The Official Live at the Showbox DVD thread

[Mike McCusker]

I managed to get the lovely people at Barsuk to sneak it into my December order so Mrs Mc doesn't realise how over my monthly Barsuk limit I am.

I wonder if Barsuk can beat Amazon to Europe? Watch this space.

Actually, that would be pretty dull and pointless. I'll post when I have seen it to save everyones time.

[leigh]

Here's the Seattle Weekly review of the DVD (in place of John's Reverb column):
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/john_roderick_reverb_residency/

[Liesbeth]

Maybe some disclaimer stickers should be made to put on the DVD's: 'no banter was hurt while editing this show'. Although I'm shocked to read that we've been shortchanged on guitar tuning. That is such an integral part of a Long Winters show.

[A Brutaful Smile]

i do have to agree with one part of the review. there does seem to be a lack of shots of the room. personally i could care less about crowd shots. i don't need to see how much fun they are having, they mean nothing to me, show me who i want to see which is the band. unless there is an actual exchange between someone on stage and someone in the crowd there is no need for gratuitous shots of the crowd. BUT...i was really wanting for a panoramic view of the showbox. just one sweeping shot of the whole place would have been nice.

[leigh]

i do have to agree with one part of the review. there does seem to be a lack of shots of the room. BUT...i was really wanting for a panoramic view of the showbox. just one sweeping shot of the whole place would have been nice.

I also agreed with that aspect of the review. I was really glad to see the show from a different vantage point (even though I was within a few feet of the stage, being only 5'4" means I spend much of my time staring at people's backs), but the energy of the crowd is worth seeing directly, especially the energy that night.

[Liesbeth]

Yeehah, Barsuk have delivered!
Expect a full review soon, I have seen part and already have so many thoughts I need to share.

[Mike McCusker]

As one of the few here never to have never managed to actually see the band (drove a couple of hundred miles once, but got stuck in traffic and missed John when he supported Keane in Wolverhampton), can I just say how fantastic this is?

Just made me smile - and it was funny to here my 11 year old subconsciously singing along as he played on his laptop.

[Flyn]

Mike, that is so cool. You're going to start a global chain reaction of heart-warming. I was at the show, and it was a really solid performance, and I saw how hard Adam worked on it, so am pretty excited to see the DVD, once christmas comes.

[Liesbeth]

Mike, so glad you finally made it! And I have to say, this DVD really gives a really good idea of being there. It sounds so amazingly good (and I don't even have surround sound) and it so captures the atmosphere of a live LW show, that after watching it I was as almost as wired as I am after a real show. Although it is kinda unexpected that the songs follow each other so smoothly; at a real show -even ones with little banter- there will at least be guitar tuning or guitar changing, and with Blue Diamonds the whole instrument swap. The cuts were done pretty smoothly, although at the point where Cam_rock is handing a guitar to John and the next moment the Long Horns are there it kinda shows ;-).

What struck me particularly about this show is how incredibly solid the band has become. I saw the first show of the European part of this tour (which was over 2 months before this Seattle show) and although I was quite impressed with that performance after the band had been off the road for a few months, this DVD shows such a smooth-running band. Yet not at all jaded, everyone seems to be having so much fun. Oh, and hearing the Long Horns is a real treat, especially on Scared Straight.

There really is remarkably little banter, but then again there is the commentary track (since it seemed to be the general expectation that I would watch it, I am sure glad I didn't disappoint!). I love how John says some things even Eric and Jonathan didn't know.

At times I spend so much time internetting about this band that I can feel estranged from the real deal and this came at exactly the right time to remind me just how much I love the music. Unsalted Butter had me almost in tears, I have to admit. I really hope to see the band live again soon, but this great registration will do the trick at any other time.

