Customer Reviews

All the Way Home: A History of the Corrs (Plus Live in Geneva)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Well, so I'm a bit fan of this outstanding band, never the less, as a costumer what I look forward when buying a DVD its quality and having a good time with whatever i chose to buy. Right? ... Well mates, thats just what you'll get if you buy this. Jim, Sharon, Caroline, Andy, Anto and Keith are back ... plus two new guys; Jason and Keiran, they manage to give the live performance of a life time, they do, maybe not quite energetic as "lansdowne road" but hell of improvement from that awful show in the "live in London" DVD, if you ask me ... the concert's quite short, maybe a couple more songs, Even If, maybe Baby Be Brave would have been nice, actually the menu has it as background song, whatever, its a beautiful show, filled with new stuff like a couples of nice solos, lot of tabs changed in the songs, a kind of rockish feeling to the same old pop hit singles, a energy of the public that you can just feel trough the screen of your TV, the Irish feeling mixed with their new more mature vibe ... and what bout those new songs! They just sound so much freaking better live!, I'm telling you "...Who lost the keys of your car??" in the opening song "Humdrum", Andrea's voice ... well actually, everything sounds amazing, about the picture/image quality, mates, I can assure you that Stylorouge guys are gods, no kidding, it has such a great quality and angles, and a couple of b/w shots ... just amazing.

About the "All the way home" DVD ... its just what every fan needs, for real, the footage its amazing, the whole story behind each CD, behind some of the songs, gigs and photo shoots its told by the same people who lived it, no more "curious facts" in a Fan-site ... here's all the truth, sometimes really sweet, sometimes rather bitter, you've got it all ... a great deal.It has been quite a long journey for this guys and sometimes, we, as fans, don't get to be part of it ... but with this DVD, all that's behind, we get to see the facts, weddings, laughs, tears, pains and fears of this Irish Band ... not quite a lot of DVD can get you to the point where this takes you, seriously, worth to have it!

Hope this reviews was helpful .... Thx ... xo

ALL THE WAY HOME DOCUMENTARY

The documentary half of this DVD set is almost everything I could have wanted in a life story of one of my favorite bands. Plenty of great interviews, in depth informative history on how they became what they are, some great rare footage including home videos and their first ever gig. Perhaps the only thing that dissapointed me was I would have preferred a bit less interuption of the musical material. At one stage they are about to play forgiven not forgotten in an effort to get a record deal only to get cut off 15 seconds in by talking and then a new section. However small beefs aside this DVD gives you plenty of everything and alot of insight into the struggles and hard work the Corrs have put in to make it where they are, and compared to the duration of some documentaries we have been treated quited well.

THE CORRS LIVE IN GENEVA

Perhaps the most exciting factor of The Corrs "Live in Geneva", is that this is the first time I have noticed a 'large' change from one DVD to the next. Though there were differences in the first few concert Dvds, alot of the tracks seemed to be the same thing over again more or less (Don't get me wrong, the same thing they were doing was fantastic). Right from the word go the firts song which for so long has been "Only when I sleep" has been changed... in my opinion a change which shouldn't have taken place but a change none the less. Also for the first time the Corrs have enough albums released that there has to be quite a few fan favorite songs left out in order to keep the concert under 3 or 4 hours.

A big plus which I have been waiting for, for a long time, is the addition of a couple of guitar solos, and extended instrumentals and songs such as: What Can I do. A positive move by the Corrs.

I love the Corrs and Andrea (lead singer) to bits however I wish Andrea would stop yelling non - stop throughout 90% of the instrument breaks, and just tone it down a little, its only when she has the tuin whistle in her mouth you get a great extended and uninterupted intrumental break.

Sound: The DTS sound is great, however definantly not perfect when you compare it to other dvd's, and I don't really see any excuse for it, in this day and age a modern concert should be almost perfect. The clarity and mixing is mostly great except the dynamics and energy seems to be lost in parts of some songs with poor mixing. 'Toss the feathers' is as unexciting as I have heard it. Overall definantly good enough sound to get the feel though.

Video: The video quality is fine, gives you alot of shots of all the musicians, the only thing a little bit lacking is shots of the crowd, however this didn't worry me at all.

