Customer Reviews

Richard Thompson - Live from Austin, TX

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

 

 

1. Richard Thompson
2. Danny Thompson
The thompson boys deliver the goods and there are few chemistries as magical and alchemical as those cast by the superb fretwork of RT on 6 string and DT on upright. These two men were created to play together and every time out it has been wonderous! Live from Austin City Limits was a wonderful series. I'm still waiting for Neil Young and The International Harvesters appearance, possibly Neil's greatest concert.
Anyway, this show as one the ACL producers had been salivating for for years. RT's schedule finally brought him thru Texas and he was definitely on for the night. From the opening "Cooksberry Queen" thru "Put it There, Pal," he delivers catalogue standouts with dynamics and charm. The CD is also excellent, but leaves off "Put it There" and much of the wry humour between songs, so I'd tell you to get both, but with an edge toward this DVD.
Alright, so we get phenomenal renditions of "Easy There", "Shoot Out the Lights" and "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," for which the audience goes absolutely crazy, and he brings forth his take on his collaboration with Neil Finn "Persuasion" with such heartfelt compassion you can't help but wonder how much of his own real blood is in these lines. Certainly England's answer to Bob Dylan, Thompson has penned searing tales that often present his characters on the shores of heartbreak, bleeding. His wry observations on our ability to delude ourselves could be unrelenting, but there is always an element of compassion there as well. Perhaps it is the Sufi in him.
From the video standpoint you'll marvel at his technique and chord changes. This was especially well filmed, and given that it was in Texas, I'm certain there was keen interest in his finger work. No one commands the plectrum and finger picks like RT.
Michael Jerome is the perfect drummer for this band - every brush and stroke and beat is exactly what the song and these two fine musicians need. This is a consummate trio. When they launch into "Mingus Eyes" it is as much a showcase for Danny Thompson as it is for RT, and the way Michael Jerome falls in, you'd swear you could see Mingus smiling.
So pick this up. I watched it staright thru twice. You'll return to it often. This is what DVD and 5.1 wwere meant for.

This is the DVD that Richard Thompson's fans have been anxiously awaiting for decades.
The sound (especially for those with DTS systems) is fantastic, the song choices perfect, the picture quality is great, and, of course, this particular trio is one of the greatest in folk-rock history.
If you're debating between this and the Live in Providence DVD, by all means go with this one. Sure, we all love the great Pete Zorn, but the legendary Danny Thompson (unfortunately absent from the 2003 tour, and therefore the Providence DVD) makes this show transcendent. Of course, Richard Thompson fans should own both (the extras on the Providence DVD alone are worth the price).
Whether familiar with Richard Thompson's work or not, anyone who appreciates great songwriting, and/or great, innovative guitar playing should own this one. I couldn't be happier with this release.

...and I haven't seen this show yet.

I am a Richard Thompson fan. To say "the acoustic tracks are dull" is like saying sex is boring.

We're talking RT here.

Most purists would say they'd be hard pressed to choose between an electric RT show or an acoustic one.

There is no one, NO ONE, I'd rather hear play acoustic guitar more than Richard Thompson.

You are entitled to your opinion, of course, and I respect that, but, even on his worst day, no way could RT be acoustically dull.

...jessayin'...

Thompson is probably one of the most famous cult favorites in popular music. With dozens of albums in his catalog (solo, with then-wife Linda, and with Fairport Convention), he's been lauded far and wide for his guitar playing and songwriting, and his songs have been the subject of two full tribute albums. His idiosyncratic convergence of British folk traditions and American rock 'n' roll has found favor among a broad audience of folk, pop, rock and country enthusiasts.

This latest volume of the "Live From Austin, TX" series captures Thompson and accompanists (Michael Jerome on drums and Danny Thompson on upright bass) as recorded for the U.S. television program "Austin City Limits." The original half-hour TV edit is extended to 79 minutes on CD, and to the entire 87-minute performance on DVD. Unlike the live discs Thompson's offered through his own website, this set captures a single performance arc, showing off not just the singer, songwriter and guitarist, but the showman.

The set kicks off with the rousing "Cooksferry" before settling in to the somber "Uninhabited Man." The trio resonates with jazz-like interplay across fifteen (sixteen on DVD) titles drawn in large part from 1999's "Mock Tudor," and dating back as early as 1982's "Shoot Out the Lights" and 1984's "She Twists the Knife Again." The quality of Thompson's songs remains uniformly high between Thompson's most well-known tunes ("1952 Vincent Black Lightning," who's introductory guitar gains a cheer from the audience) and most obscure (the soundtrack composition, "Mr. Rebound").

Neither a career overview, nor a greatest-hits volume, this is still a good place to get a sense of Thompson's art, and an enchanting opportunity for fans to spend some quality time with their hero. DVD notes: soundtrack provided in stereo, DTS and Dolby 5.1.surround, and the set's 8-minute closing track "Put it There Pal" is included on DVD but not on CD. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]

For those who are already RT fans this one is a no-brainer, but then anything he does is for fans. If you don't know RT this is a GREAT way to be introduced to him. You get his stunning lyrics and guitar playing that is among the best in the world. Richard's humor is evident in between song banter as is his intelligence. In terms of humor I wish he would put "My Daddy is a Mummy," or "I Got the Hots for the Smarts" on a disc someday, but that is a minor quibble that detracts nothing from this disc. RT is one of the best lyricists around and his guitar playing whether acoustic or electric is amazing. A friend once asked at a show if there was more than one guitar player and of course there wasn't! Add the incomparable Danny Thompson on bass, Jerome on drums and what a trio! The DTS track is great.

Thompson's guitar work is a textbook for guitarists--carefully watching his left hand here will teach you as much as 500 dollars worth of lessons might. And the camera work lets you see the guitar as much as you might wish. (this is usually true with Austin City Limits--if you want to watch Stevie Ray's or whoever's hands to learn licks, you can.) Terrific songs here show his range from jazz to rock to folk with Celtic roots, and if you're not a guitarist and not a RT fan, I bet you'd still enjoy this.

RT, Danny on bass, and Michael Jerome on the drums are so great together in this amazing episode of Austin City Limits. My, son, currently 3, has been watching this disc on almost a daily basis for 2 years, at no prompting from me, after watching it with me one night. kinda crazy, but the kid now has a guitar and is so musically inquisitive...and it all started with this great disc. quite a wide range of material, when considered chronologically, that anyone that is a fan of a particular RT period is sure to find a favorite. i love it all, but Mingus Eyes stands out for me as this version being light years better than the studio version. Shoot Out the Lights has an AMAZING appearance on this DVD, and it's rocknroll coolness is emphasized when he breaks a string early in the song. of course, he just keeps on rocking. if you like RT in any capacity, you should love this performance.

This is a good DVD. Only three musicans, drums, bass, guitar. Sounds great! There is no one like Richard Thompson. I like his work.