A joyous celebration of American roots music.
It would be hard to identify some of the strongest songs, but a ballad rendered in Irish style, "If I Should Fall Behind," got the most applause, while "Jacob's Ladder," "Pay Me My Money Down," "My Oklahoma Home," and "Open All Night" drew the most audience participation and got them moving in their concert seats. The curious thing, given all the high-energy songs, is that when they got to one that usually has people marching and stomping their feet, "When the Saints Go Marching In," Springsteen and the Sessions Band treat it like a quiet ballad. Another curious thing for the editing of this Blu-ray is that when the last song is finished, there's no applause, no encore, and no end to the concert. The screen simply goes black for a few moments, and then we see Springsteen in a hallway (below the arena?) improvising with a song that gradually entices others in the company to join in. Then there's a signature thank-you from Springsteen. Also included on this concert Blu-ray are two "bonus tracks," "Love of the Common People" and "We Shall Overcome."
Here's the complete set-list, in order of performance:
"Atlantic City," "Old Dan Tucker," "Eyes on the Prize," "Jesse James," "Further On (Up the Road)," "O Mary Don't You Weep," "Erie Canal," "If I Should Fall Behind," "My Oklahoma Home," "Highway Patrolman," "Mrs. McGrath," "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live (Bruce Springsteen Version)," "Jacob's Ladder," "Long Time Comin'," "Open All Night," "Pay Me My Money Down," "Growin' Up," "When the Saints Go Marching In," "This Little Light of Mine," "American Land," and "Blinded by the Light."
Video:
The stage lighting is a little dimmer than many concerts, and so the HD seems less detailed than would have been possible with better lighting. But if you look at the faces in close-up you'll see the trademark pores, beads of sweat, and wisps of hair that are becoming familiar details on Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs. The concert was filmed in Hi Def and is presented on Blu-ray in 1.78:1 aspect ratio, which fills out the entire screen of a 16x9 television monitor. The lighting gives performers a slightly orange cast at times, but for a concert video under challenging conditions the picture is superb.
Audio:
Sony/BMG is giving music-lovers the option of a concert hall style Dolby Digital Stereo, a PCM 5.1 uncompressed surround sound, or a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. As with the Chris Botti concert, I much preferred the PCM surround. It fills the room better with sound. Some concert videos come with instructions to play it loud, but this one is more subtle. It's recorded at a good 10 numbers higher on my receiver/amplifier dial than most DVDs and Blu-rays. You hope for a good mix and good balance in a music video, and we get that here. Whoever worked the sound board and handled the editing chores for the Blu-ray did a fantastic job.
Extras:
Two bonus tracks, that's it.
Bottom Line:
"Live in Dublin" is a joyous celebration of American roots music that ought to be played in schools everywhere in America. Listening to Springsteen and the Sessions Band, it's hard not to feel a real appreciation for the songs and what they represent, or to realize just how many styles of music evolved in America . . . or how close they might be to a folk music across the Atlantic.
Here's the complete set-list, in order of performance:
"Atlantic City," "Old Dan Tucker," "Eyes on the Prize," "Jesse James," "Further On (Up the Road)," "O Mary Don't You Weep," "Erie Canal," "If I Should Fall Behind," "My Oklahoma Home," "Highway Patrolman," "Mrs. McGrath," "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live (Bruce Springsteen Version)," "Jacob's Ladder," "Long Time Comin'," "Open All Night," "Pay Me My Money Down," "Growin' Up," "When the Saints Go Marching In," "This Little Light of Mine," "American Land," and "Blinded by the Light."
Video:
The stage lighting is a little dimmer than many concerts, and so the HD seems less detailed than would have been possible with better lighting. But if you look at the faces in close-up you'll see the trademark pores, beads of sweat, and wisps of hair that are becoming familiar details on Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs. The concert was filmed in Hi Def and is presented on Blu-ray in 1.78:1 aspect ratio, which fills out the entire screen of a 16x9 television monitor. The lighting gives performers a slightly orange cast at times, but for a concert video under challenging conditions the picture is superb.
Audio:
Sony/BMG is giving music-lovers the option of a concert hall style Dolby Digital Stereo, a PCM 5.1 uncompressed surround sound, or a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. As with the Chris Botti concert, I much preferred the PCM surround. It fills the room better with sound. Some concert videos come with instructions to play it loud, but this one is more subtle. It's recorded at a good 10 numbers higher on my receiver/amplifier dial than most DVDs and Blu-rays. You hope for a good mix and good balance in a music video, and we get that here. Whoever worked the sound board and handled the editing chores for the Blu-ray did a fantastic job.
Extras:
Two bonus tracks, that's it.
Bottom Line:
"Live in Dublin" is a joyous celebration of American roots music that ought to be played in schools everywhere in America. Listening to Springsteen and the Sessions Band, it's hard not to feel a real appreciation for the songs and what they represent, or to realize just how many styles of music evolved in America . . . or how close they might be to a folk music across the Atlantic.
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[release]21412[/release]