Rating: 
Summary: Best concert video ever. Bar none.
Review: I like concert videos and I have both DVD and VCR versions of this. I am glad I read these reviews because I learned that the sound is much improved if you change it from the default DTS to Dolby 2.0 (unless you're using DTS in which case never mind).There have been some changes made for the DVD and not all for the better. I think some of the "grainy" complaints are because the filmmaker has chosen to add closeups which weren't really there... i.e. picking a small portion of the frame and blowing it up to make it a close up and naturally that makes those shots a bit grainy. Some of the choice of shots is a bit disappointing in comparison with the original and there's a bit more of the MTV jerkiness (in every sense of the word) about camera mix in a couple of numbers. You get grainy close-ups and disconcerting cross-cuts at the expense of the wider views that show you what's actually going on. OTOH there's also a few places where the choices of shot are better than the original - patriculary giving a little more prominence to the fabulous Manu Katche (sp?) in the opening number. That stated, this is still absolutely the best concert video bar none that I own or have owned. House of Yes comes quite close also 90125 - but that was rather more than a concert video anyway. I've always liked PG's music without ever being a real fan but this is an almost perfect mix of styles and theatrics and special effects. Yes it's highly choreographed - that's the show he's putting on. You don't go to a ballet and complain because it's too choreographed and the same complaint is just as out of place here. The musicians are all phenomenal, the show is wonderful and imaginative, it's long but never gets boring. Every song has its own identity both musically and visually. The musicians, even while they're following their choregraphed movements, are plainly enjoying themselves - and the music - and even the slight campiness of putting movement to the music; enjoying themselves enormously. When I watch this video, and I do often, I get a gut sadness that I wasn't at the show to experience it live and a real joy at the recorded experience I AM getting. The very best music can bring up emotions and touch you very personally and this is the very best. I love this video.
Rating: 
Summary: You'd expect more from Gabriel
Review: I own a high end home theatre system (sony XBR CRT display, lexicon processor, B&W 7.1) and I am a professional in television so I feel qualified to comment on the technical quality of this disc. Other reviews have noted the graniness of the film; the concert was recorded on film, not tape, and there's a lot of classic Gabriel moody lighting so maybe this accounts for the abnormally high graininess. It's certainly not unacceptable but is, admittedly, a little coarse. The DTS mix is not up to speed...I find it too compressed and shrill lacking sufficient depth and bass, in particular. The imaging is pretty weak too. The camerawork is frustrating at times, cutting off the arms of (virtuoso drummer/percusionist) Manu Katche. There is some gawdawful lip-syncing too which really removes the viewer from the illusion that you're watching a live performance. My biggest complaint is that the show is self-conciously choreographed to the point that there's not a single moment that has any spontenaity. As with all Gabriel shows, there are some fabulous lighting effects and smart use of props but the show is far too restrained and Gabriel looks rather stiff as he swings around the stage trying to look free and improvised but obviously following rigorously well-rehearsed steps.
Rating:
Summary: Bad set? Bull.
Review: I agree that this is a great concert, and a "must have" for anyone who enjoys collecting concerts, but the quality of the video is just plain terrible, period. And yes, I have a high-def 57" television, so it's not because I'm viewing it on a small tv. Grainy doesn't begin to describe it. So when I watch it, I pretend that I'm there and viewing the show through a thick smoke :)
Rating:
Summary: Very bad video, great audio
Review: It's a shame that more effort was not put into the video portion of this DVD. The audio is outstanding, one of the best I've heard, but by the same token the video is the worst. I have a 50 inch Sony rear projection HDTV which is capable of true 1080 line resolution. My television is not the problem. Other DVD's like Bruce Springsteen live in NJ look great, this is clearly a bad video. The reviewers who claim that it is not bad, clearly don't know what a good video should look like. On the other hand, if you like Peter Gabriel, you'll forgive the video quality because the audio is outstanding. This could have been a really great DVD if they given the video more attention.
