Customer Reviews

The Firesign Theatre - Back from the Shadows

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

 

 

OK, it did say in the first review that there was an audio only portion, now that I've read it again. But I didn't get that at first glance.They REALLY mean audio only. So if you're thinking you're going to see the troupe perform live on stage..no! What you'll see are photo stills for each piece they perform. Get it, Audio only. So imagine my dismay when I gave my hubby this as a surprise thinking he'd be so entertained seeing the live performance of his old favorites. I kept thinking I had run the DVD incorrectly but, no, it was a STILL PICTURE WITH WORDS. The bio of the group was informative and fun to see. So buyer beware. "Everything you know is wrong" This DVD turns into a CD.

I have to admit to several biases before I launch the dingy. I have loved the Firesign Theatre since shortly after their first album came out - no, not How Can You Be In Two Places At Once / Nick Danger, the FIRST one. I was anxiously waiting for the second months before it was released. So with only a few lapses, they can do no wrong for me.

Secondly, I was at the Berkeley show that is part of this recording, which eventually became the second of their shows I had seen in person that ended up being on one of their recordings - the first being Fighting Clowns of Hollywood, at the Roxy. If that weren't enough, Phil Proctor, still in costume, walked straight up to me at the end of the first act and shook my hand (having met me several times before) to the utter astonishment of my companion, who was literally sputtering speechless with surprise. So if you had any illusions of impartiality here, forget it, Dr. Memory!

I guess the other reviewer here never heard of a 5.1 surround sound DVD. I have a number of them, so I'm ready for a DVD to contain only audio. This one actually has some video too, but the main event, the concert shows, were not videoed, as no one was really sure how this reunion tour was going to go. It turned out to be very successful (as has the 4 or 5 crazy guys' more recent re-reunion, thank Grid, Goofy and Saint Walt!), so it's easy to say in highsight, "Do these pants make my butt look big?" Suffice it to say, this was a stepping stone to later works, particularly Weirdly Cool.

So I give it 4 out of 5 stars, not because there was anything wrong (or everything, you know), but because it would have been great fun to see them doing this show, and I'm a sore loser. But I'm trembling under the dwarf maples, the old same place is right out back, sonny, and we can't talk here.