Anesthetize [DVD+Blu-ray] [2001]

It might seem a bit over the top to the casual customer or a person even slightly tempted to buy this, that i would label the British rock group "Porcupine tree - as gods" But as a dedicated fan since the early 2000's after finding out about the "Stupid dream" album I quickly found out about the high quality of this bands past discography. That said a tremendous DVD was all that was missing in the bands releases. I know there was the excellent issue Live "coma divine" and the great "Arriving somewhere" and possibly few other live obscure nugget transmissions issues further back down the line, But a major Live high definition release to push the boundaries of live and challenge the likes of Rush's - Snakes and arrows DVD (for ex.) I have been waiting patiently for a really long while now! Generally speaking i have found the standard of live DVD's is on the up, even after the now widely used introduction of high definition cameras and more careful choice in live filming these days at concerts.

"Anesthetize" therefore arrives in a very timely fashion indeed, and as i expected easily comes in at one of my top 5 all-time favourite live DVD experiences i have ever seen! The main concert is in Tilberg - Netherlands in October 2008, played over a period of two days. And is a wonderful choice for the concert- At the start you are greeted by the enthusiasm and energetic Porcupine tree audience. And from there the concert goes into overdrive and kicks off with an entire and complete performance of 2007's "Fear of a blank planet" album. And being that was released 3 years ago it may give some indication of the time length this has been in the making, Of course being filmed in 2008 nothing from the latest double epic "The incident" is included in the set. The second half of the live material features odd classics from Signify and the like such as "Sleep of no dreaming and Dark matter" amongst a variety of others which make the set.

In a nutshell this is the clearest, most well performed and energetic release since Rush's Snakes and arrows DVD - (In my humble opinion) Tilberg 013 hall proves in more than a handful of ways how intimacy and atmosphere can't always be replicated by huge outdoor festivals and grand halls. The audience really do deserve some credit for their contribution to the concert, they do make the band feel very welcome upon their visit to the stage and it is also beyond clear everyone is having a really good time. The cheers and energy from the concert is electric and this is well evident on a single viewing from the family room, The impact it has on you is fantastic and will probably result in a good few many repeated watchings. Although it's easy to see the strength of the concert lies in the complete play of "Fear of a blank planet" the extra songs do not seem out of place, but add to the range and diversity which i personally see as a positive.

The only disappointment may lie in the shortage of "extras" But personally I am quite happy with a fantastically well executed 130 minute performance! A high definition concert featuring everything that makes a live DVD great is enriched onto the disc generously, for me the main concern is the Graphics, atmosphere, overall viewing and musical effort. And with Anesthetize that is what a got with spades. So, if you are looking for similar qualities in a DVD and have at least a passing interest in Porcupine tree and their brand of soft/hard rock, and occasional flashes of metal, then why not pick this up? Fans will probably have this already as i have. But i am still going of offer a high recommendation and a 5 star rating of this DVD in any case.

I recommend this to all fans of Porcupine Tree and rock music alike, in fact anyone into musical genre's losely linked to rock. Porcupine Tree are generaly put into the prog/psychedelic rock category, but for me they just have their own genre entirely. This is first class music, production and quite literally a flawless performance from my favourite band, and one of the UK's finest.

Lasse Hoile (the danish film director) has done a fine job and also noticeably tried something else in style to the 'Deadwing'-esque filming of the 'Arriving Somewhere...' Dvd. You really get a great look at how these musicians are performing their music.

I also must point out the reason that this Dvd is entitled 'Anesthetize'.... you just have to watch this track here to realise it really is one of the bands greatest tracks and here it is in all its glory, all 17+minutes of it or however long it is! It leaves me speechless every time live at a concert and its great to just be able to click repeat and watch it at leisure as many times as you like!

Other fantastic live tracks here include 'Sever', 'Sleep of no dreaming', the beautiful 'half-light', and also some real treats with the tracks here off 'In Absentia'.

All in all a must have if you are into the band, if youre new, prepare to have your minds blown.

It's not often we can call a release "perfect" nowadays.... Lost in the mainstream market, Porcupine Tree looks like an UFO for most people. Somewhere between Pink Floyd, King Crimson, and something else difficult to define, they deliver their technical works each year for prog/Metal fans greatest pleasure.
This long-awaited live dvd release from a two-night stand at 013 hall, Tilburg, Holland shows how a live still can be recorded today. I was at night #2 and can tell what we find on this dvd is the true reflection of what I've seen/heard back in october 2008. Those who already saw the band live know Mr Wilson aims high quality performances in terms of sound and playing. You'll find all that in "Anesthetize". Indeed, the 5.1 DTS Mix is the best since Rush's "Snakes & Arrows", especially Gavin Harrison's drums : clear, powerful, each cymbal or drum is clearly heard.
013 hall fits perfectly for this kind of performance : intimate but big enough to set a nice light show.
Setlist is quite unique as they specially performed the full "Fear" album both nights for the dvd, with some rarities added each night as second set. Everything is played with power, grace, technique, and passion.
No compromise, this is THE prog dvd of the year! From start to end, image & sound quality are at their peak.
For the die-hard fans, a ltd ed. of the dvd has been released on PT own site, presented in a wonderful book, with the audio version of the show on 2cd's, along with dvd and Blu-Ray.
Thanx you Mr Wilson for delivering such great music and quality releases!
So don't waste anymore time, buy this piece of work, put the volume up to eleven, and enjoy!