Customer Reviews

Live at Reading [CD/DVD]

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Being a long time, die hard Nirvana fan since I was a kid in the early 1990's, and going to my local record den and finding the latest imports and bootlegs by my favorite band, I procured this very concert probably a dozen years ago. I always thought this to be a great performance, with high energy, a great set list, and that "something" that keeps you putting in your illicit buy again and again. Having said that, I was pretty thrilled to learn that the 8/30/92 Nirvana show at the Reading Festival was being officially released. I picked up the cd this morning, along with the 20th anniversary edition of Bleach's release, the DVD was "still in the back and hasn't been put out yet" - so says the couldn't-care-less salesman at my local Wal*Mart.

On the way to work, I popped in the Reading CD and was overly pleased with the improvement on the sound quality from bootleg copies of this show that have been circulating for years. - I was, however, totally irritated with the general production of this performance for it's release, and by that, I mean this; they took out a lot of the between-song talking, and goofing around, which is, in part, what made a Nirvana concert a Nirvana concert. Now, before everyone starts blasting me, I understand that some of it had to be deleted for continuity, space on the CD, etc, etc.. But how do you edit out the band mocking themselves by turning the intro of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' into a jam on Boston's 'More Than A Feeling' with Krist singing (poorly)? Or when Kurt announces that the next song is for his then 12-day-old-daughter, and his wife, and proceeds to ask the crowd to yell 'Courtney We Love You!" - That song was 'All Apologies'. Now we all know that no one likes Courtney Love, but that was a moment, that accurately reflects the vibe of the times in Nirvana's history, and should have been left in. Like Courtney, or hate her, it was a pretty touching moment, and a rare thing for Kurt to do at a concert.

Another that that drove me absolutely up a wall about this CD is the insertion of fake crowd cheering at the beginning of every song, and it sounds like the same canned sound clip of the crowd cheering is used in a good portion of the songs in the set. This is especially annoying, and almost comical to hear by the end of the disc. It really takes away from the experience, especially after listening to the bootleg version for so long, whose quality was not nearly as good, but at least it was real, and raw. To put this all in a nutshell, The show was epic enough on it's own, don't mess with it.
Anyone even a little familiar with the time line of Nirvana's music knows that songs like 'All Apologies', "School", "Sliver", and "Been a Son" were virtually unknown songs in 1992, so hearing an erupting cheer when they start playing 'Been a Son' sounds totally ridiculous. At least to me.. Maybe I'm being overly critical, but it's really annoying, and like I said earlier, comical to listen to by half way into the show.

Stick to the DVD, people. All the "little things" are in there that give this show it's charm in the first place, and yes, the stuff that was deleted from the CD.. but the same annoying addition of fake crowd cheering is on both the CD and the DVD.. Oh well..

-Phiber Optik

This review is NOT for the Nirvana content, it's for the Amazon offer.

I love Amazon. I've been paying the light bills on the joint for years. BUT, this Amazon exclusive box set is a rip-off.

Combined CD/DVD of Nirvana Live at Reading costs $25. This Amazon box(with the same CD/DVD set)is $36. For the extra $11, you get a flimsy box with "Nirvana" stamped on the side, and a small poster. If that's worth $10-12 more to you, go for it. But you could get an entire other CD plaus the Nirvana CD/DVD for the same $36.

Just not worth it, Amazon; try harder next time...

Gather round, kids, put away your diaries, log off Twitter for five minutes as I tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was this band who were so sickeningly heavy, so on point, so ridiculously furious and DARK, so in-your-face righteous that they shredded everything in sight. Including the bands that had the unfortunate opportunity to open for them, knowing there was no chance to come close. This album sorta introduces you to what they were capable of, especially the last third of it, where the songs get rampagingly ugly and downright MEAN, starting with a caustic version of "All Apologies", sounding nothing like any version you've heard before. The end of their short career may have shown an even darker side, incapable of even pulling it together long enough to really move, but this set is as close to their peak as you can get, a concert for the ages that is almost laughable when you look at the mind-numbingly BAD bands they played the same festival with, as shown on the inside cover (Charlatans? Curve? Buffalo Tom? The frickin' WONDER STUFF?) See, kids, even bands of their time couldn't hang. So you shouldn't feel all THAT embarrassed that My Chemical Romance, Vampire Weekend, and Deerhoof make noise that sounds like a blender by comparison.

