BUSH – ‘Live!’ DVD (via earMUSIC, Out March 4th, 2013)
For a generation or two, Bush made so many lists of answers to the always entertaining question, “What-ya listening to? Not surprising as they have sold 16 million albums, making Bush one of the most successful alternative rock bands of the past two decades. Unexpected then, that ‘BUSH Live!’is the band’s first live recorded concert, after seeing them over half a dozen times, their live show is one of their numerous strengths, does it always take this long?
The centrepiece of ‘Live!’ is a full-length concert, filmed at the Roseland Theater in Portland, Oregon USA in the fall of 2011. Live From Roseland is the first concert performance from Bush to be released on Blu-Ray and DVD. A special CD+DVD will also be available for a limited period, which will include the European Limited 2CD Edition of the studio album “The Sea Of Memories”.
The Roseland footage is spot on, enough camera angles to satisfy, but its the quality of the sound reproduction which works as anyone would hope for, you can hear the crowd on occasion which is a relief – last time I saw Bush when a 120kg monolith screams “Machinehead” at the top of his over-sized lungs. The band is going strong after a 2010 reformation. Their most recent album, ‘The Sea Of Memories’ (2011), charted all over Europe and was followed by an impressive series of acclaimed tours; the band has been on the road constantly throughout 2011 and 2012. One sold out date after another showed a band enjoying being on stage, while delivering a powerful and emotional live performance night after night as many know only too well, I guess.
The 90 minutes that form Live From Roseland include all-time favourites like the fab ‘Glycerine’, ‘Everything Zen’ complete with a Talking Heads nod, and ‘The Chemicals Between Us’ delivered so well as is ‘Swallowed’, that opening riff, that has never live, not been greeted with a cheer. As well as new hits ‘The Sound Of Winter’ and at the time of recording, the six day old ‘All Night Doctors’ from the new album. A show highlight is the extremely powerful “The Afterlife”, during which Gavin Rossdale gets up close and personal with the audience, singing as he makes his way through the crowd and around the entire theater. I have tried hard but I could not e4xpect this at say, Reading or Download, still it does work ever so well, Then it’s ‘Machinehead’ which is played with customary tight performances, full of power, brimming with emotion and gusto, the fact that this is a hit strewn concert, it serves as a testament to the band, however overdue.
Next we are in stranger territories viewing the bonus content, first choice ‘On The Roof’ is a stripped down, 5-song acoustic performance, filmed on a magic night in Berlin for the interactive music channel Tape.tv,good job they made of the late afternoon semi-acoustic session start. Good to hear a couple of different takes on a few choice songs including ‘The Sound Of winter’, set-closers ‘Comedown’ and ‘Glycerine’ amongst the five unplugged songs, there still is power even without amplification, feel nervous about stating the obvious that Bush are very talented song writers, experienced performers that more often than not, deliver; The tape.tv session only re-enforces a long held view. There is also for band video completists, the single videos for ‘The Sound of Winter’ and ‘Baby Come Home’.
Great they’re back, on the evidence of ‘Live!’ alone they should never have gone away in the first place. Bush are a damn fine band the Roseland Theater gig alone is good value, throw in the unplugged session and I a very enjoyable DVD in this case, hate to think how long i would be searching for discarded gaffa tape in Blu-Ray. As if you didn’t know, I rate ‘Live’ quite highly, a very enjoyable release. 9/10
Steve Janes