Rating: 
Summary: An excellent performance from the '84 Band!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I am most excited about the release of this DVD. This was the first Zappa video I ever saw back when it was released in 1985. From the opening guitar assault of Zoot Allures, to the closing notes of Whipping Post, the performance will entertain and captivate the viewer. Each song (even the "crowd-pleasers" as another viewer called them) are great representations of the energy and humor of the '84 band. The near simultaneous release of this DVD and Baby Snakes will thrill Zappaphiles 'round the world. The only thing the Zappa Family Trust could do to top these releases would be to release DVD's from the '88 tour!!!If you are a Zappa fan and have not seen this video, do yourself a favor and buy this DVD!!! Better still, buy two copies and give one to a friend who has yet to experience Zappa. This makes a great introduction to the world of a musical genius. Why has the release been delayed until January?? I was looking forward to having this well before Xmas. Oh Well....
Rating:
Summary: Love this one
Review: I can't believe this came out on DVD.A soundtrack in CD form would be awesome(hint)because this is great travel music.I'll keep hoping When the VHS edition went out of print it was a nightmare to get a copy. The band in this show is incredible. There is so much musical talent. The song selection is great and the band is incredibly tight. There are a few short interviews with Frank (at least on the VHS edition) but it is mostly full of uncut music. This DVD is a must for any Zappa fan especially for a starter. Each band member is outstanding in their performances. Frank had an awesome band in 1984..
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, but somewhat uninspired
Review: I have mixed feelings about this DVD. I'm a huge Zappa fan, and I've seen him three times, including a show from this tour. I was really looking forward to seeing what I remembered to be a fantastic concert. One of the things that I enjoyed most about his concerts (and the one from this tour in particular) was when they played his more elaborate compositions. FZ conducted the band while we watched this wonderfully complex music being choreographed. It looked like organized chaos set to amazing music. It was truly memorable. I also relished Frank's searing and captivating solos. For me, the problem with the DVD is that there's not enough of his virtuoso performances. Yeah, it's fun to see the band and hear the music, but it seems almost as if he's walking through some of the songs revue-style. He's always been humorous, but I don't remember him being so casually campy when I saw him. He practically ran through The Dangerous Kitchen and Tinseltown Rebellion. On the other hand, there are some great solos on Cosmic Debris and Whipping Post, and of course, Zoot Allures. However, I remember many of his solos being much longer than we get to see here. I'm not unhappy with the purchase, but I just don't think it's representative of Frank's best performances. I suspect that there's better stuff in the vaults. I just hope we see some more soon.
Rating:
Summary: when they gonna released "Roxy and elsewhere" on dvd????
Review: i put 3 stars because this concert should be entire and had better sound and extras, like the baby snakes dvd.
Come on people write a review to request the "Roxy and elsewhere" in dvd, is one of the best performances of Frank Zappa, and in the extras of the "baby snakes" dvd shows a sampler of this concert
Rating: 
Summary: Do I have the same DVD as everyone else?
Review: I too am a huge Zappa fan and have owned the VHS of this since 1986, was disappointed in it and wish I'd of saved the $$ on the DVD. I don't like this band very much, agree with those that say it's too synth heavy & not enough guitar.
And as for Franks' solos, I do agree that Cosmic Debris is ok but the Whipping Post from the CD with Frank & Dweezil trading licks is FAR superior and overall Frank's playing STINKS compared to the 70's stuff. But I know that's what happens when you stop playing every day, you lose "the edge".
But I'm really surprised that no one has mentioned what aggravates me the most....THIS THINGS IN STEREO ONLY!!!! No dolby digital or DTS...and to make things worse, THE MENU IS IN DOLBY DIGITAL!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!