Rating:
Summary: Turned me into a fan
Review: I had not witnessed Peter Gabriel live until I saw this dvd at a friends house.I purchased it the next day.My 5 and 8 year old kids are asking me when we can go to see him live.Truly,a performer second to none!People who criticize picture quality and integrity of this live performance,in my opinion ,are a little misguided.I buy concert dvd's to be entertained ,and if that means touching up to enhance the listeners enjoyment,so be it.PG admits to the sonic enhancements,and to my ears,the touch ups are minimal.I have a very nice system to play this on and I can tell you that,of the 20 or so concerts that I own ,this is top 3 for sound and number 1 for performance.The dts track has beautiful separation,is rich and immersive.For those who question a lack of bottom end,you need new equipment.Forward to digging in the dirt and hold on to the couch.Picture quality is ok,but wasn't on the radar until I read the reviews here.A great concert from a great artist.5 stars!
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars Terrible DVD
Review: Looking over the various reviews for this DVD its easy to conclude that people are largely divided on whether to review the concert, or the DVD. For those who have never seen this performance before, and who will be considering this purchase because this is the version of the conccert that is easy to buy, consider this... no one would be this upset about the quality of the DVD compared to the VHS tape or the laser disc if they were not first and foremost passionate about the quality of this performance. There are simply no better concert films available. The energy of the performance, the concepts of the staging, and the quality of the band mean there are no better film records of a live music show available. There may be others that are in the same league, Talking Heads "Stop Making Sense" for example, but this is definately in the top tier. Now, having written that, its staggering how badly the transfer to DVD was butchered. Yes, a high end DVD player should be able to sharpen the image enough so that there are no artificats, but at the end of the day, the picture quality is simply inferior to what was available on tape. The audio mix IS slightly different than it was on the original release. This is as often pleasing as it is frustrating, and will boil down to a matter of taste for previous fans of this show. I found some changes to be in poor taste, others gave me a sense of renewed discovery. Still, at the end of the day, there are only a handful of changes to have an opinion about. One more important note. The bass is completely audible. As one reviewer notes below, it is important to understand how the menu on this disc is configured. If you have a two speaker stereo setup, be sure to select the stereo mix, otherwise all the bass information will be sent to a non existant sub woofer. That's probably the issue that aflicted the reviewers who note an absence of bass. So, to sum up... if you are considering this perfomance for the first time... do not hesitate. The live energy of the show, and the conceptual cleverness of the staging and art design, not to mention the chance to catch glimpses of drummer Many Katche and Bassist Tony Levin in flight along with the rest of the band make this a must see. After you buy it, if you find that you are one of the people that this show can work its magic on so much that you find yourself returning to it again and again... consider UPGRADING to the VHS tape! As a final note for everyone here... send an email to Real World asking / demanding they make a new transfer to DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Gabe's is never dissapointing
Review: I have been a loyal and obsessed fan of Peter Gabriel since the 70's and he never has let me down ever.
This DVD ROCKS THE HOUSE!!!
I do not understand you whiny babies out there who say that it is a
lousy remaster. GET OVER IT.
It is Just like being at the show without Gabriel's traditional feedback and forgetting the words :)
I am looking forward to (hopefully) a DVD release of his POV 1987 SO Tour in Athens.
Lighten up you Yahoos!!
D.I.Y.
