Customer Reviews

EAGLESMITH, FRED - LIVE BELOWSEA LEVEL

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

 

 

This DVD includes performances from a couple nights, with Fred and his band featuring the mandolin and harmonica of Mr. Willie P. Bennett. Songs included are:

18 Wheels
Wilder Than Her
105
Spookin' the Horses
Me and Esther
White Trash
Good Enough
Alcohol and Pills
Tired
Georgia Overdrive
Little Buffalo
40 Tons
The Dad Song
Thinkin' bout Her
Big Hair
Bell
Indian Motorcycles

I bought this along with his solo DVD Small Beers Tour and expected to prefer this one, but it didn't turn out that way. Some of my favorite performances here include 105, Me & Esther, Good Enough, and Bell.

A newer song here, not yet on a CD, which has been popular in current shows is The Dad Song. This was the first time I've heard it and, despite being sure that Fred has done better versions of it, I was moved.

My problem was that Fred's voice is a little rougher than usual here, and I thought Little Buffalo in particular was ruined by shouting instead of singing, and racing through it.

There's also little of Fred's talking which is often a highlight of his shows. So for me, the best part of this DVD was watching Willie in action. During the first show, it's mentioned that Mary Gauthier also played that night...would have loved to have seen her set included as there's only an hour of music here.

My copy had a bit of a glitch on Alcohol & Pills, but not enough for me to bother returning it. All in all about 3 1/2 stars...for me, it just didn't capture all the humor and variety I've experienced seeing the band live.

I accidentally found this dvd on amazon, while I was searching for an old Southern Rock band, with the name of Sea Level. When I got this, I did a "Wickapedia", look-up of Fred Eaglesmith. They described him as being Alternative Country, and that Fred is a Canadian. After watching this dvd, it seemed to me, that this band was from the South. They played kind of like Southern Rock Bands, and Fred seemed to have a "southern accent". Anyway, I would describe the music as a cross between Southern Rock & Alternative Country, even though they are Canadians. I was really pleased with the concert. I found it to be a fun & enjoyable concert.

It was filmed during the winter, 2006 in the Paronaat, Haarlem & Caf't Keerpunt, Spikerboor, NL.

The line-up:
Fred Eaglesmith - guitars, vocals
Willie P. Bennett - Mandolin, Harmonica
Kori Hepper - Drums
Luke Stackhouse - Bass

It has an approx.run time of 60 minutes.
The songs are:

At Harlem:
1.18 wheels
2.Wilder than her
3.105
4.Spookin'the Horses
5.Me & Esther
6.White Trash
7.Good Enough
8.Alcohol & pills (Its about how so many rock & country stars are killed by alcohol & pills)
9.Tired
10.Georgia Overdrive
11.Little Buffalo
12.49 Tons
13.The Dad Song

At Spijkerboor:
1.Thinkin' bout her
2.Big Hair
3.Bell
4.Indian Motorcycles

Overall, I consider this to be a very entertaining concert. I was well please with the band's performance. So, I would recommend this one as a "keeper". Thanks!!!