Customer Reviews

All the Way In [CD/DVD][Deluxe Edition]

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First of all I'm a Berlin fan, so I may be biased, but I'll be honest. The sound quality of the drums, bass and guitar are a little flat and I wish they had included the entire concert on the DVD disc. However, I'd say that it is a strong effort by this band. The Jefferson Airplane, Duran Duran and Marilyn Manson cover songs are nice. Overall, the true Berlin fan will like this set.

Terri Nunn and Berlin return to their hometown Anaheim, CA for an entertaining 14-song live recording taped in April 2009. Anaheim was the city where it all started for Berlin, so it seemed appropriate for a hometown concert filming.

Recorded at The House of Blues, this new set covers most of Berlin's biggest hits such as "No More Words, "Take My Breath Away," "The Metro," and the always ear-catching "Sex (I'm A...)."

Never a band that does an identical show, Nunn & company also turn in a few surprising covers including "Somebody To Love" (Jefferson Airplane), "The Dope Show" (Marilyn Manson), plus a more appropriate cover of fellow 80's icons Duran Duran on "Ordinary World."

Though All The Way In doesn't pack the sonic punch of Berlin's previous concert album Live: Sacred and Profane (2000), it is still something that true Berlin fans will want to own. The band has stronger moments, and weaker moments in the set, as does Terri Nunn.

On the bonus 10-song DVD you can really see the love Berlin's many longtime fans have for the band, and Terri Nunn shows plenty of appreciation in return during this intimate concert. Though climbing on to a fan's shoulders and wondering through the crowd might not have been the greatest idea, for the mic has some feedback in the process.

Long before Gwen Stefani and No Doubt, Nunn was the original Orange County blonde bombshell. Nunn remains in good vocal form (on most of the songs), over 25 years since the debut Berlin release Pleasure Victim.

OK well first off the people who can't tell this recording sounds like it's coming out of a cardboard box must be tone deaf. That being said it is really the only flaw in an otherwise great set of songs. The sound is slightly better on the dvd but not all of the songs are included which I do not understand at all, plus Touch is on the dvd but not the cd. I'm not quite sure who makes those decisions but they need to be relieved of duty.

Another thing completely unrelated to this package but relevent to their live shows is the complete reliance on big hits and cover versions to satisfy a crowd. Voyeur maybe their (well whoever the band is at a specific time) best work since the very early days and yet they barely if ever touch it live. I'm truly hoping for some new songs with Carlton,Chris and Dave in the next year or so and they are incredible live if they happen to be in your area don't miss them.

I've been digging Berlin since the initial release of "Pleasure Victim", and have seen them half-a-dozen times. This latest release, as a previous reviewer posted, is flat. During the audio portion on the CD segment, Terri Nunn sounds as though she is speaking from a distant tunnel.
The live disc from 2000, "Sacred and Profane", is a far superior recording and presentation than this attempt. Its got a harder edge, and comes from a Berlin that is really making an effort to become something again.
As for the DVD segment, I question why the entire show isn't included. Never mind that someone I am quite close to is dancing with Terri during "The Dope Show". He at least made it to the inner package's photo caption with his shirt pulled up over his head. When a package arrives with both a CD and DVD, I have an expectation that I'm going to be watching the same in its entirety, not an abridged version.
There was a 2003 live DVD entitled "Intimate" which is absolute crap, complete with disruptive interviews in-between each song, and a lifeless crowd who appears as though they are not even grateful to be in attendance. Comparing it to this one, there is no comparison as "All The Way In" is, indeed, a concert one would expect to view.
My biggest complaint overall is Terri Nunn's porn-like conduct. Costumes are one thing, but cheap antics to rival the Britney's and other growth-spurting blondes is completely unnecessary when one possesses true talent and looks. Adding skank dancers to distract during "Touch" makes me question who is making the decisions.
Ditch the foulness.

The sound quality on this CD is not as bad as a couple other reviewers put forth. I've heard far worse sound quality on live albums of other bands. It's a good berlin album. I would give it 5 stars, but I have all but 2 or 3 of these songs on other Berlin studio albums. Somebody to Love is a new one. She sings it well, but you can't top Grace Slick. She should have sexed that song up a bit Terri Nunn style, or somehow made it her own. I especially liked the DVD. It's a good bargain to get both DVD and CD for the price here at amazon.I saw her live during the Sacred and Profane tour. I thought that album and live show was a step or star better than this one. Still, can't complain. I'm listening to and enjoying this Berlin effort quite a lot. I hope Terri puts out a new studio album before she retires. If you get a chance to see her live, do it, she has great charisma with an audience. Another really good version of Sex I'm A on this CD by the way.

remastered editions of "pleasure victim", "love life" and "count three and pray" would be nice...
virtually every other 80's act has done this for their fans...
how long do we have to wait?