Bottom line is that if you own the VHS, don't bother, go spend your $$ on Baby snakes or wait until "The dub-room special", The Roxy shows or something from the '88 tour is finally released on DVD! If you don't have "Does humor" at all, go get it because despite all I've said above, it's still worth having.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Journey of Guitar Based Humor Rock
Review: I used to have a roommate in college that had this in the VCR format. We used to watch it and just giggle and be amazed all at the same time. FZ was simply a brilliant composer and a grand band leader. You can watch FZ play, conduct and simply sizzle through some of the really great songs from his career on this DVD. Songs like ZOOT ALLURES and TINSLETOWN REBELLION are done so well, and I must mention that the Allmand Brothers song WHIPPING POST is really done great by the band. Needless to say, due to this being a DVD produced by EMI and not by the ZFT, it is most likley edited to someones taste within the INDUSTRY.. which never suited FZ anyway when he was alive... so why do him justice in his death???!!! Great sound on the DVD. The sound was done correctly, so that much FZ can take delight in. A couple of bad notes. There is a different lineup of songs on the CD version of this, and one of the songs that I would have liked included was LETS MOVE TO CLEVELAND as well as C@SUCK3RS B@LL. Also, the packaging is well, non existant. For a great release, there is nothing in the DVD case but the DVD. When you see how Gail Zappa and the ZFT has done the past two DVD's by FZ (Halloween and Baby Snakes -www.zappa.com-) you will not like the EMI no frills bare bones approach to this DVD. EMI should be ashamed releasing this to FZ fans in such a disrespectful way.. FZ fans are used to having a lot of things to look at and read with each release- I know, I have all of his releases. However, buy it, and watch it and hope that Gail can get it and put it out without anything missing.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Journey of Guitar Based Humor Rock
Review: I used to have a roommate in college that had this in the VCR format. We used to watch it and just giggle and be amazed all at the same time. FZ was simply a brilliant composer and a grand band leader. You can watch FZ play, conduct and simply sizzle through some of the really great songs from his career on this DVD. Songs like ZOOT ALLURES and TINSLETOWN REBELLION are done so well, and I must mention that the Allmand Brothers song WHIPPING POST is really done great by the band. Needless to say, due to this being a DVD produced by EMI and not by the ZFT, it is most likley edited to someones taste within the INDUSTRY.. which never suited FZ anyway when he was alive... so why do him justice in his death???!!! Great sound on the DVD. The sound was done correctly, so that much FZ can take delight in. A couple of bad notes. There is a different lineup of songs on the CD version of this, and one of the songs that I would have liked included was LETS MOVE TO CLEVELAND as well as C@SUCK3RS B@LL. Also, the packaging is well, non existant. For a great release, there is nothing in the DVD case but the DVD. When you see how Gail Zappa and the ZFT has done the past two DVD's by FZ (Halloween and Baby Snakes -www.zappa.com-) you will not like the EMI no frills bare bones approach to this DVD. EMI should be ashamed releasing this to FZ fans in such a disrespectful way.. FZ fans are used to having a lot of things to look at and read with each release- I know, I have all of his releases. However, buy it, and watch it and hope that Gail can get it and put it out without anything missing.
Rating:
Summary: Do This Better!
Review: I'm glad this video is back in print and all, but Frank's 1984 touring band wasn't exactly the source of his most timeless recordings. Plagued with cheesy (and I mean CHEESY) keyboards and electric drums, this DVD doesn't do a whole lot to win me over. In addition, a few of the band members go out of their way to act "crazy" for the cameras, with Alan Zavod being the main perpetrator. In every frame he's in, it seems like he's making a stupid face right in front of the camera. Also, the picture quality of the DVD is far from great. In fact, it looks like it was transferred directly from an old VHS copy. On the positive side, there's some good stuff here. We get a good performance of Zoot Allures with some nice guitar playing by Zappa. Plus, the short little interview bits are really entertaining. I personally would like to have been able to see the band play some more complex stuff, but almost all of the DVD is devoted to light novelty songs, which ARE fun. However, I'd take Baby Snakes over this stuff any day of the week. Sure, Does Humor Belong In Music has less extra fat in it, but the good stuff in Baby Snakes beats the crap of of this.
Rating:
Summary: Hope you like '80s nostalgia
Review: I'm glad this video is back in print and all, but Frank's 1984 touring band wasn't exactly the source of his most timeless recordings. Plagued with cheesy (and I mean CHEESY) keyboards and electric drums, this DVD doesn't do a whole lot to win me over. In addition, a few of the band members go out of their way to act "crazy" for the cameras, with Alan Zavod being the main perpetrator. In every frame he's in, it seems like he's making a stupid face right in front of the camera. Also, the picture quality of the DVD is far from great. In fact, it looks like it was transferred directly from an old VHS copy. On the positive side, there's some good stuff here. We get a good performance of Zoot Allures with some nice guitar playing by Zappa. Plus, the short little interview bits are really entertaining. I personally would like to have been able to see the band play some more complex stuff, but almost all of the DVD is devoted to light novelty songs, which ARE fun. However, I'd take Baby Snakes over this stuff any day of the week. Sure, Does Humor Belong In Music has less extra fat in it, but the good stuff in Baby Snakes beats the crap of of this.
Rating:
Summary: Do This Better!
Review: I'm happy that Zappa stuff is finally starting to get to DVD but disappointed by this one. Not only do they decide to put less than an hour of music from a "very long" show but then they cut into some of the songs and only have "snippets" of some of them. The cuts are done by going to two very short Zappa interview segments that would have been fabulous if presented in their entirety as bonus materials. Don't the video masters of this show exist? Zappa was pretty good at saving things. Why not put the whole show on DVD or at least more than this sampling? My guess is that this video was meant, at the time, to be a "teaser" to get newer fans interested in Zappa's more accessible stuff and to promote the, very great, skills of his later live bands. Perhaps this is why that this is one of the first releases to DVD. If so, I was wrong to spend the money on it as I am a long LONG time fan of Zappa's who finds most of this material unchallenging and of limited interest. It *is* great to see the band making the music and seeing Zappa being "into it" that night. I only got to attend one Zappa concert. It was the Zappa/Beefheart tour when it stopped in Cincinnati around 1976 (or about). He was just "phoning it in" that night and only played for 50 minutes. The recording and video is well done for the time and the material is picked from songs that are MUCH better to see/hear performed live than to only listen to on CD. There is some good Zappa music on this however a main point that Zappa seems to want to get across is "musical chops are good" and he proves his point by having a number of tunes that have no real value other than the impressive skill that his band shows in performing them.
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