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Rating: 
Summary: A good insight into ELO Part 2.
Review: A good insight into the camaraderie and humour of a close-knit group on tour. The potted history, whilst being quite informative, appears to gloss over the importance of Jeff Lynne as captain of the original great ship ELO. The UK/USA tour ("on the road") footage is almost exclusively in black and white, whereas the Sydney concert footage switches to colour.The DVD comes with two soundtracks: a straight stereo mix, which is clear, and a Dolby 5.1 mix which ends up being quite muffled and confusing. The fact that Bev Bevan and Phil Bates have since left ELO Pt 2, and that the group's name itself has been changed to "Orchestra" means that we have here a mini time-capsule of ELO Pt 2 from the mid-90's, with arguably their best line-up, playing with full orchestral backing. The bonus videos of "All Fall Down" and "Ain't Necessarily So" show that they continue to evolve and develop their own material without loosing total focus of what Jeff Lynne and the classic ELO sound stood for.
Rating: 
Summary: WORST Audio I Have EVER Heard !!
Review: Don't waste your time! The audio is muffled - at best. Even the interviews are of poor audio quality. I've seen ELO live, twice, and they are far, far better than this cheesey DVD. Fortunately, they are on tour again (Fall 2001) - so perhaps a good DVD production is just around the corner. The other reviews contained in this section appear to be biased. Save your money - you do not want to own this DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: I wanted to like it...
Review: I bought this DVD being an avid fan of the music. As anyone who's seen the DVD from the "Out of the Blue" tour, or perhaps live back in the day, you know that ELO had a great stage spectacle in terms of sets and orchestral players, but as a band they pretty much just stood around and played - especially Jeff Lynne. That's OK, it's all about the music in my opinion. So now with this DVD, we get a glimpse into the band's post-Jeff Lynne era and we see that they are better live, much more animated and have seemed to benefit from the infusion of some energy thanks to several new band members. I will also say that the filming/production seem to be well done as well. Unfortunately, if you're hoping for anything but increased physical access to the band (lots of back stage glimpses), you will be disappointed with the documentary itself. The content of the interviews is lacking - there's no real insight into the dynamics of the original ELO and the making of their classic material. There is mostly just a reading of the roster of who joined the band when, etc. and an interestig anecdote of Bev Bevan buying his first drumkit. You don't really learn anything new about the band and you're left with the distinct impression that everything you're not being told would be much more entertaining that what you're listening to. But what about the music? The first few selections on the DVD include some great old ELO numbers and, with the higher energy level and the full orchestra, there is hope that the musical magic will be present. But, alas, the entire second half of the DVD is dominated by songs from the new album which are, unfortunately, absolute trash. As a musician, it's easy to spot that the craft is missing from the new material and that they really don't have anything left to say. Even Phil Bates comments that a writer of Lynne's caliber will be missed from any group, and that's glaringly true here. "Whiskey Girls", "Don't Wanna", "Ain't Necessarily So", these songs are completely uninspired, and at their best are pale imitations of the most simplistic ELO songs. It wouldn't be so bad if, as I said, the second half of the DVD is really dominated by this material. Close it all with the embarrassing spectacle of show girls "dancing" on stage during "Don't Bring Me Down" and a video of one of the new songs, and what began as a potentially entertaining documentary of a more rocking ELO has deteriorated into a sad commentary on an aging cover band imitating music they didn't write and whose own originals [stink]. I felt sad seeing a band responsible for such great music back in the day reduced to just another bunch of dinosaurs. It speaks volumes that they gave up this project not too long after the making of this DVD. Do yourself a favor and get the Zoom DVD instead. Sure you have to put up with some of Jeff Lynne's new tunes and he pretty much still just stands around, but overall the musicianship, craftmanship and feel of that show are much better. And it has twice as much music on it. Or pick up the "Out of the Blue" tour DVD and see the band at their peak of popularity plus some really fun/cheesy videos to boot. Access All Areas will just make you feel sad.
