Customer Reviews

The Dresden Dolls - Live at the Roundhouse London 2006

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

 

 

This is another great DVD of the Dolls LIVE. This one has a different feel from the Paradise DVD. Paradise had songs from their 1st album, only the Dolls played and it was a small Boston venue. London's Roundhouse is much larger, there are some guest performers and more visual theatricality on display. About half the songs are from the Yes, Virginia album with some old favs thrown in, along with a great cover of Mad World and a song from Cabaret. 19 songs in about 1 hour 45 mins. Plus there is a 26 minute documentary that mostly highlights the guest artists and The Brigade with some coverage of the Dolls themselves. It gives a taste of what the entire experience surrounding a D.D. concert is like. There's a lot going on besides the stage show. As with Paradise, this DVD is very professionally produced and sounds great in stereo or 5.1. If you've never seen the Dolls live and you've wondered how a drummer and a pianist could possibly put on a dynamic live rock show, get a hold of these DVDs and find out. They are awesome.

...but this is still a great concert DVD. Mostly stuff from their most recent album "Yes, Virginia" and the live versions put the studio versions to shame. Definitely worth owning if you like the Dresden Dolls!

Great band with a lot of power with incredibly just two performers. Mad World cover is simply outrageous.

The DVD came very quickly, actually ahead of the predicted shipping schedule. Very satisfied.

In the interest of full disclosure I will admit that I could comprehend no more than ten words from all the vocals. Several were expletives not deleted (for those who remember the Nixon tapes). Nonetheless, the show is an entertaining recreation of an Otto Dix painting of the German Cabaret of Weimar days. Audio discs and some films from a later date are available for those who might want to compare the re-creation (with some modern trappings, of course)with the original.(Lotte Lenya doing her husband's (Weill) music and Brecht's lyrics would be appropriate, since the Doll's claim to be doing her kind of thing,) The stage show and film, Cabaret, would clearly appear to be a more direct source.
There are a variety of other activities on-stage at times to supplement the two central performers (see other reviews). It is unclear how many are professionals and how many are amateur followers, but they provide a necessary diversion from the energetic duo.
All-in-all, for those not shocked by the superficial trappings of cuss words and modestly bizarre dress, the central performance (running perhaps 100+minutes) is just about right for the pleasure not to grow stale with the limitations on two performers even with some help from their friends.
Note: In checking the group out on the internet I found that, while not formally put out of existence, they are in hiatus so that more material from the team may not be forthcoming.