Post by Ineedanewname on Aug 21, 2004 15:12:41 GMT
The Who's remix is is close to being there
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Ed Bumgardner
relish staff writer
The Who Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
(Eagle Rock Entertainment) 1/2 (out of four)
In 1970, The Who - Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon - were at peak prowess, blowing minds, in the parlance of the day, while changing the course of rock music.
The group had just released Tommy, a two-record concept album that, despite a somewhat muddled narrative, remained such an astonishing achievement that it was widely honored with the now-dubious accolade of being the first "rock opera."
The band had always been a more ferocious live act than was represented on its albums. By its 1970 tour, The Who had evolved into the most audacious concert attraction in rock. No band was louder. No band was more aggressive. No band was crazier, thanks to the hyperactive antics of drummer Keith Moon, who had yet to be noticeably hampered by his seemingly unlimited appetite for drugs, drink and merriment.
The Who's 2 a.m. set at Britain's Isle of Wight Festival, witnessed by 600,000 people, is considered by Who aficionados to be one of the band's defining performances. It had been previously released on video, but the quality and impact of the presentation pale when compared to that of The Who Live at the Isle of Wight 1970, a freshly restored, tweaked and remixed DVD release of the concert.
The show, per se, is notable for the band's sterling concert recasting of the entirety of Tommy. The band preceded Tommy with a smattering of old and new songs, including freshly amped-up versions of "Spoonful" and "Twist and Shout," holdovers from the band's Mod years. Also noteworthy are performances of three songs that never made it onto a regulation album - "Heaven and Hell," "I Don't Know Myself" and "Water" - and the first public airing of bassist Entwistle's famous "skeleton" suit.
Townshend remixed the show to 24 bit, 5.1 surround sound to stunning results. The recorded performance is now as clear, clean - and just as bone-rattling loud - as a live show. Effective placement of the encircling 5.1 mix, combined with film that ventures closer to the action than most concert movies, adds up to a viewing experience that is tantamount to watching and listening to The Who in its prime from the side of the stage.
Toss in a new, bonus interview with Townshend and the result is an explosive and spellbinding DVD experience that is indispensable to any fan of The Who.
www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031777365766&path=!entertainment!general&s=1037645508970
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Ed Bumgardner
relish staff writer
The Who Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
(Eagle Rock Entertainment) 1/2 (out of four)
In 1970, The Who - Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon - were at peak prowess, blowing minds, in the parlance of the day, while changing the course of rock music.
The group had just released Tommy, a two-record concept album that, despite a somewhat muddled narrative, remained such an astonishing achievement that it was widely honored with the now-dubious accolade of being the first "rock opera."
The band had always been a more ferocious live act than was represented on its albums. By its 1970 tour, The Who had evolved into the most audacious concert attraction in rock. No band was louder. No band was more aggressive. No band was crazier, thanks to the hyperactive antics of drummer Keith Moon, who had yet to be noticeably hampered by his seemingly unlimited appetite for drugs, drink and merriment.
The Who's 2 a.m. set at Britain's Isle of Wight Festival, witnessed by 600,000 people, is considered by Who aficionados to be one of the band's defining performances. It had been previously released on video, but the quality and impact of the presentation pale when compared to that of The Who Live at the Isle of Wight 1970, a freshly restored, tweaked and remixed DVD release of the concert.
The show, per se, is notable for the band's sterling concert recasting of the entirety of Tommy. The band preceded Tommy with a smattering of old and new songs, including freshly amped-up versions of "Spoonful" and "Twist and Shout," holdovers from the band's Mod years. Also noteworthy are performances of three songs that never made it onto a regulation album - "Heaven and Hell," "I Don't Know Myself" and "Water" - and the first public airing of bassist Entwistle's famous "skeleton" suit.
Townshend remixed the show to 24 bit, 5.1 surround sound to stunning results. The recorded performance is now as clear, clean - and just as bone-rattling loud - as a live show. Effective placement of the encircling 5.1 mix, combined with film that ventures closer to the action than most concert movies, adds up to a viewing experience that is tantamount to watching and listening to The Who in its prime from the side of the stage.
Toss in a new, bonus interview with Townshend and the result is an explosive and spellbinding DVD experience that is indispensable to any fan of The Who.
www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031777365766&path=!entertainment!general&s=1037645508970