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^^ You're certainly in the minority in your opinion. I thought it was beautifully done.

~A

Well I am glad you got the DVD, as you must be a fan. I am really surprised you think it is "terrible"? Cd also?

Also, I am curious what you mean and about which concept the violins do not at all fit? This new concept of whose?

Last I checked, The Audience is Listening (live) is lead guitar, maybe I haven't listened to Passion-Warfare in ages?
(And do you really mean butcher? Ouch.)

I thought there was a somewhat significant amount of newer material here.
But Andre, I'll give you this olive-- I have heard others gag a bit about this version of For the Love of God.

It's just that your words are kinda harsh about something YOU spent money on. Oh well, I hope you keep it and watch/listen again.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I finally got around to watch the DVD a few weeks ago and I think that the DVD is terrible like the CD... The visual part is fine, much better than on the "Live at the Astoria" DVD. The gripes I have with this, are two the violin players that Steve added to the band. They simply don't fit the concept AT ALL! On a few tracks they sound ok at best, like on "Now We Run", but that is simply because they just double the lead guitar, so you don't hear them in full flesh. Why is the rhythm guitar so so way back in the mix??? On "The Audience is Listening" you don't hear it at all. Personally it would rather have seen this band perform new material that was specifically written for it than having it more or less butcher old arrangements. Regards André >>>>>>>>>>

So far I've only watched the extras.
In my opinion they are really really great!!!
The members of the band expressing themselves the experience about the tour and the way they get the chance to be part of Vai's Universe
In my opinion they are very genuine and humble. It's a great value have this kind of expressions on the DVD.
And of course, the Zack animated scenarium make me lot's of laughs

Ohhhhh, on the Zack surf crowd scene from the Dublin, Ireland show in the extras, ... wow what a great moment to remember. The folks who attend that concert have the chance to check out if are filmed too I saw lot's of vai.com well known fan members on that scene

Seraphim

Got both the CD and the DVD.

Not a big fan of the CD, too many tracks to skip and not bother with. Overall, I'm getting pretty fed up listening to him run-out so many of his songs. Steve no longer tends to play the songs as they are on the CD. Fine, I understand you might as well just listen to the CD in your home but almost every track is changed or added to live. I don't mind a few songs like that, but nearly every song gets a bit too much. Sometimes I just want to hear the original song played live with no added bullshit.


The DVD is excellent although I suspect there's been quite a bit of work in the studio to overdub some tracks, it sounds a little too good to be true, if you know what I mean. But that's fine, modern technology and all that.

I think it's a little too weird in some parts and there's quite a few strange song choices on there, but he's entitled to do what the hell he wants and that's why we all love him. But it's a great DVD and the extras are worth it, definitely.

Now I just want a new studio album. Two studio albums since 2002 is fairly poor.

Jeez, I've just had a bit of rant haven't I? One of those mornings, I apologise....

Ok watched the dvd twice now.I still think there is something missing.All great players.Steve is the man that glues them all together.Almost seemed at time they were just providing riffs without spontaneous creativity!Maybe it´s just me but it was not a patch on Live at the Astoria.A bit too many effects for my liking.Watch some youtube stuff with Steve live on stage with say Mike Kenneally and you see the Vai I like.All that said I´d recommend anyone to go out and get the DVD.i´ve been following Steve since he played with Zappa at the tender age of 19.
You know what I would really like to hear ??Steve Vai and Tommy Emmanuel live on stage playing an acoustic-semi acoustic concert.Maybe I´m just getting older and more mellow!could Steve keep up like with Tommy?

The original version of "The Audience is Listening" has many overdubs and etc. so having only one guitar doing those parts will IMHO make it sound flat and lackluster.

I just think having violins doing guitar parts is flat out wrong IMHO, it simply doesn't work and this release (DVD and CD) is a testament to that. But that's just me .

What new material are you talking about? Most of the "new" songs, were only rearrangement of older tracks.

I got my copy yesterday, and, in my honest opinion...
IT IS THE BEST!!!

