Customer Reviews

Live from Austin Texas (CD/DVD COMBO)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a review of the DVD portion of this new CD/DVD combo. THIS IS A VERY WELCOME NEW RELEASE FROM THE DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS. I loved their previous DVD "Live at the 40 Watt" filmed in Athens, Georgia, a few years back. Now, this release, this is an outstanding 13 song, concert DVD, that was filmed for the award winning Austin City Limits TV Show. It was filmed on September 26, 2008. It has an approximate running time of 82 minutes. Its GREAT from beginning to end!!!!

This concert DVD showcases some of their classic songs, plus some new songs from their recent album CD - "Brighter Than Creation's Dark".

The Drive-By Truckers are legendary for telling great stories, either, just by telling the story itself, or by telling the story through song. They certainly continue that GREAT story telling legacy in this DVD/CD Combo.

Most of the Drive-By Truckers band members, are from the Muscle Shoals, Alabama area. Their music is played in a genuine "Southern Rock" Style.

The line-up consists of the following:
Patterson Hood - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Cooley - Guitar, Vocals
Brad Morgan - Drums
Shonna Tucker -Bass, Vocals
John Neff - Guitar, Pedal Steel
Jay Gonzalez - Keyboards

The song set is as follows: (Note - ALL these songs are originals, written by the Drive-By Truckers, themselves.)
1.Perfect Timing
2.Heathens
3.A Ghost to Most
4.The Righteous Path
5.I'm Sorry Huston (Sung by Shonna)
6.3 Dimes Down
7.Puttin' People on the Moon
8.Space City
9.The Living Bubba (Patterson introduces the song by telling a great story about the man he is singing about, in this song)
10.Zip City
11.18 Wheels of Love - (Here you get an "Over-the-Top" 11 minute version of this great song. It contains a great, great story!!!)
12.Let There Be Rock - (This is their classic song, not ACDC's. It's a story that goes somewhat like this, "I never saw Lynyrd Skyrnyd(the original version), but I sure saw Molly Hatchet, the Johnny Van Zant Band, and ACDC with Bon Scott singing 'Let There Be Rock'"). Its a great story song.
13.Marry Me.

In summary, this is an EXCELLENT DVD/CD Combo by the Drive-By Truckers. If you are familiar with this band, you'll love every minute of this DVD/CD Combo. Even if you're not familiar with this band, if you like Rock & Roll, you'll love every minute of this combo also. This is a GREAT one, and I highly, gladly recommend it!!! Thanks, and Enjoy!!!!

P.S. The CD contains the exact same songs as the DVD, however, they edited out some of the story telling, in between songs, like the story about the "Living Bubba". It does contain the great story and full length version of the fantastic "18 Wheels of Love". Overall, its a great "Live" CD!!! Thanks, again!!!!

I have say, it is tough for DBT to mess something up. Their hillbilly-rockabilly scene in the southeastern/southwestern United States is un-parallel in talent. If you are looking for cutting edge music look no further. This CD/DVD combo gives a great interpretation of what DBT is all about. I have followed them since Gangstabilly to Brighter Than Creation's Dark. This cd/dvd is a hybrid of samples from Cooley and Hood in their true form. The setlist is obscure but delightful. "A Ghost To Most", "Marry Me", "Zip City", "Space City", and "Three Dimes Down" are quintessential Cooley songs that epitomize the Northern Alabamian's style and draw. Hood comes and rocks out on his opener "Heathens" and highlights the album with the extended version of "18 Wheels of Love", elaborating on the ongoing epic tale of "Jan and Chester." "Puttin' People on the Moon" and "The Living Bubba" are mainstays on the Hood playlist that are deserving of every opportune time of playing. I would recommend on getting this album to anyone who is in for a delightful evening and an eye-opening experience to good music in this era of MTV. The Truckers offer a talent that is unseen by people who are brainwashed by the modern media.

This puppy was shot in high definition widescreen video, and DTS HD 5.1 for the audio ! MAGNIFICENT !!! ALL 5 channels get a workout, and unlike some concert DVDs, the rear channels are actually used ! John Neff's slide or lead in the left, Cooley's lead in the right...a damn fine surprise when you love surround AND The Truckers AND DTS as much as I do. BUY IT !!!