Rating:
Summary: Check your audio settings *BEFORE* you play this DVD
Review: I've read the reviews and can understand the frustrations expressed. I've heard complaints about video quality. While the quality could have been better, it could have been much worse. There may be other issues with video but I didn't have them. I suspect those with large screen TVs will notice a bit of graininess as I did detect some when examining the picture closely. I wanted to discuss the audio. It should be noted that this DVD has three different audio tracks. Dolby 2.0, Dolby 5.1 and DTS. When I originally popped in the DVD I paid no attention to selecting what audio track I wanted. I figured my DVD player would select the appropriate track. During the playback I was extremely disappointed at the lack of 'depth' and bass in the recording. When reading reviews of a couple people saying the bass was great, I went into 'audio setup' to see what it was set at. Lo and behold the default was set to **DTS** when I just have a basic 2 speaker setup. Switching the audio to Dolby 2.0 made a significant difference in the audio quality and brought back bass quality to the recording. It's not quite as strong as it was on VHS, but it's still quite decent. So if you do get (or have) this DVD, use the audio setup from the main menu if you're not using a DTS receiver. If you have two speakers, choose Dolby 2.0 - only use Dolby 5.1 mode if you have that setup (6 speakers) and only use DTS if you have a DTS receiver. Make sure your audio is set BEFORE you play this disc! I won't dwell too much on the issue of overdubs. I would have wished that Peter didn't overlay new audio over old. It's not so much that destroys the audio (it doesn't) but moreso that this was a show in it's own time. Like a glimpse into the past, it's meant to be seen and heard as it occurred. Nevertheless, it's an outstanding show. I agree with others in that it plays more like a performance and not a simple concert. I consider this a must buy for any Peter Gabriel fan, as well as anyone who appreciates music of this genre.
Rating:
Summary: Picture me really glad and much healthier.
Review: I caught this concert on television a few months ago and knew I would end up getting it cause it's Peter, right? I am so glad I did. I have probably watched it all the way through at least 20 times. Am I obsessed? Well maybe, but I've been watching it while walking on my treadmill every morning for over a month. I still see things I didn't and hear things I hadn't caught. Tired of it? I don't think so. I love the music and the band is really cool and fun to watch as well as Paula "I don't want to wait" Cole. Oops, that was bad, sorry. (-:
Rating: 
Summary: Pitfalls of the DVD transfer didn't ruin the concert for me.
Review: I was first introduced to Peter Gabriel's live shows on his 2002/2003 "Growing Up" tour, being too young to have caught him on his previous tours 10 years earlier. His concerts are fantastic, combining art, music, and theatrics (and often acrobatics). "Secret World Live" was his 1994 concert in support of his "Us" album, and is one of the finest concert films ever released. The DVD release is great, save for some technical problems. The highlight of the concert were "Come Talk To Me", which has Gabriel emerging from a phone booth and he inches towards backing vocalist Paula Cole, "Solsbury Hill" (a classic!), and "Shaking The Tree". Most, if not all, of the songs are book-ended by African vocals and tribal beats. It is beautiful how they meshed together the songs. With strong musicians (his longtime bassist Tony Levin especially) and backing vocals from Paula Cole (who has had some fleeting success in the mid-90s as a solo artist) and Shankar on violin and vocals makes the sound well rounded and pleasing to the ears. Gabriel himself is always an energetic and spirited presence, dressed like Han Solo and doing his odd dances and mimes throughout the show. While the concert is fantastic, the DVD release has a few problems with the picture and sound. The picture is grainy at times, which would be most noticeable to people with big screen, plasma, or projection television sets. While the DVD boasts "Re-Mixed and Re-Mastered", but it appears that the source material was a bit frayed. The picture is not horrible, but it could be much better, considering the capabilities of the DVD format. The sound is mostly well mastered, but there are times when the backing vocals are muted, making them almost indistinct. The bass also fades out on occasion, but this is less noticeable and therefore less of an inconvenience. These are not serious problems that would prevent me from recommending the DVD, but DVD purists would definitely find things to complaint about. The supplements are nothing spectacular. There is an insubstantial "Making Of" featurette, which is good for a one-off viewing. There is also a nice promo for Gabriel's ":Growing Up" tour, where he goes into detail about the setup of his new concerts, including the giant hamster bubble that anyone who has seen his recent concerts loves. My favorite supplement, though I don't know why, is the time-lapse of a concert in Berlin, Germany. Over the course if a minute, we see the stages being set up in an empty arena, the full concert, and everything being dismantled, packed up, and shipped out. It is a lot of fun. "Secret World Live" is a fantastic concert film that cannot be ruined, even by a sub-standard video transfer and iffy sound quality. It contains some of his best music during one of his best concerts. Highly recommended.
| 
