Customer Reviews

Over The Years And Through The Woods: Live (CD/DVD)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Y'know, it's kinda funny...every time a new QOTSA album comes out, Josh Homme always says the new band is 'the best lineup ever' or something along those lines. As a huge fan of Dave Grohl and someone who really appreciates what he contributed to SONGS FOR THE DEAF, I must say I was pretty dubious of Josh's claim this time.
I needn't have worried. This version of Queens is a monster.
See, I highly dig LULLABIES..., but it doesn't really have a strong 'band' presence to it, probably due, I hate to admit it, to the absence of Nick Oliveri. What's good about this effect is that it really makes the strength of the songwriting stand out...
The great thing about this CD/DVD is that when a bunch of talented, tight and passionate musicians like the ones assembled here tear into these songs, they find all kinds of fresh new blood in those veins. Joey Castillo pounds the hell out of his kit, very ably stepping in for Mr. Grohl on the SONGS... songs, and propelling the new stuff into Rock God Valhalla. It's also awesome to watch Troy Van Leeuwen and Alain Johannes from Eleven and The Desert Sessions trade off instruments like the virtuosos they are. Natash Shneider (also of Eleven and the Desert Sessions) adds just the right elements, musically and aesthetically, and the JoshMan himself is in perfect form, whether firing off a face-melting solo, hitting all the targets with that laser-perfect falsetto, or verbally destroying a would-be heckler who tries to ruin the show.
Oh, and a note to Travis:
Enough already with the 'hardcore fan' routine. If you're really a hard-core fan of QOTSA, you would know that Nick Oliveri wasn't an original member, although he did come to be an important collaborator with Josh Homme. Look, Nick is awesome and all, but he's also a crazy motherf***er who got kicked out of the DWARVES, for cryin' out loud. I wouldn't believe anything he said in some rock rag any more than I would believe any of Josh's myriad versions of events. It was personal, it was business, but it wasn't OUR business. The QOTSA flag flys with Josh, so love it or leave it, just like Oliveri.
P.S. Looks like Mark Lanegan didn't get fired after all, doesn't it?

For a true QOTSA fan this DVD has moments of brillance and much to my deight contains great footage of Nick and Dave going hard. The production values and sheer size of the project are no where near the scale of the RHCP at Slane Castle dvd but this somehow just re-enforces the intimate setting in the theatre where the main event takes place. The HD cameras are great but when the director gets, in my opinion, too much slack as far as creativity goes he/she ruins some of my favourite songs with poor angles and terrible effects. Don't let that overshaddow the great effort of the band because Josh really is a joy to watch. Overall a really great DVD with some of the extra's a huge highlight. Basically you should buy the DVD just for the cutting shots of the band recording No One Knows while playing it live. Everything else is a bonus. You do have to be a fan of them to enjoy it to its full.

Last week I had the great pleasure of seeing Queens as the opening act for Nine Inch Nails. Their combination of mindblowing energy and musicianship made this truly one of the best gigs I have ever been to (I enjoyed Nine Inch Nails as well)

Simply put, if you're a serious Queens fan this CD/ DVD is essential.

Excellent sound quality on the audio CD- I especially loved the extended versions of You Can't Quit Me Baby (one of my all time favourite Queens songs), No One Knows, Song for the Dead and Long Slow Goodbye. Josh Homme is in great voice and the band is super tight throughout.

The DVD is also very enjoyable just to see a band totally engrossed in their own world and music. Excellent and very varied setlist- you get to hear a lot of older Queens material as well as rare tracks such as the mellow I Wanna Make It Wit Chu from the Desert Sessions and Fun Machine, a lost track from the wonderful Lullabies to Paralyze. Cool bonus features with guests and former band members such as Dave Grohl, Nick Oliveri and Mark Lanegan, but the picture and sound quality varies quite a lot. Heads up on another cool feature: you get a commentary if you change the audio setup to French. If you're expecting theatrics and pyrotechnics you've come to the wrong place, for Queens it's really all about the music.

And one last warning for all the **** smokers out there, better pick a different show to heckle at next time ;).

As a QOTSA fan, you can't get any better than this.

What I really appreciate is that Josh really seems to care for his fans. For the price of one CD, you get the live CD and then a 2-hour show shot in HD (widescreen 16:9) and mixed in surround (The liner notes don't say if there is a DTS 5:1 mix).

But more importantly, the DVD shows the band at their best. You can really see the joy of five musicians making music. What I'm most happy about is the song selection of the DVD.

As much as I love PTL, Queens put a lot more emphasis on their older material and some B-Sides. If your a Queens fan, you have to buy this!

Reviews are irrelevant - If you don't know this band already you are not ready. You should go away and play with something soft and safe.

As a QOTSA fan this was probably the best thing I ever bought, ever! The CD alone is worth the price and the DVD is priceless. Make sure to watch all the bonus material. All of it!!!!!

There are enough reviews extolling the virtues of this DVD. All fail to mention that if you turn on the French Language Subtitles you will get audio commentary tracks for all the bonus tracks! If you watch all the way through the credits it cuts to the video of 'First It Giveth' just Josh and Nick.

I am a huge fan of QOTSA, but I have sadly never made it any of their shows. My friends who have been were not impressed, so I had low expectations. I suppose the venue they saw them at must have sucked, because these discs are freakin priceless! My only complaint is that the CD is lacking Avon, Feel Good Hit, and Fun Machine. The versions of No One Knows and Long, Slow Goodbye are fantastic. If you like QOTSA, there is no excuse for you not to own this.

Simply put, the best musical DVD I have ever watched. The production values are great. The sound is great. The extras are great. The setlist is great. I have always wanted to see QOTSA live, but they keep skipping my area. This DVD was just the fix I needed. Of coarse every song has a little extra jam that you cannot find on the studio albums.

QOTSA really did a nice job on this DVD, so plese do not copy it from someone else. Go out and purchase it.

Despite Worries, I Knew the disc will be a valued part of my collection.

When I finally decided to purchase this DVD I was a little worried. ( I owned songs for the deaf, and downloaded every single, and a whole bunch of random songs.) I didnt know if an entire DVD would entertain me. I saw them recently on tour, And they are Incredible. The live accuracy of the (ever-evolving) band was perfect. You hear almost EXACTLY what they have on their studio recordings.

Luckily, their album sounds, and live show COLLIDES into this wonderful set of discs.

During the first batch of songs("Flow" through "little sister") I felt like all I did was spend $15 bucks. But at some point I finally realised I was completely engrossed. A Perfect balance of familiarity and Improv. And of course, the DVD goes on for TONS of songs after that!. I Wish I could come up with a fault of this recording. But there isn't any. Great Sound, Good Song selection, Awesome Visual/Angle Imagery.

It also has alot of Hilarous crowd interaction and Clips


If your just skimming this review, This is a Great DVD/CD set. The Sound Quality is listenable, not like cheap LIVE recordings. PERFECT for putting on in the background. And ABSOLUTELY AMAZING to sit down and watch with the lights dimmed, maybe a couple drinks. = )