Rating: Summary: Killer DVD! A great show-off piece! Review: I just got this yesterday and it is the finest concert DVD I've seen to date.For those of you who went to the Nighlife concert a couple of years back, it will bring back lost of great memories. Remember those projections playing as the Boys performed? On most of the songs on this DVD, you actually have a choice of watching either the actual concert footage/projections or just the projected video. It's awesome! Many of the Boys' hits are included, including an acoustic version of their 1991 single "Was It Worth It?" (my favorite part of this concert). Quality-wise, you will not be disappointed.... :-)
Rating: Summary: Pet Shop Boys still on top of thier game. Review: I viewed the VHS edition of Montage, and it has to be one of the most unique, visually appealing concert videos I have seen in a while. It is a well moderated blend of effects and back drop videos intermixed with live concert footage from thier 1999-2000 tour. I enjoyed the live version of 'Being Borring' and of course, 'Always on my Mind' is still a favorite. This is definately a video worth having for all PSB fans.
Rating: Summary: Satisfying entertainment Review: I've been a big fan of the PetShopBoys since their first album came out when I was 12. Neil Tennant's voice in the first song (and their first hit), West End Girls, was thin-- not like his youthful chant in the original. At other times he was just reading the words, and occasionally became a reed-like drone. His exagerrated diction in the rapping of the lyrics of Left to My Own Devices will leave you either annoyed, or pleased to hear his since abandoned trademark. However, his voice came right in Closer to Heaven and sounded delightful in the unplugged version of You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk. From here onwards, he really sung beautifully. Visuals tended to be appropriate, for example in It's Only the Wind, the video montage superimposed over the stage turned to a stormy sky with lightning flashes. Sometimes though, their significance to the music wasn't obvious. I personally found the overblown visual effects stimulating, resulting in a serene aftereffect. However the speed of the visuals was unrelentless, calling for more slowdowns to suit the various beats. Halfway through the show, Young offender was the first break from Neil's voice -- a trance-inducing extended intro and a shot of a naked guy (from a movie) on the screen, who become the focus of the song. Its melancholic slow melody made for a rejuvenating interlude. Much of the camera's attention was on Neil, including many closeups, many of which should've been on the other very significant singers and dancers. Therefore, his change of clothes was refreshing on every occasion. The disco furor in It's a Sin was awesome, complete with church-like props and ambience, with Neil walking up an aisle to a spotlight in heaven. More of the crowd's reaction was shown in Footsteps in the Dark where they were spellbound, right till Go West, the finale, when they were worked into a zealous frenzy. Excellent concert overall, at least on Neil's half -- but Chris needs to stop being Chris. His withdrawn and awkward demeanor makes the PetShopBoys a unique duo but if you're gonna give a concert you need to perform for your audience, not hide behind your "Roland" throughout. Lawrence Ritchie
Rating: Summary: Montage is one Monster of a DVD! Review: It is now time for all fans of the Pet Shop Boys to own a DVD player if you don't have one. This is a must-buy! It makes me want to buy "Somewhere" on DVD just to get the equal experience (even though I have it on video already).
Rating: Summary: IS THIS HOW YOU WANT YOUR CONCERTS TO LOOK?? Review: Let me start by saying that I think that when it comes to modern dance music, the Pet Shop Boys are to this genre what Elvis Presley was to rock. Having said that, I was extremely disappointed by this video. First of all, when I go to see what is supposed to be a live performance, I expect just that. Unfortunately, when you go to a Pet Shop Boys concert, the only thing live is Neil Tennant's vocal and some of the backup singers, including Sylvia Mason James. Every track is pre-recorded, which kind of makes their performances very elaborate karaoke shows. However, that complaint pales in comparison with what I saw when I viewed this video for the first time. Instead of feeling like I was close to what was going on, I felt that I was in another building entirely. What the hell were they thinking with the images that were superimposed over the actual show. The only reason I bought this was to see the Pet Shop Boys and the audience. Audience reaction shots are critical to a live performance, since they are one of the few things that imparts to a viewer what it was like to be in the crowd. And why does Chris Lowe even bother to show up if all he ever does is stand like a zombie with his baseball hat and sunglasses? Is it against his religion to let people actually SEE him?? The producers of this DVD actually gave us two choices for the multiple angle function. Unfortunately, they didn't include the one option most people would have appreciated: The ability to just watch the show and the audience.
