Rating: 
Summary: Straightforward live concert DVD.
Review: "The Revelator Collection" includes both videos and live performances and was shot entirely in black-and-white film by still photographer Mark Seliger (chief photographer for "Rolling Stone" magazine). Others have complained about the B&W format, but I actually like it -- it gives the performance that old-timey feel that Welch's music reflects. The fact that it was shot all at one angle makes it a little too visually static, but it gives you the feel of actually being in the audience watching the show, which is nice.The DVD features all 3 videos from Welch's album "Time (The Revelator)" and live performances of five previously-unreleased songs: Welch's "Wichita" and covers of songs by Bob Dylan ("Billy"), Neil Young ("Pocahontas"), Bill Monroe ("I'm On My Way Back to the Old Home"-- sung by David Rawlings), and Townes van Zandt ("White Freightliner Blues"). Overall, highly recommended, even though it may just end up being one of those DVDs you play in the background (rather than something you watch from start to finish without budging), it captures the Welch/Rawlings concert experience beautifully.
Rating:
Summary: Straightforward live concert DVD.
Review: "The Revelator Collection" includes both videos and live performances and was shot entirely in black-and-white film by still photographer Mark Seliger (chief photographer for "Rolling Stone" magazine). Others have complained about the B&W format, but I actually like it -- it gives the performance that old-timey feel that Welch's music reflects. The fact that it was shot all at one angle makes it a little too visually static, but it gives you the feel of actually being in the audience watching the show, which is nice. The DVD features all 3 videos from Welch's album "Time (The Revelator)" and live performances of five previously-unreleased songs: Welch's "Wichita" and covers of songs by Bob Dylan ("Billy"), Neil Young ("Pocahontas"), Bill Monroe ("I'm On My Way Back to the Old Home"-- sung by David Rawlings), and Townes van Zandt ("White Freightliner Blues"). Overall, highly recommended, even though it may just end up being one of those DVDs you play in the background (rather than something you watch from start to finish without budging), it captures the Welch/Rawlings concert experience beautifully.
Rating:
Summary: An intimate, old fashioned scrapbook of a DVD ...
Review: ... in black and white, which somehow suits the wistful solemnity that underlies so much of Gillian Welch's work, and the songs she covers that others have written.
Even if you're a big fan of Gillian (& her partner in life & music David Rawlings), it may take a few viewings to get past the initially spare look and production values here. No technicolor, over the top stuff -- just straight from the hip, old fashioned honest to goodness music, well loved and well played. These two are carrying on a grand tradition of American music, with nary a sequin or backup singer in sight ... to me, this is "real country" in the new century. To watch them together string together one gem of a song after another in this set is a true pleasure.
Revelator sings with soul, clarity and grace -- visually, lyrically and musically. Gillian may not have the winsome charm of Alison Krauss or the grande dame self-possession of Emmylou Harris, nor the waifish, otherworldly crystalline voice and presence of Patti Griffin, but what she does have to offer is plain, unvarnished honesty, a beautiful love of her craft, and a refreshing lack of showboating. Gillian can go toe to toe with any of those gals in the raw talent department anyday!
Revelator -- the images and the music -- is a fine answer to all of the over-the-topic antics of the celeb-country crowd -- and a must have if you're a fan of Gillian Welch!
Rating: 
Summary: Inside view
Review: Every now and then a band releases footage of their work in the studio. But this DVD features the best inside look I've ever seen. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings recorded their last album, Time (The Revelator) completely live. Thus the entire recording of the songs on the album can be seen. In addition to the studio footage the live perfomances included are incredibly intimate. Both shows seem to be in venues that couldn't hold much more than a few hundred people, all of which who are silent during the perfomances. All three covers included are perfomed superbly.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful music... but much room for improvement
Review: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are among the greatest American songwriters and musicians of our generation, and you shouldn't miss a chance to see them live. This DVD is the next best thing, and is well worth the price. The video footage of the recording sessions is great, and for this purpose, B&W works fine. I've seen Gillian and David in concert several times, and I was hoping for a little slice of a concert in my living room... but to me, something about the black and white footage and unusual camera work dispels this. It is still very good, capturing much of the banter and feel of their excellent performance, but I can't help but wish for color and of course maybe a few more songs (but that's how I always feel at the end of their concerts, too!). The sound quality is great, the music is terrific as always, and even with it's limited shortcomings I recommend the DVD wholeheartedly for fans of G&D, folk, bluegrass, and alt country.
Rating:
Summary: Great stuff -- but why black and white?
