Rating: Summary: The Dan are back! Review: As a Dan fan from the Seventies I can't stress enough how great it is to have this concert available on DVD. Becker and Fagen produced some of the finest rock (and jazz-rock) of their generation, and now the kiddies weaned on the Thompson Twins up to the Backstreet Boys can see and hear what real musicianship and songwriting/lyrical talent can produce!! Every song is a keeper. And the depth of talent in their band would make any musician sit up and take notice. Makes just about any other rock act pale in comparison. Steely Dan is all about susbstance over style -- musicianship (and humor) over showmanship. They didn't need flashpots, elaborate stage lighting, dancers, or any other gimmicks to sell out their 2000 tour. And for you young non-believers out there, read "Naked Lunch" to discover the source of the band's name. Maybe that touch of naughtiness will entice you to at least give this band a listen.
Rating: Summary: Cool Review: Steely Dan on DVD!! A treat for fans and newcomers alike, with interesting and amusing interviews. Wonderful playing of old and new tunes by masters of their craft.Do not let this pass you by.
Rating: Summary: Disappointing surround mix. Review: I had already seen this video on PBS, so for the most part I knew what I was getting. Regarding content...I've been a Dan fan for 25 years, and although not their greatest collection of music, it's certainly well worth adding to your collection. Once again they have put together an outstanding band. The horns are very hot. Would be nice to feature a more accomplished guitarist than Walter. Skunk, where are you now? Background singers were disappointing...didn't seem as capable of swinging as well the rest of the players (sorry ladies, it takes more than showing off your midriff and swinging your hips!). I loved the interviews, particularly Walter's twisted sense of humor;-) My biggest disappointment, and the reason for the "3" rating, is with respect to the Surround mix. Instead of trying to affect a live experience, they seemed to take the easy way out and put the background vocals and horns on the rear speakers, creating a really strange and distracting effect. Even when I lowered the levels on my rear speakers, the background vocals and horns were a distraction from Fagan's lead vocals. Maybe they were trying to make you feel like you were on the stage...but even so, the balance was poor. I expected better from these studio gurus. Sounds great is stereo mode, but I would have preferred a good Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS track. If that's your thing, check out "Music for Montserrat," "James Taylor: Live from the Beacon Theater," or "Fleetwood Mac: The Dance." All are excellently done!!
Rating: Summary: Y2K Steely Dan Review: Seen this band a total of 5 shows in since '93 in Southern California... Best place to see a show. However, this has got to be one of the best recorded shows I've ever experienced. Great music, really glad to see them mix old and excellent new stuff. Definitely worth buying, get it while it lasts!!! Long live "The Dan"..."Its growing"
Rating: Summary: Great Sound and Video Review: We have had a DVD player for some time, but have just added the extras allowing us to enjoy DTS format. The sound quality on this DVD is incredible. If you like or ever liked Steely Dan then get the DVD, turn up the volume and enjoy!
Rating: Summary: Great show & music, but missing lyrics and songs Review: A few things surprised me about this DVD: 1) I was hoping for subtitled lyrics to help with those Danisms, 2) I was expecting the song set from the Grammy Award winning album of the same name to be included (the album has 9 songs, the DVD has 14 songs, and 4 songs from the album are missing: Two Against Nature, Almost Gothic, Negative Girl, and West Of Hollywood), and 3) the interviews have high-frequency background noise that makes them even more annoying than others have previously noted (does anyone else notice this noise?).Despite these shortcomings, the music and the show are terrific! Most of the additional material on the DVD is from the Dan's classic years. The backup singers (who only Fagen and Becker are allowed to look at :-) are featured in some new arrangements of classic Dan songs and are placed in the rear channels. This is about as close as we're going to get to reelin' in the years. Two Against Nature is a treat and it earned 4.5 stars.
Rating: Summary: Fantastic Music with one hand on the remote Review: In my 20's (long ago) Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, & Grateful Dead just did not put out enough raw power for me; today they are my favorites. This DVD is the best musical DVD I own. I think the music is incredible. It sounds and looks great. However in agreement with all reviewers, the interviews need to be segregated or a feature needs to allow straight through music. I own several videos like this; although this is the BEST in Integrated Drivel, because you can easily click to the start of the next song. (The Integrated Drivel is tacked onto the end of each track.) I am baffled why the producers of all videos don't segregate the "once is more than enough " stuff from the "I want to watch it every day" music. But still love it, otherwise a 5 Star.
Rating: Summary: Somebody should be fired Review: This is the most disappointing DVD I've purchased. Whoever decided to intermingle the interviews with the concert footage should be fired. This decision ruined what would otherwise be an excellent concert DVD. As it stands, I need to watch it with my remote in hand to skip past the interviews.
Rating: Summary: 2vN Review: Wasn't expecting much from this, so had nowhere to go but up. I actually liked the between-song interviews as they highlight the offbeat humor/personalities of Becker & Fagen in real time. As for the disc, I thought the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix was ridiculous. The bass is way overdone and surround includes way too much vocal and instrument content to be considered anything close to realistic. I much preferred the 2-channel version. Also, I was disappointed at the lack of any printed information inside or any extras on the DVD menu. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the music and watching the masters at work. I'd consider it a must have for any SD fan. Gotta love those background singers--shaggadelic.
Rating: Summary: Great to see these guys playing live Review: I've been a Steely Dan fan for about 20 years now, and this DVD is a treat. I bought it recently after seeing them show "Babylon Sisters" as part of a PBS beg-a-thon. This is how this music was meant to be heard and seen. The video does provide some interesting interviews with band members and audience members alike. That made this better than just a video. It's great to see that Fagen & Becker haven't lost their sense of humor after all these years. This is well worth the money
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