Rating: 
Summary: Are you ready to RAWK!!
Review: Ben Folds Five is THE most under-appreciated band of the 1990's. Killer melodies, amazing lyrics, and a beat that you can't help but snap to, these guys have always made my day. This DVD is almost as good as seeing them live, and since thats now impossible, you really need to pick this up if you're a fan of good music. The transfer, which doesn't appear to have come from film, but rather video, is excellent. The sound quality is also really good, Ben sounds even better in Dolby Digital 5.1 than he does in stereo. The addition of Spare Reels as a bonus is also nice, especially for those of you without a copy, or a VCR. In short, Buy This.
Rating:
Summary: Wow.....wow
Review: Ben Folds Five wss one of the most terrific bands of the 90s. This DVD captures their glorious live shows and has a terrific sound thanks to the Sessions at West 54th quality along with the simple fact that it is a DVD. Great set list!Spare Reels is a fun, 45 minute look at the band. It has been released before, but it is still something swell.
Rating:
Summary: This Rocks!!
Review: DVD format does this performance well, as it sounds terrific on a decent 5.1 ready system. I enjoyed watching the band work to create the tunes that sound so great on their albums. The inclusion of the funny Spare Reels BFF Movie (came with the special edition of Reinhold Messner) was really welcome, or else this DVD would have had no extra features.
Oh yeah, and the kids dancing in the background during "Underground" are REALLY annoying and distracting -- white boy dorks. Now we know why that take didn't air on PBS originally.
Rating:
Summary: excellent video quality
Review: Excellent show. Didn't notice any sound delay as in another review. It is definitely like seeing him live. In fact, I did see him live soon after watching this dvd and he didn't dissapoint, but I was a little worried that he wouldn't live up to this performance. It is a must have if you are a fan. This disc has the best dvd video transfer quality I've seen so far. You have to really search for any compression artifacts, which are common on most dvd's and easy to see on big screen tv's (even hdtv ready).
Rating: 
Summary: Sony have the video/audio out of synch on this - Be Careful!
Review: Firstly I must preface my comments by saying that this is a fine performance from the BFF lads, whose talent and skill I hold in high repute. If the DVD mastering were as it should be, I would recommend this as one of my favourite discs (I would give it 4 or 5 stars, rather than 2). It is a shame that none of their more recent material is released yet. Hope to see something from Ben soon since his masterful solo album.
Unfortunately, the audio on this DVD runs about a second ahead of the video. This makes what would have been a very enjoyable production extremely irritating to watch. I was very disappointed as I would have really enjoyed this DVD if they could have been bothered to master it properly.
I have emailed Sony Music about this fault, but as yet, they have ignored me. I have bought a region 4 DVD, but I assume that it comes from the same master as the Region 1. The synch problem would have been evident before the DVD was printed, which surprises me that they let this go to print! I have asked Sony Music to explain to me what went wrong and whether they are planning a recall of this disc, or whether they plan to fix this problem in future releases. Thus far, they have ignored me. I only hope that when and if they reply, their reply will be positive. In the mean time, I would caution anyone buying this DVD. If you (like most DVD users) appreciate high quality productions, you will be sorely let down.
Congrats to the Ben Folds Five for some legendary work. Shame on you Sony Music, for letting a poor production pass quality control and for ignoring the requests of it's consumers to respond and/or rectify poor quality.
Rating:
Summary: For those who never had the chance ...
Review: For those of us who were robbed of the opportunity to see Ben Folds Five live (what a week that was - Rage Against the Machine broke up too), this is a dream come true. The song selection is perfect (I was never crazy about the Reinhold Messner album) and the sound and video is exquisite. The Spare Reels extras are a little grainy but it takes nothing away from the performances. The trio was dead on sharp for the taping: harmonies perfect, instrumentation tight, just an awesome show. To paraphrase the Sessions' host, if you've heard BFF you're already a fan, if you haven't, after seeing this you will be. Now, if only Ben Folds would come down to Florida on his current tour, all would be right with the world!
Rating:
Summary: Ben Folds Five will rock your socks off
Review: great dvd! the sound and picture quality are superb...some of the songs sound better here than the recorded versions on the albums. all the band members are funny, flawless and experimental with all types of music and in using their instruments. its over an hour long, so you get to hear all your favorites, but keep in mind that this was recorded right after their second album was on it.....but also, there is a bonus 45 minutes called "spare reels" where you can see live performances, recording sessions for newer songs, and the guys just goofing around. finally, one of the coolest things i think is the you have the option of including the lyrics as subtitles during the show....LIKE SING ALONG VIDEOS!
Rating: 
Summary: Always wanted to see them live, this will do for now.
Review: Haven't seen BFF in concert yet, but seeing this DVD puts me there in lots of ways. Music fans in general don't realize it just now, but this band is going to turn out to be very important to the evolution of rock as we know it. In much the same way as a DMB or a Phish, BFF takes musical angles never-before used and creates songs you can sing along with. The venue is small and thus, the sound is remarkable. Ben is hilarious. Overall a very worthwhile buy. Only detraction is that the material is the band's older material (Kate, Song for the Dumped...) Army and a few others are seen and heard being recorded in studio, but no live performances within the show.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent- Highly Recommended
Review: I am watching this DVD once more as I write this review. Ben Folds Five had great live shows- I know I loved going to them. This DVD features them in a more sober and intimate audience. Their performance is tight. We even catch Ben Folds himslef being slightly uncomfortable and maybe even nervous in this setting. The performances of Smoke and Missing the War are true gems- truly highlighting the depth of Ben Folds' talent at songwriting. Exciting to many will be the performances of "Theme From Dr. Pyser" and a Flaming Lips cover of "She Don't Use Jelly" interpreted as a lounge song. The mix of fifteen songs is great- though I was saddened to find that "Fair" was not among them. Don't be shy because you are looking for a a more frentetic live show- great clips are included in the spare Reels footage and Folds does manage to stomp on the keys and slam down on them with his forearm a few time during the West 54th performance. Even his trademark high-voiced "Are you ready to rock now" appears.
For those to whom the band was dear we find a poingant moment where we can watch a group of talented musicians that never quite fit anywhere- Somehwere in-between obscurity and fame, between indie-rock and pop, between promising debut in their self-titled Ben Folds Five and the critical acclaim(and commercial disapointment) of Rheinhold Messner.
For those who do not know the band- they were the most underrated rock band of the nineties- that provided a refuge both from the absurdly and psudo-morose rockings of the last gasp of "Alternative", the middle of the road mediocrity of Green Day and also a place of shelter from the gratingly mechanical glitter pop whose ressurection began in America with Hanson whose debut came around the time of this performance. Fortunately- still living under the dark clouds of the boys and blondes of Pop- I can kick back with my friends and watch great music being performed by a great band.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!!!!
Review: I bought this as an impulse purchase at a brick-and-mortar store. I'd only heard a handful of BF/F songs before, and it was a decent price, so I figured what the heck. It's a DVD that will make you get up and dance (just try to sit still during "Kate"), and make you sit down and zone while lyrics spin around your head ("Brick"). This DVD converted me--I'm now slowly creating a BF/F CD collection, and tell anyone who'll listen to check it out.
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