Post by ©DURANMANIA Board Team on Oct 30, 2005 20:16:00 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Duran Duran Live From London DVD Review[/glow]
by Dorrie Williams-Wheeler
BellaOnline's 1980s Editor
Duran Duran-Live From London is the first official Duran Duran concert DVD released following the reuniting of the original line-up of Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, John, Andy and Roger Taylor. Coming Home Studios has released this set in a deluxe and standard edition. Both sets include a 20 set concert taped in 2004 during the groups sold out tour. Like all Duran Duran releases, this set has a ton of great bonus material and is very unique. You are buying much more than just a concert DVD.
The concert itself opens with the first single from the reunited Duran's album Astronaut. The crowd goes wild upon hearing Simon Le Bon sing, "The music between us," a line from the song "(Reach Up For The) Sunrise." Following the new song Simon launches into a string of classics, "Hungry Like The Wolf," "Is There Something I Should Know," and "Union of the Snake." The set list itself is heavy with the most well known Duran Duran songs but die hard Duranie's will be pleased that fan favorites such as "Night Boat," and "New Religion" made the set list. The group look and sound great. Like all great Duran Duran shows the set design is awesome, the screen behind the group emits colors and abstract images and the home audience is able to relive the Duran Duran concert experience. Duran Duran share the screen with their anime counterparts during the performance for "Careless Memories." It's always bittersweet when the group performs this song because more often than not it appears closer to the end of the set list so you can prepare for your Duran Duran concert experience to come to a close soon. The band introductions are a highlight of the Duran Duran show and yes they are included--complete with the "Play the fu**ing bass John." During the "Astronaut" tour Simon was introduced by a random girl from the audience, for this show he was introduced by keyboard player Nick Rhodes. The group closes out the show with "Girls on Film" and "Rio."
On to the bonus features. The DVD includes a really great documentary that is presented in both color and black and white. The group members appear on the DVD in their order of joining the band. So first you see Nick and John followed by Roger, Andy and last but definitely not least Simon LeBon. Each member and other members discuss how that particular person came to be a member of Duran Duran. Once the group gets past how they came to be they discuss their musical influences and their rise to the top of the pop music industry in the early 80's. This documentary is especially interesting because it's probably the first time many fans will see all five members discuss the break up and how they were feeling around 1985. Simon compares the feeling to water draining out of a tub. John describes just barely being able to hold on due to the pressures of the fame. Roger laments that he feels that everybody was probably just at a different place. There is no real discussion of Duran Duran 1986-2000. Fast forward to what one can assume is sometime around late 99 or during 2000. Simon details that he called John on the phone for a talk. Several phone calls later Duran Duran--the original five were together again. The documentary also shines the spotlight on long time sax player Andy Hamilton who has been with the group for 23 years. There is a lot of really great info in this documentary and fans should be pleased.
In addition to the documentary both the standard and deluxe edition include song commentaries, and an image gallery. The deluxe edition includes the song "I Don't Want Your Love" in 3D. This is a great idea as Duran Duran is always on the cutting edge of trying new things. It might have been better with a more high energy song like "Rio." Whereas the original version of "I Don't Want Your Love," is almost techno, the version performed is a more slowed down rock version. Late in the song Simon is joined on stage by background singer Sara Brown. The concert DVD let's users choose between 5.1 SRS, 5.1 Multi and 5.1 DTS sound. The booklet includes pictures from the show, the track list for the DVD (and CD in the deluxe edition) and DVD credits.
The deluxe edition includes a 10 song CD with live songs from the show. The songs included on the CD are the biggest hits and one song from the groups 2004 CD Astronaut.
by Dorrie Williams-Wheeler
BellaOnline's 1980s Editor
Duran Duran-Live From London is the first official Duran Duran concert DVD released following the reuniting of the original line-up of Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, John, Andy and Roger Taylor. Coming Home Studios has released this set in a deluxe and standard edition. Both sets include a 20 set concert taped in 2004 during the groups sold out tour. Like all Duran Duran releases, this set has a ton of great bonus material and is very unique. You are buying much more than just a concert DVD.
The concert itself opens with the first single from the reunited Duran's album Astronaut. The crowd goes wild upon hearing Simon Le Bon sing, "The music between us," a line from the song "(Reach Up For The) Sunrise." Following the new song Simon launches into a string of classics, "Hungry Like The Wolf," "Is There Something I Should Know," and "Union of the Snake." The set list itself is heavy with the most well known Duran Duran songs but die hard Duranie's will be pleased that fan favorites such as "Night Boat," and "New Religion" made the set list. The group look and sound great. Like all great Duran Duran shows the set design is awesome, the screen behind the group emits colors and abstract images and the home audience is able to relive the Duran Duran concert experience. Duran Duran share the screen with their anime counterparts during the performance for "Careless Memories." It's always bittersweet when the group performs this song because more often than not it appears closer to the end of the set list so you can prepare for your Duran Duran concert experience to come to a close soon. The band introductions are a highlight of the Duran Duran show and yes they are included--complete with the "Play the fu**ing bass John." During the "Astronaut" tour Simon was introduced by a random girl from the audience, for this show he was introduced by keyboard player Nick Rhodes. The group closes out the show with "Girls on Film" and "Rio."
On to the bonus features. The DVD includes a really great documentary that is presented in both color and black and white. The group members appear on the DVD in their order of joining the band. So first you see Nick and John followed by Roger, Andy and last but definitely not least Simon LeBon. Each member and other members discuss how that particular person came to be a member of Duran Duran. Once the group gets past how they came to be they discuss their musical influences and their rise to the top of the pop music industry in the early 80's. This documentary is especially interesting because it's probably the first time many fans will see all five members discuss the break up and how they were feeling around 1985. Simon compares the feeling to water draining out of a tub. John describes just barely being able to hold on due to the pressures of the fame. Roger laments that he feels that everybody was probably just at a different place. There is no real discussion of Duran Duran 1986-2000. Fast forward to what one can assume is sometime around late 99 or during 2000. Simon details that he called John on the phone for a talk. Several phone calls later Duran Duran--the original five were together again. The documentary also shines the spotlight on long time sax player Andy Hamilton who has been with the group for 23 years. There is a lot of really great info in this documentary and fans should be pleased.
In addition to the documentary both the standard and deluxe edition include song commentaries, and an image gallery. The deluxe edition includes the song "I Don't Want Your Love" in 3D. This is a great idea as Duran Duran is always on the cutting edge of trying new things. It might have been better with a more high energy song like "Rio." Whereas the original version of "I Don't Want Your Love," is almost techno, the version performed is a more slowed down rock version. Late in the song Simon is joined on stage by background singer Sara Brown. The concert DVD let's users choose between 5.1 SRS, 5.1 Multi and 5.1 DTS sound. The booklet includes pictures from the show, the track list for the DVD (and CD in the deluxe edition) and DVD credits.
The deluxe edition includes a 10 song CD with live songs from the show. The songs included on the CD are the biggest hits and one song from the groups 2004 CD Astronaut.