Customer Reviews

Blue Oyster Cult - A Long Day's Night

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I'm amazed that Blue Oyster Cult has not released a recent concert video before this. They are a great live act, and it's about time they jumped on the DVD bandwagon. Here's a quick summary of my opinions on this DVD:
*Picture Quality: 5 stars: Sharp and clear throughout. Excellent lighting; Simple but effective stage effects.
*Sound Quality: 4 stars: Mostly excellent. Buck's vocals on his first couple tracks seemed like they should have been brought out more in the mixing. Seemed slightly hard to hear. His guitar work is phenomenal and inventive as always, and those parts come through loud and clear. Mixing is a bit off in general from time to time, but nothing too distracting. My four star rating means excellent, but not perfect.
*Band Performance: 5 stars: They seem to be in good spirits, and all members are in fine form. Buck's guitar solos will still astound you, and they are always mixed properly for maximum effect. Allen Lanier even does a couple extended guitar solos that surprised me with how good they were.
*Packaging: 4 stars: Standard keep case with attractive folded sheet with a few photos inside. No liner notes. Missed those!
*DVD extras: 4 stars: The concert itself is 2 hours long. Then there is roughly 15 minutes of interviews with band members, which was only vaguely interesting, but nice to see anyway. First time I've ever seen Allen actually speak--He needs to speak more, as he was the most interesting to listen to. There's a behind the scenes thing too. About 10 to 15 minutes long. Again, only vaguely interesting, and you get to hear about one-third of "The Vigil" in rehersal through the documentary camera's microphone, which sounds awful, but still worth watching. The DVD's interface is a sore spot with me. The navigation is okay, but the damn "Don't Fear The Reaper" guitar intro notes are repeated ad nauseum, and sound tinny and obnoxious every time you go to the menu. A very minor gripe, but you'll see what I mean when you hear it. By far the best part of the extras though has to be the 'fan interview' section. It's only about 7 minutes total, but watching these fans do their things was extremely highly entertaining, and I would have LOVED to have seen another half hour of it!
Overall, this is a professionally made concert DVD that the band should be proud of. A must-have for both the fans and casual listeners alike. VERY glad I have it!

Last time I saw BOC Live was like 1983 or so. Used to go see them at L'Amours over in Brooklyn, and MAN could they put on a show.

They were awesome live, just awesome. Well, fast forward 20 years and they really do seem like they've still got "it".

Hey, they did put out some albums that were DOGS back in the 80's (Club Ninja, cough cough), but they had such a solid body of work that you still had to love them.

The quality and depth of that body of work is evident here. My man Buck Dharma still reigns as one of the top 3 Guitarists of all time - the man is as talented as they come. Period. He's still got more talent in one finger than most people have in both hands.

Buck alone is worth buying this DVD for. Eric Blooms' voice is fried - gone - kaput - but hey, you try screaming your brains out for 30 plus years straight... He's still very listenable if you are a Fan. Bobby Rondinelli on drums is EXCELLENT - only vaguely aware of his name before this, but he drums his butt OFF in this concert. He's a very good fit to the band.

All in all, this DVD is well worth the money. It ain't quite the BOC of my youth, but then I WAS drunk every time I saw them back then : - )))

BOC still rocks, still has talent, and is still relevant. Pick this one up, put your best black concert t-shirt on, open a cold beer, and take a trip back in time to when life was simpler and the music was better!!!

I just got this DVD from one of the superstores who put it out too soon...HaHaHa Lucky me. I was spellbound. These guys can still rock even though they look like Granpas on stage. Buck Dharma is shredding the guitar like no tomorrow and the sound and singing is truly impressive. Highlights include Dance On Stilts, Flaming Telepaths and definitley Buck's Boogie. There is an easter egg on the main menu of the page. Highlight song selection and then hit your "up" arrow...then press enter. This will reveal a short live clip of Eric Bloom telling a very funny baby joke! HAHAHA

It's been a very long time since a truly great 'new' rock band
has come out. Nothing today comes close to the rock of the 70's
and even the 60's.

While some reviewers on here tend to critique DVD concerts on
the technical aspects, I tend to watch them and critique them
on how much I enjoy them. I have an extensive collection of
music in all formats and about 80% of it classic rock and blues.