The band was amazing. I loved Jeremy Colson and Bryan Beller, they were a great driving force for the music. Dave Weiner was, of course, just plain good, and his solo was impressive. Alex DePue was an absolute MONSTER, he was so skilful and articulate that my face melted. Okay,it didnt really, but he was brilliant, even though his sound was a little harsh for some songs. Ann Marie Colhoun was just vibrant, and her sound was so lovely, her solos were all so beautiful, especially in "All About Eve".

In just a couple of spots the violins didn't fit the music so well, but there were far more spots where they just shone. "Apples in Paradise" was very very nice.

Steve, of course, blew my mind. He does that a lot, I've noticed . He was, of course, being totally ridiculous when he spoke to the audience (was it just me, or was he talking funny?), but he, along with everyone else, was clearly having a lot of fun, so it doesn't really matter. I think I was laughing so much that I was choking on my lungs in the part just before Tender Surrender (which, by the way, was one of my favourite songs on the dvd), and it got even worse when I paused it to read the 'shameless advertising'.

I really enjoyed the new songs, Angel Food was especially nice. I'd never head 'Oooo' before, and I can tell that I shall now be addicted to it, because that was just awesome! 'Whispering a Prayer' was probably my favourite song, even though I've heard it so many times.

The band members and Steve (who, I guess, is also a band member...), were constantly communicating with each other, and it just made the songs that much better to watch them having such a good time.
If Vai shows are half that good, I MUST get to one.

The band interviews on disc 2 were really interesting as well, it was cool to hear how each band member got involved with Steve.

In conclusion, IT WAS THE BEST, and now I have only to watch it with the commentary before my life is complete! Great Job to all involved in it's making, we Vai fans salute you!!

Like many of us here, I patiantly awaited this DVD. Wow, I was rewarded with with the most amazing release of my life! Everything about this DVD was spot on! I saw the Chicago gig(next one after the DVD taping). The addition of Alex and Anne made a HUGE difference to the overall vibe and SOUND!!! They simply FIT PERFECTLY INTO STEVE'S MUSIC!!! Something I will cherish for decades to come. And hope to hear in futire Vai releases/albums. There violins blended PERFECTLY with the rest of the band. Period. I was in attendance at the Chicago show(2 days after the MN taping) and was blown away by Every band member.Apples in Paradice and All about Eve are two of my favorites. I now have one of my all time favorite memories on DVD!!! The best concert of my life...and the EVO experience! Hundreads of years from now, people will look at this DVD and will say 'WOW'. Period.

I would agree, there was a different kind of show and energy w/ Mike Kenneally but this was also a great show, just different.
I would like to set the record straight about Steve's playing w/ Zappa... At 19, he was still at Berkley. He wasn't actually in Frank's band for a couple of years after arriving in CA. because Zappa felt he was too young to be on the road w/ his crazy band. He did intern work, transcribing etc... No big deal, it just seems everyone thinks he went straight to Zappa's band and on the road to Strat abuse.

SICK!

unble to delete: see below post.

I would like to set the record straight: Steve Vai played and Toured with Frank from oct. to dec. 1980. NOT a Couple of Years like above posted would have you believe: do your homework kiddo.

^^ Read his sentence again. He said he didn't tour/play with him 'til a couple years after he got out there and worked for him.

~A

This thread is for reviews. Not a discussion about when Steve started with Zappa. Please discuss that in another thread.

Mikey
vai.com

I was happy with the performance, but not the authoring of the Blu-ray. Steve needs to hire someone who knows how to author Blu-ray discs. It was astounding to me that there was no popup menu to jump between songs WHILE the disc was playing back. You have to go to the main menu, stopping the show, as you have to do with ANCIENT DVD's. This is not a DVD, it is a Blu-ray. It should operate like a Blu-ray. There was also only a lossy Dolby Digital track when there should been a lossless Dolby TrueHD track or DTS-HD Master Audio track. What is the point of using a Blu-ray if you won't author it properly or use the advanced features provided by the format? It really stunk of "DVD ported to Blu-ray". Very disappointed.

Blu-ray is a lot more than just "more pixels". Please try and factor in the advanced authoring and disc navigation and of course the LOSSLESS AUDIO next time. Steve should be all about audio!