Rating: 
Summary: Great DTS surround sound, video unwatchable
Review: Switch on, select DTS, hit play, turn off TV!The video editing is akin to a computer randomly picking one of 4 cameras during the whole concert. Depth of field (ability to see more than one thing in focus) was almost none existent, in fact often nothing was in focus. To watch a 5 minute music video like this is just fine. To watch this editing style for over an hour is not acceptable. This kind of video does not give any impression of "almost being there". As for the multiple angles, it would have been nice to be able to pick on of the four camera instead of getting the occasional ability to see all 4 cameras being used at the same time, each taking up a quarter of the screen. Why we don't get true multiple angles like Sarah McLachlan's Mirrorball DVD is anyone's guess. Thankfully the DTS audio makes up for the lack of any video editing talent. Dolby on the other hand often sounds "flat", much like most other concerts recorded using Dolby.
Rating:
Summary: Unconventional concert film -- and entertaining.
Review: The first thing you should know about Live 2003 is that it is not a conventional concert film. You don't have many wide shots or long shots where you can figure out exactly what a guitarist or drummer is doing. If you like how most concerts are filmed, this is probably not the disc for you.
Live 2003 is edited more like a feature-length music video. So many shots are just fleeting glimpses of hands, of instruments, of heads bobbing. Lights cut through the frame at odd angles and are broken up by heads, hands, and instruments. Several shots have effects put on them (frame shake, etc.) -- or at least look like it.
But if you take it more as an artistic complement to the music, it's great. If all you want is a "you are there" experience, you will not like this. But for me, the unconventionality of the approach really worked. It was entertaining and more visually interesting than the usual shots of four guys on stage with the occasional sweeping shot thrown in for variety.
The sound is OK -- not awful, not the best I've heard either. The performance is pretty solid. But the visuals really make this disc interesting.
Also fun is the road diary showing footage from all over, with a decent stretch in LA showing the Hollywood Bowl concert and the bassist poring through 45s at Amoeba.
The visual approach won't work for everyone, but I really like it. And if you like Coldplay's previous albums, you'll like this one -- there's no real surprises in terms of sound or performance.
Rating: 
Summary: Sound not very good
Review: The low end is very weak for some reason. I turned the low frequencies up on my system and subwoofer and it still sounded so weak. Bad sound engineering. Where's the beef??? If I was the bass player I'd be pissed! The live performance also exposes a weakness. These guys are only average musicians. Their recordings are way polished and they being below average musicians can't keep up live. A shame really, but they're still good songwriters. Although their lyrics are for crap. Look at earth from outer space
Everyone must find a place
Give me time and give me space
Give me real, don't give me fake
Please! "don't give me fake"? Is that the best you could think of? I'm still a fan though. Best band today.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing show! Too bad I couldn't see it.
Review: The shots are awesome. The music is blood-pumping fancy, blasting you into eternal bliss. The band is energetic and on top of their game. The crowd is crazy. The. editing. goes. like. this. The DVD is shot well, but the edits are just TOO MUCH! I nearly had a headache trying to watch this! Just when you barely get a look of a fantastic scene, the image is cut into another jostling cut, and so on and so forth! Definitely rent this DVD before you buy it... my fiancee and I both had a problem with the horrendous editing job. Only on a couple songs are you allowed to take in a breather and SEE the band perform a full act (like in "Politik" you can't even see Chris Martin finish a jump in the air - you see him jump up, but it cuts before he falls down!) It's like watching a fast MTV video for two hours. You know how THAT can be! But besides this, the music is awesome, and that is what really counts if you are interested in the band. The behind the scenes documentary is very cool, with full interviews with the band, like you're riding along for the tour (which is very cool if you didn't get a chance to go to one of their concerts), and you see some of the stages being put together and what the different crowds were like. The packed crowds are breathtaking! All in all, a good DVD. Skimpy on extras, horrible editing, but quality music and surround sound. A bonus CD that comes with the DVD is pretty cool, but offers nothing new if you have the DVD as background music. All in all, the music saves this disk.