Rating: 
Summary: Unrealized potential
Review: I have been a fan of ELO since the mid 70s and have seen them in concert (the "Spaceship" tour). Accordingly, I was eager to see how their work would translate to video. The result is not all positive, but first off I will say that this is the best video of ELO's live performances available. The sound mix is excellent by 70's concert movie standards (e.g, YESSONGS, YES LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA 1979) but woefully inadequate in comparison with other recent concert DVDs (e.g., HOUSE OF YES, WOODSTOCK '99). The bass is totally lost, the drums muddy, and the orchestra (Moscow Symphony) often inaudible. The vocal harmonies do sound great, but the fact that ELO has used taped choruses in previous concerts lends some uncertainty as to whether all the vocalists are both live and on-stage. The soprano soloist on "Rockaria" was heard but not seen. If she was on tape, shame on the band for the cop-out, and if she was onstage, shame on the director for not showing her. This brings up another deficiency: direction. There are almost no shots that showcase the band's musicianship. Devoted fans of ELO, like those of other 70s art-rock bands, are often musicians themselves, and they are bound to be disappointed by the artistic choices of a director who seems to have no interest in musical performance itself. Considering this, and the fact that there are so few songs in the performance, the film fails as a concert tape. But it's still a documentary, right? Well, it has problems there, too. I enjoyed the interviews with Kelly Groucutt and Mik Kaminsky, but no interviews with Jeff Lynne? Or Richard Tandy? That's like doing a documentary on The Beatles and not interviewing Paul and George. You will learn a few things, though, the most surprising to me being that Phil Bates, Lynne's replacement, was in Trickster, the little-known but excellent band that opened for ELO in the Spaceship days. However, the complete lack of anything controversial in the interviews leads one to believe that this "documentary" was commissioned by the band itself (see the nauseating BEACHBOYS: AN AMERICAN BAND for an example of paid-for, pre-packaged journalism). Bottom line: Yes, buy the DVD, but only because ELO fans have nothing better--yet. Just keep praying that someday, someone will give us an excellent ELO concert video that gives us the great music without the gratuitous spin.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the BEST ELO DVD THERE IS! GET IT!
Review: I'm a collector of ELO material. I have all the ELO and ELO II studio albums. I have both "Out of the Blue Tour Live at Wembley" by ELO and "Access All Areas" by ELO II on DVD. "Access All Areas" is by far the best ELO DVD there is. The live ELO II performances are excellent. Far better then any other recorded live ELO performances. The sound quality is very good and much better then the "Out of the Blue Tour Live at Wembley" DVD. The performances are more lively, with more energy. The band members' live musical talent has improved dramatically over the years. These live ELO II performances are almost flawless (unlike earlier ELO live performances). This DVD includes live performances of "Standing in the Rain", "Showdown", "Eldorado Overture", "Turn to Stone", "Do Ya", "Don't Bring Me Down", and "Don't Wanna". All of the live songs on this DVD are written by former ELO band member Jeff Lynne except "Don't Wanna" which was written by Troyer. These are the BEST recorded live performances on video there is. This DVD is very entertaining. Also included in this DVD are the videos for "Ain't Necessarily So" and "All Fall Down". The DVD can be listened to using Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound or normal stereo. If that isn't enough, this DVD also includes many interviews with band members talking about the early days of the MOVE, the first ELO band with Roy Wood, the many ELO's which followed, the break up of ELO, and the reforming of ELO II. This DVD is for ALL ELO FANS. With all the band history, excellent live performances, and music videos, this DVD is more than worth the price. GET IT! YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!
Rating:
Summary: Access All Areas by ELO Part II
Review: Let me say straight away, this is not just a film of an ELO Part II concert! George Reed's approach to this film is as a "rockumentary", with clever (almost subliminal) black and white shots cutting in and out of the dialogue at an amazing pace. During the opening titles we are given teasing glimpses of the band rehearsing, then suddenly without warning, they are on stage in Sydney with the Australian Rock Orchestra. Led by "Sir" Lou Clark fully resplendent in white tuxedo they perform "Concerto for a Rainy Day" and then "Standing in the Rain" This really illustrates the power and impact of ELO Part II as a live group, and right from the opening chords of the first number the sheer energy has to be seen to be believed. Now we cut to Bev talking about the early days in the Diplomats, again interspersed with black and white shots. Bev talks about his first £35 drum set: at first he couldn't get the bass drum pedal to work, cut to a quick shot of a foot kicking a pedal (now do you get my drift?). As we build a picture of The Move being formed and Jeff joining, we are treated to archive pictures from those early days (many from Bev's own collection) and at this point we get "10538 Overture". Many of you will have read the ELO story, but to hear it told by the members of the band is fascinating. Mik is now invited to join the group and in his words we are told of the audition whilst the pictures show the actual advert placed in the music press, asking