Search - The Mission - Lighting the Candles on DVD

Thank you!

Michael | Spring Valley, Ca United States | 10/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To Wayne Hussey: Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for putting such an incredible DVD package together. This is what every Mission fan has been hoping for. Lighting the Candles far exceeds anything I would have imagined. Incredible sound-the live recording is as good as they come. I had feared a 'bootleg' quality but that fear was unfounded. Seriously, the audio is as good as anything U2 would put out. The DTS sound cranks on my home theater system.
And Wayne, Thank you for not mucking up the visual part of the concert with cheesy effects (ala recent live DVD's from David Bowie, Peter Gabriel and Placebo.) The camera work is excellent and really focuses on the playing with edits and cuts at just the right times. You feel like you are in the front row watching this show.
And thank you for giving us several different tracks on the audio CD instead of just an edited version of the DVD track listing.
But as much as I love the live performance, it is DVD 2 that is really special. I really enjoyed your commentary as well as the behind the scenes of the recent MIsh tour as well as the classic clips, footage, pictures etc of the original lineup.
And lastly, thank you for parterning with SPV (Oblivion) to release this special package. This guaranteed good distribution here in the States. It was available on time at both Lou's (the finest music store in Southern California) but also at Tower. I have all ready recommended this to several friends.

Like Aura, "Lighting the Candles" further brings The Mission back into the limelight. For all Mish fans, old and new, this DVD collection is a testament both to the excellent music that comprises the Mission catalogue but to the heart and soul of its leader. It is obvious that this collection was lovingly put together by Wayne, both for himself, as a document to be treasured but also for the fans! Most music DVD's are thrown together by a label and massed produced. But this one, far surpasses anything I have seen before....and I mean by leaps and bounds.

Once again...thank you!"

The Mission, Major, above all, the Mission

D. Cross | Hollywood, CA USA | 11/19/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"First off, let me say that this DVD is definitely packed full of stuff. It is good value for the money if you are a Mission fan. So, why only 3 stars? Well, several reasons...

I think everyone will agree, the classic Mish line-up was Wayne, Craig, Mick and Simon. So, here you have a whole concert from Wayne... and a bunch of new-hires. Rob Halliday (who played with Toni in CURVE) is a great guitarist and his killer tone gives the songs more crunch and a harder edge. The bass player is serviceable but definitely no Craig Adams. The drummer is atrocious. About 4 songs in I thought that, while energetic, there was just something off. Then I realized the drummer was playing the same Boom-Bap-Boom-Bap through every damn song! Not a great drum tone and just Boom-Bap-Boom-Bap until that's all I could focus on. "Brothers, sisters, give me deliverance, deliver me!" Boom-Bap-Boom-Bap. "You are a Tower of Strength - to May-hay" Boom-Bap-Boom-Bap. I never realized what a good drummer Mick Brown was until watching this. Now, I realize I may be biased, having seen the Mish in 1987, '89, '90, and '95, but this just isn't "The Mission" - it's Wayne and some dudes playing Mission songs.

What this DVD also illuminates is the frustration of being a fan of this band. In the Bootleg section you can see a couple performances from the classic line-up that are quite exciting, beyond the ridiculous attire and make-up. But somewhere after Simon left the band in '90/'91, the plot was lost. They went from the rockers who ripped off plenty of Zeppelin riffs to pretentious rockers with U2-like aspirations to aping the Cure's abominable cutesy side. (A funny aside is that nowhere in the 355 minutes is any mention made of Simon's replacement - The Etch).

So, Wayne made the very Cure-like "Masque" which had some decent songs but was essentially a Wayne solo album and sticks out like a sore thumb in their catalogue. By the time they returned to sounding anything like themselves, on "Neverland," it was 1995 and most people had forgotten about them. By that point it was Wayne, Mick, and a bunch of new-hires. And much of that album features a drum machine. Anyway, watching the BIO secton, one can see what could have been, but never was. And at the end of the day, still the burning question remains - how can someone come up with such great music as "Deliverance" and then write some totally absurd lyrics about Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake to go with it?!?!?

My other complaint is just the usual about song selection. The live CD features "Wing and a Prayer" and "Grip of Disease" while the DVD concert does not. Also, why are you using the same horrid drum sequences for "Butterfly on a Wheel" as you were in 1990?? And what's worse, for "Tower of Strength" the band are essentially playing over the 1994 remix. I mean, it really sounds like somebody just popped in the CD and the band then plays over that. L-A-M-E. And actually, if you watch the Wayne solo stuff on Disc 2, it gets worse. There is actual footage of Wayne doing some live shows where he simply played guitar and sang over pre-recorded music. It's The Mission Karaoke! COME ON!

I hope somebody gives Von a copy of this for Xmas. He will soil himself in uproarious laughter."

The Mission still rock and still maintain that gothic edge!

Neil McKay | Columbia Heights, Minnesota United States | 11/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The concert on the first disc is inspiring. I've seen the Mission twice, back in the day and a few years ago, and this is just as good! TOWER OF STRENGTH as yet again undergone a transformation with a loop used from an early Dead Can Dance song mixed in. Just about all of the songs still retain their original sound and cool intros and although the original TOWER OF STRENGTH is my one of my favorite Mission tunes, this new version is cool to listen and I don't think it takes anything away from the original plus it is a live version to boot! The way the entire concert is shot and the sound are excellent as well.

The one thing I am a little surprised by, even a little disappointed is in the fact Wayne doesn't use an electric 12-string. When I saw him here in Minneapolis a few years ago he didn't have a 12-string either, just a big hollow body rockabilly looking guitar like the one Billy Duffy from The Cult used in the early days. He still used plenty of effects but oh the sound of a 12-string....

Like another reviewer said, the second disc really is the treasure. Solo performances and a glimpse into the early days and early performances. You get to see what Wayne looked like before he had long hair, he looked quite preppy! The bigraphy section is very cool as well and it is a photo montage narrated by Wayne. As a fan of older sisters material, it was cool to see some photos included from Wayne and Craig's days in the Sisters too.

The third disc which is a live show sounds excellent and has a good tracklisting that would please any Mission fan.

I do have to say as musician myself, one thing I have always appreciated about wayne Hussey is his guitar playing. He really is a guitarist's guitarist. The one consistency in the three discs is excellent musicianship and top notch songwriting. Man that guy can play and still can!!"

Great DVD

B. Carlson | Falconer NY | 05/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wasnt expecting this to be so good.I have always liked The Mission,bought most their music.I figured because they dont have a pink floyd budget this would be limited.But this DVD is really well done.It presents the band perfectly.Wayne Hussey is better then ever and I have a feeling some good stuff is on its way."