Set List:Again with the new albums they don't have enough time to fit in all their great songs, I am glad they still have plenty of the great old stuff whilst including the 'better' of the 'borrowed heaven' album. 'Summer Sunshine' and 'Long night' fit in really well to their sets, a couple less well.

Performance: I really enjoyed their performance, as I mentioned it was a change to their previous performances, the extended solos, I thought 'radio' was the best I have ever heard it and they still seem to be having fun after all this time, I guess it is really hard when you are comparing ever performance to 'Lansdowne Road' which I think just cannot be topped. For what it was I thought it was great. I think minus the Accordian in no frontiers would have worked for me.

Overall: To some it up when it comes down to it if you are a fan of the Corrs you will love it, if you are new to the COrrs you will love it. It is easy to pick on a few minor flaws but its still great.

Beware. I ordered this DVD for Region 1 as describe in the AMAZON site but got
PAL. A reordered delivered the same results. I will play on my MAC if I reset
my region. But would be nice the play on DVD large screen with good speakers.
Who wants to sit 2 + hours in front of a computer to enjoy this.
I have written to AMAZON customer service twice and they insist that the decription
is Region 1. I suggested they notify their warehouse and they will not do that.
So buyer beware on this one. Anyone else get PAL version when expection Reg.1??

Okay, it's 8 March 2006 and time to update my review since my DVD set of "All the Way Home" finally arrived via US Mail! The set I received is indeed Region 1 and is in NTSC format. From reading the other reviews, it looks as if Amazon may be shipping out Region 1 NTSC to some people and Region 2-6 PAL format DVDs to other people. It just pure luck that I received the correct region/format, I assume. Amazon needs to look at their stock of "All the Way Home" DVD sets they have and separate out the two formats! In any event, if you end up with the wrong region, then see my notes below regarding the Philips DVP642 DVD player....

Another faux pas on Amazon's part that I found amusing is they sent me an e-mail that said "We've noticed that customers who have purchased All the Way Home: A History of the Corrs (Plus Live in Geneva) also purchased The Corrs: Live in Geneva on DVD." Huh? Why in the world would someone who purchased "All the Way Home: A History of the Corrs (Plus Live in Geneva)" also purchase "Live in Geneva" when All the Way Home comes with "Live in Geneva"?????? DOH!!!


Anyway, as far as the DVD set is concerned, this is a documentary DVD which happens to include the concert, that is, it's not a concert DVD that includes the documentary. That said, the primary reason I bought this set if for the documentary and I must say it is a great documentary of a GREAT and VERY talented family band. Anyone who is a TRUE fan of The Corrs should have this documentary.


Now, the second disc of the concert "Live in Geneva"... I was disappointed with the concert. It starts off with "Baby Be Brave" and then suddenly cuts to "Humdrum"...well, I would much rather see "Baby Be Brave" performed than "Humdrum"! Especially since the music was playing and I expected it! It was just bad editing.

The concert, lacked audience participation, at least at the beginning. The concert gets better, probably around their presentation of "Runaway" halfway through. The concert picks up then.

The one thing that absolutely killed me about the concert is the accordion playing during "No Frontiers." It just ruined the song, and it ruined it so bad I had to grab the remote and skip to the next song on the DVD! I don't know whose idea it was to bring a squeeze box into the mix, but it was a bad idea.

I guess I expected more from this concert having previously bought and thoroughly enjoyed their other concert DVDs (but at least this one didn't have nearly as many as those stupid black & white shots someone insists upon inserting into the concerts).


Overall, Live in Geneva just lacked the "party" atmosphere of their previous concerts. If you just want a complete collection of their DVDs, then, yes, you want a copy of Live in Geneva, but if you aren't that big of a fan yet still enjoy their music, then I recommend getting the DVD of "Live at Lansdowne Road" which totally rocks! "Live in London" is also great, just not as great as Lansdowne Road. If you don't care about the live stadium concerts and you just want to see them do a smaller performance where you can be bowled over by the ethereal sounds of Andrea's voice and her siblings' music/vocals combined with a background orchestra, then spend your money on their "MTV Unplugged" DVD, it is simply outstanding.

