Customer Reviews

Utopia - Live in Boston 1982

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If you are a fan that absolutely must have everything available by Todd Rundgren and Utopia then I suppose that you'll want this but anyone else should steer clear.

I used to have a video tape of "An Evening With Utopia" and loved it.

Unfortunately that particular show is not available on DVD. Since this DVD is from the same tour I thought that it may approach the quality of the video I used to love so much. Not EVEN CLOSE.

The video quality is poor, the audio mix is often off and the overall look and sound is barely above that of a home-made video or an amateur concert video one may see on local access cable TV.

So, like I said; This DVD is for hardcore fans only.

If anyone knows of a decent quality DVD of Utopia from the same era I'd like to hear from them as I find this DVD almost unwatchable.

Like the other reviewers here, I saw the cover of this & was attracted by the fact that this was obviously the same tour that "An Evening With Utopia" was taken from. But I knew that it was NOT the same show (that show was recorded in Cleveland.) But I picked it up anyway in hopes that it was comparable.

As I said, it's an improvement over their "Columbus" show in both video quality & sound. And the set list is impressive again, with alot taking from the "Utopia" album that they were supporting. Personal faves are "Princess of the Universe" and "Say Yeah." Also represented are standouts from earlier albums, notably "Swing To The Right," "Road To Utopia," and "Caravan."

Bottom line is, it's a great package for the die-hard fan, and a decent intro for the casual observer. But this is not the definitive Utopia DVD yet. Hopefully, someone will get the hint & release a wonderfully remastered version of "An Evening With ..." on DVD in the near future. But until then, this disk will whet your apetite

Utopia was at the top of thier game on this tour but the video and audio quality of this DVD is just awful. The bonus interviews are great and make the item worth picking up for nostalgia purposes only. Get Redux '92 if you want some great Utopia live stuff on DVD

Ok, the video quailty isn't upto snuff compared with "An Evening with Utopia", but it doesn't suck either. The sound quailty/mix starts off a little rough but does improve, and again, doesn't suck - we've all seen & heard what sucks and this is a far cry from being that bad.

Three songs NOT on here that are on "An Evening with..." are Love Alone, The Very Last Time, & Love is the Answer, BUT you get about five additional songs on here that aren't on "An Evening with..." including Forgotten but not Gone, There goes my Inspiration, and several others of that caliber.

If you're into Uptopia, get this - you will not be dissappointed. The performances are solid & passinate - all the boys are on the top of their game for the most part - vocals, harmonies, & instruments - it's clear, this is vintage Utopia. If you've only heard about Utopia, or are only some-what familiar with them, no single video or concert performance will do justice in covering the range this band delivered over the course of their career (that's one of the things that makes them so great) - but this is certainly a great start and should catch your interest to see & hear more of them from other time periods.

Also included on this DVD are four seperate interviews with each of the band members. Provides interesting back-info and behind-the-scenes info...

Yeah, it might of been cool to get both performances (this one and An Evening with...) on a single DVD, it might have been redundant too, but those of us who know & follow Utopia, know that's not a bad thing - Every one of their performances is a different roller-coaster ride to be appreciated for what it has to offer...

I was so surprised by this DVD. I can summarize it with one word: earthy. The sound seemed "real" and unprocessed, the camera work was stupendous! The camera angles shift from point of view of the audience, then of the performers, and then as if you were standing right next to each Utopian, you'd almost feel like you'd have to move out of the way because ooops, theres a roadie squeezing past... . I was one of the lucky ones who attended a version of this concert on Thanksgiving 20 odd yrs ago, here is Los Angeles while it was beamed live over USA cable, and since that show is not on DVD this is second best. Or maybe 1st best, I dunno know now!

TO me the best part of the DVD are the interviews with each of the band members. The interviews are long and informative. When I went back and watched parts of the concert again, I saw it in a new light once I knew the juicy tidbits that each artist shared.

