Customer Reviews

Live From London

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

 

 

If you're reading this then you are probably already familiar with the genius of John Martyn. And if you've ever been fortunate enough to catch him live (I saw him in Tokyo in the early '90's) then you know what a tight, passionate performer he is. Not to mention a wicked guitarist. I was so excited when I saw that this DVD was available. On Ktel? Hey, power to them. Well, I wish I could say that this DVD is everything I hoped it to be. The performance, an intimate London club setting, is top rate. Now for the bad news: the sound quality is HORRENDOUS. Completely distorted and tinny. I hestitantly give it 3 starsbecause at this price, its a value. But if you don't yet have the "Philethropy" cd, his 1983 live masterpiece, it is is a MUCH better investment, a 5 star thrilling addition to your collection.

I have seen this dvd 3 times in a night. Great concert.... this should go platinum.

Get this dvd if you are a serious rock fan...

We win because this is actually available to us. Given the paucity of video on this amazing artist, I am hugely grateful I could get my hands on it. The video is lovingly shot and well edited. The audio is abysmal, about as good as a cassette bootleg. I ascribe this to the fact that the artist misses the mainstream and therefore why would someone spend a lot of money to do a technically perfect job. That's the damn shame of it and where we lose out, because Martyn is so deserving of more. He is technically brilliant on guitar, his awesome growl is heartfelt and he writes like a true romantic. I love his stuff and have turned many others onto it. I and you should turn a deaf ear to the poor sound recording in order to really enjoy this offering. Please come and play within 500 miles of me, John, and I will be glad to travel to see your live show!

Let me start off by saying that this DVD has wonderful 5.1 surround sound even though the concert dates to 1984. That should clue you in on the quality of this DVD.
It's a one-hour concert from the legendary Marquee Club in merry olde London. The classics, "Dance with Me", "Holy War", etc. are on here. It's a great performance from the original Lords lineup and a must have for any fan of the band.

I found this to be a very entertaining and enjoyable DVD. Stiv looks utterly wasted but turns in a great performance, the gum was a nice touch. The rest of the band seems focused and into it. My one complaint is that during the songs Stiv's vocals seem to be about a quarter of a second out of synch with the video. The audio and video appear to be in synch when he's talking though. It's not enough to detract from the enjoyment of the concert. The Lords wrote some really good songs and most of them are here. Stiv sure was an entertaining front man...

This dvd is truly awesome. I've been a fan of LOTNC from the beginning. The image and sound are really good for an older dvd. It's a shame that this dvd is out of print.

At The Marquee in 1984 of this band comprised by singer Steve Bator and guitarrist Brian James ( of The Damned fame). Only 53'long but intense as a kick in the groin. The picture is almost perfect 4:3, no noticeable grain, distortion or saturated color gamma. This band is an even mixture of punk, glam and rock'n roll, like The Damned meet the Rolling Stones (god forbid ) Remixed in 5.1 for DVD release, the sound is a little uneven. Little bottom end nevertheless sounds powerful and clear when you crank the bass control on your amp. Vox on top of guitar during the first songs, from then on the soundman corrected it ( there's always something you won't be able to hear or is lower or higher than it should be on almost every DVD but hey nothing's perfect !! ). Also the right channel is noticeably louder than the left one but again you can correct that easily. Sound level is a tad low so you're gonna have to crank this puppy up for a realistic experience. Well shot multicamera/multiangle, slow, old-school editing allows you to appreciate every detail. Steve steals all the camers with his frantic movements around the stage while everyone else ( audience included) is static on the spot.
Extras are not mind-numbing but anyway a lot more than your average K-tel, including bio, discography, pic gallery,catalogue, all nicely arranged and available from the single (main ) menu. A nice addition to your punk/rockn'roll collection.