Rating: 
Summary: AKUS fan from the midwest
Review: If you like the Alison Krauss & Union Station Live 2-CD set, you will really enjoy this DVD. I had the opportunity to see AKUS live several months ago and this DVD is identical to their current concert tour. Some musical groups are primarily studio musicians. When a live performance sounds identical (or better) than the studio version - you've got real musicians. AKUS live performance is BETTER than the studio version. You can feel the electricity and see what a good time the band has playing their songs. Enough of that - now on to the two discs:Disc One (All the songs):
The DVD song list is exactly the same as the CD set with one notable exception. The CD set includes the entire concert performance AND the encore. The encore section missing songs are "Down to the River to Pray" (from O' Brother Where Art Thou) and my personal favorite "There Is A Reason". During the encore at a live AKUS show, the entire band comes back out but huddles around one microphone on the left corner of the stage. Alison then sings "Down to the River to Pray" accapella with the Soggy Bottom Boys as harmony and follows with "There is a Reason". The sound quality and harmony is so good, it gives you chill-bumps. The omission of the encore was a serious mistake in my opinion. Disc 2 (special features):
There are two special features that were outstanding. "Home Videos from the Road" gives you a greater understanding of what AKUS are really like, how they eat while touring, what actually goes into setting up a concert stage, etc. The "Interviews" section was my favorite. Each band member gives an interview discussing how they got into the music business, their favorite songs, their instruments, and lots of video clips from when they were growing up. Overall, this is a tremendous live DVD set. You WILL NOT be disappointed...
Rating:
Summary: AKUS Live
Review: Alison Krauss + Union Station was once a band only popular with bluegrass and country fans; however, recently they have been gently pushed into the publice eye with the help of the motion picture "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?" Although When You Say Nothing At All featured on the album "A Collection: Baby Now That I Found You" initially caught the attention of the masses, only recently has AKUS been heavily in the spotlight. The most recent addition to AKUS' collection, "AKUS: Live DVD" is quite a treat for AKUS and bluegrass fans alike. The band's stage prescence and instrumental, as well as vocal ablities are absolutley incredible. The music is played passionatly and powerfully. The song list selected for this particular concert is wonderfully extensive. Many are from AKUS' latest album, "New Favorite." However, a few go as far back as "Everytime You Say Goodbye." Many of the well-known songs such as Stay are played more up-beat, partially thanks to the drummer Larry Atamanuik. While others are played a bit differently such as Cluck Old Hen and Oh, Atlanta. The sound quality featured on the DVD is obviously phenomenal. All of the instruments are heard clearly, as goes for the beautiful vocals lended by of course Alison Krauss, as well as Dan Tyminski, and Ron Block who is featured on his new original: Faraway Land. Jerry Douglas is also amazing with the dobro he so masterfully wields. The bass player Barry Bales is also exquisite with his instrument and back up vocals. Visually, the DVD is beautiful. The cinematography showcases the monstrous Louisville Palace in Louisville, KY, not to mention AKUS' instrumental skills. The wonderful close-ups pull the audience in creating a fantastic sense of unity with the band. As far as the special features go: The interviews, homevideos, and photos are very personal. Disc 2 also features AKUS' primary disography. The New Favorite music video can also be found. A few other music videos would have been nice but New Favorite is still incredible. There is also an emotional tribute to AKUS' road manager Frank Edmonson. Overall, AKUS Live DVD is a mesmerizing experience. A must-have for any AKUS fan, as well as a great starting point for new fans of some of the most talented musicians in the music industry.
Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Experience
Review: Along with my father, we went to see Alison Krauss & Union Station perform live in El Paso, TX in early December of last year, and we were just blown away by the amazing talent of these musicians. Alison Krauss' voice sounded more beautiful and was more astonishing than any studio song I've ever heard recorded by her. Members of Union Station, Barry Bales, Jerry Douglas, Ron Block, and Dan Tyminski blew up away with their instrument playing. It's hard to believe that both my first concert, and pretty much my Dad's first concert, would pretty much turn out to be overall perfect. Alison Krauss sang beautifully and Union Station performed exceptionally. When I was thinking of a gift to buy my father for Christmas, I remembered how much he was blown away by the concert. So, I ordered the DVD version of their live concert from April 29 and 30, 2002 at The Louisville Palace in Louisville, KY. My father was so happy when he got the DVD, and he loved watching all of the artists performs. He said it was haunting to see them on screen, considering we had just seen them in concert, and he said it was just like being there all over again -- hearing them live, being blown away by their amazing talents. Alison Krauss & Union Station have to be some of the best artists to have come along ever since music was first being recorded. They're talents are breath-taking and you won't have a single flaw to point out about them. I think the more special 'treats' on this 2 DVD set are the intense, instrument-only performances "Choctaw Hayride" and "Cluck Old Hen". It's amazing watching how fast and accurate these musicians play their instruments. Not only does Alison Krauss sing, but she also plays the fiddle. If Alison Krauss & Union Station ever stop if your town for a concert, here's some smart advice. GO SEE THEM. You'll get a whole lot more than your money's worth. The special features of this DVD aren't bad at all. The first disc of this 2 DVD set is of the concert, and the second is of the special features. The second disc contains a tribute to Peador O'Donnell (someone who worked closely with the group), a haunting music video for "New Favorite" from the album NEW FAVORITE, and other features including biographies of/interviews with Alison Krauss, Union Station, and drummer Larry Atamanuik. The Alison Krauss & Union Station LIVE 2-disc CD set will make a great gift for anyone who loves pure, quality music.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Introduction to AKUS
Review: As a new fan of AKUS, I found this DVD a great way to get to know this outstanding ensemble. The two disc set shows not only the on-stage performance, but also gives some insight to each talented member of the group. I plan to copy the tunes from the DVD to my Itunes library so I can play the music while surfing the web. The DVD is a great bargain because you get the video performance for only a couple bucks more than the CD's.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Group & what a voice Alison has, huh?
Review: This is a GREAT DVD performance by Alison Krauss & Union Station. The sound is very good, and the stage location makes you feel like you're right there with them. Great close-ups and views throughout the concert!
The ONLY thing I don't like about this DVD is that it's in "Wide Screen" format. I personally prefer Full Screen on all movies....
Even if you only like Alison's singing a little, you'll love this concert DVD!
4 Stars only because of the Wide Screen format. 5 Stars for the performance itself....
Rating: 
Summary: Great Concert - Poor Sound
Review: I'd love to give this concert 5 stars. The playing is wonderful - Alison the band are stunning musicians and the material chosen for this concert tour was first rate.
Although this DVD is advertised as 5.1 in DTS and Dolby it isn't. There is no center channel used and the vocals are mixed into the right front speaker with some of the instruments. The result is muddy vocals that are almost lost in the mix.
I did pick this concert up in SACD surround and the engineers did it right there. The sound on the SACD is very good. For some reason they screwed up the DVD - too bad.
Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Best !!!
Review: If you are an AKUS fan, you can't go wrong here. The concert DVD
is excellent and the second disc, which contains interviews and
"behind the scenes" footage, is very good, too. This package is
well worth your hard-earned bucks.
Rating:
Summary: 5.1 sound marred what should have been a masterpiece
Review: I love AKUS. I bought the CD set of this concert several months back, and just recently picked up the DVD. I have to agree with a couple of the earlier reviewers who said the sound is not what it should be on this DVD. The stereo version sounds great, just like the CDs. However, each of the 5.1 mixes sound terrible in my opinion. There is no use of the centre channel at all, and the vocals get totally washed out because of it. It sounds like the vocal tracks were recorded in the back of the theatre they played in.
Once again, this is only a problem with the DD and DTS versions, as the stereo version sounds great. However, the main point of wanting it on DVD is to get a good crisp 5.1 mix. This DVD doesn't deliver it. Truly unfortunate, as AKUS is just about my favourite band and I would have loved to hear a great 5.1 mix of what was an excellent concert.
That having been said, this is still an incredible DVD (if played in stereo) with good picture quality and a fair amount of bonus material (although the candid "on the road" video footage seemed to be thrown together rather hastily). If you're a true AKUS fan, you'll find a lot to enjoy here, despite the sound SNAFU.
Rating:
Summary: "Mesmerizing"
Review: This DVD played in one of the recorded formats, "DTS SURROUND SOUND", is just an unbelieveable experience and you just sit in your chair, mesmerized by the outstanding music. It is like you are in the front row of the concert at the Palace Theater in Louisville, Kentucky.
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