I know, it's rough. I'm getting all generational on you, and that's not fair. As if it wasn't bad enough that they decided to play "On A Plain", "Negative Creep" and "Been A Son" back-to-back-to-back, which is reason enough to buy twenty copies of this and give it to all your friends. If that doesn't convince you of the unfortunateness of your losing the genetic lottery and ending up only reading about this band, then let's rub it all the way in by playing the version of "Aneurysm" here, which basically destroys the version from "Muddy Banks Of the Wishkah", a version I used to think was the best Nirvana recorded moment, a great version which PALES in comparison to the one here, which could kill whole forests. I would also like to draw your attention to the version of "Stay Away", which I plan on playing 7,000 times in a row tonight as I run around my yard revving up a chainsaw. Or how about the version of "School", which you need to be screaming at the top of your lungs next Monday in Algebra as you throw furniture around your classrooms and frighten your overpaid, ignorant teachers out of their similarly unenlightened stupor. Some things never change.

You can call me a snob for rubbing your collective noses in the fact that this band had no equal, and I was lucky enough to witness something like this for the brief moment it was around. But I'm not really a snob, because I have hope, someday, that at least ONE of you could rise up and at least make an EFFORT to sound this mighty, this completely insanely GOOD so we can all sit back in amazement. But I doubt it.

Just finished watching the dvd in its entirety. All I have to say is, "Classic Show!" One of the cool things about watching/listening to a Nirvana show, is how all the songs seem like they're gonna fall apart at any moment. Or, how Kurt seems to wanna half-sabotage each and every song! You can even catch Dave and Krist laughing about it during some songs! I love seeing this side of the band. Especially since a lot of people have this preconceived idea that Nirvana were a bunch of overly serious, sad and depressed bunch of guys. Obviously not the case, as anyone can see in most of their live performances.

I highly recommend this cd/dvd set to anyone who considers themselves a fan. And oh yeah, be sure to stay tuned until after the credits. There's a bit of a surprise.

In a word - amazing! Live At Reading serves as a vibrant reminder as to why Nirvana belongs in the pantheon of great rock bands, and how they may likely be the last great and meaningful band to emerge in the past twenty years. Live At Reading captures the band at a crossroads - just a year before in 1991, the band played the very same festival, but was relegated to an afternoon performance somewhere in the middle of the multi-day, multi-band gathering. Just a year later, they would be arriving as conquering anti-heroes, having in the space of a year, accomplished the small feat of changing the face of music. Now the festivals headliners, Nirvana - and particularly Kurt Cobain, had become the subject of much public attention, and amidst a cloud of rumours and innuendo stirred up by the press, the appearance was as much anticipated for the spectacle as it was for the expected performance, a performance that would be the bands final in the U.K. What is captured on tape, hardly comes across as a band in its final moments - Live At Reading explodes with ferocity and moments of sheer brilliance. Granted it has its less than sparkling moments, but those are few and far between, and seem more a by-product of a band at odds with its own success, and adding verity to event.

The moments where Nirvana truly shine are too many to mention - the performance of "School" displays the skills and sound which made Dave Grohl such a key addition to the band. His drumming matches the visceral attack of Kurt's vocals, turning the performance into a thundering pummel that churns the crowd into a sea of screaming bodies. Other highlights include blistering performances of tracks from Nevermind, including "Breed," and "Lithium," the latter of which induces the crowd into a most memorable sing-a-long segment, serving to illustrate both the bands immense popularity at the time, and the potency of its songs.

