Amazon.co.uk Review
This famous filming of Portishead's first-ever live gig in New York--along with the accompanying
album--is now considered a modern classic. The concert itself is a wonder to behold, as Portishead (Geoff Barrows, Adrian Utley, Beth Gibbons, Andy Smith) smoke cigarettes, chew gum, scratch records and behave in a generally hip manner while around them the 30-piece New York philharmonic orchestra and a five-piece horn ensemble do their thing. The performance and subsequent recording of this gig has, in some cases, offered a preferred body of work to Portishead's studio based albums, proving that live gigs do not necessarily equal poor production values. From the haunting "All Mine" to the ever-popular "Glory Box" the energy from the band members and the welcome addition of a live orchestra adds a breathtaking edge to the well-known tunes. The camera adds to the magic of the concert, sweeping majestically across the action and the audience, helping to capture the slow, silky essence of this urbanized opulence.
On the DVD: As well as re-EQ'ing all of the music, the band have provided extra musical snippets, footage from their world tour (which followed this concert), an exclusive acoustic version of "Wandering Star", all of their music videos and the cultish short film they made in 1994. The "road tour" section is quite dull, shot from a car racing around provincial England (Portishead, mainly). The music videos, by and large, are more interesting and artful, particularly the video for "Only You" which is undeniably beautiful. The parting shot is their short movie "To Kill A Dead Man" (directed, shot, acted and scored by the band), which is entertaining, despite the hefty disclaimer that precedes it. All in all this is a very comprehensive overview of one of the 90s' most revered bands and a worthy purchase even for those who have the original VHS edition.--Paul Sullivan
Synopsis
The group recorded live in New York in July 1997. The tracklist includes: 'Humming', 'Cowboys', 'All Mine', 'Only You', 'Seven Months', 'Numb', 'Sour Times' and 'Glory Box'.
~ Portishead
~ Beth Gibbons
~ Portishead
~ Portishead
~ Portishead
