Rating: 
Summary: Here are the young men (and the middle-aged men too...)
Review: There's no doubt that this DVD will be warmly received by NO fans, and this is proven by the effusive response of the reviews posted here. However, the reviews I've seen are preaching to the converted, and it ought to be pointed out that those who are not die-hard NO fans will be unimpressed by some of the performances on this DVD.
The simple fact is that New Order are not, and never have been, a great live band, as their music relies heavily on studio production. This is glaringly evident in the "Taras Shevchenko" concert, where, stripped of Martin Hannet's glistening production, the flaws in the band's performances are apparent. I don't care how cool Bernard Sumner looks- his singing is appalling throughout. Particularly embarrassing is the atrocious rendition of "Procession," which on record is one of NO's finest moments.
Nevertheless, the '81 gig has a certain charm about it- Sumner's guitar playing is excellent, and Steven Morris puts in a typically sterling display. The performance of Chosen Time (wrongly labelled as ICB) is a highlight, as are the renditions of Truth and Senses, which are spunkier than their recorded versions. For all New Order's musical deficiencies, there is an undoubted "edge" to the sound, which is what gives the concert its interest.
The '98 gig at Reading, which i was lucky enough to attend, has cleaner sound quality and a better vocal performance by Barney, although his guitar playing is less interesting than in the '81 concert. Perversely, although the performance is slicker than "Taras Shevchenko," it lacks the edge of the older concert, which, for all its flaws, is nevertheless strangely compelling.
The DVD is excellent value- it offers two concerts for the price of one, and allows the viewer to compare and contrast the earlier, cult band with their later, more commercial incarnation. The interview is also worth watching, and notable for a comment by Barney near the end, where he complains jokingly that he can't decipher the lyrics to pop songs these days- at which point the DVD cuts to an excerpt of the '81 gig, with Barney mumbling nervously into the microphone! It's touches of humour like this that give NO their charm, and inspire such devotion in their following, who will doubtless overlook their flaws an lap up this release with relish.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh it's a strange day...
Review: This DVD is a good value as it gathers both the New York 81 show (previously available on the VHS Taras Schevchenko) and the Reading Festival 98 show. You get New Order 17 years apart, from the young men (and woman) leaving behind Joy Division to the older men (and woman) cranking out tunes again, getting ready for a comeback.The 1981 show is far more interesting than the later date. The spare, moody lighting, the full yet cold electronics and the silent efforts of the band come across very well. Even the opening shots of the venue are very fitting. If you love this portion, I can't recommend the Peel Sessions CD enough. It has the feel of this show and then some. As one reviewer noted of Taras Schevchenko, the band does not speak with the audience or even to each other. Their heads are down and they play some great songs that sound much richer than some of the mixes from Movement. I love the haunting "Truth" and a real treat is an early live version of the classic "Temptation". It might just be me, but lately I find most music videos to be almost unnecessary and generally unrewarding. If you really love listening to the music, you might not gain much from watching the people play on a DVD or video. You may even be turned off by it. Case in point is the Reading material. The 98 show is significant because it was a sort of comeback show for the band, albeit several years before they would release a disc of new material (Get Ready in 01). New Order never went in for big stage shows, favoring simple lighting and playing and avoiding pyrotechnics and movies and other assorted gimmicks. The show sounds great, but there is nothing to see. The band looks a little crustier, and Peter Hook appears to be bombed, which makes it distractingly funny at times. The version of Temptation is fantastic though; it was release on the 60 Miles An Hour Maxi single in 2002. Highly recommended for fans though. It's a solid value gathering two disparate shows from this unique, important band.
Rating:
Summary: Oh it's a strange day...
