The Richard Thompson Band - Live in Providence

Rating:
Summary: Stunning.
Review: Absolutely stunning.

Picture is fine, sound is terrific, and the performance is stellar.

RT fans can't go wrong with this one.

My only complaint is...it can't be a complete show. After JEALOUS WORDS, the last listed song in the Providence show, the bass player is seen taking off the electric instrument and pointing to the acoustic stand-up.

Suddenly, the picture shifts and he's taking off the electric bass, again, obviously at the end of the regular show or the encores.

Thirteen songs are played, all wonderfully, but that can't have been the whole show.

Nonetheless, money well spent.

A great DVD.

Rating:
Summary: At Last!
Review: Having only seen Richard perform solo/acoustic I'm especially glad to get this recent (7/23/03) performance showing him in a sparse tight 4 piece band, in front of an appreciative crowd in Providence RI. The sound quality and filming is very good (unobtrusive camera work with lots of clear close ups of his guitar playing). Nothing flashy, just a clean and simple presentation of an extraordinary talent. Eventhough he was touring his lastest CD, Old Kit Bag, he plays here a broad mix of his classics (only 4 out of 13 tracks come from his latest CD).

The DVD holds up equally well as a CD/audio performance (the guitar solos seem alot hotter with audio on only), but I like seeing Thompson with his underspoken style playing with joy and humor, creative dissonance and complete mastery of his material. It is amazing how he can make a little progression of minor chords say so much. With him, his old buddy the multi-talented Pete Zorn adds a dramatic element (on sax, acoustic guitar and mandolin), while Rory McFarland contributes a solid backing on the upright and electric basses, and Earl Harvin gives a sensitive and passionate performance on the smallest drum kit I've seen used in a rock band since the late 60's!

The bonus selections are a mixed bag, from gentle solo acoustic '81 performances to a darkly lit mid 80's rock show, and from a BBC TV performance (with innane interview), and a fine Austin City Limits 3 piece acoustic show from 2001. I'd give these on their own maybe a three star rating, but as bonus material they make a nice perspective of his artistic development. What really blows me away again and again is how he has been so consistent ever since his teenage debut in the mid 60's with Fairport Convention. He has gotten better in someways, in his song writing especially and his wry stage presence, but he has remained true and distinctive in his sound. This is noticable again in how the 9 older songs in the Providence show don't sound dated or the new ones jaded in the least.

This DVD should be instantly welcomed by his loyal fans but it'll also impress anyone they show it to. I'm not sure tho' if it will win him many new fans since it is so mature and tasteful and masterful in such a subtle way. Many are called but few are chosen....Thanks Richard for being yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Almost as good as being there...
Review: I've had the honor to see Richard Thompson live twice and he's one of the best live performers I have seen. Richard Thompson has a way of connecting with his audience that's hard to replicate without being there, but somehow this DVD does manage to provide the next best thing.

There's been a lot of discussion about the recording not being Dolby. I agree, I'd prefer better sound, but compared to the acoustics of the two live venues this was pretty good. This gives the DVD a 'real' feel without making it noisy and staticky like some earlier live recordings could be.

Most of our favorites are on here. Of course, there's the "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" which was NPR's all-time most requested song. For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to hear this song, it's a ballad about a bad boy James, who 'robbed many a man to get his Vincent machine,' his love, Molly 'red hair and black leather, that's my favorite color scheme.' and the legendary 1952 Vincent Black Lightning the two of them shared.

The DVD is definitely worth the price. If you don't live in a town that Richard frequently visits, this may be your best opportunity to see him.

"Outside of the Inside" which lifetime Muslim Richard Thompson dedicated to the Taliban illustrates how our beliefs can blind us to the other beauties of the world.

