Customer Reviews

Dido Live (DVD/CD Set)

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If I were to have one complaint about Dido, it would be her studio tracks are a little *too* laid back and they sometimes get monotonous if you're not in the mood for them. Nevertheless, I love her songwriting and she ranks with up there with Poe as far as lyrical excellence is concerned. Her lyrics are subtle, sophisticated, and well-crafted. Here on her live DVD, my one complaint towards her is revoked, removed, and I've re-experienced Dido at her finest. Her live performance is where the missing spark can be found; her energy comes through blasting and blaring and she takes you for a memorable ride.

As a casual fan, what surprised me was her undeniable charm and charisma. Along with her energy, these elements of her just don't come through on her studio albums nor in her videos. She's also got quite a facetious, lively sense of humor (which she shares with the audience between songs). This makes the music that much more accessible. I found I didn't need to be 'in the mood' for her music to watch her concert. Like her music, Dido herself is captivating in a subdued, subtle manner. The band, the singing were all top-notch and I have no complaints about the music. Dido, her band, and the audience all looked as if they were having the time of their lives, and it definitely shows. The music was all terrific, and so good was this concert that it prompted me to re-visit some songs I didn't particularly like and give them a second chance after seeing it live on the DVD. That's a sure sign a concert was a winner for me.

Fans of Dido will not want to miss banter and conversations that happen in between songs. She shares (briefly) some information about the song she's going to sing next, which is quite nice. She never gets too carried away (y'know how some singer-songwriters make less and less sense the more they talk about their song?) and always stays grounded and makes complete sense. Surprisingly, she's also quite funny! (And guys, my husband watched this DVD and he assures me she's quite hot, as well.)

Now, on to a very important reason I love this DVD: no. psychotic. editing! (Yay! Yay! Yay!) After being so very, very, very disappointed with Sheryl Crow's "C'mon America" and Sarah McLachlan's "Afterglow Live," I was afraid Dido's DVD was going to follow the 'nauseatingly choppy and twirly rockstar' trend. (Note: I love those two ladies and I thought their performances were top-notch. This isn't an attack on Sheryl or Sarah's performances--I just couldn't stand editing of the video) I've said repeatedly on Amazon that I wish that trend would die because I literally get motion sick watching concerts that do their editing that way (where the camera doesn't linger on any one shot for more than 5 seconds) and those DVDs are absolutely unwatchable. (I'm 24, so no, it's not an age issue.) So, if you can sympathize with this, fear not! Dido has not succumbed and this DVD is more than watchable. The only complaint I can see is that the video quality isn't crystal clear. It reminded me a bit of Sarah McLachlan's 'Mirrorball.' I, however, enjoyed the look of it because it lent a certain atmosphere and feel to the DVD that complemented it very well.

Ever since Sarah McLachlan's 'Mirrorball,' I haven't found a concert DVD that's compelled me to watch and re-watch a concert as often as I did with 'Mirrorball.' Dido's done it for me, though, and it's quite a pleasure to see her perform. This is one of the concerts that will get watched often in my house. I will be anxiously awaiting her next CD, DVD, tour, etc.

The DVD is great, but the Audio CD that comes with it contains the SunnComm spyware, which installs silently, is hidden, informs SunnComm of your listening behavior, and is near impossible to remove. So, don't play this Audio CD on your PC! No problems if you play it on a normal CD player.

I never thought that I would write a review about ANY DVD especially about Dido's live concert. "Especially" because I have never been her fan, furthermore I wasn't even familiar with her songs except "White Flag" which had been played on all radio stations a lot. Then I bought a nice Home Theater system and was looking for some high quality live concert to try it with. After reading a very good reviews on Amazon.com about this particular DVD live performance I brought it home... and I'm a huge Dido's fan ever since. If it would be possible to give a six or even seven stars out of five I would, as this concert is a very good example of what every live show of every artist is supposed to be. Quality of sound is awesome, quality of video is amazing. Dido is great. I have been watching this concert already maybe 20 times in its entirety and will do it again and again. Musicians on stage are very professional and have everything to do with this concert's success. On the downside of this 2 disc package though the absence of "Hunter" on CD and I would rather omit "Honestly OK" from both DVD and CD. It's frankly not my favorite song. All other tracks are very good and I really enjoyed Dido's performance and envy those people who watched this show live in London. I wish I was there. Well, this DVD now is a center of my live shows collection and I'm glad I gave it a try and bought it. Buy it. It's just awesome!

A smooth and polished performance with perfect lighting effects, absolutely astounding sound and an almost ethereal quality about it, Dido's performance at Brixton Academy is pure magic. I'll admit that I was skeptical before I actually viewed this concert. In the past, the only live performances by Dido that I had seen were appearances on talk shows and such, which did not showcase her talent like they should have. In fact, she often seemed timid and shy. Despite that, I have always been a devoted fan, even before the days of "Stan" and the series Roswell. Dido is and always has been captivating and real: her music is extremely accessible and emotionally touching.

When the first harsh beats of "Stoned" hit my ears, I just knew the whole concert was going to be fantastic. There was an intense energy in the air at the Academy the night, and you can feel it while watching the video. The music pulses right through you. I was ecstatic Dido chose to open her concert with "Stoned": what a great piece! It has always been one of my favorites from her second album, and it perfectly sets the mood for the entire concert within the first 30 seconds.

