Rating: Summary: Some people need new sound systems Review: This is the best DTS concert that I have in my collection of around 100 concerts. The sound is phenomenal. Someone here also mentions "questionable SACD". I can play both DVD-Audio and SACD and there is nothing questionable about either format. They are both much better than CD's (which I quit playing and buying about 6 months ago as stereo is dead) and Dolby and DTS.The person that said there wasn't enough bass should turn their subwoofer on. This disc rattles everything in my room especially near the end of San Jacinto. Do yourself a favour and get rid of that theatre in a box and get some good equipment.
Rating: Summary: great concert - too bad they ruined it on the DVD Review: Have owned the VHS since '94 and was really looking forward to the DVD version. All the comments you have read about the grainy picture are true. Some of the reviewers dispute this and lay the blame on poor quality tv's. I played mine on a Sony XBR 53" screen, and while the video quality is better than the VHS it is embarrassingly poor when comparing it to many other concert DVD, even some that were filmed well before this concert. The sound is allright, but even there they did not improve on the versions that precede it. To sum it up, if you have never seen the concert, buy it - you will enjoy it. For those of us that have seen previous versions, don't waste your money. I wish I would have taken previous reviewers seriously and skipped this one.
Rating: Summary: Fire Trucking Amazing Review: There is nothing else out there that is even close to this DVD purchase. PERIOD. You will spend this same amount on an unrewarding stereo CD. For that same expenditure as an ordinary CD: you get an unprecendented DTS sound recording with video. Forget about any other previous commentary about the video quality, they don't understand that this recording was made pre-digital almost 10 years ago in 1994 . You must understand the technology displacement and dismiss deficiencies as "history".. Will the video grain bother you? ABSOLUTELY NOT! just close your eyes, you won't need to watch anything. I seriously doubt your ability to remain seated during the very first track: "Come Talk To Me" If you get to track 5 "Shaking The Tree", and you are still sitting down... you and I do not share music compatibility. Quite simply: Go away. You can NOT possibly get to track 8 "Kiss That Frog", without jumping up to your feet... At that point you are half way through the DVD, and the excellence is totally sustained throughout the next half of this incredible DVD. ***Fire Trucking Amazing.*** Sledgehammer! Secret World!! In Your Eyes!!! Over and over and over again you will play. Is this a positive review? DUH!!! I recommend: You must have an "Air Guitar", "Air Drum Set", or some another phantom instruments to play. Have it ready on your very first play this DVD! You're gonna need it. If you already have the 6 speakers: you pay only [$]. You will finally understand why you paid whatever big bucks it was you paid for your existing DTS surround sound environment. If you don't have all 6 speakers or DTS: this DVD accommodates what you already have with simple Stereo or Dolby 5.1. But I warn you.... Scary!! this DVD will compell you to spend $$ hundreds, even a $$ thousand $$ dollars $$ to upgrade your system. Is is THAT GOOD? : Yes it is. Period. I love my 12" subwoofer!. You're gonna want one. The 1994 video is : 1994 technology. Close your eyes. You won't need the video. The DTS remixed 1994 audio is : Priceless. I got a bunch of DTS DVDs. Sure, I like "Armageddon" and "U-571" and "Shrek".... but this... ! Fire Trucking Amazing.
Rating: Summary: Not too good really Review: Don't get me wrong, I love Peter Gabriel's stuff but he sure makes some poor decisions with reguard to video representation. This package, like P.O.V. before it, fails in many ways to present the show to the fan. The Secret World Tour was a stunner of a show in the arenas, I saw it four times. This package really doesn't capture the essence of the show that well. I have to admit that I have only seen the video version of the last half of this show twice. Once when I mistakenly purchased a Pay-Per-View package on cable for the Woodstock II performance ( which shamelessly cheated viewers out of the first half of the show for what I suspect were business reasons) and the other time on a TV freeview I stumbled apon the other night. Of the parts I saw, I really don't feel compelled to see the rest. What I did see was way too many extreem close ups of the faces of; PG and his band: Tony Leven, David Rhodes, Paula Cole, Papa Wemba(I think), Rabbie Shankar, Manu Katché. All these wonderful expert musicians and all we get are close ups of their faces! What about their instuments? What about the skill of the musician? Tony Leven is one of the most respected and awe inspiring bass players on the planet Earth, and all they can do is show his face? Odd editing choice to say the least. The performance lacks some other subtleties as well. During Digging In The Dirt PG uses an elaborate head gear video camera to project an image onto a screen behind him, it was an effect that was wonderful in concert because it was obvious to the audience that the image on the screen behind was captured in real-time and instantly projected for the crowd on hand. And it was very strange to look at PG wearing the alien looking head gear, juxtaposed with the image it produced. However, very little of this was captured because the directors of the DVD and video really only show the projected image with very little visual information as to why it is there and what we are seeing. In short the head gear worn by PG was part of the image behind him. To only show the projected image misses the point dramatically. All this "tarting up" of sound quality, (as Steve Hackett calls it), and as referenced by another review or two, is a bummer, I would like to see and hear a concert as it was performed THAT night. To remove that element is a gross misjudgment of my intelegence as a music lover and fan. I don't want another studio album I wanted a live show in a video presentation, P.O.V. made the same mistakes only that time by adding MTV style video elements that were not very interesting and only served as a distraction and annoyance. Like PG isn't interesting enough on his own. Peter Gabriel is one of the most interesting performers in Rock Music today, and I will always watch what he is doing and probably purchase it too. Perhaps he is so big and busy a talent that he has lost control of his scene a bit. To the producers of this package and the one before it, I can only ask one thing; What was it you were thinking of?
