Our favorite concert blu-rays

Written by Published | Rapallo AV Team

What’s with the weather? Anybody knows?

I think it’s fair to say that here in Auckland we’ve had an unusual amount of drenching. We at Rapallo have been lucky enough to escape any nasty consequences of the extreme wet and have just been retreating to our home theatre and vinyl set-up a bit more often than usual for this time of the year. With winter within sight, no doubt frequency is only going to go up.

 

When last week we received a list from a great customer with a ranking of his favorite blu-ray concerts, it got us thinking. A little search on forums and the likes revealed that our customer is by no means the only person rating concert blu-rays or blu-ray movies for that matter. The internet is buzzing with people’s opinions on this.

 

Just to change things up a little, and go for a blog with a little more lighthearted topic for a change, we thought we would have a go at this too. After all, we probably are not the only ones taking refuge behind the projector/television to escape the ongoing deluge.

 

So what, in our humble opinion makes a good concert blu-ray/DVD.

 

We don’t need to point out that all this rating stuff of course is all highly subjective. Whether you hate Bruce Springsteen while I think he’s got it going big time will be a big contributor to what ends up on my favourite list versus on yours.

 

But it is not the end of the discussion.

 

Visually the usual things like good detail and consistancy are what you want from a good quality blu-ray. But specific to a concert recording you usually have plenty of facial features of the artist(s) on full display. Along with the detail, colour needs to be bright and vibrant, blacks need to be good. You want skin tones to be lifelike, never running too red or causing anyone to look pallid or sickly.

The most impressive aspect of a concert video (as opposed to a movie) is how it handles the usually constantly changing light-extremes that tends to come with a concert. And then there is the camera work, the angles and the mixing.

But even a bigger part than with a movie is the roll that is played by sound.

 

Blu-ray with its much higher capability of storing data (resulting in much better image and audio) is much preferred over DVD. Several famed music releases (but not all by any means) have been transferred for more drool worthy audio and video. But just because a Blu-ray has a high-resolution soundtrack doesn’t automatically mean it sounds great. There is a lot to stuff-up that can happen when remixing of the original recordings. Steve Guttenberg from Cnet has a good go at Tom Petty about this.

 

What you want from the audio on a concert blu-ray is for it to have clear, consistent, and dynamic sound that plays to the strengths of the music on display. You want the audio to do a fantastic job of balancing every piece of the mix so that it is highlighted at the precise moment it needs to, or becomes a part of a dynamic whole. Sounds needs to be distributed across channels evenly where needed, put accents through the required channel or allow the audio distribution to follow the cameras if appropriate.

 

I know, enough talk….

 

Here’s Lloyd R.’s (our customer) top rating concert blu-rays for sound quality:

 

One thing Lloyd has found out that sound quality can be quite different on different sound systems. These are the ones that stand out played on his own set-up.

 

  • Michael Jackson – This Is It
  • Michael Bolton – Live at the Royal Albert Hall
  • Simply Red – Live At Montreux 2003
  • Kenny G – An Evening of Rhythm Romance
  • Eagles – Farewell 1 Concert, Live from Melbourne

 

Deano, audiophile at large and residing in the Rapallo offices these days, was very happy to contribute as well. Although not all his favorites are available on Blu-ray, this is his list:

 

  • Pink Floyd – Pulse (DVD)
  • David Gilmour – Remember That Night Live at the Royal Albert Hall (Blu-ray)
  • Metalica – S&M concert (DVD)
  • Jean Michel Jarre – Destination Docklands (DVD)
  • Daft Punk – Alive (non-official DVD)

 

Ben, our Rapallo youngling with a passion for audio and video, was raised with good taste, we say! His picks:

 

  • U2 – Innocence tour 2015 (blu-ray)
  • Coldplay – Live 2012 (Blu-ray)
  • Kings of Leon – Live at the O2 London (blu-ray)
  • U2 3D (I watched it in IMAX, but it has to be on the list!)
  • Foo Fighters – Hype Park 2006 (DVD)

 

Of course, Bart also needs to have a go at his favourites. Although a musician at heart, Bart is mister home theatre and all these concerts are enjoyed on a regular basis on the big screen. Frustration about not all being available on blu-ray is an understatement.

 

  • U2: Innocence tour 2015 (Blu-ray)
  • INXS Live Baby Live at Wembley (DVD)
  • Coldplay Live 2012 (Blu-ray)
  • Peter Gabriel: Growing up live (Blu-ray)
  • Tears for Fears: Going to California -Live from Santa Barbara (DVD)

 

After having a little online nosey on what takes other people’s fancy on what’s available on blu-ray, it quickly becomes clear that Michael Jackson’s ‘This is it’ and just about all of Peter Gabriel’s concerts are indeed considered favourites by many people

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Other blu-ray concerts that keep being mentioned on peoples favorite list are:

  • AC/DC- Live at Donington
  • Diana Krall-Live in Paris
  • John Mayer-Where the light is
  • Roy Orbison-Black and white night
  • Foo Fighters-Duets Sonic Highway 2014
  • Cream-Live at Royal Albert Hall
  • Talking Heads-Stop making sense
  •  And no surprise: Adel-Live at Royal Albert Hall

 

Not much mention of the Swifts, Ushers, Beyoncé’s and Rihanna’s of the world when it comes to outstanding blu-ray concerts, but that could have a lot to do with the profile of the audience that ventures on audiophile forums.

 

We had a look at what might be available in 4K when it comes to concerts on blu-ray. The answer is exactly one: Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock -Live on a Mission. Peter Gabriel’s Back to front and Muse’s Live in Rome concert were both filmed in 4K resolution. So hopefully….

 

For the classics lovers; there is life beyond The Who and Bjork on Blu-ray, although it is fairly limited with concerts from Pavarotti, Andrea Botcelli, he Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker and the likes.

 

You may also enjoy some Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, B.B. King or Bette Midler if that takes your fancy. Again, not loads available, but probably enough to get through a few rainy afternoons.