Rating:
Summary: Good stuff, good stuff
Review: This album is the best of the best of Coldplay's album songs. It includes all the great hits like Clock, Yellow, and Shiver, and also includes the superb softer songs like Amsterdam. The One I Love was an excellent choice for a B-Side to add to the album, and songs like Daylight just made it that much better. The DVD was a bit disappointing however. I was expecting an informational things with a bunch of footage on what Coldplay does backstage. The concert portion was nice, but kinda dull after a while, and the same goes with the documentary. It would have been much better if they intertwined the two sections together and shown a bit of each throughout the whole thing. But I like Coldplay for the music, not for their DVD production capabilities, so this was a great album/DVD for me.
Rating:
Summary: Good stuff, good stuff
Review: This album is the best of the best of Coldplay's album songs. It includes all the great hits like Clock, Yellow, and Shiver, and also includes the superb softer songs like Amsterdam. The One I Love was an excellent choice for a B-Side to add to the album, and songs like Daylight just made it that much better. The DVD was a bit disappointing however. I was expecting an informational things with a bunch of footage on what Coldplay does backstage. The concert portion was nice, but kinda dull after a while, and the same goes with the documentary. It would have been much better if they intertwined the two sections together and shown a bit of each throughout the whole thing. But I like Coldplay for the music, not for their DVD production capabilities, so this was a great album/DVD for me.
Rating:
Summary: They are the most compelling boring band ever
Review: This band is one of enormous potential but just as worthy of winces as of emotional outpouring. Chris Martin is as capable of transcendent moments as he is of head-scratching ponderousness. But when these guys hit the mark, they are pretty much untouchable. If See you Soon doesn't convince you of Martins raw songwriting talent than I don't know what to tell you, it goes for a feeling of emptiness and actually conveys it, its a remarkably coherent beautiful song, and probably the best song on here, one of the first songs they released, don't know what that says. The rest is a mixed bag to me, Shiver was always a song that you remember being better than it is, Yellow is a song that hasn't aged well to me, but Clocks, Politik, and God Put a Smile Upon your Face all benefit from muscular arrangements live, and really dare I say rock out. I never got the Radiohead comparisons myself, Radiohead were never this literal, this bare, instead opting for the cryptic and abstract save a few songs like TLW and Creep, not a criticism by any means, but just an observation. In all, this is a solid release, because these songs do grow on you, and the musical and songwriting skill on display when it works is really something to behold in mainstream music today...
Rating: 
Summary: Wasn't expecting greatness
Review: This double disc combo is nearly perfect. Every minute of it will capture you attention and deservedly so. If you like coldplay even a little then this will make you love them. The songs are performed extremely well.
Rating:
Summary: Can't Miss It!
Review: This DVD captures one of the greatest bands ever in absolutly stunning concerts. See all of Coldplay's best songs performed live. Their concerts are never disapointing. The concerts are filmed well and in excellent quality, it won't let you down...
Rating:
Summary: Coldplay is the GREATEST band around!
Review: This DVD is just confirmation that Coldplay are among the most talented musicians in pop culture today. With this live performance, we see Chris Martin really involving the audience, he further proves his vocal prowess and stage presence is as great as anyone else out there. Coldplay is the first band I have encountered that actually sounds ten times better live than they do on their CD's (which are also excellent). I found myself drawn to songs that I was never too fond of on the CD's, but are so incredibly moving live, such as "A Rush of Blood to the Head," "Everything's Not Lost" (that is one that NEEDS to be heard live). Also, the fan favorites such as "Yellow," "Clocks," and "Trouble" have never sounded better. There's also great exclusive songs in this concert, including the B-sides "One I Love," which is a very up-tempo and catchy song, and the very sweet acoustic song "See You Soon" that almost makes me cry, and the new song "Moses" which is just excellent. Also, this performance features the classic "Shiver," a song that Coldplay has not performed in ages and a live version of which is very hard to come by. The directing is top-notch on this DVD, as is the sound quality. On top of this wonderful DVD, you get a VERY good quality CD of the performance, which is now my favorite Coldplay CD. When you hear thousands singing the lyrics to "Trouble," you can't help but get goosebumps, and you realize that this band is not a "flash in the pan," that they will be around for a very long time, and their music will be around for longer. If you are not a huge Coldplay fan, you will be after viewing this DVD, and if you already are, then needless to say, this DVD is a must.
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