Rating: Summary: Great Concert, Video Sucks Review: Yep, the video blows. I think what's going on here is that they had a 1994 4:3 film of the concert, and basically did a zoom and a pan and scan to "convert" it to 16:9. That's why the video quality isn't that great. But the concert rocks, and the sound is crystal clear. Excellent 5.1 DTS, and I'm not sure of the complaints that I read that Paula Cole isn't loud enough. Excellent mix.
Rating: Summary: Superb..... and a nice surprise for European's fans Review: It's nice to finally have this on DVD. The sound quality is superb and different, I guess the DVD has different vocal tracks for some songs, I own the VHS version too and there are songs like Solsbury Hill or Secret World qhere you can notice interesting differences vs the DVD (vocal errors included). The audio mix shows some nice details that were hidden in the VHS version like soft touches of David Rhodes in guitar, Shankar inviolin, Manu katche and Mr. Toni Levin astonishing job on Bass guitar, stick, etc but hides or reduces some others. I haven't had picture problems in my DVD the picture quality is by far better that thr VHS versions. At least that is true for home DVD players I have tested. There's a very interesting surprise in the DVD. I live in spain (Pal format and Zone 2) but I bought the SWL DVD since I own a Multi format / multi zone DVD. The surprise was that it is labeled as Zone 0 (the world logo with a 0 inside) instead of Zone 1 as is announced by Amazon. That means that anyone with a NTSC compatible DVD (PAL/NTSC for europe) could play this one. To have this DVD is good warming up for the oncoming PG concert, the Growing Up tour bonus documentary is excellent and shows some of the things we can expect (production musicians, commentaries, etc) IMHO this is the best concert DVD money can buy right now Felix Barcelona, Spain
Rating: Summary: Phenomenally uplifting rock & roll Review: Beautiful, intense and deeply mooving, 'Secret World Live' is one of the greatest concert DVDs ever. Before seeing this DVD, I only knew Peter Gabriel as that somewhat odd guy who used to be with Genesis. This concert blows far beyond what most shows even try for. The music is great, the images are beautiful, and the staging for the show is quite unusual. This disk has awsome sound with DTS and Dolby Digital, as well as some interesting extras. This is a DVD you will want to play and play and play...
Rating: Summary: The next best thing to being there... Review: If you've never experienced a Peter Gabriel concert, this is the next best thing. The audio on this disc is great! Perfect for showing off a high end home theater. Peter Gabriel shows you some of the feeling and imagery that goes into his music and it's very entertaining. Paula Cole sings back up vocals, Tony Levin (of course) is on the bass, David Rhodes on guitar, the whole crew. Of course the music is amazing, GO PETE!
Rating: Summary: Love Gabriel, but the truth about this dvd is........ Review: it is simply unwatchable. I have daily access to professional theater systems that are stunning in every way with plasmas, lcd, crt, dlp and three interchangable sound systems with Sim2, McIntosh, Rotel, Integra and B&W gear. the laser disc was ok and i figured that pg's wizards would have cleaned it up, but it is awful. sound is ok. makes me sad. you deserve better.
Rating: Summary: Gabriel remastered in widescreen and DTS 5.1 Review: First I preordered this DVD, since it is one of my favourites concerts on VHS. Then I read all the bad reviews on this DVD-release. Finally I got my own copy and whatched it to judge for myself. This is more than a concert, it is a piece of art. The show is like a musical play, delivered with a diversity and such a warmth. All band members seems to have a good time. There is only one Gabriel... and the musicians are extraordinary good. Bassplayer and drummer really grooves tight together. The widescreen video is not that good, a little grainy and blurry, especially when the whole stage is shown. But it is not that bad that some other reviewers have stated. I really like the 16:9 format and I do not bother if the video is not perfect. On the other hand you get a splendid DTS 5.1 audio track. The mix is perfect with Gabriel's voice up front. The female singer's voice is a bit burried in the sound on some tracks, but perfect on some, like Don't give up. Alltogether the 5.1 sound is an incredible improvement compared to former CDs and VHS. If you do not like the DTS track on this DVD, go out and buy yourself a new audio equipment. The last issue: Do I hear what I see? On this one I can agree with some of the critisism. Even if the vocals and playing are live (maybe not 100% though), the editing is done so that you, from time to time, loose the presence feeling that is so important on a live DVD. For some strange reason this aspect was better delivered on the VHS. In all other aspects this DVD blow the VHS version away totally.
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