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When it comes to concerts, I'm a bit of a purist. To me, there is simply no substitute for being there, and any attempt to capture the electricity and intensity of a live musical performance usually falls flat. With very few exceptions -- the Rolling Stones' film Gimme Shelter (a masterfully enhanced version of which was re-released in a limited theatrical run earlier this year) springs immediately to mind - concert films seem rather pointless. Oftentimes they do very little other than provide a static display of a musical performance. Gimme Shelter, for example, puts the Stones' performance dead center in a maelstrom of utter chaos. It captures not only the music, but also the essence, of the Rolling Stones at their prime. Recently, Underworld released the companion DVD to their live CD, Everything, Everything, consisting of performances culled from eighteen months of touring to promote the Beaucoup Fish album. Ranging from performances in Brussels to Japan to Glastonbury to Palm Springs, it too, succeeds in capturing the essence of the group. But instead of the darkness and evil that permeates Gimme Shelter, Everything, Everything conveys just the opposite. It captures the joy, exuberance and physical power of the group's live show in an unprecedented manner. The 9-Gigabyte, dual layer DVD9 takes full advantage of the digital medium. There are three language choices -- English, Japanese, and Welsh (!), two audio formats (Dolby Digital 5.1 surround or stereo), top-notch editing (courtesy of Underworld's other incarnation, the design company Tomato), the option to watch the concert in sequential order or to re-shuffle the tracks, and 90 minutes of pure Tomato visuals to accompany the set list, taken from the images that were projected during live concerts on five huge screens above the stage. In addition, there are five minutes of concert outtakes and two extra tracks accompanied by Tomato artwork. Everything, Everything also doubles as a DVD-ROM for your computer. Its DVD-ROM features include an adaptation of a sound installation Underworld's Rick Smith first developed for a Tomato installation in Tokyo, as well as the ability to create your own visual accompaniment to the track "Dark and Long", utilizing 52 different moving images generated by your computer keyboard. Finally, the DVD-ROM function includes links to various Internet sites and the capacity to access exclusive Underworld audio and visual material through the Internet. According to Underworld's Rick Smith, "This is very exciting for us, because the user will only be able to access the site with the DVD inserted in the computer and we'll constantly be updating the material. There will be film footage and audio that has never been available, including data files which can be downloaded to increase the 'gameness' of the DVD-ROM. Everything will be updated at regular intervals, and for the foreseeable future." Underworld's strong visual sense and penchant for improvisation is readily apparent on the DVD. They succeed in elevating the audience from passive observers to active participants by involving them in the creative process to the extent possible and immersing them in the full audio and visual experience. As cliched as it sounds, you feel like you are there. According to Smith, "There was a beauty in creating a sense of time and place. For me the space between things has always been the most interesting element, because this space is where the imagination runs free. We wanted to maintain that sense of space on the DVD." With the recent departure of DJ Darren Emerson, Everything, Everything acts a final documentation of Underworld as they have come to be known. As a representation of the group's energy and spirit, and as a piece of DVD technology, it is unparalleled. Underworld Live: Everything, Everything is available now. |
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