Widespread Panic - The Earth Will Swallow You

Rating:
Summary: if it would let me I'd have put a zero
Review: I am a Widespread fan who was greatly looking forward to the release of this DVD. But, when I watched it I was not only disappointed with the work of the Hanson Bros., but generally the entire DVD as well. Sure watch it if you're a fan for kicks, but don't expect too much.

Rating:
Summary: if it would let me I'd have put a zero
Review: I am a Widespread fan who was greatly looking forward to the release of this DVD. But, when I watched it I was not only disappointed with the work of the Hanson Bros., but generally the entire DVD as well. Sure watch it if you're a fan for kicks, but don't expect too much.

Rating:
Summary: What are you looking for?
Review: I enjoyed this DVD a great deal. Unlike concert shows, such as Live at Oak Mtn., which show only the band playing, this video gives more of the crowd and an insight into the workings of the band. For those that have been to Athens its great to see familiar places that are shown throughout. The music is great, of course, and the extras make it a great watch. But in the end, if you are a true Panic fan what I think doesn't mean a damn thing. I Recommend this if you want to learn more about the band and actively watch, but if you are looking for a good show to play on the TV while playing spades and "relaxing" go with Live at Oak MTN..

Rating:
Summary: Deep insight into the people behind Panic
Review: I fell in love with Widespread Panic when I first saw them in a small frat house in 1989. I knew then they were going to make it big, and this DVD shows why. While this is a must have for fans, it should open doors to the uninitiated because it is an artful, moving portrait of a group of regular guys who truly love what they do. The Hanson brothers obtained a unique backstage pass into the lives of John Bell, David Schools, Todd Nance, Sunny Ortiz, JoJo Hermann and the late great Mikey Houser and preserved it on film. The sound mix is PHENOMENAL, mastered by their longtime engineer John Keane. TURN IT UP. Highlights include a front porch acoustic performance of Driving Song with Mikey and JB that will move you to tears when you see the two best friends who will no longer get to play together. JB and Jorma Kaukonen perform a stunning rendition of "Genesis" and there is a great pastiche of "Action Man" from various summer 2000 performances. We get to see the band interact as friends, with other musicians who have influenced them, and record in the studio where they re-learn an old instrumental they had retired after playing a few times in 1990, called The Earth Will Swallow You. The bonus Red Rocks footage is great, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound sets new standards for music videos. This is an exquisite oral history of one of our greatest unsung bands.

Rating:
Summary: Deep insight into the people behind Panic
Review: I fell in love with Widespread Panic when I first saw them in a small frat house in 1989. I knew then they were going to make it big, and this DVD shows why. While this is a must have for fans, it should open doors to the uninitiated because it is an artful, moving portrait of a group of regular guys who truly love what they do. The Hanson brothers obtained a unique backstage pass into the lives of John Bell, David Schools, Todd Nance, Sunny Ortiz, JoJo Hermann and the late great Mikey Houser and preserved it on film. The sound mix is PHENOMENAL, mastered by their longtime engineer John Keane. TURN IT UP. Highlights include a front porch acoustic performance of Driving Song with Mikey and JB that will move you to tears when you see the two best friends who will no longer get to play together. JB and Jorma Kaukonen perform a stunning rendition of "Genesis" and there is a great pastiche of "Action Man" from various summer 2000 performances. We get to see the band interact as friends, with other musicians who have influenced them, and record in the studio where they re-learn an old instrumental they had retired after playing a few times in 1990, called The Earth Will Swallow You. The bonus Red Rocks footage is great, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound sets new standards for music videos. This is an exquisite oral history of one of our greatest unsung bands.

Rating:
Summary: probably need to be a fan
Review: I saw this DVD on a first date and I had never heard widespread panic before...being a hip hop kind of girl, I was amazed to have actually liked this DVD..I got into it and halfway through wanted to see them in concert. So if you are a fan of Phish or WSP or the Dead or alike...you will like this..just dedicate some time, its a little lengthy

Rating:
Summary: Good, but.....
Review: This is a pretty good movie. The live stuff is the higlight here, and it is really great. The highlight would have to be the segue of different versions of "Action Man". However, there is a lot of needless stuff here: interviews that don't say much (like clips of the band at a baseball game or at a Star Trek store????) and some other stuff that they should have left out. The studio footage is pretty good, but is shot in a very odd sort of home-movie style. I would have just released most of the Red Rocks concert. This is Ok, but it would have been better if they would have just gone with the live footage.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but.....
Review: This is a pretty good movie. The live stuff is the higlight here, and it is really great. The highlight would have to be the segue of different versions of "Action Man". However, there is a lot of needless stuff here: interviews that don't say much (like clips of the band at a baseball game or at a Star Trek store????) and some other stuff that they should have left out. The studio footage is pretty good, but is shot in a very odd sort of home-movie style. I would have just released most of the Red Rocks concert. This is Ok, but it would have been better if they would have just gone with the live footage.

Rating:
Summary: A good look at Panic on the road and in the studio!!
Review: This is a very good DVD. The Hanson brothers and the production team did a very nice job creating this. We get to see some of the closeness of the band. This DVD made me realize what sets Panic apart from some other bands. It's a good look at the band members and has a good viewpoint from other musicians! I learned a lot from the original soundtrack, but I learned even more in the director commentaries. I was looking for a some fan interviews and viewpoints, but that is explained in the commentary. I think this DVD is worth it.

Rating:
Summary: A good look at Panic on the road and in the studio!!
Review: This is a very good DVD. The Hanson brothers and the production team did a very nice job creating this. We get to see some of the closeness of the band. This DVD made me realize what sets Panic apart from some other bands. It's a good look at the band members and has a good viewpoint from other musicians! I learned a lot from the original soundtrack, but I learned even more in the director commentaries. I was looking for a some fan interviews and viewpoints, but that is explained in the commentary. I think this DVD is worth it.