What did I like about the concert? Well, Andrea's skirt and boots were HOT, but pretty much anything she wears looks good to me! Other than my male-centric opinion of Andrea Corr, this concert includes both "Angel" and "Goodbye" from the "Borrowed Heaven" CD. These songs relate to the passing away of Jean Corr, their mother. Having had a relative pass away recently, I, personally, can relate to those songs, especially "Goodbye" and I do appreciate their inclusion in the concert.

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Original post from 12 February 2006:

DVD Regions and PAL format

Several people have complained about the DVD set not being Region 1 and NTSC. This is a legitimate complaint since the description clearly says "Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only...."; however, there is a workaround for this: get the Phillips DVP642 DVD player available from Amazon for $59.49 or from Wal-Mart for $57.36 (at least that is the shelf price in Alabama). The player is capable of playing both NTSC and PAL formats from ANY region, but you have to set it to "region free mode" which is EASILY done via the remote (open the tray, press 7 8 9 OK 0 on the remote). Please note there is rumor that the newest firmware on this model disallows changing to region free mode, though, but I have not confirmed that. In addition to playing DVDs, this player will also play AVI files burn to blank CD or DVD that you would normally only be able to play on your computer!

Okay, I didn't want to turn this into a product review for a DVD player, I just thought you guys would like to know there is a way to play this DVD set. And it's true you should not have to go to the expense of getting another player, but consider this: you may not want the North American release of this DVD. The release date for the North American release is currently March 14th, but it may very well be a single disc ONLY containing the concert in Geneva and not the documentary. From what I have read on-line, and I quote: "there are rumours about a special 'Live In Geneva' DVD being released in the US without the documentary and other goodies." That is, it may very well be only "Live in Geneva" without "All the Way Home: A History of the Corrs"! Personally, as a true fan of The Corrs, I want the documentary DVD, not just the concert, so I am ordering the non-North American version!

Before I start my review let me just say 2 things. First, I would really like to thank C. Hsieh for his/her great review. Great insight into a great band. If you haven't already read it go there now, go ahead, I'll wait... And second, for all our sakes, I really hope this isn't the last live venture for the Corrs. That would be too great a loss for a musical world full of posers and samplers. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that they can find a way to manage their individual family lives (which everybody deserves, God bless and good luck to all the family members) with this extraordinary musical experience called The Corrs.

And really that's what the Corrs are all about. The experience. The music is great whether you are listening to them on the radio, CD, or seeing them live, but the main thing you take away from this group is the experience. One of the truly great talents that are actually better live than in the studio. I consider myself very lucky to have seen them in the states on their last tour. Fabulous EXPERIENCE.

OK, now for the DVD, and thanks for indulging me if you've read this far. I again agree with C. Hsieh, that of all their live DVD's this is not the best one. But it is the only one featuring songs off the Borrowed Heaven album, which I love, so in any case it is worth the price. Yes the show seems a bit rushed, the quality a bit muddy, the costumes maybe not what we are used to, but they still look great. Hey, these are 3 VERY beautiful women no matter what they do. Oh, and Jim ... you are nice looking too. Nuff of that...

Now, be warned that this is a region 2,3,4,5 disk. It says so right on the box. Some computers will let you view it, but IT'S NOT GONNA WORK ON MACHINES BOUGHT IN THE US. Unless you buy one that is multi-regional. Philips makes one, and for the additional $59.99 it cost me, it was worth it. Because with all it's flaws, and there are several, this disk was worth the extra cost. From what I understand the LIve In Geneva disk will be released here in the states, without the documentary. I guess they felt that U.S. fans don't care enough about the group to merit the second disk. NOT TRUE marketing machine. They have many fans in the U.S. as well.

Lastly, if you ARE new to the group, buy the other DVD's first. Start with Live at the Royal Albert Hall, then get the Unplugged DVD, Live at Lansdowne Rd, Live in London, Best of Videos, and whatever else you can find. See it as it progressed. Watch them grow, and blossom into one of the finest bands in the world. It'll be fun, and you'll thank me for the suggestion. No, really, you will, seriously, now off you go...

Quick note to the Corrs, if any of you ever read this (Hey, it's possible... I wrote a review of another band's new album and the lead singer sent me an email) please don't leave us all alone way over here in the states. We will miss you too much. Please come see us again, we love you guys too...