Rating:
Summary: A bit of a missed opportunity.
Review: I've known the classic Richard and Linda Thompson albums for years, but it's only recently I've started digging into his occasionally slightly more patchy solo-career. I'm no expert yet, but I HAVE heard enough to figure out that the live recordings that are avaliable officially and uofficially are often superior to most of the studio albums. Richard Thompson live on a good day (I've only managed to catch him live in person one time) goes beyond anything that comparable artists like Dylan, Lou Reed, Elvis Costello etc deliver at this point in their careers. Which is why I was surprised that I didn't enjoy this live DVD as much as I expected. I ordered it from RT's official homepage, and it arrived together with the excellent official bootleg "The Chrono Show - Live Versions of Vintage Favorites". While the Chrono cd may be just about the most enjoyable Thompson solo cd money can buy, the DVD is a bit more hit and miss. The performances during the first half of the concert seem a bit stilted and reigned in - I was particularly disappointed that the two dark epics from "The Old Kit Bag", "Gethsemane" and "Outside of the Inside" come off sounding a bit bland compared to the excellent studio versions. I dunno - maybe it's simply that Thompson has finally managed to find a way to produce his studio solo albums that make the recordings sound truly definitive....fortunately, about halfway into the concert something happens - an excellent version of "Walking on the Wire" seems to set the band on fire, and after that it's good stuff, with some truly excellent playing from all band members. But it's a little too late. This DVD still feels a bit like a missed opportunity. The bonus selections are enjoyable even if they don't offer any truly classic moments. SO basically: If you want some live recordings of Richard Thompson and you aren't a completist, consider getting some of the official CD bootlegs instead. I think most people will find "The Chrono Show" and "1000 Years of Popular Music" to be more enjoyable than this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT.... but could've been BETTER
Review: ON THE PLUS SIDE!.....Excellant 5.1 Audio on the "Live-Providence" tracks (Dolby Stereo only on Bonus Tracks/Seminal,Intense Electric RT lead guitar work-Long Time fans will NOT be Disappointed/4 Cam Video is very non obtrusive and edits dont switch back every 2 seconds like the old MTV Rock Video style of quick edits(which are STILL overused for ADD fans
today....see ROLLING STONES "FOUR FLICKS" for prime example). Camera set ups take their time and showcase RTs and Band's Playing.ON THE DOWN SIDE!...Set List showcases too many Newer Tracks off of "Old Kit Bag" CD with just 4 or 5 classics thrown in. Wish they had mixed up Song Choices more evenly over entire career/No in-between song banter. RT fans know Richard's Dry Wit Banter and Song Intros are always a highlight on many a night. Speaking of Humour...where are the couple of Silly tunes RT does so often (Dog Eat Dog...My Daddy is a Mummy...Now That I'm Dead).The lack of humour adds for a might "Serious" mood to a show that still seems a bit short (another 5 or 6 songs perhaps)by RT Standards/Very slight qualm.. Video quality a Tad Bit Grainy. All-in-All a VERY Entertaining Disc at a GREAT Price but for RT's First Legit DVD was hoping for a bit Stronger Package.

Rating:
Summary: Letdown
Review: Poor picture quality.Very grainy at times.Compare this to the two bonus cuts from the Austin City Limits concert.There is no comparison.The Austin video is razor sharp.The Providence show video is fuzzy and the color seems like it's bleeding all over the place.Too many songs from The Old Kit Bag.

Rating:
Summary: Top shelf!
Review: Rt's band are incredible in this performance. Pete Zorn is a hoot to watch and listen to. The Old Kit Bag is well represented along with a handful of classics including a killer "Walking on a Wire", and "Shoot out the Lights". RT's guitars really sound tough and bare, while Zorn's acoustics stands out well in the mix. Picture quality is a bit grainy I've noticed, not too much, though......a couple shots from the back of the theatre were a bit soft. Sound quality is right on, here. A 5.1 mix thats not too "surroundy". RT's playing is really off the wall showing a gutsy side of the guitarist. He's plays a mean set of non-standard riffs that can really take you by surprise. Overall one of my best picks of the year.

Rating:
Summary: Superb Concert DVD
Review: This DVD is an example of how a concert DVD should be done--- everything here is top-notch. The performance is fantastic, and the audio and video are both excellent. The director does a fine job, showing the performances naturally and unobtrusively.

Note that although at the time of this writing, Amazon does not list the fact that this dvd has a 5.1 mix- it does and it sounds very good. This concert has quickly established itself as one of my favorites--- all concert DVD's should be this good!!!

Rating:
Summary: You have to buy this!
Review: To address a previous review, my DVD has a very sharp picture. My only complaint is it's too short, I wish it was about four hours longer! Thompson and his band are excellent as usual and I didn't know Pete Zorn was such a madman on mandolin. A highlight for me is seeing my favorite song,'52 Vincent Black Lightning, performed.

Rating:
Summary: Hopefully, the first of many
Review: When this title was announced, I think a lot of Richard Thompson fans expected some sort of "career summary", whereas RT seems happy to just have an excellent documentation of his current touring band. There's no attempt to cover the span of his career (nothing earlier than "Shoot Out the Lights"), and the band is missing two longtime stalwarts, drummer Dave Mattacks, and bass phenomenon Danny (no relation) Thompson (which may partially account for the lack of earlier material).

While we all have favorite songs that are missing (in the bonus material, I'm really sorry that the version of "For Shame of Doing Wrong" that appeared on the "Across a Crowded Room" VHS wasn't included-- probably the best version of that song ever recorded), what is here is just as sharp and fiery as we'd expect from Thompson.

It'd be a shame if this were the ONLY live RT document we had, but as has been pointed out, he has a fine line of live CD's available through his website, and recent online comments from Richard suggest that they're looking through older material to see what might be viable from past tours for DVD release. He also mentioned the possibility of video recording some of his "1000 Years of Popular Music" shows in early 2005.

I'd guess that we've not "seen" the last of RT on DVD.