Customer Reviews

Jane's Addiction: Live Voodoo [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

First, a confession. I am not, nor have ever been, a die hard Jane's Addiction fan. The closest I might have ever come is commandeering my brother's cassette tape of Ritual de lo Habitual (RDLH) back in the early 90's. Aside from stopping to surf the radio dial over the years whenever "Been Caught Stealing" was playing, my music of choice over the last decade has largely been Zepp, Rush, various types of reggae and even some fusion. Not too long ago, I had the sudden craving for RDLH and so purchased a copy on iTunes. Not long after, I found myself listening to "Three Days" and "Then She did" over and over while working out at the gym. Without exaggerating, I have probably heard those two songs streaming over my iPod Touch well over a hundred times in the last month or two. Now, I might not be a lifelong fan, but when I read the news release for the forthcoming "Live Voodoo" on Blu-ray, I pre-ordered without blinking an eye. Now, for the part most of you probably care about. I am a Blu-ray enthusiast having embraced the format during the war with HD DVD and digested every bit of news and magazine article since. I also happen to have a good pair of eyes and at least one very good ear and own several hundred Blu-ray disc. So, it's probably fair to say I know a good high definition title when I see, and hear, one. That takes me to "Live Voodoo". Here's my take and I'll be brief. I just got done viewing it all the way through and while I did see occasional motion judder, usually from the quick movement of one of the band members and usually Perry Farrell, it was never too distracting. Like other "reviewers", I did see some mild background noise in some darker scenes and even some black crush, but overall, the blacks are inky and the image quality very strong. There were a few instances during "Three Days" when I had to lean a little closer toward my Polk CS10 monitor to hear Farrell's vocals. Otherwise, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track really shines especially for Eric Avery's bass guitar. I did not sample the other audio tracks (English Dolby Digital 5.1 and and a LPCM 2.0). "Live Voodoo" definitely comes with a lot of magic that without a doubt has Marie Laveau and Rosita Zerruda dancing in their graves. Jane's Addiction has come and gone in my life's ever evolving music interest, but "Live Voodoo" has managed to capture a mature snapshot of the band in the most modern of ways. Buy this now and for once in your life, select next day delivery. You will not be disappointed.

P.S. Let's hope that Jane's Addiction's recent re-break-up [...] isn't a permanent one. If so, it will make this release all the more special.

I have a VHS tape with a Jane's Addiction Halloween concert recording from 1997 which was broadcast on MTV. That's one of my favorite concerts to watch on TV and I couldn't wait to watch this blu-ray. The reviewer who made the "remember when these guys rocked?" comment hit the nail on the head. Audio and video quality is poor and either Perry Farrel had a cold or he simply sucks nowadays. I'm selling this borefest immediately. These guys can do better than this.

Wow am I glad I got to see Janes back in the day in small venues and of course the first Lalapoloza otherwise if my first encounter of them was this performance I would never had been a fan. There is no passion. I thought cool....the Mountain Song was the second song and that being one of my favorites especially the very first line. It used to come at you like a ton of bricks and at that point you new you were in for a ride. This version seemed like Perry was afraid to put any effort into the lyrics. It just went downhill from there. From Perry gallivanting around the stage like Mick Jagger to pretty boy Navvaro's close ups. I really think it is time to hang it up for good. Leave on a good note. There is just no "umpph" to this performance. Sorry Janes Fans...all this really did was keep saying to myself, "remember when these guys rocked?"

Always a gift to see these guys live, as I did twice on the tour before this show was recorded (Charlotte, Columbus), so the third time's a charm! Comparing the vocals of this show to the shows that I've previously seen isn't really fair, since it was about 5 months of touring later. Clearly, Farrell is running out of high-pitched vocal yieldings, but performance-wise, he is spot-on. Navarro, Avery, and Perkins are never wildcards-- they are consistently great in every performance I've heard and seen. I'd highly recommend this for any Jane's Addiction fan, but only a "maybe" for the newbies. It has a real nostalgia feel to it, so I'm really glad I own it.

