Tweet
Released By : Image Entertainment
Released On : 02/19/2002
Cast : The Brian Setzer Orchestra
The Movie:
Few musicians possess the adversity and talent to transcend musical genres and time. In the early 1980's, rocker Brian Setzer and two other skinny cats from Long Island brought their version of the rockin' sounds of the 50's and 60's to a generation of music fans who thought that being into music meant wearing a skinny leather tie. In the 90's, Setzer's big ol' Gretsch lead a big band into Swing territory, with a hit single that was played on just about every radio station in North America. In recent incarnations, Setzer's trio (as the '68 Comeback Special, The Brian Setzer Trio, or just simply Brian Setzer) has fused blues, doo-wop, rockabilly, jazz, bluegrass, and 70's style punk rock to create extraordinarily diverse and dynamic albums.
For those of you who have had the good fortune of seeing Brian perform, you'll know that his talent is undeniable. On stage he can play like a madman, or a lounge-performing gentleman...he manipulates the guitar like nobody else can. I finally managed to see The Brian Setzer Orchestra play in 1999 at Toronto's historic Massey Hall, and it was an amazing show. For those of you who have never had the opportunity, “The Brian Setzer Orchestra : Live In Japan†is just what you need.
Recorded at a sell-out show at the Akasaka Blitz in Tokyo, this DVD is what every concert video should strive to be. Multiple cameras allow you to move around the stage with Brian and the big band, and the sound is spectacular. The energy in the crowd is contagious as well (Japanese fans treat Setzer like a King), and you'll feel yourself being sucked into the concert environment. The BSO rocks its way through swing standards such as, “Jump, Jive and Wailâ€, Setzer-penned compositions like, “The Dirty Boogieâ€, and a couple of Stray Cats tunes adapted for orchestra. The power of, “Stray Cat Strut†and, “Rock This Town†with a 17 piece orchestra behind it is mind-blowing, and adds a whole new dimension to tunes that most of us can recite from memory. With twenty songs performed, there's something here for everyone.
Watching Setzer play the guitar is inspiring....he picks his way through solos at a speed that would make most thrash metal guitarists put down their instruments and applaud, and manages to make extremely complex runs and jazz chord progressions look remarkably simple. Setzer's co-stars at the front of the stage are a multitude of Gretsch model guitars, and even non-musicians will be awed by the variety of colors and tones that these guitars display.
Not to be overshadowed by Setzer are, of course, the big band themselves. Mark Winchester's double-bass double-time slap breaks will rattle the plates off of your shelves, and drummer Bernie Dresel hits the skins like Barney Rubble backing Hot Lips Hannigan. The horns and saxes add to the entertainment by engaging in instrumental aerobics, and Will Murillo's trumpet duel with Brian's guitar during, “Jumpin' East of Java†will blow your mind. The equally lovely Joie Shettler and Julie Reiten add a devilish backing vocal track, and if that's not enough fun for you, Big King Fun also jumps out for an appearance during, “Gettin' In The Moodâ€.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The video quality on this disc is above and beyond what I expected. The picture is 1.78:1 and anamorphically enhanced. The color balance shows off the wide variety of tones on the stage (and Brian's suit!) and edge enhancement and artifacting are non-existent. There is a segment on the disc that features the Brian Setzer '68 Comeback Special playing the standard version of, “Rock This Town†that is inferior in picture quality to the rest of the disc, but for the most part, the video is much better than what you would expect from a concert video.
The audio on this disc gets a perfect score for a couple of reasons. First off, the mix of the show is bang on. The full orchestra is represented appropriately for the entire show, and the vocals are always clear. For such a huge band, that's an accomplishment in itself. But the main reason is the production. The 5.1 track contains everything that a surround track should...perfect balance, a solid dynamic range of sound, no hiss or distortion, and a LFE track that will kick your subwoofer in the ass when Winchester gets slap-happy.
The disc contains a featurette entitled, “The Documentary of the Brian Setzer Orchestra†that examines the behind the scenes aspect of the tour. There is some decent footage of the band backstage, with some audio overdubs by Setzer explaining his affinity for playing live, his choice of guitars, and generally why he does what he does. An interview with Brian's management discusses his determination in getting the big band off of the ground, and interviews with members of the band round out the approximately 11 minute segment.
Guitarists interested in picking up some of Setzer's licks will appreciate the other feature on the disc, which is a multiple angle selection for the two instrumental songs on the disc, “Sleepwalk†and, “Caravanâ€. Viewers will be able to choose an angle that features a close-up shot of Brian's guitar, displaying his complex fretwork.
Also worth noting is the packaging on this disc, which features a full-color 10 page booklet as an insert. The lyrics for all of the songs on the disc (except for the instrumental tracks, d'uh!) are present, with track numbers, and each page is nicely designed with live stills from the tour. With so many discs missing case inserts these days, it's nice to see a company go that extra mile. As with the “Stray Cats : Rumble In Brixton†DVD, Brian is involved in all aspects of the DVD production, and seems determined to put out the best possible product for his fans.
The Final Word:
The Brian Setzer Orchestra gets their first official DVD release in a beautiful package that recreates the concert experience like no other. It's an asset to any music-lovers collection, and no Setzer fan should be without one.
For more information, check out http://www.briansetzer.com
