loved it then, and the music does sound amazing on the DVD. However, the video (which, let us not forget is the medium of this release) leaves much to be desired. It is one thing to barely see the band from a balcony seat when you are there, it is another to barely see the band from a camera on the stage. The footage does a poor job of showing the the emotion of the show. The video does an even worse job of pojecting Kuroda's lights (always a highlight). Again, I have not watched the entire show, but at first glance I am relatively unimpressed.
FWIW, I absolutely love Bittersweet Motel and watch it constantly. The live footage on that video is far superior to the quality presented in "Live from Vegas". Buy it if you are hard up to watch a show, don't buy it if you are expecting a well cut, inside the show, look at this Vegas gig.
Movie Review: disappointing...
Summary: 3 Stars
I attended this show and had a fantastic time, so I was very excited to get the DVD. However, the DVD is pretty upsetting. The video is horrible. In no way does this really show the energy of a Phish show, esepcially this particular show in Las Vegas. I was also hoping for more crowd shots and footage of the fans, but it is basically just the concert and nothing else. Sort of like listening to a really good recording of the show on cd with some really fuzzy and sporadic video footage. I really wonder why Phish put something out that was this poor in quality. With this they would have almost been better off just putting it out as a Live Phish relase. It was good for nostalgia and I am sure most fans will enjoy it, but overall I found it to be pretty disappointing.