Many of the songs Dido performs remain similar to the respected album versions ("Don't Leave Home", "Sand In My Shoes") but they don't lack for intensity and enthusiasm. Each song has its own little new additions, however subtle they may be. But Dido's revamped versions of favorites like "See You When You're 40", "Honestly Ok" and "Do You Have A Little Time" are what truly impress. The live versions are better in some ways than the original cuts. Particularly impressive is Dido's edgier version of "Isobel": her vocals sound fantastic! Also to be commended is her reinterpretation of "Hunter", which sounds very jazzy and fun.

The instrumental balance throughout the concert is very well done and executed wonderfully. Everyone seems to be on the same wavelength. Several of the musicians shine as soloists, and the drummer in particular is very impressive. In between tracks, Dido briefly describes the origin of many of her songs, being both blunt and charming at the same time (a quality that seduces many men and intrigues most women). Also appealing about Dido in this performance is her appearance: she looks as if she's ready for a night of clubbing. She appears both gorgeous and playful. There isn't the slightest hint of arrogance in her, and she seems incredibly friendly.

If you thought Dido was quiet, you're wrong: this video proves that, not only does Dido have an edge, but she has a wonderful sense of humor as well. The audio disc included in this package is a real perk, as it possesses the same intensity the video does, even without the visual stimulation. However, five of the live tracks are not included on the audio disc, which is a bit of a letdown. But the audio disc flows smoothly from one song to the next, and it feels complete despite the missing songs.

If you're a diehard Dido fan, you absolutely have to have this video! If you are a casual fan, or if you haven't yet discovered the hidden pleasures of Dido's musical creations, then I highly recommend you check this out: you may find yourself transformed into a devoted listener.

Five Stars for Dido - Zero for Sony

Dido's music is unbelievably good and this DVD not only showcases her amazing stage presence, but offers live versions of her best music that surpass any studio recordings. We've watched/listened to this concert more than a dozen times over the last year or so -- a definite winner.

Sony, however, displays the evilness of recording labels' ultimate arrogance and disrespect for their customers. The CD contains protected content which may cause vulnerabilities to your computer. Yes, you can take measures to patch this, but why should you have to? Throw the CD away and send a message to Sony telling them what jerks they are.

good songs, slightly different than the studio version. However, the CD is protected by Sunncomm Media Max, so no digital playback without installing the Windows protection drivers. If the CD wasn't protected, I would have given this 5 stars.

Dido has 2 cd's out with all great songs on them, she now puts out a concert dvd that is incredible, the future looks bright for this hot young lady!! This dvd is great, the audio is un-believable and the video is just fine(I can't believe anybody would complain about it). I own over 100 concert dvd's and this dvd ranks right up the their with one of my favorites.All I can say is if you like even one Dido song, you should get this dvd/cd and you will be surprised how unbelievably talented Dido really is! She should be a lot more popular in the US than she is.

This is the best concert DVD I own. Dido's performance is great and the vocals are even better than the studio recordings. The band uses a great variety of instruments. Great DTS sound.

This may sound like the review of a blathering idiot. But for some reason, when I watch the DVD, "Dido Live" it seems to really speak to me. Sounds crazy...right? I mean it's a concert video for goodness sake! A piece of entertainment! Yet, there are some nights, where I just can't sleep. In the dark of the early AM, it seems like the whole world is in bed..sound asleep. On those nights, I'll put this DVD on and it seems to lull me into a twilight trance, all to the magnificent sounds and confessions of singer/songwriter, Dido Armstrong. For anyone who's ever heard Dido's music, you know she is a singer, who gets personal. Dido has a pop/rock sound, augmented with laid back, electonica back-beats. This is all in support of her amazing voice. It's a voice that seems to just go up and down your spine, causing those little hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. Dido's songs are about her life, love and emotional hurt. This is one performer, who is not afraid to open her life up to you and bares herself emotionally naked. (O.K., I'm definitely in blathering idiot mode!) In this concert DVD, she performs live in front of a couple thousand cheering fans at London's Brixton Academy. But even though she's in front of a large crowd, she seems to engage the viewer personally with her friendly, song introductions, her confessional, tell-all song lyrics and a lively musical performance, backed by an excellent group of musicians. Dido is just one of those performers, who really reaches down somewhere in herself and puts it all out there in her performance. The DVD includes many of her hits from the two CDs in her discography, including "White Flag", "Life For Rent", Don't Leave Home", "Sand in My Shoes" and "Thank You". The sound and picture on this DVD is wonderfully remastered. The DVD package also includes a shortened audio CD. But between the two, the DVD is the way to really experience this concert. I love this DVD and I'm sure I'll spend more sleepless nights experiencing it! Highly recommended!

I had seen the concert previously on a broadcast on the INHD channel, where it was broadcast in 1080i and Dolby 5.1 for sound, and was blown away. Dido's music really translates well to live performances, much better than studio albums I believe. She totally nailed every song and revealed a lot about herself in between songs in explaining what inspired them. An execellent performance.