Electric Light Orchestra - Access All Areas DVD

Advantages: A great piece of Metallica history, great setlist
Disadvantages: None

...That this concert is going to be different from anything else Metallica have ever offered on DVD before becomes immediately apparent - as the 'Ecstasy of Gold' (the theme tune from 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' that has accompanied a great many Metallica concerts since the 1980s) is played live by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Call of the Ktulu follows, and one can only imagine just how tremendous the performance would have been to experience live, judging from the DVD. However, it is not only the instrumental and 'lighter' songs, such as Hero of the Day and Bleeding Me, that work well with the orchestra - classics such as Master of Puppets and Battery - where the whole of the introduction is played by the orchestra, before the band return to the stage for an encore, also work very well. Clearly, Metallica have a great many... Read review

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Advantages: Eagles + full string orchestra = musical heaven
Disadvantages: I wasn't there to see it live

...It was a long time coming, but as soon as you hear the opening notes of Hotel California, you instantly know they made the right decision. 'Hotel' is the opening track on this extensive live display of musical brilliance from one of the greatest bands of all time, and it's truly a joy to watch.To not only open with 'hotel California' but to perform it acoustically, is truly mesmeric, and will melt the heart of any Eagles fanatic. This sets the benchmark of quality for the rest of the DVD, and with guys as talented as Joe Wash and Glenn Frey, combined with the perfectionism of Don Henley, the outcome is destined to be incredible. Barnstorming electric versions of 'life in the fast lane' and 'Take it Easy' subtlely inject life between some of their slower ballads, creating a continiuity and flow to the performance that renders your DVD... Read review

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Advantages: World class production, singers
Disadvantages: None

...disappearing off into the distance, watched by the girl and his father, who now understand that sometimes you have to let go the thing you most love... to the accompaniment of the most gorgeous "dreaming" music. Wonderful. Not surprisingly, there is a world class cast of singers on this DVD, all of whom master their roles with aplomb. Matthias Goerne shines as the hero Al Kasim, his impeccable German diction especially evident, His heroine is strongly characterised by Laura Aikin and perhaps the stand-out performance is the Demon they confront on their travels - an amazingly moving interpretation by the fine British tenor John Mark Ainsley. It helps a huge deal that the orchestra in the pit is the Vienna Philharmonic under the inspiring direction of Markus Stenz (a conductor we should see more often in Britain.) The DVD is taken from live... Read review

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