Customer Reviews

Spinning Wheel

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

 

 

Not sure about anyone else, but I've always considered Blood Sweat And Tears to be pop oriented jazz-rock. 'Spinning Wheel' is a fine hour-long archive performance of the band in Halifax, UK filmed on April 9, 1980. Personally, I thought the cinematography here is very good. Sort of like a late night Public Television special. Tracks that had me playing this DVD over a few times were the jazzy opener "Overture", the beautifully done "God Bless The Child" (great flute work), "Hi De Ho", "And When I Die" (seemed too short), "Spinning Wheel", "You Made Me So Very Happy" and their Hendrix cover of "Manic Depression". Tunes here I simply don't remember are "Nuclear Blues", "You're The One" and "Lucretia MacEvil". Didn't mind the ten-minute "Blood Sweat & Tears Blues" that started out with some stellar acoustic guitar playing. Line-up: David Clayton Thomas-vocals, Robert Piltch-guitar, David Piltch-bass, Earl Seymour-soprano sax, Vern Dorge-sax&flute, Richard Martinez-keyboards and Robert Economou-drums. Should appeal to fans of Chicago, Three Dog Night, Joe Cocker and possibly Blues Project or even Bloodrock. Worth checking out.

Throughout its existence, Blood, Sweat & Tears was an ever-changing line-up of musicians, so pointing out that this is not the "original" group is somewhat meaningless. Even David Clayton-Thomas, the lead singer on most of the familiar hits, was not in the original group. In 1979, Clayton-Thomas put together yet another incarnation of the group, cut an album, and toured briefly in support of the album, disbanding again in 1981. This DVD is a live recording of a concert performed at the Civic Theatre in Halifax, UK in 1980.

I sort my concert DVDs into three categories. The great ones, such as The Moody Blues - A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, merit undivided attention. Many others are relegated to the flat screen behind the bar, providing background at a party. The final group merit only a, "I can't believe they bothered to put that on a DVD."

The DVD falls into the middle group. The musicians are very talented, and Clayton-Thomas puts on an entertaining show. However, the sound is flawed, with a buzz that can be heard throughout during quiet passages. Also, since the band was attempting to promote its new music, the past hits are relegated to little more than a montage. I doubt even a die hard BS&T fan will sit and listen to the DVD more than once.

This DVD is sub par and not worth buying. The sound is poor and the video is not much better. David Clayton-Thomas's concert at Montreal is much better for audio and video albeit as a solo act, but backed by a good band

I am a fan of BS&T and the musicianship on this is amazing as is always true of this group, no matter the particular group that was assembled. My main issue with it is that my favorites, the more popular numbers were just short blips in a medley. I still enjoyed it but wanted more. I thought the guest spanish classical guitar player was great and loved the number. The bass player was amazing and David Clayton Thomas was great in Hidi ho. Really played with the audience. Just felt cheated not to hear the entire song for And when I die, and spinning wheel, God bless the child and the numbers that really made them famouse in the 70s.

Good DVD! A little short. You get a taste of what BST was like back in the day.

is a shame the only material what we have about blood sweat and tears is a really bad work the video is a 4 or 5 over 10 and the sound is 2 or 3 over 10 is a really shame this work sorry but is true