The first time I heard the Drive-By Truckers was a few years ago on one of those streaming internet radio sites. I was not impressed. I like country, and I like rock, but they were louder and more bombastic than I generally like my music. However, when they showed up on Austin City Limits a little while ago, I decided to give them another try, and they converted me. What converted me was not front-man Patterson Hood, but Mike Cooley. More mellow than Hood, Cooley presented himself as a subtle guitarist who favors tone and texture over flash, and his singing style has a brilliantly off-kilter rhythm, along with a perfect country twang. That caught my attention enough for me to pay closer attention to the band as a whole. When I did, I was rewarded with thoughtful and nuanced music that rocks as hard as any other band around. I was delighted to discover that the very performance that converted me was released as this CD/DVD combo pack.

The Drive-By Truckers may be easy for fans of older country and rock to dismiss as just a sloppy, Gen-X version of a Southern rock/country band, but I challenge anyone to listen to a Mike Cooley song and write these guys off as sloppy or derivative of anyone. Yes, Patterson Hood has grown on me, but Cooley is the one who just amazes me. Far from thoughtlessly bombastic, their lyrics convey the hardship of being poor in the South without self-righteousness or posturing. That is a difficult balance to strike. The performance here is strong, and while the band doesn't generally stray as far from previous recordings of the tracks as modern jam bands do, they do add something new. However, most fans will probably play the DVD more than the CD anyway. This is well worth picking up for Drive-By Truckers fans, and it just might convert those who aren't yet fans. It converted me. I only give it four stars because Southern Rock Opera sets such a high bar.

As a recent DBT convert, this is the best way to get most of their greatest songs, produced over a long career. I just love the working-man lyrics. This is some of the most honest music out there. Simple, driving, great lyrics. I took them many years to get enough exposure to get on ACL. If you love this as much as I do, check out " Women Without Whiskey" on their rock opera album. I fear band like this are a dying breed.

This is a must buy for any DBT fans, or for any fans of southern rock and just plain good music. Beautiful country rockers and balls-to-the-wall rockers, it's all here, along with Patterson Hood's great narratives about some of the songs, particularly "The Living Bubba" and the phenomenal "18 Wheels of Love." Wave your hands in the air, get up and dance, rejoice. Drive-By Truckers are a fabulous band and here is ample evidence. The bonus DVD cements the deal. Essential stuff.

Saw Drive-By Truckers for the first time on ACL and thought "why haven't we heard them before"? So purchased this righteous concert movie/DVD, and it's been fairly highly favored in our music rotation.

The songs are engaging, if melancholic and sad at times. The band is just outstanding; we're inspired to seek out more. I'm quite partial to Hood's voice and songwriting, but every song in this set is well-conceived and enthusiastically performed.

Live from Austin TX is an honorable brand, and the Drive By Truckers do it proud in this kick-ass show from their last album (? What DO you call these things nowadays in the land of CDs and MP3s anyway?) "Brighter than Creation's Dark".

In fact, this could equally be called "Darker than Creation's Night" in some respects.

All cylinders fire on this beauty of CD and DVD - don't be fooled by the restrained opening title - the finesse and restaint of "Perfect Timing" just gives you an introductory grounding in the skills that will be unleashed later in such gems as "3 Dimes Down", "A Ghost to Most", "The Living Bubba" and "Puttin' People on the Moon". All amazing, heartfelt songs from the places where real people live, suffer, connect and howl out their pain through music that lasts. Topped off by "18 Wheels of Love" and "Let there be rock", both of which reclaim the theme of hopeful, yet f**cked up youth.

I'd never heard these guys before I bought this album (thanks KPIg!) and I'm so very glad I did. Classic.

My favorite band, so I'm biased. I love everything they put out...this is no exception.

Solid live album from the DBT. The DVD adds a lot, as this line-up is different from their previous DVD, Live at the 40 Watt Club.
If you are not familiar with the DBT, the closest I can compare them to is Neil Young & Crzy Horse. Frontman Patterson Hood is quite the storyteller, and "18 Wheels of Love" is quite a story, probably the best on the album.
I consider this a half-notch below their best works, like Southern Rock Opera, The Dirty South and Decoration Day, but well worth picking up , especially when you consider the value of the DVD.