[Moni]

Aah I love google-blogsearch:
http://myoldkyhome.blogspot.com/2008/12 ... x-dvd.html
http://easystreetonline.com/staff-picks ... howbox-dvd

I got the DVD a week ago on monday, but ironically didn't have the time to watch it until this weekend. My first impression was that the sound is amazing; and the transitions between the songs (aka edits) work really well. Only the cuts between Stupid - Scent - Rich Wife seem a little abrupt (on first view, maybe I'm gonna change my mind after 2 or 3 more views :).
And listening to/watching 3 of my favorite songs ever (Unsalted/Sky/Clouds) in a row makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I thought Unsalted Butter came out really really strong here.
The commentary is great (duh)... But why does Adam sound like he's leaning in through the window? Could you afford only one (unidirectional) mic for the recording of the commentary? :)

Anyway, we loves the precious!

[NatureBoy]

But why does Adam sound like he's leaning in through the window? Could you afford only one (unidirectional) mic for the recording of the commentary? :)

That commentary track was the focus of more than a little bit of discord.

From the beginning it was something that I was sure that I wanted to do if all parties were game - I'm a film nerd, and I listen to DVD commentaries frequently, but I was a little surprised to find that most people I talked to about them didn't perceive much value there.

Technically, it was a bit harder to pull of than I realized. We actually had two mics recording, if you can believe that, but we recorded in John's bathroom while he was in the middle of one of his marathon soaks, which is why it sounds a bit echo-ey.

What's the verdict: Are you glad it's there, or could you do without it?

[Unremarkable]

I'm glad it's there, I always like listening to movie commentaries.

[A Brutaful Smile]

i like the commentary only because it's a band i know and like. i have never watched a commentary on a movie before tho. i don't know if i ever really would.

[Liesbeth]

Not being much of a DVD person I had never heard a movie commentary before, so I cannot compare. Like Jen I like this one because it's TLW, and it does have some interesting info and funny bits.
But to be honest, after (or during) watching the track I was thinking that if not having it would have made it possible to have those two songs on the disk, I would have chosen that instead. Don't know if that was ever an issue though, I have no idea how these things work technically.

[Moni]

I am not much of a film nerd, but I still love commentary tracks, making-ofs etc., so I am more than happy you decided to add one to the DVD. (I think I have listened to the LOTR cast commentary often enough to almost fully understand Scottish accents now, thank you Billy Boyd!)

but we recorded in John's bathroom while he was in the middle of one of his marathon soaks, which is why it sounds a bit echo-ey.

For a second there, you almost had me :)

[zach]

I like it! I'm glad it's on there!

[No You Are]

I definitely liked the commentary... it re-banterified the set, if you will. It was a good add.

[sour29]

That's exactly what I'm thinking too. I'm not usually one who listens to commentary (which is odd, having a film studies degree), but I listened to this one before I watched the whole concert. It added more LW personality to the performance. Thumbs enthusiastically up.

[Kasper]

I got the DVD about three weeks ago, and i find it to be a great companion and mood-lifter when the scandinavian winter gets to me. It only makes me long for an actual LW show even more (btw, why the hell did you cancel that Århus show last year? Not fair!).
If the DVD indeed does lack banter and the (in)famous tuning sessions you all talk about, i guess the commentary track kinda makes up for it - the performances are spot on nevertheless. Maybe edits between some songs could have been more seemless, there could've been more shots of audience members actually enjoying what they are watching (which is, you know, AWESOME) instead of just staring blankly at the stage and I do also miss Hindsight and Pushover. Other than that, the setlist is perfect and the sound mix is great - all in all a very enjoyable disc.

[Jeannette311]

Finally got it and watched it right away! I loved it. I felt like I right there and when it was over I was kinda sad it was done. Then I noticed that there was a commentary track and dove right in. I got to the end of "Cinnamon" (I was wondering who the girl was...at the end of the DVD when he name popped up I googled her b/c I really liked her voice and only a youtube vid popped up. I didn't watch it though. But thanks to the commentary I know who she was! Mystery solved!) and then I had to call it quits for the night. Looking forward to watching the rest!

Great job, everyone!!!