Category: Blu-ray / DVD Review

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Blu-ray / DVD Review

Within Temptation & The Metropole Orchestra – Black Symphony – What A Feast!

Within Temptation - Black Symphony

What a feast, what a proud moment for the Dutch.  KERRANG! magazine wrote: This really is the greatest show on earth.  OK.  Greatest is relative.  “Black Symphony” by the Dutch band Within Temptation and the Dutch Metropole Orchestra is probably one of my top 5 most favorite concert recordings.  The greatest to me is Pink Floyd’s “Pulse” concert (1995) that I happened to be there when it was recorded in UK.

Performed live at The Ahoy in front of 10,000 fans backed by a 60-piece Metropole Orchestra and the Pa’dam Choir, this 22 tracks recording in HD format is perhaps one of the most ambitious project being made in modern time.  Although I have bought the 2 DVD + 2 CD edition, I wouldn’t mind owning the Blu-ray version.

The recording quality – both visual and audio – is awesome.  The sound is crisp clear, the cameras follow where the subtle actions are.  For weeks, I have been listening to the CD recording prior to watching the DVD and I did not jump off my chair.  Combined that with the visual recording, I felt awed by the professional work involved.  So much details that I wouldn’t have been able to catch if not for the video.

“Black Symphony” begins with an instrumental track showcasing the orchestra and the Gregorian chanting vocals by the  choir.  It is a great way to start the show because we get to register in our heads what the instrumental sound is like before the arrival of the heavy metal sound and the lead vocalist of the soprano and mezzo-soprano range.

All blend so perfectly, there is enough visual effects to accompany the acts including firework, smoke, and more.  Another of such similar setting I can think of is Metallica’s “S&M (1999)” that I also happen to own.  It is not easy to pull this one off as the instrumental arrangement needs to be re-crafted for the orchestra and the choir.  It must be a rare moment for the classical players to perform in front of 10,000 cheering crowd.  Towards the end of the 2 hours video, after the last track, the 34 years old Sharon den Adel thanked the audience and the guest musicians for being there at a high point of their 12 1/2 years of music career.  Such emotion, it must have been a proud moment for the the band and the fans.

After watching the DVD last evening, I turned to Cynthia and said, “I wish I have that kind of energy on stage!”  Below is a trailer for the recording.

External Link: Within Temptation Official Site

Categories
Blu-ray / DVD Review

Ayumi Hamasaki Countdown Live 2007-08 Anniversary (DVD) – Raising the Bar Once Again

Foreign as it may sound to you, Ayumi has been a great inspiration to me.  It is a pity that many find language a barrier that is too high to cross.  Even if you are not into Ayumi’s music, watching her concert recordings will certainly open your eyes to what a live performance can be: the innovation, the overall production quality, and the superb entertainment value. 

So, what is so great about this particular indoor recording?

A large stage with moving platforms, fountains, and fireworks, a crane that takes Ayumi closer to the crowd, a talented band and a group of equally talented dancers are all attributes that we have seen before in her previous concerts.  Hence, it is a given, something you would expect to see from any Ayumi concerts.  Beyond these, here is how Ayumi celebrated her 10 years of music career.

The Stage

If how well an artist performs live is judged by how well he or she covers the stage area, Ayumi has certainly up the challenge by extending the front stage all the way to the back via a runway as well as a side stage.  Ayumi, her dancers, and her band members moved from one end of the stage to another.  In one of the bonus clips, there is a split screen on how she tunneled (via a trolley pushed by two men!) from one stage into another and ‘magically appeared’ from nowhere.

The Choreography

I may not know what the songs are about without reading the Chinese translation.  However, the choreography is so great that it communicates the stories.  One highlight is the lyrical dance on one of the slow songs.  It moves me.  And for this concert, the lead choreographer did something different: he involved the audience to practice the upper body dance moves.  During one part of a song that came much later, he gave the clue and suddenly, the entire stadium danced in unison.  The emotion is intense, even as I was siting in front of my TV.

The Personality

Inside the bonus clips, viewers get to see Ayumi’s glamor side, her humble side, and her determined side.  She is so driven in all areas though she may not be great in all.  But her quest for superb quality and bringing out the best in the people around her is just amazing.  Whatever she demands from others, I can only imagine that she demands much more from herself.

Closing Thoughts

Politically incorrect as it may sound, this image sticks in my mind.  When the Crusaders first arrived at Jerusalem, they were shocked by how advance the culture of the people in the Middle East was.  The quality of Ayumi’s production is certainly unseen of, for those who take the Western production as a benchmark.

Another image that sticks in my mind is this.  At the end of the concert, in one dramatic moment, Ayumi silenced the entire stadium, took a moment of silence, and screamed out words of thanks – without a mic.  You are my inspiration, Ayu.

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Blu-ray / DVD Review

In Love With Korean Movies – My Sassy Girl and Windstruck

Where was I back in 2001 when My Sassy Girl was released? I cannot recall. I kept missing on the opportunity to watch this monster hit six years ago. Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I always try to look this title up with no luck. Just last month, when I placed my order for the album of a Japanese artist YUI at HMV.com.hk, I ordered the DVD version of My Sassy Girl (2001) as well as its, some may say, prequel Windstruck (2004) to save more on shipment charges (shipment cost per item goes down if I order more … buy more to save more does make sense?).

Six years of anticipation for My Sassy Girl was worth it as I enjoyed every moment of this 2 hours movie. Windstruck (another 2 hours long movie) has a higher production quality and if I am going to watch them again, I would watch Windstruck first followed by My Sassy Girl. Not too much because of the sequence but rather I enjoy My Sassy Girl a lot more.

I am actually quite a big fan of the actress Jun Ji-hyun. I did enjoy Daisy (2006) and plan to pick up Il Mare (2000). Il Mare was remade by Warner Brothers starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves as The Lake House (2006).

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Blu-ray / DVD Review

Some Kind Of Monster

When my friend JT whom has lost faith in the modern day Metallica bought the latest Metallica album after watching watching this documentary DVD, I knew for sure it is a must-watch. Metallica is one of the biggest heavy metal band today and whether you like this kind of music or not, you will be amazed by what goes on behind the music scene – the struggles and all. I definitely recommend this DVD to fans and non-fans alike.