This DVD brought back all the memories of the good times when
the great bands were unique in their own sound and not the cookie
cutter groups of today. This DVD showed the terrific talents
that made BOC one of a kind. To me this was a very enjoyable
concert that really rocks. For me a 4 star rating is almost as
good as it gets. The 5 star rating is reserved for best of the
best.

If you are a BOC fan you will enjoy this concert and I recommend
it highly.

I have been waiting for this for a long time and was not disapointed. This is a great BOC concert that is true to what it is like to see them live with a few bonuses. There is a good representation of their entire career in this show, including " Perfect Water" " Lips in the Hills" and a few others you don't normally see in shows from recent years. It would have been perfect if they would have included a song from each and every album, but I am satisfied with their choices being a good representation to their true fans. I read the other reviews and what was said about poor sound quality but personally don't notice this, maybe I'm just not as educated in the area of DVD sound, but it sounds good to me.
You also get a few bonus menu items. The one good one was the soundcheck portion before the show where the band practices on a cut from Mirrors, not included in the show itself unfortunately. The other bonus', were mostly disappointing. I know these guys from being a true fan for over 20 years and the interviews with them do not show their true intelligence or depth. And, I must say that I was embarrased to watch the fan comments segment which largely consisted of drunken ogres playing air guitar and slurring out lyrics. I've always thought " thinking mans hard rock group" was a good description of BOC that I've heard many times, but you wouldn't guess it from the fans shown in this segment.You guys should have called me up, I could have gathered a few SOBER fans to present some intelligent well thought comments about why you are such a great band.
Best to stick to the concert itself, which is a real treat for fans, and for those that aren't familiar with the band, a great way to get to know them. I played it every day the first week I had it and know it will remain on heavy rotation.

... and also a sadly underrated and under-appreciated band. The more critical reviews of this DVD, whether by hardcore fans or not should have taken into account that this was just ONE concert, performed by the five members of the band only. No extra musicians or backup vocalists, and minimal post-production polishing of the audio recording. If you've been lucky enough to see this band live anytime over the last few years, you know that this DVD is a very true representation of how they sound live, which in my opinion is better than they've ever sounded.

It should be noted that while vocalist/guitarist Eric Bloom's pipes may not be as strong as they once were, the man is pushing 60 years of age and by and large, he does just fine. Keyboardist/guitarist Allen Lanier is equally adept at either instrument, and is a big part of the longstanding, unique quality and mystique of this band. Lead guitarist Donald 'Buck Dharma' Roeser is quite simply one of the finest rock guitarists ever, and he proves it on every track. Veteran rock/metal drummer Bobby Rondinelli and bassist Danny Miranda are as strong a rhythm section as this band has ever had, and are a big part of the band's continued success.

Buy this DVD and I know you'll be happy. Go see the band for yourself and you'll be even happier.

Minor nigglings aside -- the mix is not ideal, a couple more songs not previously recorded live would have been nice, and thirty seconds of their taped intro over the audience noise would have provided the album a more exciting kick-off -- this album is awe inspiring. Let's get something straight about BOC. This not some burned out seventies band peddling nostalga. This is the work of a contemporary, creative, vibrant, powerful and dynamic musical force. Fans at a BOC concert don't suffer through the new songs waiting for the classics(Like in that Simpson's episode when Holmer abuses Bachman Turner Overdrive),they cup their hands together and yell out for for Dance on Stilts(2001) as well as Cities on Flame (1971).
To experience a Buck Dharma,a.k.a.Donald Roesner, performance, is to see both an instrumental virtuoso and a singer/songwriter laureat. It's as if Paul Simon and Jimi Hendrix somehow comingle within his unassuming personage. Eric Bloom is the Frank Sinatra of hard rock. His phrasing is as crisp as a potato chip, every line focused and understandable. Listen, you can actually hear the words,and on a live album no less! Keyboard/guitarist Alan Lanier is the umlat in the Oyster. His guitar gives BOC its legendary crunch, and his keyboards adds a layer, a tension, a patina, a counter point. The two non-original members are not your typical metal mercinaries. They have been with BOC for a combined twelve years, considerably longer than the life span of most bands. Bobby Rondelli is a heavy hitter - a jacked-up Jabba the Hut with a proud pedigree (Sabbath, Rainbow). Danny Miranda works his bass like a bebop hepcat crashing his bull fiddle through the sound barrier, all geeked up on Lord knows what. Their presence cannot be underestimated.
As for the songs,Buck's Boogie is as ebullient as a Baptist Choir welcoming in the rapture. Lips In The Hills is a wee hours tear through haunted mountain on a motorcycle. Perfect Water, lyrics by junkie-poet laurete Jim Carrol, allows one to vicariously experience shooting up a fat gob of black tar heroin and hopping in the shower. Dancing on Stilts bespeaks of that higher plain attainable only through love while offering an upper register guitar solo so sublime as to bring tears of joy. The powerful gravity of Quicklime Girl,a fine showcase for Bloom's still powerful voice, drags you down and stomps you around. Harvest Moon is a concentrated Buckshot of Grape of Wrath juice, a plaintive and evocative tale that bursts into a bittersweet jamfest that puts many a whippersnapper band to shame.
I am given to understand that in most alternative universes, BOC still sells out arenas. Lucky for us, we can experience them in more intimate venues. Take advantage!