for a violinist. Next up is "Showdown", back onstage in Sydney, this has to be one of the best production numbers in the show. As Bev talks us through Louis Clark being asked to join and through the making of the concept album "Eldorado", we are treated to the sight of "Sir" Lou in full flight, conducting the Australian Rock Orchestra playing the haunting "Eldorado Overture". "Turn to Stone" and "Do Ya" are next - these numbers really do get better and a full Orchestra gives them that extra depth. At this point Bev takes up the narration again and tells how, since the break up of the band, he misses touring and so decides to reform the band. Jeff is invited to join, but declines! So, on recommendation from Jim Steinman, Eric Troyer appears on the scene and auditions with his own song "Thousand Eyes". This is enough to convince Bev that Eric is the man for the job! Kelly now takes over the story and tells how he meets up again with Phil Bates and persuades Bev to take him on, as Kelly says "he was taken on to replace 2 people, and he does!" So now, with a line up that includes three singers, ELO Part II have found their secret weapon harmony,. To prove the point, we are treated to "Rockaria". A short clip of "Whiskey Girls" followed by a full version of "Don't Wanna" takes us neatly into a section which can be described in one word...camaraderie With band members and road crew seen travelling and working together, it really does come across that these guys enjoy each others company, (a lot of other groups could really learn from this film!). A lot of visual jokes here, regular fans will appreciate this section. "Barru", ELO Part II's guitar technician, could find himself being approached by a horror film company after his cameo performance! All too soon, as in the stage show, we are at the closing number "Don't Bring Me Down". On this occasion, the addition of 2 go-go dancers on stage clearly seems to be embarrassing some of the guys -I'll leave it to you to decide who! All in all a brilliant video - not just for Part II fans - there really is something for everyone in here. A tip: remember to keep the video running after the credits have finished - there is a bonus of the 'promo' video for "All Fall Down" In summary, forget all the " without Jeff Lynne, it's not ELO" talk - watch the video - I guarantee you will want to go and see ELO Part II performing live! Running time: approx.58 minutes Reviewer: John Kilcline
Rating:
Summary: No Jeff Lynne, but who really cares?!
Review: Obviously the previous reviewer of Access All Areas knows very little about producing videos and even less about the Electric Light Orchestra but as so many before him, he's more than happy to put fingers to keyboard without researching the subject matter at hand, which in my book is reviewer rule one. The Director of AAA, George Reed has always made it very clear (including on this page in fact) that AAA is NOT a Jeff Lynne video. Take it from someone very close to the production and the band that the day Jeff Lynne appeares on tape with any of the members of ELO pt2 (including one time pal and Electric Light Orchestra co-founder/drummer Bev Bevan) will be a very cold day in hell. When are some ELO fanatics going to get over the fact that the band moved on without Mr. Lynne and he without the band? At the time of AAA's production, it had been over a decade since anyone in ELO/ELO pt2 had spoken to Jeff, except through lawyers, so I ask you, do you think he would have ever in a million years stopped in to chew the fat? Another point of interest, the director, who is a bit of a musician himself, made it a priority to focus on the musicianship of the band, I mean, how many more behind the scenes jam sessions could he manage to cram into a single DVD that runs just under an hour in length? I can tell you not many, music was the focus from the first frame to the last, all you have to do is compare the talk time to performance time and the commitment is clear. Never before has anyone been given such complete access to the band and in turn never before has any filmmaker given the viewer such access to ELO. You truly see them as they are, on the bus, in the dressing room and during sound checks, where bands hate to see cameras! Another little point to clear up with the prior reviewer, Kelly (Groucutt) the bass player for ELO pt2 (also ELO 74-83) sings the opera opening to "Rockaria!" in the performance portion of the DVD and always has on stage, the only time the band used a real opera singer was in the studio way back in 1977 during the A New World Record sessions, so if you're waiting for her to pop up, keep looking. Also... if your expecting a liberal dose of mud slinging in AAA you wont find it, and that's really a testament to the kind of people the guys in the band are. There's a saying in ELO while their on tour, "What happens on the road, stays on the road." So for those who crave more than great performances and a fantastic first person perspective on the Move, ELO and ELO pt2, watch Jerry Springer, because what the guys don't reveal through the length of AAA is obviously nobody's business but their own. These things may seem trivial, but they are important to note as to illusrate how misleading reviews (even by the pro's) can be. That said, I can tell you that most importantly, the performances are great, the MIX outstanding, the mood candid, the history rich and the film making excellent. I'm guessing that for most music fans and more importantly ELO fans that that's quite enough, and it's also what they've come to expect from one of the true class acts of the music business. And if I do say so myself, that's plenty!
Rating:
Summary: The Producer/Director of Access All Areas chimes in, again.
