Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SAGA Lives up to their name.........Phenomenal!!!!, July 2, 2007
I'm breaking my review up into 2 sections: One for each dvd. When I got this I immediately popped in dvd#2, the old footage....WOW!!!!! It's great to see some '81 footage....I believe this may have been while or before WA was released......Sound and picture are great...This is 1981 so keep in mind there may be some inconsistencies in the picture...so all you modern hi-tech freaks be warned...even your $5 million home entertainment center won't be able to sort these minor details out.....The interviews are really good from around '81 to today.....the stories are mildly entertaining....the big surprise on dvd#2 is the inclusion of the rest(?) of the Maple Leaf Gardens '83 show.....5-6 songs including On the Loose, Wind Him up, Pitchman, among others....unfortunately there is no tracking on this section so you need to fast forward past the interviews to get to the songs....but just having this footage makes this a minor hassle...BTW the packaging and art is very cool, clean and well put together. W/ that said in dvd#2 you get around 12 songs of vintage Saga......great stuff.....every fan of Saga needs this dvd!!!
DVD#1...there are Saga performances then there are Saga PERFORMANCES. I was duly floored by the content of the first dvd. Saga absolutely kills it that winter night in Switzerland. Saga warms up w/ some classics such as Pitchman, You're Not Alone and an awesome performance of Ice Nice w/ the astounding harmonies of Gilmour and Crichton which are to prog rock what Robertson/Gorham(Thin Lizzy) are to hard rock. Jim Gilmour is probably one of THE most overlooked musicians in rock. Amazing player and gorgeous singing voice.
Their run through of WA is great...On the Loose sounds as fresh as it did in '81. One interesting moment is that Ian opts for volume swells instead of the reggae-esque rhythm on Amnesia...a bit different, still good...One song I always look forward to is The Interview....a song close to my heart and the song that sealed my fate as a hardcore Saga fan.....IMO this is one of the most profound and touching songs Saga has written.....
The band is relaxed and having fun, Brian Doerner is a hard hitter and a perfect match for the band...He totally understands what Saga is all about. Michael is in top form....essentially the Canadian Freddie Mercury, theatrical, flamboyant (in a cool way) and not known as a piano player but rips when behind the keys. What more could you want in a frontman?? Ian and Jim C.are as tight as ever, the mix is heavier than other Saga dvd performances making the overall sound much more full and warm. The picture and sound are flawless, the performance is well shot, great camera angles. The crowd is enthusiastic and participating like crazy.....
So there you have it...an awesome performance and release by one of rock's most criminally underrated and overlooked bands..This dvd is a must...I don't see me taking this out of my player for awhile.....
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What Kind Of Fool Am I, October 25, 2007
What Kind Of Fool Am I?
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Please...nobody answer this rhetorical question. It is just my Humble Stance. Being that I missed what would seem to have been my final chance to ever see this blast from my past, I took it upon myself to order the Worlds Apart revisited Live DVD. OMG, I can't believe how much these guys have matured both physically and musically. It is so nice to See Them Smile again. Ice Nice thing about Michael Sadler and his choice of Octave (capitalized because it is my late Grandfathers first name), he hasn't lost anything over the last 24 years since I last paid attention to them. How Long it seems now -- must have been Amnesia). Sadler took his own advice. Be Careful Where You Step, he said. Boy oh boy it would have been nice to have been On The Loose in Switzerland on Dec. 8 2005 when this fine recording was made to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this spectacular progressive rock ensemble. If anyone reading this feels like they missed out on most of the career of this brilliant band, you're not, you're not, You're Not Alone! I too feel like a total muldoon. Well, Times Up...I gotta stop writing this review now. As my momma said about her boy ..."don't Wind Him Up...once he gets started blah blah blah blah effin' blah". Don't Be Late. Run out to the store and Give Them The Money for this great 2 DVD set. I'm certain, like me, you will have No Regrets. I'm really just Scratching The Surface with this review.
Keep It Reel.
Sincerely,
The Pitchman.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Don't Want to Sound Cliche' , BUT...., August 31, 2007
....These guys have truly aged like a fine wine. To say this band has "not lost anything" is an understatement.....they have gotten better, tighter and more fluent after all these years! I had actually held off on purchasing this because I felt I had the definitive live performance DVD from Saga--- "Silouette". Well, I can confidently say (after several viewings) that this IS the definitive recorded performance....and will probably remain so as Michael Sadler has left to pursue his solo career.
Basically I can't say enough about this wonderful DVD....The production, editing, video and sound are all top-notch. And, of course, the band is on the very top of their game (don't let their age fool you). The Crichton bros. are absolutely spot-on; new drummer Brian Doerner easily navigates through Negus' inventive drum parts; However it was Michael Sadler and Jim (Daryl) Gilmore that surprised me the most. Sadler has lost not one single ounce of his unique voice, and, as stated above, may have even improved over the years.....and what a great keyboardist. Jim Gilmore sings a couple of his older tunes to great effect....and watching his awesome keyboard work reminded me of just how fluent he is on multiple keyboards---- I believe he is a right handed player, but seems just as comfortable doing left-hand lead (check out "Don't Be Late" for proof).
As for the setlist, one could barely ask for a better one. The old and new are both represented quite thoroughly. I was especially delighted to find one of their gems from the 'Network' album in "Keep it Reel". It was also nice to find a handful of rarely-done-live cuts such as "See Them Smile" and "Too Much To Lose". The main conent of the disc, "Worlds Apart" is fantastically done and has made me appreciate that album even more (I'm one of a minority that doesn't consider 'WA' the bands high watermark). My only minute complaint is the staple concert song, "The Perfectionist", was not included....but thats small potatoes compared to all the great material included.
Once again, I can't recommend this set more. This may well be the last great testament to a criminally over-looked great band. I don't know if the band will continue w/o Sadler, but weather they do or don't, I dare say they won't top this swan song of a DVD. Do yourself a favor and get this.....I'm sure you'll agree its one of the better DVD concerts out there.
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