Review: This DVD is a good value as it gathers both the New York 81 show (previously available on the VHS Taras Schevchenko) and the Reading Festival 98 show. You get New Order 17 years apart, from the young men (and woman) leaving behind Joy Division to the older men (and woman) cranking out tunes again, getting ready for a comeback. The 1981 show is far more interesting than the later date. The spare, moody lighting, the full yet cold electronics and the silent efforts of the band come across very well. Even the opening shots of the venue are very fitting. If you love this portion, I can't recommend the Peel Sessions CD enough. It has the feel of this show and then some. As one reviewer noted of Taras Schevchenko, the band does not speak with the audience or even to each other. Their heads are down and they play some great songs that sound much richer than some of the mixes from Movement. I love the haunting "Truth" and a real treat is an early live version of the classic "Temptation". It might just be me, but lately I find most music videos to be almost unnecessary and generally unrewarding. If you really love listening to the music, you might not gain much from watching the people play on a DVD or video. You may even be turned off by it. Case in point is the Reading material. The 98 show is significant because it was a sort of comeback show for the band, albeit several years before they would release a disc of new material (Get Ready in 01). New Order never went in for big stage shows, favoring simple lighting and playing and avoiding pyrotechnics and movies and other assorted gimmicks. The show sounds great, but there is nothing to see. The band looks a little crustier, and Peter Hook appears to be bombed, which makes it distractingly funny at times. The version of Temptation is fantastic though; it was release on the 60 Miles An Hour Maxi single in 2002. Highly recommended for fans though. It's a solid value gathering two disparate shows from this unique, important band.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, a must for New Order fans
Review: This dvd is better than the 511 dvd. First let me start with the 1998 reading festival concert, astonishing, no flaws, from the group performance, Barney's voice (he looks sober this time), programming of the keyboards, and the technical aspect of the recording (cinematography, editing, sound etc.) it's a 10.
Next is the Taras Tchevchenko concert(New York 1981). It gives you a chance to see NO at their beginnings and while they still had to grow up as a group, the concert is mythical, even kind of spooky. at the end of the concert they play a very raw version of "Temptation" (priceless).
If you don't have the money to buy both the 511 and the 316 dvd's, buy this one instead of the other. Like I said, this dvd is essential for any New Order fan and it's CHEAP, so buy it now.
Rating:
Summary: buy this dvd before 511!
Review: this dvd is great for any new order fan because it includes classic footage from the "Taras Shevchenko" video that was filmed back in 1981. in addition to the 1998 Reading Festival footage, this dvd also includes a 20 minute conversation with New Order. my only complaint is that the mic levels were too low during the conversation. for the price, this dvd is a great buy from a great band! (the 511 dvd is also good for certain reasons, but lacks guitar/synth player Gillian Gilbert who did not tour with the band for the "GetReady" shows.)
Rating:
Summary: Simply Awesome
Review: This is an excellent dvd containing must-have New Order concert footage for anyone who's a fan. Personally, I enjoyed the 1998 Reading Festival more than Taras Shevchenko(contains priceless young New Order footage). I just received this dvd and I can't seem to stop watching it over and over again. The only thing keeping me from giving this dvd 5 stars is the lack of audio options. The only audio option is stereo - No Dolby Digital AC-3, No DTS. NOW I am sad...
Rating:
Summary: New Order excelent on DVD Track Listing
Review: this is the best New Order on DVD and I am waiting for the videos of NewOrder on DVD the songs on this DVD are almost all the best songs,this DVD
the songs on the DVD
New York 18 November,1981
1)ICB
2)Dreams never end
3)Everything's Gone Green
4)Truth
5)Senses
6)Procession
7)Ceremony
8)Denial
9)Temptation
READING FESTIVAL 30 August 1998
1)Regret
2)Touched by the Hand of God
3)Isolation
4)Atmosphere
5)Heart and Soul
6)Paradise
7)Bizarre love triangle
8)True Faith
9)Temptation
10)Blue Monday
11)World in Motion
Bonus: in conversation
Highly Recomended for New Order FANS
Rating:
Summary: A must for fans of the order
Review: We've been waiting a while for this one to make it's way over...our English friends have told us about it, and yes, it did make me a little green with envy...now what can I say about it...you get New Order doing Reading 98...and you get Taras Shevchenko...a very early gig from 1981...and a 25 minute interview...I have been lucky enough to have TS for 16 years on VHS, but it's much cleaner on the DVD...and it has a lovely early version of Temptation on it...the lyrics aren't quite complete yet, and Barney gets shocked by the mic...like I said, if you are a fun, it's a must...if you aren't into the order, you might be better off with something else! Wait...no, buy it now...the band needs the money!
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