Review: Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are among the greatest American songwriters and musicians of our generation, and you shouldn't miss a chance to see them live. This DVD is the next best thing, and is well worth the price. The video footage of the recording sessions is great, and for this purpose, B&W works fine. I've seen Gillian and David in concert several times, and I was hoping for a little slice of a concert in my living room... but to me, something about the black and white footage and unusual camera work dispels this. It is still very good, capturing much of the banter and feel of their excellent performance, but I can't help but wish for color and of course maybe a few more songs (but that's how I always feel at the end of their concerts, too!). The sound quality is great, the music is terrific as always, and even with it's limited shortcomings I recommend the DVD wholeheartedly for fans of G&D, folk, bluegrass, and alt country.
Rating:
Summary: Great disc but way too short
Review: Gillian Welch is one of my favorite artists today. This disc of 3 videos and 9 songs recorded live show her and David Rawlings in top form. But, I was very disappointed in the length of the disc. It clocks it at under one hour. Why not show a whole concert? The disc is shot in black and white which I suppose is for some sort of effect but after a while it gets on your nerves. There are also no shots of the crowd so you really don't even realize it's a live show except for the crowd noise at the end of each song. Also, the disc fades in and out between songs so there is no continuity between songs like you would experience in a live show. The camera angles used a little annoying as well and seem to be a litte out of focus. Maybe that's because of it being in black and white. The music is stunning, offering versions of songs by Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Townes Van Zandt in addition to several by Welch-Rawlings.
This could have been a really awesome DVD but unfortunately there are enough bothersome things about it to make it only rank 3 stars in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: it's good alright...
Review: I like the music of this great duo. Gillian Welch forms a partnership with the great guitarplayer and harmonysinger David Rawlings. I've seen some nice footage in the Oh Brother-dvd, where they could actually laugh. This dvd is in black and white and that makes it just a bit too pretentious for me, I must admit. It's not bad at all musically speaking, but in a dvd you expect a little extra to look at. I went back to the cd's after watching this.
Rating:
Summary: A few complaints, but not about the wonderful music
Review: I saw Gillian & David perform at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul about a week or two after this footage was shot, and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Considering how they were playing in the theatre where A Prairie Home Companion is recorded, I was kinda hoping they might get a live album out of that show, actually. Not that there's anything wrong with these performances (from Cat's Cradle in NC and The Bijou Theater in Knoxville, TN), but I think the clips don't quite capture the excitement of being in a packed theatre with them and a crowd of a couple thousand hanging on their every note and word for 2 hours. The footage here is shot mostly with a steady, single camera, maybe 20-30 feet from stage in the middle of the floor. You don't see anybody in the audience, and only occasionally hear them. As somebody has pointed out, the cuts between clips take out much of the applause, audience interaction and banter between songs. One notable exception being the point where someone asks, "What's in the box?" That leads to a discovery of a harmonica, which leads to some fooling around and what seems like a spontaneous decision by Gillian to play "Pocahontas." I love the moment after David's messed around with the harp and then put it away, thinking that "playtime's over" (he's admitted he doesn't really know how to play it), and then she tells him to get it back out. The way she says it, and the way he responds, is amusing and sweet, and feels like a genuine glimpse into their relationship. I love concert moments like that. It's too bad the director didn't just let the tape roll for two hours to let us see more of those moments. This is coming out like a bad review, isn't it? I don't mean to make it sound like the DVD isn't worthwhile. The performances are wonderful, and include some songs not otherwise available on Gillian's own albums. I would get this if only to have a recording of them singing Townes Van Zandt's "White Freightliner Blues," but fortunately there is so much more. David's feature is "I'm On My Way Back to the Old Home" (in St. Paul he sang "Big Rock Candy Mountain") and it's a treat to hear him take the lead for a number. The three videos shot in the studio are fun to watch, too. Highly recommended. Next time I just hope the concert footage runs twice as long, doesn't leave out the moments between songs, and does a better job of capturing the crowd ambience. And, Gillian, please come back to Minnesota soon....
Rating:
Summary: Captures the moments
Review: I was at the Cat's Cradle show in Carrboro, NC on November 11th when Mark Selinger shot the footage for this video. It was an amazing concert. David and Gillian had been there in September, less than two months before. We were advised when we bought tickets that the show was going to be recorded and that we would allow any footage to be relased. I don't think Mark ever turned the camera on the crowd from the front. There was a camera in the center asile, but it was also pointed right at the stage. Besides the fact that I personally would have loved to have had a show I attended documented in its entirety, I love this video. The first three tracks showing the actual recording of the tracks from "Time, the Revelator" are awesome. I think the video really captures the FEEL of the live show, at least the part from the Cat's Cradle. If you like David and Gillian, buy it and enjoy. And if it's too short for ya... well, it's one that I tend to start over when it's done anyway! Mona
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