Rating: Summary: Great concert film, but the sound could be better Review: Montage is a wonderful concert film, though a bit busy visually. The option of viewing the projections is most welcome; it gives a slightly different perspective on things. The performances are quite good, though the acoustic bit in the middle drags things down a little. The sound could be better - what is the point of having the extra dynamic range afforded by DVD if all we're going to get is the same (...) over-compressed/limited, make-it-loud-so-it-sounds-like-everything-else-out-there mastering that so-called "mastering engineers" have been subjecting us to for the last several years? And a couple of minor complaints: (1) Not all of the tracks give you the choice of viewing the background projections, so there are several interruptions in the program if you choose that option from the menu. (2)According to the booklet, there is a bonus video, "For your own good", that appears "as a hidden bonus extra...after watching the other three videos all the way through." It's there, but I don't want to have to watch all three of the other videos all the way through every time I want to see it. Impatient types (like me) can skip this path and just go directly to Title 12, Chapter 1.
Rating: Summary: Defective Dolby Digital Review: O.K, I've tried 3 different DVDs on 3 different Dolby Digital 5.1 systems. None had a center channel so the main vocals were barely audible. Either this is the worst audio mix ever released, or BMG Video has released a bunch of defective DVDs.
Rating: Summary: Extremely Disappointing Review: Ok. I am a huge Pet Shop Boys fan. I truly believe that Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are musical geniuses. When I saw this DVD, I jumped at the opportunity to see this live performance myself. There are few moments in this DVD worth mentioning. The live version of "Being Boring" and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" are spectacular, but the rest is just boring. The screen is always full of cheap-looking swirls of light and boring projections, no doubt to mask the lack of movement on the stage. You can see the boredom of the crowd during "Young Offender", which is a fast-paced song. The crowd is standing perfectly still the entire time. Same thing with "Vampire". Tennant's voice is excellent as usual, but there's just not much to look at. The sound quality of the DVD is questionable as well. Pet Shop Boys, unless they can spice up their performances, should stick to the recording studio where their true strength lies.
Rating: Summary: It's No "Performance," but Still Worth a Look Review: Pet Shop Boys release their first DVD package, "Nightlife," based on the duo's 1999/2000 tour. I absolutely adore Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, but the concert overall falls a bit short of its previous tour, "Performance." First off, the live recordings of their hits are top-notch. But the visual presentation leaves a lot to be desired. Neil and Chris's stage presence is almost washed out by the dull clips that accompany their performances. I guess this was supposed to enhance the show, but it was actually distracting. On the plus side, the standouts are the live renditions of "Can You Forgive Her?," the acoustic "Was it Worth it?," and the album track "Only the Wind." Also, the DVD has 3 music videos: "I Don't Know What You Want...," "New York City Boy," and "You Only Tell Me..." All of them are very good and, frankly, more interesting than the concert itself. If you watch all three videos consecutively, you'll have access to a fourth, "For Your Own Good." Alas, I'm sorry to report that that clip is a bit of a snooze, so it's hardly worth the effort. (For all you sound geeks, the concert is in 5.1 surround while the music videos are in Stereo). So, all in all, the package is a mixed bag. The DVD is well-presented; the music videos are nice, but the concert was rather uneven. I'd have first-time viewers search for the hard-to-get video to "Performance," which is the superior concert and better represents PSB's work. Leave this one to the diehard fans like myself.
Rating: Summary: It's No "Performance," but Still Worth a Look Review: Pet Shop Boys release their first DVD package, "Nightlife," based on the duo's 1999/2000 tour. I absolutely adore Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, but the concert overall falls a bit short of its previous tour, "Performance." First off, the live recordings of their hits are top-notch. But the visual presentation leaves a lot to be desired. Neil and Chris's stage presence is almost washed out by the dull clips that accompany their performances. I guess this was supposed to enhance the show, but it was actually distracting. On the plus side, the standouts are the live renditions of "Can You Forgive Her?," the acoustic "Was it Worth it?," and the album track "Only the Wind." Also, the DVD has 3 music videos: "I Don't Know What You Want...," "New York City Boy," and "You Only Tell Me..." All of them are very good and, frankly, more interesting than the concert itself. If you watch all three videos consecutively, you'll have access to a fourth, "For Your Own Good." Alas, I'm sorry to report that that clip is a bit of a snooze, so it's hardly worth the effort. (For all you sound geeks, the concert is in 5.1 surround while the music videos are in Stereo). So, all in all, the package is a mixed bag. The DVD is well-presented; the music videos are nice, but the concert was rather uneven. I'd have first-time viewers search for the hard-to-get video to "Performance," which is the superior concert and better represents PSB's work. Leave this one to the diehard fans like myself.
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