Customer Reviews

Certifiable [Blu-ray]

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

 

 

I am so thankful that this cd/dvd set was released!! I have been playing it over and over again since I purchased it. The first dvd disc is the concert in Argentina. I was very impressed at how good the band sounded in a live performance! It was so much better than the dvd Synchronicity concert! Viewers will also be impressed with Andy Summers' guitar solos. For fans that loved the first album, Outlandos D'Amour, this concert will definitely become your favorite...There are so many songs performed from this album! "Truth Hit Everybody" is one of my favorite performances on this disc! The second dvd is was great,too! It's a behind the scenes look at The Police rehearsing for the tour and a surprise performance at The Whiskey,in Los Angeles!! The other 2 discs are of the concert which any Police fan will enjoy listening to at home or in the car! This dvd/cd set was more than I expected. You will definitely feel the nostalgia when you sing along to the concert!

I know they're not as young as they used to be, so some of the keys have been lowered....some of the tempos retarded. But as another reviewer stated, the Police just seem to be "going through the motions" in this concert. It's not hard to figure out why they decided to tour after so long. With total guaranteed grosses in the hundreds of millions, how could they not? One thing I love about live recordings is the rawness, and even the mistakes. It reassures me that real humans are actually playing their instruments and singing. I like the slop, the hums and buzzes, and the 'clams' which now are absent from any recent "live" album. I'll cut Andy a break for dubbing in the second guitar part on "Message". That guitar harmony is an integral part of the sound of that tune, and impossible to do by one's self. But this recording is just too damned 'clean'. With 45 years' experience as an audio engineer, I can tell when vocals are live or have been re-done in the studio and about 75% of Mr. Sumner's have been re-recorded. Stuart Copland is the hero here. His energy and expertise on the drums keep it all together in spite of Sting and Andy's somewhat uninspired playing. Don't get me wrong. I love this band. They rank among the top ten groups of all time. I'm just a little disappointed with this effort (or lack thereof).

Great shows, some say the best of the tour.
But the audio was mastered by a VIP (very incompetent person) and sounds "too loud", compressed and lacks detail and dynamics.
Volume stays the same all along the concert...sad

It seems the reviews of The Police's new DVD/CD package are mixed at best. I can't figure out what the naysayers are thinking on this one--I think "Certifiable" is perhaps the best live DVD I've ever seen.

I did not attend a show on the big Police reunion tour last year, so I had no idea what the stage show looked like or what the set-list included, so the live DVD was my first look at Sting, Andy, and Stewart back together again. The opening track, Message in a Bottle" was an excellent choice, and the lighting at that point was minimal. Once "Synchronicity II" kicked in, the stage show kicked in, and so did the crowd. They were on their feet the entire show and I was mesmerized by the musicianship of these 3 players.

The first thing that surprised me was the sound quality. I have a modest home theater system set up that I don't know much about other than how to turn it on and turn it up. Without any tweaking at all, I noticed Sting's bass was much louder and more "present" than I would have expected. It made for an interesting listen to the show, because it underscored what a great bassist Sting really is. I'm sure most of us think of him as a singer/songwriter first and as a bassist a distant second. He is a phenomenal player and underrated in that regard.

But the Police is the combustion that happens between Sting and Stewart and Andy. Just like Sting, Summers & Copeland prove themselves masters of their instruments.

I have read some complaints that some of the songs were re-worked & sound a little different. That's true, and from my own personal point of view, it's a great thing. 1st off, nothing is reworked so drastically that a fan wouldn't be able to recognize the song that's playing. But if you've kept up with Sting's career lately, he does this regularly. A little change here & there makes it a bit more interesting. One reviewer called these changes "bored & lazy." If you watch dvd 2 in the set, you'll see how much work went into working up each song. I, for one, loved the changes in the songs.

If you're sitting here reading this thinking about purchasing the DVD/cd set, DON'T WAIT. I buy a lot of live DVD sets like this, but this one is by far the best all around, from musicianship, to the stageshow, the song selection, and the extras that show how this band got back together.