Buy the DVD and decide for yourself. This IS what they sound like live, and no critic ever had any kind words for their vocals live. Go back and read reviews of their live releases--or buy the truly dreadful sounding concert DVD from '75. What makes this the best concert DVD for a guitarist is that you actually see almost every note Buck plays--this is unprecedented. The fret hand, not the pick hand. If you know what I'm talking about, you know why you need this DVD. Plus, how can anybody say anything about their age? I'm not DATING them, I'm listening to their work for christ's sake. And where does the one reviewer think Spinal Tap came from, anyway? Rob Reiner's ...? It came from Uriah Heep, BOC, Sabbath, and the rest of the dinosaur arena rock bands. Comparing the real thing to the parody and complaining that life imitates art is just too much. Buy the DVD.

I saw BOC live a couple of times, the last in 1980. In the last year, I started listening to them again. Don't ask me why, but I just did. And then I started buying all their albums on CD, from their self-titled original through Cultosaurus Erectus (the band's best, in my opinion). I even tried a new release, Imaginos, which I found to be middling, and then finally bought Curse of the Hidden Mirror, a 2001 release. Curse is strong album--far from the group's finest, but still quite listenable (I especially like, Stone of Love). So what was I expecting when I bought this DVD. First, I hadn't realized just how old these guys are. Pushing 60, actually. Bloom's voice is dying, unfortunately. It's like his vocal chords can't push out a direct melody, like they're fighting him. It's sad and unfortunate. But let me tell you about Buck's guitar. Awesome. It's a privilege just to watch him play, with those up close shots on the fretboard. Unbelievably smooth, a tone which would make Carlos Santana weep, and unmatched raw speed without the silly Van Halen tricks. That, alone, is reason to buy this DVD. They rhythm section looks like they're ready to yawn at any moment, but they do a passable job. (The drummer is this caricature right out of Spinal Tap; the bassist is almost there, too.)

The songs are still strong after many years, and this band still loves what they do. And, I've decided that I would give up a foot in height (Buck's only 5'2") to play like this guitar god. Keep rocking, guys!

It has been a summer of great guitar band shows for me. I was at the Allman Brothers show in Macon where Derek Trucks showed why he is the best of the new guitarists and caught ZZ Top and Jeff Beck at Chastain. I am looking forward to seeing BOC live in October. I have a feeling they will be great!

Of all the concert DVDS i have this one is the best. Clean sound, great focus in Bucks playing, nice selection of songs. Most of the bands still around after 30 years just rehash the hits and try to recapture their glory years --- BOC is not that way. Similar to ZZ Top they actually improve on their songs by chosing the best ones and then dropping the synths and pop pretensions of the 80s. Buck makes each song special with an extremely well crafted solo that captures the song, makes it special, then moves into pure shred for a climax. Check out Last Days of May for a great Allen Lanier solo then Buck dialing it up to 11 going faster and faster and faster till he has to stop.

Very tough to beat! Enjoy!