Other highlights include those from the then forthcoming In Utero album, including the first ever performance of "Tourette's" and the soon to become classic "All Apologies."

On the technical side, the 5.1 Surround mix mastering done by Bob Ludwig is nothing short of incredible. Having been fortunate enough to work from the original multi-track masters, the sound freed from those tapes is a revelation, and reason enough for any lagging fans still listening in simple stereo, to make the leap to a surround system. The picture quality is also a quantum leap forward, having owned a bootleg copy for years, the improvement is clearly visible. Live At Reading is a must have for any Nirvana fan, casual or core.

This is a great live set from the band that set the world a blaze in the early 90's. The video quality is good, sound is great, and it does capture the energy of the day. The only thing that was a bit of a let-down was the Amazon.com Exclusive packaging. The Poster is good, but the box is not "tasteful hardbound slipcase", but a less than spectacular flat black cardboard, the thin dvd digipack style case, and then a thin cardboard spacer to keep the dvd from sliding around. The extra space is advertised "to put your other nirvana dvds in". It is possible to do that, but the extra few dollars is not really worth it. Also, the shipping (despite well packed with bubble wrap) had a dented corner on my box, and the low quality cardboard spacer is sprung out a bit because weight got placed on the shipping box. Buy this DVD/CD set, well worth it, but save the money on the amazon exlusive version.

"Live at Reading" captures the power of Nirvana at its loudest and most electric moment in 1992.

People may wonder why on earth no one has released this album with Cobain radiating with raucous energy as his band crashes through the concert. After all, the entire performance is not just a raucous mess of blasting distortion, cymbal smashes and Kurt Cobain's throating yells and shouts. It is a sheer burst of excitement and infuriating anger.

Most importantly, the band proved that even if a band gets out of tune or out of rhythm, they could set the whole stage ablaze. Literally. Songs like "Aneurysm" explode with fast drums and guitars before slowing to an unsettling steady rhythm. Then Cobain shatters the stage with the funky lyric, "Come on over and do the twist!"

It's rock and roll fed through a power saw. Funk riffs such as those in "School" keep the audience engaged in chaotic violence as Cobain screams, "Won't you believe it's just my luck/NO RECESS!"

More importantly, we can hear in the performance that Cobain's having loads of fun, especially when he sings and chuckles through the first lyrics of "Sliver." He playfully growls through the low notes of "In Bloom." The album captures Cobain on top of the world at the peak of Nirvana's popularity. Nothing is more epic than his screaming through the chorus of "Lithium" with a wave of audience members.

The goofiest mistakes occurs in the parts following the opening power chords of "Smells Like Teen Spirit," in which Cobain literally messes up the two note riff and slides around his guitar as he tries to get the notes right. He even has a legendary anti-solo of chaotic random notes guitar neck sliding after the second chorus.

Even as the band plays through the bittersweet song "All Apologies," Cobain literally makes the song his own as he joyfully sings, "What else could I say?/All my words are great." This concert shows Cobain at his prime. Even if this concert was foreshadowed by his suicide, it will forever be remembered as a benchmark for live albums in the 21st century.

The DVD is a must buy, very good performance uncut. but the cd? no.

Honestly, It's to bad because this is a great show, but the big wigs got their hands on it. Sadly, this release is the result of very poor mixing. Whoever was in charge of this release should honestly be looked at like "what were you thinking?" They added fake crowd noise before every single song. Annoying yet somewhat acceptable. I first read about the crowd noise before my purchase and agreed it was still worth a listen. I entered the CD in my player and hit play. Wow, I first was just blown away by how terrible the audio quality is. It sounds like a low bit rate digital media file with a added constant low hiss. I have a high quality audiophile setup, I really enjoy hearing the highs/clarity in my music. Yet, I cannot fully enjoy this album because of the sheer Low-Fi sound it has. I understand this is a live recording however that is not what I am talking about. I have heard bootlegs recorded with a stage mic that had better sound reproduction than this. It has a 'Mono' sound to it, it sounds very one layered and muddy. Also, all the enjoyable banter/messing around was removed from the release and only the songs themselves remain. I will definitely not be buying this on vinyl and will still look for the bootleg version. I am glad they released the DVD quality video, but really disappointed by the audio mixing done for this release.