I will add that Jane's toured with NIN for the middle part of the year, and for some unknown reason they opened up one extra date without NIN in Columbus Ohio on May 29th, 2009. This show was superb, magical, and vocally superior. The crowd was raucous, dangerous, and on edge at every moment. It rivaled the first show I saw in 1991. If anyone has a recording of this, it would be a shame not to share it with everyone, and and it would be ESPECIALLY for newcomers to discover the band.

Anyway, if you've ever seen these guys, and liked them, this is a must-have.

ok .... the first time i saw jane's addiction live was in a little club, here in NM .... in 1985-86ish. before XXX, before anyone knew who they were, they were just a club band. i was BLOWN AWAY by them! then i saw them about a year later, after XXX came out .... blown away, again. when they finally released a full length album, i almost pee'd myself. THAT tour, i saw them here in NM, in colorado, and again in LA .... what i'm trying to say is this .... i have a history with this band, i have loved them from the start, and all these people saying that Perry has "lost it" or there is "no passion" are CRAZY.

first of all, never expect album/cd quality lyrics from Perry live, it's NEVER happened. his live interpretations of the songs he wrote are NEVER the same as what gets released in recorded format ..... ever. it's loose, at best. but that's what makes it great, and in the moment .... ultimately, he's an artist and has proved that over, and over, and over.

second, to the guy complaining about him drinking from his bottle of whatever it was, and the ONE comment he made about cocaine ..... a.) it's halloween and he's partying with his fans, never shows any signs of being drunk. he's weird, generally, and always has been. so he's acting like perry, not like drunk perry. i've seen this band through the years of drug abuse, and in THIS performance, he is connected to the audience .... something i can say was not always the case. and b.) the comment about cocaine "you ever hear those voices when your on cocaine" .... ummmm, hello .... it's part of his past. it's not a hidden fact that he struggled with many forms of drugs, but he came through it .... unlike some of the idiots who ended up killing themselves. and since it is a part of his past that he's overcome, he has the RIGHT to talk about it, and joke about it .... which is what this was, a JOKE.

third, to the people bashing Perry for things he may, or may not, have done in the past to other members of this band .... Dave's still there, Stephen's still there ..... so, him and Eric don't get along. that happens. if Perry was so horrible to work with, why is this still 3/4's of the ORIGINAL line-up? because these three respect each other enough to know that people say stupid things, do stupid things ... and while you can not take it back, ADULTS forgive each other and move on. i saw them with the original line-up,serveral times, and i've seen them with a number of the other bassests that have filled Erics place ... and while there is the slightest difference, it's never been enough to drive me away, or turn me off.

i AM a diehard fan, from the very first time i saw them take the stage. i loved this live performance and am THRILLED that there is finally a high quality recording of them, doing what they do best. if you want to believe people who weren't there for the ride, and are referencing what jane's addiction "was", 20 years ago .... on a record, not live .... then believe them. but i'm telling you, as a fan for 25 years, who has seen them doin' it live more times than i can count .... this is THEM! rockin' like they always have ..... nothing has really changed. a few more wrinkles, a bit more gravel in the voice .... but, ultimately the same as they always have been ..... AMAZING!

This review is from: Live Voodoo [Blu-ray] [2010] [US Import] (Blu-ray)
It's taken a long time for Jane's Addiction to finally release an official live blu ray/dvd, and while we might have preferred something from 1990/91 when the band were on top of their game at least we get the original line up performing as opposed to the 97 reunion which had Flea on bass or the 2003 line up which had Chris Chaney on bass. Eric Avery(Who has since left the band again to be replaced by Duff McKagan) reunited with the band when they got back together in 2008 and they were much better live for it, those of us lucky enough to see the original Jane's line up on tour last year would no doubt agree!

