Search - Peter Gabriel - Growing Up Live on DVD

Almost Perfect with some Growing Pains

Ryan Kramer | Olathe, KS United States | 11/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After much ado, it's finally here. A few things up front, there is some overdubbing. No big deal, as the original concert had Peter talking to the audience using almost no English. There are reportedly a few scenes where Melanie Gabriel was given the opportunity to re-sing a few lines, but other than that this concert is basically untouched audibly.Some other people, (Fabio Vampel from NYC USA who thinks we won't notice that he posted twice) will lead you to believe that the video quality is poor and the camera angles are limited. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are sometimes ten cameras visible in a single frame at a time let alone the other 15 they used in shooting the concert. The transfer has more than enough bit rate cursing through it, it's anamorphic, and any DVD player with a good deinterlacer and a DVI output to a High Def TV will show you just how fantastic this picture transfer really is. For those who think that's unfair and it should look great on all TV's and DVD players... sorry, it ain't gonna happen. ^_^;The recording style/mix is a lot more raw than the Secret World concert. Sounds a lot more like the sound of a 'real' concert. And the 5.1 DTS mix on this disc is truly spectacular. Peter's vocals on quieter songs will be a revelation for those who have the proper sound set up to take advantage of it.The picture quality ranks among the best I've seen for concerts. Not quite as sharp as Bruce Springsteen's latest live DVD that was shot for HBO, but Peter's comes off as smother and more 'film like'. Green hues just pop off the screen and the darks are very prominent and moody. The disc being anamorphic was seen as a given but it's VERY much appreciated just the same.Now that I've watched it, there's much to criticize in way it's shot. Actually, more like in the way they chose to edit it. It leaves very little to the imagination. There's too many under the stage shots and they don't make ANY effort to hide the camera guys and technicians running around in BRIGHT orange?! You get the feeling they wanted you to think you were 'in on their secrets' but it comes off as distracting from the songs instead. Also there's some head scratching sceen cutting and editing. Let's face it, stilling the frame and having it fade to B&W looks so... dumb. Frankly it's all the more irritating because most of it looks so cool.Take note, though, that the positive stomps the negative. We have a solid list of classics and new tunes (though having Rythm of the Heat instead of Animal Nation would have been nice). We have an incredible audio mix of it all. And we have superior packaging along with a well crafted tour to pick from. Songs like Mercy Street and Signal to Noise will remind you why Peter is a master at show atmosphere with visuals never overtaking the reason we're all here.Which is to enjoy the music."

You know you want to buy this DVD---

nonblonde | Blue Springs, MO United States | 11/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"---and you should. This concert is nothing short of breath taking with its visuals. It was directed by Hammish Hamilton, who also directed U2's Elevation concert, and he does an excellent job of going back and forth between the performers and the stage hands. I don't know why Amazon doesn't list the songs he performs, but here they are:
Here Comes the Flood
Darkness
Red Rain
Secret World
Sky Blue
Downside Up
The Barry Williams Show
More Than This
Mercy Street
Digging in the DirtGrowing Up
Animal Nation
Solsbury Hill
Sledgehammer
Signal to Noise
In Your Eyes
Father, Son
If you still feel a bit apprehensive about buying this DVD, it should also be noted that the picture and sound quality are perfect, which cannot be said of the Secret World Live DVD. I only wish there were some mutliple camera angles and more extras."

Re-UPing

o dubhthaigh | north rustico, pei, canada | 11/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This concert is less the tale of a man coming to grips with essential parts of his life coming undone than SECRET WORLD. This is a more lighthearted and playful Gabriel who re-considers the songs from UP as well as assembles a presentation of well known tunes from his canon. In short, this is more concert than concept.
And it is a great concert! I did not have the opportunity to catch it live, but the cameras are giving you a multitude of perspectives you would not have caught anyway. The performances are absolutely sterling and there seems to be far less overdubbing on this than there was with SECRET WORLD. Colleagues Levin and Rhodes anchor the drive of Gabriel's music and with Ged Lynch in the drummer's chair, Rachel Z at the keys and daughter Melanie on vocals, the whole effort has a very strong rock instead of world direction. Less the romantic leading man of his last DVD, Gabriel is a bit more computer geek with paunch. Happens to all of us, I guess. In any case his approach is much lighter in humour than UP would have ever suggested. I can remember him sitting on the edge of the stage at the Tower in the course of "Fear is the mother" and freaking out the girls who had come close to caress him by rearing his head back with his eyes rolled up into his skull. No more mental patient on the loose. The fun of doing this concert comes off effectively. It had to have been great fun live, because it is just a real joy to watch on DVD. Among the highlights are The Blind Boys of Alabama, whose harmonizing is absolutely the best thing musically about this concert. It's a great disc to just enjoy for its own sake. I'm sure Gabriel will get back to mythology and ontology later."

Superlative!

gork57 | Aurora, CO USA | 01/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD compares favorably with Gabriel's last live outing, 'Secret World Live'. 'Up' has the considerable advantage of being produced with DVD in mind, while 'Secret' was originally made for VHS, with all the limitations imposed by that now-obsolete format. While 'Secret' did make the upgrade to DVD, the video was compromised (excellent DTS sound, though).The new live DVD is simply a pleasure to behold. 'Blue Sky' is worth the price of the DVD all by itself; the Blind Boys of Alabama deliver spine-tingling harmony. The other songs are no less impressive. I do miss Manu Katche on drums on this disc, however. His playing is as much a part of the Gabriel sound as Tony Levin's or David Rhodes - no doubt about it. Gabriel's use of props and the circular, moving dual-level stage is both original and an enhancement to the concert in general. Somehow Gabriel manages to pull these things off without seeming cheap or overly theatrical. Other reviewers have complained about the under-stage shots and stage hand work as being a distraction - I disagree. Far too frequently the yeoman work roadies do is invisible. Apparently Gabriel saw fit to include them in the overall scheme of the concert, and wanted to show just how much his success over the years has been owed to these unsung heroes (I was once a roadie/soundman for a band, so I do indentify).The DTS sound is simply among the best I've heard in ANY concert DVD; all 5 channels are clear and precise. One feels covered in sound from all directions. Marvelous!Overall, this is a terrific concert DVD. Now I don't feel quite so bad about not seeing this tour in person! I just hope I don't have to wait another 10 years before P.G. decides to tour once again!"