I recommend just buying the DVD or DVD/CD release (if the price is right). Reason being is that I only had to pay $2 extra to get the cd thrown in with the dvd and to me, It was worth the purchase even if I had known the cd was a disappointment.

The DVD is great, so much new footage. They did a good job on it. You will be really happy to see this performance. I was.

In a word - amazing! Live At Reading serves as a vibrant reminder as to why Nirvana belongs in the pantheon of great rock bands, and how they may likely be the last great and meaningful band to emerge in the past twenty years. Live At Reading captures the band at a crossroads - just a year before in 1991, the band played the very same festival, but was relegated to an afternoon performance somewhere in the middle of the multi-day, multi-band gathering. Just a year later, they would be arriving as conquering anti-heroes, having in the space of a year, accomplished the small feat of changing the face of music. Now the festivals headliners, Nirvana - and particularly Kurt Cobain, had become the subject of much public attention, and amidst a cloud of rumours and innuendo stirred up by the press, the appearance was as much anticipated for the spectacle as it was for the expected performance, a performance that would be the bands final in the U.K. What is captured on tape, hardly comes across as a band in its final moments - Live At Reading explodes with ferocity and moments of sheer brilliance. Granted it has its less than sparkling moments, but those are few and far between, and seem more a by-product of a band at odds with its own success, and adding verity to event.

The moments where Nirvana truly shine are too many to mention - the performance of "School" displays the skills and sound which made Dave Grohl such a key addition to the band. His drumming matches the visceral attack of Kurt's vocals, turning the performance into a thundering pummel that churns the crowd into a sea of screaming bodies. Other highlights include blistering performances of tracks from Nevermind, including "Breed," and "Lithium," the latter of which induces the crowd into a most memorable sing-a-long segment, serving to illustrate both the bands immense popularity at the time, and the potency of its songs.

Other highlights include those from the then forthcoming In Utero album, including the first ever performance of "Tourette's" and the soon to become classic "All Apologies."

On the technical side, the 5.1 Surround mix mastering done by Bob Ludwig is nothing short of incredible. Having been fortunate enough to work from the original multi-track masters, the sound freed from those tapes is a revelation, and reason enough for any lagging fans still listening in simple stereo, to make the leap to a surround system. The picture quality is also a quantum leap forward, having owned a bootleg copy for years, the improvement is clearly visible. Live At Reading is a must have for any Nirvana fan, casual or core.

Reading '92 is widely regarded as a great/important show in the Nirvana canon, as they were still ascending while touring "Nevermind" (though this set also has songs that would end up on "In Utero" in slightly different form). This DVD presents the set in very good quality (some video limitations given the technology at the time, but overall, an vast improvement on the bootlegs i've seen) and the sound is terrific - i listened to it in DTS on my system and the mix sounded great (i also changed the sound field on my theater receiver to 'rock concert' which punched it up even more). I bought the CD/DVD version, and the DVD is definitely better, in that the CD (while very good) has been edited for certain things (such as their take on a couple of bars of "more than a feeling" and some between-song-banter); the DVD has basically the whole thing, start to finish and runs around an hour-forty vs. the 78 min or so on CD. Plus, the DVD includes Kurt's entrance in a wheelchair, which in context, is amusing, since he was rumored at the time to be in bad shape/questionable to perform, and that's something the CD doesn't convey, plus you get to see just how big the UK festival crowd is (and it's huge). I never had a chance to see them live, but this really shows what a great live band they were - as a power trio, maybe they were the 'grunge Cream?'. Grohl is a madman on drums here. This one was worth the wait, no question. What a shame it all ended in 1994......we could've used more music from guys like this over the last 15 years, for sure.