So its the Voodoo Experience Festival, New Orleans, Halloween 2009 and the original Jane's line up are about to deliver a brilliant performance which see's them draw from their legendary studio albums 1988's Nothing Shocking and 1990's Ritual de lo Habitual as well as their self titled live debut release(2003's Strays has no material played from it mainly because Eric Avery did not appear on that album).

The band open up with instrumental Up The Beach before we hear Avery's familiar bass line as Mountain Song comes crashing out of the speakers. Without doubt some of Jane's best moments are in their longer songs such as 11 minute classic Three Days which has Dave Navarro playing one of the best guitar solo's ever as Perry Farrell dances with 2 scantily clad dancers(one of which is his wife Etty Lau) it's a song that could last 30 minutes and you'd still want to hear it again straight afterwards. On Then She Did Perry asks the crowd to celebrate death, the song still sounds as good as ever with all it's twist and turns, Been Caught Stealing really gets the crowd fired up, and just before the band begin Ocean Size Perry Takes a moment to reflect on the damage that hurricane katrina did to the city of New Orleans. Ted, Just Admit It is one of the highlights of the night as it reaches it's dramatic climax. For the encore Jane's play Jane Says and are joined on stage by loads of people in fancy dress, they then finish the night off with the Drum and Percussion heavy Chip Away.

The blu ray/dvd contains a small selection of extras the best being the two bonus tracks(1% and Ocean size) recorded in small clubs in 2008, as well as an NME featurette, the only draw backs about this release is that sometimes Perry's vocals seem a bit buried in the overall mix, but since official live Jane's footage is fairly thin on the ground this release is a must for Jane's fans!

I was browsing through the blu-ray collection at my local Fry's and came accross this one. I flipped it over to the back side and noticed that it was of a relatively recent event (Halloween 2009) and that Eric Avery was in it - that was enough for me to buy it!

I wasn't disappointed, and was happy to see Eric playing his parts flawlessy and with that unique bottom end precision that is unmistakable as the true sound of Jane's Addiction. Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins were also great.

I absolutely am a fan of Jane's Addiction music, however, after viewing this blu-ray coupled with the information I've read in the past about Perry Farrell and the crappy things he's done to the rest of the band, I'm definitely no fan of his - what a vapid immature narcissistic egomaniac. I absolutely hate it when I go to a concert (or in this case, purchase a blu-ray) and the lead singer is getting drunk during the performance that I paid good money to see (Perry took several swigs from his bottles of what could have been wine or possibly something else?) and then talking about experiences with cocaine, which frankly, has no place during a performance! Please be a professional and have some respect for those of us in the audience who want to experience a great (or at least good) performance.

Anyway, I recommend you buy it primarily for Eric Avery's performance, and secondarily for the performances of Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins, and that you try to tolerate Perry Farrell's silly antics.

I was at this show at VoodooFest a year ago, and this well done presentation will serve as a great momento from that night. The film does a great job of capturing the band's energy on a night when they were clicking well.

I also have the previous DVD "Three Days." Liked the songs but Perry's vocals seem to lack the effects and his voice, while able to carry the tune, is weak. Dave nails his part as do the drummer and bass player. I loved Perry's rants and letting everyone on stage at the end choked me up. Not a perfect perfomance but one worth the price and the bonus material in the small club was quite enjoyable.

I would have gotten more satisfaction by pulling a $20 out of my wallet and lighting it on fire. I'm a huge Jane's fan and saw them twice way back in 1991. This was so bad, and the crowd was so pathetic I would give it a 1 on the energy scale. I should have listened to the poor reviews. Don't kid yourself, this show was pathetic. Other reviews said "going through the motions" and that is right on the money. When I saw them back in the day it was nothing like this. To give you an idea of how bad this was, after about three songs (three too many!) this went into to a box to be shipped to Amazon for a trade in. Amazingly they gave me $5 for it and I feel like I ripped them off. When I watch a live show I want to see energy and crowd participation ala ACDC live at Donington! Save your cash...