OK, so in the end, not a GREAT disk, but a really good one... so give it a shot. Serious Corrs fans can add a star, go ahead, I won't mind...

I just finished watching Live in Geneva and once again I watched another great concert from the greatest band in the world. Definitely worth getting. I had the privilege of seeing the Corrs once for a 10-song concert years ago. I sure hope they get back to the states, particularly Tampa, FL, before they call it quits. You can't go wrong with anything done by them.

I was also worried about the region code problem. And the Corrs official website said the documentary was not available in the US, only the concert DVD. But I received Region Code 1 for US for both DVDs, so that was a relief.

The documentary should be of interest to all Corrs fans. It was not a terribly in-depth or powerful documentary, but still worth your time for the 90 minute look at their rise to the top.

The concert DVD is great for long-time fans. However, for those new to the Corrs I would highly recommend that first you buy Lansdowne Road (1999) and Live in London (2000) for the best big concert experience. Those performances are were energetic and magical from the peak years of this group. Geneva is a slight step down from those performances, particulary with Caroline being replaced on drums. Luckily she was at this performance, unlike most of the tour, and sat in on secondary percussion and harmony vocals.

The new songs are a nice change, particulary Summer Sunshine and Long Night. But otherwise, they seem to be playing most of the same set from 5 years earlier. Obviously they will always play Dreams, So Young, Breathless, What Can I Do, Runaway, Toss the Feathers, Queen of Hollywood as the core corrs songs. But it would be nice to see new covers to show off their musicality instead of No Frontiers and Old Town for 6 years now.

Documentary and extras make it worth while. Plus, it was probably their final big tour.

Get the old stuff first and you will be hooked. My must-see rankings:

1- Lansdowne Road 1999
2- Unplugged 1999
3- Live in London 2000
4- Geneva 2004
5- Royal Albert Hall 1998

As a true fan of the corrs, since 1997, I can say this DVD set is a must-have product for every fan. The documentary "all the way home" shows all the ups and downs of the band throughout their career and the efforts they have to make after the release of every album. For those who imagined that the corrs life is all about glamour and success will find out, in this documentary, that there are many challenges on pop music and luckly they managed to overcome them, becoming one of the most successfull bands all over the world. The documentary, divided in acts, shows the corrs since the very beginning of their dream, playing pop songs on Jim's home studio. Then, we see the band playing in Dublin pubs, persuing their dream. After joining the cast of "The Commitments", where they met their manager John Huges, the Corrs signed with Atlantic Records and started their career. It's very surprising to learn that "Talk on Corners", their second album, once the best selling album in UK, was not an immediate hit and demanded a lot of promotion to get on charts.

The DVD extras are cool, showing the band singing for the Pope, in a navy boat and in an embarassing situation, where they had to sing the US Star spangled banner in a football game and mics did not work. Poor corrs!

The second DVD, with Live in Geneva concert, is great, with the Corrs hits and new music from "Borrowed Heaven" CD. It's live music, played by a very talented band, with a touch of magic, as always. I love this concert, with the comeback of Caroline, who was not following the band through the tour, in 2004, due to her pregnancy of a second child.

The question that remains unanswered, after you watch the DVDs: Will the Corrs continue as a band? How much effort are they supposed to make, sacrificing their personal lives, to follow with this dream? We know that "Home" album, the last one released by the corrs, with irish covers of traditional music, represents the end of a full circle on their career. But is it all over? I hope not, because the Corrs have much more to offer to the world and we are looking forward to listen to a new album, with great pop songs, tours and promotions all over the globe, especially in South America, where we have been waiting for them for ages.

Don't think twice and bring home this DVD set, with the history of the corrs and a great concert, which may be their farewell tour, as they've stated.

This DVD set is marked as PAL format but will not play in my DVD player that is formatted to play PAL DVDs. It's not my machine as other PAL format DVDs play fine. I don't know what format this is in, but it's NOT PAL!! I am a big Corrs fan and was really looking forward to watching this. Disappointing!!

I have received three copies of this DVD from Amazon and none of them were for Region 1. Be careful ordering this from Amazon. The description of the DVD indicates that it is Region 1 but it is not. If you live in Europe, Asia, or South America you'll be ok!