The interviews look to be only a couple years old, so it is wonderful to see updates on each of these brilliant men. They each look great and seem happy ( Todd looks even better now, as does Kasim, since I saw them both a couple months ago in the New Cars)

There were a couple negatives, Todd's interview could have had better lighting instead of that stupid table top lamp, and I don;t know if this is a defect in my DVD or if this is just how it ends... but Kasim's interview just abruptly cuts off! ( It cuts off well into the interview, and I have to say, Kasim's twinkling charm and warmth and great story-telling make this well worth it) . ALso, I dont think this DVD and the interviews would be only of interest to TR Utopia-Heads. The concert itself is muscially involving and has varied camera angles and close ups. Todd, Roger, Willie, and Kasim each have interesting thoughts on their backgrounds,the creative process, how they met, traveling with band members, and/or the various tour preparations. I don't know who the interviewer was, but he/she did a wonderful job.

NOW if only Sanctuary (or whoever) could release on DVD Utopia in Central Park, that Thanksgiving show I mentioned above, and if ONLY they had filmed Utopia those 7 nights at the Roxy here in LA (late 70s) what a DVD that would make!...

**Update: I have watched the whole DVD now, yes the sound gets loud/soft at times, but so what!... this was one of the most energetic and downright rock n roll sexy shows of Utopia, ever. Todd sings "Only Human" as if he was channeling the voices of the ages. GET this DVD!

I like this DVD very much. Yes there are some technical gaffes, but you just have to love Utopia. Also, there are some errors by the boys, but overall very listenable. Still, like some other reviewers I want to see An Evening With Utopia put on DVD. Until then, I will continue to enjoy all of Utopia's DVDs.

Try to find the more polished An Evening With Utopia first. I thought this was the same concert with additional songs edited from that release (ALL of which I would have left on there--they cut "There Goes My Inspiration," "Forgotten But Not Gone," Hammer In My Heart"?!).

I was pleasantly surprised to find I hadn't merely duplicated my VHS collection. My impression is that this was an early club show before the proper touring of the brilliant pop album "Utopia," hence the technical gaffes by the soundman at the show and band missteps, including Todd's lapse of lyrical memory at one point. Apart from the sound board mishaps, the DVD sound quality is crisp.

While An Evening With Utopia is superior technically(and good luck finding it), this DVD is indespensible for Utopia fans, especially those who came to love the band during this power-pop phase.

This is a very good concert video, I say this as you have to think back to 1982. By 2010 standards the filming and sound quality are lacking, but for 1982 mostly this acceptable. As a person who loves all things Todd this is good, There is another that I have on VCR Tape that is slightly better from the same era. But I am glad to have this as well. Plus this one has some interview footage that has been recently shot and is very informative as to the origin of the four man band "Utopia". As they stripped down to the fourpiece format, The first album I remember was "Out Standing In Their Field", with an Album Cover and musicality very reminicent of early Beatles. This new Utopia appeared to be a "Band" effort with songs and arrangements that seemed to reflect all four opinions and styles, songs were written by all members and other voices were heard as well as Todd's. This group fast became one of my all time favorites. As a musician and songwriter myself, I have always been envious of Todd and the rest group's ability to take almost a saterical approach to their writing. Songs like "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" and in later years "For The Want Of A Nail" and "Lockjaw" have a funny side to them, but he also can take the simplest guitar riff and turn it in to a monster heavy metal rock anthem. Laughing all the way to the bank. The sad but true fact is that most people don't even know who Todd Rundgren is, you mention his name and they say Who? ? Then you start rattling off his hit songs and some of the records he's produced and a light goes off in their brain as they realize who he is.

A startling recollection from the 60's is that his original band "The Nazz" did 3 albums for the Columbia/Screen Gems label, when signed they were supposed to be marketed as Columbia's answer for those young upstarts that Capitol Records was marketing called The Beatles. I believe it was Nazz 2 that was pressed on to clear red vinyl (I have a copy).

For a T.R. or Utopia fan this is a definate must have the pluses far outweigh minuses

I'm sorry - I love Todd and Utopia and have had the distinct pleasure of seeing them live many times in the 70's/80s. And the collection of songs here is good - not great - but decent enough. BUT - the DVD sounds as though it was mixed by big bird! One moment, all that can be heard is vocals then too much drum then too much (fill in the blank) but wait ! Todd is about to solo! I can't hear it THEN it's all I can hear. You get the point - I was extremely disappointed at dropping the $18 for this clunker of a dvd. BUMMER!