Review: Wouldn't you know it that yours truly (the Producer and Director of Access All Areas) would be one of the last to know that AAA had been released on DVD. But after a quick call to our friends at BMG Special Products I had a promo copy in my hot little hands in no time flat and what a relief! I must say, I've always been a mortal enemy of any tape format, there are so many limitations to it that the end result ultimately leaves me wanting much more, the DVD version of Access All Areas fills that void quite nicely. In all honesty a project of this type should never be released on anything other than DVD for two reasons, the picture and sound quality are spot on, like the effect I put on some interview voices to give them an aged effect. The method in the madness really shines through. And let's be honest, once you've sat through the story it's nice to have the option of clicking right to the brilliant musical performances this DVD offers. On the down side, I had hoped BMG would have taken it on themselves to blow up the cover art (as in explosion!) and do it again but ya know, it's just cover art isn't it? Seeing Access on DVD has taken the squirm out of my seat when I pop it in to revisit the wonderful experience of producing the project. It works so much better on DVD in fact that it's hard to imagine anyone having to sit through it on VHS, that's not to say however that if you only have a VCR you shouldn't get the video version, it's just that the DVD really hits the mark. But one note of caution to ELO purists (you know who you are), if you're expecting to see Jeff Lynne shedding a tear or two over the good old days or clips from all those old Electric Light Orchestra videos (some classic and some quite dreadful) you wont find them here. Access looks back at the history of the band from the Move to the present. It contains some of the most candid and in-depth interviews ever given by ELO founding member and drummer Bev Bevan as well as ELO members past and present including Mik Kaminski, Louis Clark, Kelly Groucutt, Eric Troyer and Phil Bates (who left the band in 1998). And obviously there's the brilliant music, several full length performances of Jeff's biggest hits, including Do Ya, Showdown, Turn To Stone, Standing in the Rain and Don't Bring Me Down as well as ELO pt2 classics like Don't Wanna all performed before a huge audience on their 1995 Australian tour. You also get out-takes of the band going over classic ELO material in rehearsal and exclusive music videos of two great ELO pt2 tracks, Ain't Necessarily So and All Fall Down, which I directed (the latter's principal shots being filmed in front of a TV screen in Eric's Chicago hotel room). Not to mention, some great behind the scenes footage, it's really ELO like nobody has ever seen or heard them before. It's for that reason AAA gets 4 stars from me, because it's not about the production as much as it is about the music and the band, and for 58 minutes the guys prove once and for all why they have succeeded and survived for over 25 years. So if you're an ELO or ELO pt2 fan or you're just a fan of great music, the price tag on this DVD seems a small price to pay for such a big slice of rock history. Enjoy the show! Cheers, George
Rating:
Summary: The Producer/Director of Access All Areas chimes in, again.
Review: Wouldn't you know it that yours truly (the Producer and Director of Access All Areas) would be one of the last to know that AAA had been released on DVD. But after a quick call to our friends at BMG Special Products I had a promo copy in my hot little hands in no time flat and what a relief! I must say, I've always been a mortal enemy of any tape format, there are so many limitations to it that the end result ultimately leaves me wanting much more, the DVD version of Access All Areas fills that void quite nicely. In all honesty a project of this type should never be released on anything other than DVD for two reasons, the picture and sound quality are spot on, like the effect I put on some interview voices to give them an aged effect. The method in the madness really shines through. And let's be honest, once you've sat through the story it's nice to have the option of clicking right to the brilliant musical performances this DVD offers. On the down side, I had hoped BMG would have taken it on themselves to blow up the cover art (as in explosion!) and do it again but ya know, it's just cover art isn't it? Seeing Access on DVD has taken the squirm out of my seat when I pop it in to revisit the wonderful experience of producing the project. It works so much better on DVD in fact that it's hard to imagine anyone having to sit through it on VHS, that's not to say however that if you only have a VCR you shouldn't get the video version, it's just that the DVD really hits the mark. But one note of caution to ELO purists (you know who you are), if you're expecting to see Jeff Lynne shedding a tear or two over the good old days or clips from all those old Electric Light Orchestra videos (some classic and some quite dreadful) you wont find them here. Access looks back at the history of the band from the Move to the present. It contains some of the most candid and in-depth interviews ever given by ELO founding member and drummer Bev Bevan as well as ELO members past and present including Mik Kaminski, Louis Clark, Kelly Groucutt, Eric Troyer and Phil Bates (who left the band in 1998). And obviously there's the brilliant music, several full length performances of Jeff's biggest hits, including Do Ya, Showdown, Turn To Stone, Standing in the Rain and Don't Bring Me Down as well as ELO pt2 classics like Don't Wanna all performed before a huge audience on their 1995 Australian tour. You also get out-takes of the band going over classic ELO material in rehearsal and exclusive music videos of two great ELO pt2 tracks, Ain't Necessarily So and All Fall Down, which I directed (the latter's principal shots being filmed in front of a TV screen in Eric's Chicago hotel room). Not to mention, some great behind the scenes footage, it's really ELO like nobody has ever seen or heard them before. It's for that reason AAA gets 4 stars from me, because it's not about the production as much as it is about the music and the band, and for 58 minutes the guys prove once and for all why they have succeeded and survived for over 25 years. So if you're an ELO or ELO pt2 fan or you're just a fan of great music, the price tag on this DVD seems a small price to pay for such a big slice of rock history. Enjoy the show! Cheers, George
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