|
239 camera sweat-fest for God-fearing patriots...
I have to confess to knowing very little about Creed. But having done a little research I was looking forward to this DVD.
A Christian rock band who disbanded in 2004 after three multi platinum albums that shipped some 35 million sales, Creed reformed early in 2009 for a reunion tour and new album - Full Circle.
Creed Live captures that tour in front of 17,000 fans as it passed though Houston, Texas in late September. In doing so, the band set a world record for the number of cameras to record a concert - 239 high def cameras. Yes 239!
They also brought in Andy Johns to mix sound which is available in 5.1 Surround Sound as well as Standard 5.1, Stereo and DTS. So the omens are good.
That is, if you like Creed, or beardy metal - you know the sort of thing - more hair under the chin than on it, and severe head bobbing likely to induce musculoskeletal disorders later in life. And that's just guitarists Mark Tremonti and Brian Marshall.
And it is indeed a spectacular stage show captured in glorious detail. That said, there's only one star of the show - singer Scott Stapp who dominates the stage with his presence and barrel chested vocals. It's easy to see how the band lost their way without him in the line up.
Now whether you feel Scott's deep vocals are the stuff of metal will be down to personal taste. Millions seem to think so. But whatever your preference, there's no questioning the man's ability to sweat. If you'd put him fully clothed in a bath of water he couldn't have been wetter. Mightily impressive.
The band have clearly made the most of their Christian labeling, and at times it felt a bit like witnessing a Billy Graham gathering. It was also a bit jingoistic for my taste, with the troops getting more than the odd mention. And call me a sceptic, but try telling me the dog tag that Scott 'found' - and sang with it wrapped around his fist - wasn't stage managed. But then, in the US of A, God loves a God fearing patriot.
Extras, you get only a few - a behind the scenes documentary and photo gallery. That is, until the release of a deluxe box set next year. Until then, this will keep fans happy, but those unfamiliar with the band may want to tread cautiously.
***
Review by Pete Whalley
|
