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Rating: 1993-2003: this is the decade of live music included in this DVD. The performances (more than 30) are all taken from "Later", a TV program aired since 1992 on the BBC channel. The groups included in this DVD are among the best (but unfortunately not only) that have appeared on the British scene in the last 10 years. Just think of Verve, Travis, Oasis, Radiohead, Coldplay, and Libertines (just to name a few) and you can see how the quality is top-notch. Of course, there are also less good things that came out of the United Kingdom, like Catatonia, Beta Band, Elastica, all bands now practically forgotten.
The appearances are listed in alphabetical order, so the start is entrusted to Ash, who perform a not bad live version of "Shining Light," one of their first hits. Blur, with "Tender," move us but put us to sleep at the same time, with a simple but excessively slow performance, almost slower than the version on "13." Coldplay's "In My Place" is performed flawlessly, with Chris Martin perfect. The only note is the slightly muffled snare drum sound, very distant from the band's typical sound. To mention other "big" names contained in this DVD, memorable performances include Manic Street Preachers with "A Design For Life" and Doves with "Cedar Room" (with the bassist featured in an incredible act: playing the bass backwards!!!).
The performance of "Just The Way I'm Feeling" by Feeder is sweet, in a truly exceptional semi-acoustic version, very different from the one in "Comfort In Sound." Among the emerging bands of recent years are Keane, who delight the audience with "This Is The Last Time," and Franz Ferdinand, who performed flawlessly with "Take Me Out." Oasis, in their first formation, do remarkably well with "I Am The Walrus," but the band's insecurity is noticeable (especially Noel's, who repeatedly looks at the guitar while playing) at the beginning of their brilliant career. Radiohead, with "The Bends," are the protagonists of a great performance, with Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood fierce and in excellent form. The Darkness, with their first single "I Believe In A Thing Called Love," show the audience all their great technique, engaging the audience with an excellent performance. However, there are many debts to past bands such as Queen and GNR.
The last three groups are perhaps the strong point of the entire DVD, namely Libertines, Verve, and Travis. The Doherty & Barat company's band, with "Up The Bracket," shows everyone their explosiveness and live spirit. Verve, with "The Drugs Don't Work," give us 5 minutes of beauty and immense emotion, just as only "Mad Richard" in the good old days could do. Fran Healy & co., with "All I Wanna Do Is Rock" (their very first single) deliver a performance that is not spectacular but surely impactful, without particular flaws. Also present are great classics of the past still in activity, like Morrissey and Paul Weller, performing respectively with "Boy Racer" and "Sunflower."
Obviously, among all these live performances, there are also many less good things. Among the most glaring are surely the Beta Band, who with "Human Being," masked in an indescribable way, do everything to make you press the "next chapter" button on the remote. Also forgettable are Elbow (too boring), the Charlatans (with the vocalist who seems like a faded copy of Liam Gallagher, especially in the way of singing), and the 22-20s, protagonists of a too predictable rock'n'roll, guilty of similarity to Hives, Libertines, and the like (therefore lacking originality).
Out of 34 performances, half are certainly to be listened to without distractions, but the other half, for various reasons, is to be discarded. Thus, the average rating is exactly 3 stars.
"This DVD captures great performances from 1993 to 2003, history in the making as young British rock n' roll flexes its muscles." (Play.com)
(this is the complete setlist): 1. Ash - Shining Light / 2. Blur - Tender / 3. British Sea Power - Remember Me / 4. Catatonia - Bleed / 5. Coldplay - In My Place / 6. Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha / 7. Doves - The Cedar Room / 8. Echo And The Bunnymen - Nothing Lasts Forever / 9. Elastica - Connection / 10. Elbow - Fugitive Model / 11. Embrace - All You Good Good People / 12. Feeder - Just The Way I'm Feeling / 13. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out /14. Keane - This Is The Last Time / 15. Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life / 16. Morrissey - Boy Racer / 17. Oasis - I Am The Walrus / 18. Paul Weller - Sunflower / 19. Primal Scream - Movin' On Up / 20. Pulp - Disco 2000 / 21. Radiohead - The Bends / 22. Spiritualized - Come Together / 23. Starsailor - Good Souls / 24. Stereophonics - More Life In A Tramps Vest / 25. Suede - So Young / 26. Super Furry Animals - Something For The Weekend / 27. Supergrass - Caught By The Fuzz / 28. 22-20s - Devil In Me / 29. The Beta Band - Human Being / 30. The Charlatans - Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over / 31. The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love / 32. The Libertines - Up The Bracket / 33. The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work / 34. Travis - All I Wanna Do Is Rock
Enjoy watching.
Tracklist
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