Search - The Erasure Show - Live In Cologne on DVD

After 20 Years, they're still in Top Form & Still Number One

Tiggah | Calgary, Alberta Canada | 01/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Filmed in 2005, The Erasure Show--Live in Cologne is the latest concert dvd by British synth-pop duo, Erasure. The 101-minute concert is superb, so far as concert dvds go, and there's some great bonus material; viewers ought not, however, to expect a show in quite the same league as 1992's The Tank, The Swan, and the Balloon, which was more of a stage show--a real musical and visual extravaganza. The biggest difference here is the lack of background dancers, which results in a less dynamic visual experience (though it's still far more so than your average concert!). Also, it would've been preferable for a British band to have chosen a venue in an English-speaking country for taping; as it is, all of Andy's comments to the audience are in German. Nit-picking aside, however, this is a terrific show on its own merits; what's more, it has only 11 songs (out of 25) in common with The Tank.

Songs include No Doubt, Breathe, All This Time Still Falling Out of Love, I Broke it All in Two, and I Bet You're Mad at Me (from Nightbird); Hideaway, Victim of Love, The Circus, and Sometimes (from The Circus); Ship of Fools, A Little Respect, and Chains of Love (from The Innocents); Drama! and Blue Savannah (from Wild!); Stop! (from Pop!); Breath of Life, Chorus, and Love to Hate You (from Chorus); Always (from I Say I Say I Say); Who Needs Love Like That and Oh l'Amour (from Wonderland).

The concert opens with an Erasure-flavoured version of Rock-a-Bye-Baby, after which we see Andy sporting a set of large white wings, while his backup singers wear voluminous feathered skirts. Erasure also performs a cover of Blondie's Rapture, with Vince doing the rap part of the song--it was great to see him sharing in the vocals! Andy opens the song, but the backup singers take over part way through, allowing Andy to change into an 1970's-Elvis-style jumpsuit. Andy then does a beautiful solo cover of Ave Maria (which allows for Vince to change into a gold & silver tux, whilst the backups change into gold & silver Marilyn Monroe dresses). The only other song is Knocking on Your Door, a catchy tune which I'm unfamiliar with and is not on any of their studio albums. Andy's final costume change is into a pair of gold-sequined bathing trunks with matching ankle boots.

There are approximately 50 minutes of dvd extras, consisting of a 16-minute interview with Vince & Andy, in which they answer questions about the tour, the costumes, how they chose the songs and came up with the set designs, and so on. Oddly, the interview was constantly interrupted by text-based questions appearing on the screen, which gave a jarring "stop and go" feel to the interview--particularly when the answers were monosyllabic! There is a 5-minute "Making of Live in Cologne" vignette featuring behind-the-scenes footage interspersed with snippets taken from The Interview. There is a nifty 3-minute "Live in Cologne Time Lapse" which takes us from the setting up of the stage, through the entire concert, and the dissembling of the stage. There are three songs taken from their "Live in Copenhagen" concert: In My Arms (from Cowboy) in which Andy wears a wild viking-type "dress," Come Up and See Me (from Other People's Songs), and Piano Song (from Wild!). Finally, there are three videos from Nightbird: Breathe, Don't Say You Love Me, and All this Time Still Falling Out of Love.

With 20 years of top-quality music-making under their belt, Erasure is one of the best synth-pop duos in existence; certainly, they are number one in my books. Though this concert may not be quite the visual extravaganza that The Tank is, any criticisms I've made are mere quibbles. This is a wonderful concert--indeed, how could any show filled with their catchy lyrics, infectious melodies, and entertaining costumes be anything less--and I cannot imagine any Erasure fan not enjoying it. I only hope that these guys continue to film future tours for those of us who'd never have a chance to see them otherwise!
"

Really Great Concert DVD and Cool Bonus Material

Dorrie Wheeler | 12/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Now you can own The Erasure Show Live In Cologne on DVD. The show was filmed on March 23, 2005.

Who said that only Victoria Secret models could wear wings? Andy Bell of Erasure sure doesn't think that wings are just for lingerie models. You don't want to miss The Erasure Show Live In Cologne. Andy Bell opens the show wearing wings and Erasure's back up singers get in on the act too.

The Erasure Show Live In Cologne is a 27 song set that opens up with the groups cover of the lullaby "Rock-A-Bye-Baby." The concert is really great and Erasure provides fans with a really long set list with numerous costume chances. It's a very theatrical concert. If you haven't followed the group since the 80's you may not recognize a lot of the newer material on the DVD but you will probably enjoy these songs if you liked the kind of songs Erasure released in the 1980's.

In addition to the concert, The Erasure Show Live in Cologne features 149 minutes of bonus material. The DVD features three live performances from Live in Copenhagen, a 2003 concert. The performances on the dvd are for the songs, "In My Arms," "Make Me Smile," and "Piano Song." Additional bonus features include "Making of Live in Cologne," "Interview With Andy and Vince," "The Live in Cologne Time Lapse," and three promotional videos from Nightbird. The videos included are for the songs "Breathe," "Don't Say You Love Me," and "All This Time Still Falling Out Of Love."

This is a great DVD for the Erasure fan. A lot of effort was put into the release of The Erasure Show Live In Cologne. It's much more than just a concert film. It's a great show. I admit I am a very casual Erasure fan and am primarily familiar with their big 80's hits like "Chains of Love," and "Respect" but I was pleased with this release."

Good Souvenir of the "Erasure Show" Tour

DAJ | New York, NY | 12/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this show live in New York last year, on a much smaller stage, so it was nice to see that the DVD was recorded in a venue that allowed for a full stage set and dancing/prancing.

There are a couple of highlights that will thrill fans. Hideaway is impeccably done, with a superb ending featuring Andy climbing the scales in sync with the excellent backup singers. Drama, with resounding audience participation on the punctuating shouts of "Guilty" throughout make this a memorable number. The hi-nrg tracks fare the best--"Knocking on Your Door" is another good one. Andy Bell clearly has to put more effort into his singing than he did as a younger man, but he still sounds mighty fine.

I have a couple of reservations about this DVD. The sound of the vocals seems distant to me in the mix--they are all clearly audible, but should have been enhanced in post-production. The sound could be the result of the microphones used, or their placement in the hall--it doesn't sound as if the stage microphones lead straight into the recording devices.

The other reservation is that much of the material here repeats what can be found on the more exciting "The Tank, The Swan, and the Balloon." If you don't have this video, you should start there, as it is fantastic. There, the arrangements are all unique to the concert. On "Erasure Show," as Vince says in the commentary section, the goal was to have arrangements as close to the recorded versions as possible. This makes for instant recognition for the audience, but it is less interesting on repeated plays.

The interview section with the band is superfluous. Andy and Vince look bored answering the same questions for the millionth time. It is nice, though, that three selections from the "Other Tour" were included--"Come Up And See Me" and "Piano Song" were both well done.

Overall, for the price, it is a nice souvenir of the concert for those who went to a show, and especially nice for those who could not. It is a must have for Erasure fans, but not the first purchase for someone new to Erasure."

Vital

Greg J. Miller | Des Moines, Ia United States | 01/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Concert is great. Andy Bell is full of energy and the backup singers complement him wonderfully. The lights of stage with the hits of Ersure will captivate you as you'll want to watch this one over and over. Great mood lifter."