I have been a fan of The Police since my youth. I would simply salivate every time they released something. It was an event to be savored. Sadly, because of my youth - at least in my parents' eyes, I never had the chance to see them live. As I grew older, I saw all of their solo ventures, but the magic of a live Police concert forever eluded me. I had even met all three blokes and shared my story with them, careful not to bring up that dreadful question of a reunion. In 2007 when they announced the tour, I was beside myself. I had patiently waited 24 years to see my heroes perform together. My friends, who until this point, thought I was just insane to think they would ever tour again, were delighted for me. I saw the tour twice in Los Angeles, and was even lucky enough to attend the final performance at Madison Square Garden - the last of the tour, and it seems, the last performance ever by Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
Police fans everywhere are begging the powers that be to dig into the vaults and release the goodies that came out on VHS in the 80's. A wealth of material remains unreleased on DVD. This tour demanded a DVD. The musical portion is an entire show shot in December of 2007 in Buenos Aires. The guys are in top form. Most "reunion" tours show the passage of time quite sadly. The Police had aged like fine wine. Sting's voice was in astoundingly good shape. Stewart Copeland still worked the kit like the musical magician he is. Andy Summers returned to rock guitar playing with a vengeance, after almost fading away in the 90's in the jazz fusion realm. Don't get me wrong, I love all of Andy's solo discs, but to hear him blaze during Driven To Tears is the stuff dreams are made of. My favorite tracks are an atmospheric reading of Walking On the Moon, and funktified versions of Walking In Your Footsteps and Voices Inside My Head. The picture is razor sharp and the sound is incredible. The shots of the audience bouncing up and down tell of the excitement this crowd felt at being there.
The bonus material includes a documentary by Stewart's son Jordan that aptly displays the genuine joy these three guys have when they play together. But that joy doesn't come without an awful lot of hard work. They rehearsed to the point of almost over-rehearsing. As any Police fan knows, the strength of the band is in its improvisation. Their extended musical forays into unknown territory are legendary. These three guys could read each other on stage so well it was eerie. Also included is the standard photo gallery, including some nice shots by Andy.
To have the audio of the concert on two CD's is a nice touch, but every Police fan I have talked to said - "Is that it?" I have to admit, the extras seem a bit skimpy. To wait so long for "new" Police material is nerve-wracking as it is, and then a release like this comes out, and you can't help but feel slightly let down. I suppose we should be grateful that there is any "new" material at all, since I can remember in the not-to-distant past any mention of a Police reunion would have been downright "certifiable."

Yep, the packaging is flimsy, but what do we buy DVD's for? What we have here is an astounding effort by three innovative musicians who could have receded quietly into history. Instead they put aside their differences, reworked and rehoned their songs, hired some top-notch camera and production people, and went on a blazing world tour captured on DVD for everyone to enjoy forever. What's not to like? This is a so much better production than the Synchonicity Concert video, annoyingly filmed and edited by Godley and Creme and crew.

Although the set list is closely the same as the 1983 Syncronicity tour, Andy Summers now breaks out guitar solos to expand many of their songs, something that sounds pretty good to my ears. Another critic called him "paunchy" - hmmm, he is 65 years of age here, and his bad habit of watching his own fingerings accentuates a bit of face flab, but hey - the guy still can jump from Stewart's drum riser, play some fabulous riffs, and work his effects pedals like few can.

Sting's singing voice is powerful despite his own 56 years of age. His vocal range maybe isn't as wide as 20 years ago, but his clarity isn't diminished. Well maybe a little bit late in the concert, but he absolutely wails on the opening numbers, Message in a Bottle, and Synchronicity II. His bass playing seems more fluid and melodic than ever, and as part of this 3-piece band, is so important to the rhythm. More than anyone, Sting set aside his robust personality a bit to co-exist with his bandmates for the practice sessions and tour, which I give him credit for. I'm sure he didn't need this reunion to make a house payment.

