Search - Blondie Live on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 12/29/2021...

One of the best live concerts with Blondie aka Deborah Harry and her band at their best! A must see!

Minus one star for minus "The Tide is High"

Timothy T. Ward | 12/03/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was considered a reunion concert of sorts being it was Blondie's first U.S. show in about 17 years since disbanding in the early 80's. Upon the release of their reunion album, No Exit, in early 1999, Blondie deliver a top quality performace. What stands out most of all is witnessing how improved they sound as a live act compared to their heyday. Clem Burke plays heavy with this show, as he always has, but the whole band show a great chemistry playing together, while Debbie's voice has grown better with age-rich and smoky, but still carries the clear, pop vocals that marry sexuality and innocence. The exceptional performaces in this show are "Shayla," which then leads into an explosive version of "Union City Blue," also one of the best performances I've ever seen of "Rapture," followed by Harry emerged in her punk delivery of "Rip Her to Shreds." The audience is more than receptive and Blondie give thanks with an amazing encore consisting of "One Way Or Another," and "Heart of Glass." The set list is also packed with hits, but the track that seems totally out of place is in the middle by way of "Boom Boom in the Zoom Zoom Room," a dreary jazz number included on the No Exit album. The group really should have omitted this from the set list instead of sacrificing a more popular song."

Top-notch and first-rate.

Mark Lahren | Bismarck, North Dakota USA | 11/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since I got this DVD in the mail 2 weeks ago, I have watched it from beginning to end every single evening. That's 14 nights in a row. While I'm at work, I'm singing to myself songs from this performance, especially "Screaming Skin", which snuck up on me and surprised me how good it is. The entire performance is absolutely first-rate, and it's fun to watch this great group back together again. And Deborah Harry does appear to be slightly nervous at the beginning, but then she just flat-out blooms during the concert. She starts out in fine form, but around the time those sunglasses come off, she transforms into a lovely creature you can't take your eyes off, and her vocals are much stronger than I had anticipated. I cannot think of a better word for it: She blooms, right in front of your eyes.

The rest of the band is a pleasure to watch also, but Deborah Harry just steals the show. I never paid much attention to her before, mostly because I've never seen them live, and my exposure has been almost solely to the audio Blondie. Which was great, but I honestly never really realized how beautiful Deborah Harry is. And she's totally got the moves down. Try not to melt when she smiles.

Clem Burke: One of my two favorite drummers ever. Fast and creative, he never misses a beat and is a wonder to watch at work.
Chris Stein: A very laid-back kinda guy, his guitar work may not sound remarkable, but it is very distinctive, and is a basic factor in Blondie's sound.
Jimmy Destri: Also a distinctive sound on the keyboards, and as one of the founding members, had a hand in writing some of the great songs that made Blondie who they are.
Leigh Foxx: Great bass work, and a very nice solo.
Paul Carbonara: Solid guitarist, some great leads.

Video: 4:3 aspect ratio. Being as this was originally a television special, this is to be expected, as is the radio station logo that appears on the wall.
Very good quality. Nicely lit stage, and a relaxed editing job that puts you where you want to be. Some of these new concert videos coming out are edited so quickly, that they cause a headache, and won't let you focus. I'm happy to report that doesn't happen here. Video quality also excellent. Nice, clear picture. Also, special mention to the camera operators, as they knew exactly where to be at exactly the right time. Clearly professional work throughout.

Audio: Very good for a live concert, but not excellent. Nothing bothersome, but there were some very minor things. For instance, I'd have liked to hear Chris' guitar a bit better. And the rest of the instruments were hard to distinguish from each other. Deborah's voice, however, comes through loud and clear, as does Clem's drums.

Overall: A must-have if you're remotely interested in this band. Tonight will be the first night I have not watched it since I got it. On the other hand, maybe I'll wait another day..."

GREAT VOICE-BUT MAN IS SHE WORN!

Larry Hinze | Seattle, Washington United States | 01/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Voice was fine, band sounded great-audio fine. She did look like she was high on horse and MAN, WHAT A SPACE CADET! Hey Deb, when you put your shoes on-the toes go in first. About 10 minutes into the concert, she sweat like I did on my honeymoon. I have never written a review like this-a worn look, but great music. Maybe I should not NEEDLE her about her look. Maybe we should TRACK her progress in future concerts. I liked the music-but it still appeared to be kind of a JUNKIE concert."