Jack Johnson: En Concert (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a Jack Johnson fan ever since hearing Flake and Bubble Toes when Brushfire Fairytales was first released. His concert footage was always tough for me to source, so when Jack Johnson En Concert came out, I thought it was time to see how his laid back tunes translated to the live venue. I was not disappointed. I knew I was in for a treat when the bold, block letter opening credits played over black and white street scenes of Paris - an obvious nod to Godard and the new wave film maker aesthetic. This set the tone for the film - it is not so much a concert video, as some other reviewers may have hoped, but rather a documentary of their 2008 tour through Europe with fantastic cinematography and beautiful live footage of Johnson and his three piece band, along with their tourmates Ben Harper, Mason Jennings, Matt Costa and Neil Halstead. Directed by Emmett Malloy (who also shot Thicker than Water with Johnson in 2000), I find its approach comparable to Wilco's I am Trying to Break Your Heart in that it interposes concert footage shot from amazing perspectives with interviews and behind the scenes footage that really exposes what a great bunch of guys are behind such enjoyable music. While yes I concede that there are some grainy and blurred scenes (or footage that looks like it is shot from a cell phone) - I see these as artistically compelling elements that even on HD I find are a true enhancement to the visual experience. I'd choose a live DVD such as this over a straight-on concert DVD for a performer such as Jack Johnson, for it is the perfect milieu for the sentimentality that is so deeply steeped in his music. The surfing footage alone is worth 5 stars - if you haven't seen/heard of the standing wave on the Eisbach River in Munich, the scene here of Johnson riding it is a real treat. If you are into musicians taking a more artistic approach to the release of their concert footage, give this one a try - you'll be rewarded. However, if you are looking for a full concert shot from a multitude of angles in HD, give this one a pass.

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In the summer of 2008 Jack Johnson took a trip through Europe playing everywhere from historical venues to classic outdoor stages making it the biggest tour of his career. The film is a collection of live performances with Jack's quartet along with special appearances by G. Love, Ben Harper, Mason Jennings, Neil Halstead and Matt Costa. Through weathering the stormy nights in Newquay to surfing on a river in Germany, to playing the packed house in London's Hyde Park, the film takes you on a trip and captures the connection between an audience and an artist on an international stage. This is more than a compilation of performances, this is an intimate look at Jack Johnson, his life on the road, and the unique dialogue he has with his fans.

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Live from Madison Square Garden (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the CD and the DVD versions of the Clapton/Winwood MSG as a combo from Amazon. The CD (which I reviewed in its listing) I gave four stars to - it's very good, but now that I've seen the DVD, I'd give the DVD five stars, mainly for what it adds to the equation: the visuals. While it might seem counter-intuitive to grade musicians of this caliber by `what you can see', the DVD added such a great dimension to the show, in terms of WATCHING them solo and seeing the interplay between them, and their excellent band (these guys have serious CHOPS), that I think the DVD ups the ante, hence I'm giving the DVD 5 stars. The musicianship is excellent (they make it look so EASY....i guess that's what the best guys do when they're on their game? Plus they're clearly having a good time up there), and it's great to be able to see who's playing what (namely, that Winwood plays guitar on the first two cuts, and then on several others toward the end - he's a very good guitarist, and holds his own with Clapton, sometimes trading solos. I wasn't exactly sure what SW was playing on, just from listening to the CD - Chris Stainton is the other keysman). The picture is very good, and the camera work/composition is excellent, with nice close-ups and some striking angles where they got both guys in the same shot, Winwood on keys and Clapton on guitar. Some have pointed out editing inconsistencies w/ the visuals, but I didn't really notice it, as I was enjoying the show so much. I listened to the sound in DTS-mode (as opposed to straight 2-channel stereo) and it was excellent - really good mix - much preferable to the CD mix. I guess if you couldn't be there, this DVD (with a good A/V system) is about as close as you can get.
As for the extras on Disc 2, they're good - interviews, some background on Clapton and Winwood's 60's exploits, their time together in Blind Faith, and behind-the-scenes prep for the MSG shows. There are also a couple of bonus cuts, which didn't make the `main' concert as presented on Disc 1 - I noticed in spots, there were synch problems (from watching the drummer) between audio and video, but the extra cuts are nonetheless good (including a 7 minute "Crossroads"). Overall, the disc set was definitely worth the dough, and if you're a fan of either Clapton or Winwood, and have any inclination to buy this, then absolutely do so. You won't be disappointed.


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History rocked and rock made historyduring a sold-out three-gig stand atMadison Square Garden in late February 2008 when icons Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood performed a concert togetherfor the first time since their all-too-brief days in the legendary Blind Faith in 1969. Whether they will ever team again is unknown. But with Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live From Madison Square Garden, fans everywhere are able to experience the sound and the glory of aperformance on that famous stage bytwo of rock's greatest artists. The second disc of this 2 DVD edition features 'The Road to Madison Square Garden', an exclusivedocumentary featuring new interviews with Eric and Steve, together with rare footage andphotographs of Cream, Traffic and Blind Faith, plus, 'Rambling On My Mind', The final preparation for thethree legendary performances highlighted by an acoustic soundcheck performance by Eric of the Robert Johnson standard 'Rambling On My Mind',plus bonus Madison Square Garden performances of 'Low Down,' 'Kind Hearted Woman' and 'Crossroads.'

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