Stewart Copeland has always been a great drummer in my opinion, there is never a mis-timed drum beat or awkward fill. His work really seems the same as 30 years ago, thunderous and expansive. Without Stewart, the songs wouldn't be as unique, they wouldn't sound like The Police.

In spite of my enthusiasm for this, there are some production downsides. Obviously there has been some audio sweetening. Personally, I wouldn't mind, if the original concert audio was included as an option on the DVD. Most notably for me are the altered backing vocals by Andy and Stewart, they seem to have been replaced by an electronic version. I would rather hear them and their mistakes, or at least have the option to do so. As to dubbed instruments, it's hard to for me to tell, Sting has foot pedals for synthesizer and bass and we don't always get to see him using them. Andy as well has multiple effects pedals. Stewart, I'm not sure about, there is some percussion work audible that he is not playing - especially noticable on "Wrapped around your finger". Certainly he or one of the others could have pressed a pedal to make that happen on stage, but who knows.

For anyone who wants to learn more about these guys and how they create their music, I can also recommend the DVD "The Police - Every Breath you Take" for the bonus items. Included is a mini-documentary - hosted by former Squeeze keysman Jools Holland - called Police in Montserrat. Quite funny, and Sting, Stewart, and Andy each describe where it all came from and how they do it. Also on the same DVD, see the band at it's earliest where they perform "Can't Stand Losing You" and "Next to You" live in 1978 on The Old Grey Whistle Test, a terrific 70's British TV show.

Believe it or not I saw them twice (even though it was really expensive) and I would pay the same amount to do it again. Barring the opportunity to go and see them once again this box set is as close as you are going to get.

If you are a fan of the Police (and I am assuming that you are if you are reading this) then this is a must have. You already know all of the songs but the new live versions are a new spin on the old material that brings a new life to all of your old favorites. I was really impressed during the live shows at how a new interpretation of an old song can be really entertaining. Since the original artist is playing their old material you get their fresh perspective on their own work amny years after the original. Besides who wants to listen to a live recording that is a duplicate of the original recording that I already have. In some aspects it is as if a jam band has picked up where The Police left off and put their spin on the original work.

I suspect that there is never going to be another reunion so if you missed out this is your chance to see these guys. If you aren't not a fan then take a chance and listen to some seriously accomplished musicians get their groove on.

The Police: Certifiable is simply a fantastic live concert video. The video shows why this was one of the greatest bands....many songs make you wonder how only 3 guys can make the amazing sounds you hear. Fantastic footage and sound together with a performance that make you feel the energy of a great Police concert. Andy Summers delivers astounding guitar parts with ease, leaving you to think he is one of the true guitar virtuosos. Sting sings with ease and plays a confident bass while Copeland shows his own signature style and flair in each jam and new arrangement. A must for Police fans and sure to win over casual listeners. Get it on Blu-Ray if you can.

I completely agree with O. Javier "Javier"... except...

I haven't "listened" to the DVD yet, but the dual CDs sound awful. They're fine if you need a little musical/audio entertainment while you're waxin' the Honda, but don't expect these discs to sound even decent on a good audio system. Whatever the problem - Over-Compression or just awful Mixing, EQ and Mastering - this sounds terrible. Virtually no dynamic range at all... no highs... muffled thudding lows... very sad.

Maybe this is purposeful, in that they'll get to "ReMaster" it soon, and get you to buy it again.

I do disagree with some of the other reports on the performance. I think the group "sounds" really inspired. Some nice new arrangements that still capture the feel and energy of the original recordings sufficiently so the crazies won't feel ripped-off if the guys are actually inspired enough to rearrange and redux these very old arrangements.

However... I haven't watched the Video yet, so maybe there's physical evidence to support the idea that the Police weren't as inspired as I think I hear... maybe Sting or Stewart or Andy look asleep at the wheel... that might make a difference in someone's enjoyment.

I'm so glad this concert came out on DVD!
I saw them LIVE during this tour and was blown away! This is a great momento!