Customer Reviews

One More Night With Chris Smither

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I used to be lucky enough to see Chris play live regularly when I lived in Boston, but haven't had the chance in 8 years so I was eagerly anticipating watching this dvd. It was everything I hoped for. As always with concerts, I would have tinkered with the song list a little but even though my favorite's missing, there are lots of great songs here.

1. Train Home
2. Origin of Species
3. The Devil's Real
4. Link of Chain
5. Happier Blue
6. Interview I
7. Drive You Home Again
8. Leave The Light On
9. Sittin' On Top Of The World
10. Small Revelations
11. Love You Like A Man
12. Interview II
13. Father's Day
14. No Love Today
15. Diplomacy
16. Caveman
17. Statesboro Blues

That makes up the main portion of the disc, the 78 minutes listed on the back cover. But there's another 22 minutes of bonus music, half from another concert with additional musicians and half Chris playing at home. Those songs are:

Concert:
Hold On I
John Hardy
Seems So Real

Home:
I Feel the Same
Homunculus
Every Mother's Son

Amazon originally had two listings for this; I don't know if there really were two versions (only one listed on Signature's website), but after the other one I had originally ordered being out of stock for weeks while this one was in stock, I contacted them and had them send this one. This is not widescreen; go by the ratio shown, not the word listed in the description.

There's a good mix of longer views and closeups of Chris's face, hands playing, and feet tapping. It all sounds and looks great to me.

Chris Smither is a real musician, he writes songs from life experiences that have humour and heart ...he sings in a conversational style accented by a lisp and world weariness. Mr Smithers is a stunningly original guitarist and this combination of singer/songwriter/musician ...sadly today in our world adds up to obscurity and playing to dozens of people at a time in guitar venues and house concerts...and folk clubs....while untalented freaks sell millions and get police escorts to rehab. THAT SAID...
if you can't get to a show this is a beautiful piece of work...and on top of that the bonus footage is also a kick. Okay...Its obvious I'm a fan but that only means I'd have been critical if this wasn't as good as Chris is live and he's great...I saw him open for John Renbourn at the legendary McCabes in LA years back and he blew him off the stage....it was ridiculous how much better he was than the headliner.
This is the kind of music that doesn't get traded in next month , next year, but given to your kids when they get tired of FAKE music...
good job Chris and THANKS!

I love this DVD. It is well produced and shows a talented man doing what he does best. It was done in two takes according to the blurb with a live audience and also gives some insight into his past and where he has come from. The music is supported beautifully by foot stomps, great guitar riffs and that gravely voice resulting in a rare gift to his audience and it keeps on and on. I must confess that I could have listened for another hour it is so good.

I found Chris Smither on Itunes when I listened to a snippet of a cover he had done of a Dylan song. I was immediately entranced. Then I listened to some of his original work and was impressed by his creativity, his unique turn of phrase, his dry/sly sense of humor. His guitar playing is phenomenal. I started searching for more of his work and found this DVD on Amazon. As I have watched it, I have become even more of a fan and his songs are often running in my head. He's got some years on him...I don't know why I never heard of him 'til now, but I'm glad I've finally become aware of him and his talent.

My college son sent me a wave file of Chris Smither two years ago, and I have been hooked ever since! Recently, my husband and I and my son went to The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan to see Chris and others perform live. What a delight. We bought the DVD One More Night with Chris Smither and loved it. See him in concert if you can. You will not be disappointed.

I loved this CD. Smithers is a combination of an old blues guy, a modern sage, and a great songwriter. His songs have a pattern of rhythm and words that gets in one's brain. I recommend watching his DVD of his live show, as doing so helped me understand his use of his feet on a sound board to beat the back rhythm. Every song on this one is a winner.

I love finding new Artists and music styles. This DVD is my reward for trying out a new (to me) Artist. The recording quality is very good and well mixed as it's just him, his acoustic guitar and feet. No screaming guitars or vocals here, just good old acoustic guitar with some witty and serious lyrics. This is one of those intimate recordings with a small audience and the performance is spectacular. I've heard of this guy before but never heard him, he's been around for ever, I guess, as mostly a folk singer but after hearing this, I guess I'm a folk fan too. It's not Woody Guthrie folk but maybe an acoustic folk Boz Scaggs style. Very recommended to any one interested in GOOD music with serious and witty lyrics, an ear massage.

I wish Amazon had a 3 criteria rating that would make for a quicker, more accurate and fair rating of Cd's, DVD's and Blu-ray's.

1. Performance
2. Quality of Audio
3. Quality of Video (for DVD's and Blu-ray's)

1.*****
2.*****
3.*****

Artists that wish to have there performances recorded and recognized should be held to a standard. Poor Audio or Video, no matter how good the performance, is still a bad product. Those who would still purchase sub-standard Audio or Video quality recordings and rank that product highly just because of performance are not doing the industry or the band justice. Demand better and we will get it, settle for less and that's what you'll get.

The last time I mentioned the name Chris Smither in this space was in a review of a few of his CDs that I have listened to over past fifteen years or so. Chris, although he has been on the folk scene in the Boston area since the 1960's and has played all the venues associated with that folk revival and the current dwindling remnant of that revival , has become an acquired taste picked up almost accidentally by hearing him being interviewed on NPR in the early 1990's. I will use the first paragraph of that CD review to start the DVD review of this present musical documentary because that same question asked there applies here.

"If I were to ask someone, in the year 2008, to name a male folk singer from the 1960's I would assume that if I were to get an answer to that question that the name would be Bob Dylan. And that would be a good and appropriate choice. One can endlessly dispute whether or not Dylan was (or wanted to be) the voice of the Generation of '68 but in terms of longevity and productivity he fits the bill as a known quality. However, there were a slew of other male folk singers who tried to find their niche in the folk milieu and who, like Dylan, today continue to produce work and to perform. The artist under review Chris Smither is one such singer/songwriter."

I do not know if Chris Smither, like his contemporary Bob Dylan, started out wanting to be the king of the hill among male folk singers but he certainly had some things going for him. From the very informative interview segments that are interspersed between songs it is hard though to read his appetite for success that one can easily read in Dylan, early on. Chris was in close contact and around those who were influential in that folk revival, especially Dick Waterman who was crucial in getting the old Southern black blues players like Son House a moment of glory.

Chris, moreover, plays that signature blue guitar (not used in the film) for all it is worth, as seen here on several songs including Blind Willie McTell's Statesboro Blues. Or "Love You Like A Man" (covered with certain flair by Bonnie Raitt and other women). Moreover he is as capable as a songwriter as any of writing of longing, lost love, thoughts of mortality and...being stupid in the world. Witness Let It Go on that last point. Then turn it up a notch with a bittersweet song like Caveman (males-haven't we all had our stories of love and lost like that). Yes, Chris had the tools to go out and slay the dragons of the folk world. This is a very important piece of folk music history as a work in progress. That work may not be well known outside the precincts of the graying folk world, but it should be.