BMG Music presents

Dave Matthews: Listener Supported (1999)

"Ya'll smell good this evening!"- Dave Matthews

Stars: Dave Matthews
Other Stars: Carter Beauford, Boyd Tinsley
Manufacturer: Crush Digital Video
MPAA Rating: Not RatedRun Time: 01h:25m:00s
Release Date: 2000-02-08
Genre: rock

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B	A	D+	B+	B-

 

DVD Review

I finally figured out how to position my fingers on the fret board of a guitar when playing, or trying to play, a Dave Matthews tune! Why, you pick up this DVD, of course. With multiple viewing angles of each of the band members and some nice camera work, I can espy just how Matthews positions these wrist-snapping chords and develop carpal tunnel syndrome all from in front of my home theater screen.

Listener Supported sports 19 songs, including a couple that are lyric-free, set in a smooth and slow, take-our-time-cause-we got-all-night kind of jam that really opens you up to the option of losing a night in front of the screen. The opening is just a warm up cut that serves a couple of different purposes: One, to get everyone in the mood, and two, to get those fingers stretched and warmed up.

Anyone who has tried to mimic the songs has struggled to find that extra long sixth finger that Dave seems to have that allows him to get a little more from the six string than a lot of talents out there. He never seems to play the same song the same way in all the different venues where I have witnessed him, thus the songs never get tired (and a select few in the crowd get to scream like idiots because they were the first to recognize it).

This is one hell of a great disc that defies anyone out there to remain still through just one song and not catch yourself bobbing your head and biting your lower lip like...Okay, I admit it. I'm an idiot.

His style is very neutral and spreads over into many genres not excluding a few hybrids out and about. His band is in tune (you'd be surprised how many aren't) and backing him with a thick wall of pump-your-fist, smash-the-dashboard rhythms that, if you aren't careful, might just put some wear and tear into your carpeting.

The opening jam begins free of effort in a slow heart beat rhythm and drags on nicely for awhile until Dave and the band throws us full force into Pantala Naga Pampa (which I personally found to be one of my favorites of the disc). From there they morph smoothly again and again through the rest of the concert, which includes:

Rapunzel
True Reflections
Rhyme and Reason
Two Step
The Stone
Granny
# 41
Stay
Crash into Me
# 40
Jimi Thing
Long Black Yell
# 36
Don't Drink the Water
Warehouse
Watchtower
Too Much

Because of the pacing of this concert (recorded on September 11, 1999 in East Rutherford, New Jersey) these tunes tend to go on about twice as long as the originally recorded tracks, making this one hell of a long show that could be considered tiring by even the most ardent of DMB fans. Jimi Thing felt slowed down about 20 points on the tempo side and a few others benefit from an extra-long Coda and outro.

Dave Matthews is somewhat characterized by the audience's inability to understand his lyrics and his somewhat goofy mannerisms. I found this DVD cleared a lot of the cryptic vocals up for me allowing me to better understand just what it is he is saying in certain passages.

To sum things up, Listener Supported is a very nice way to kick back and enjoy a truly great concert experience from the comfort of your home. Thankfully, Dave's songs can be enjoyed by a wide range of family members (including the dog) and although the concert is a bit long, it's never dull.

Rating for Style: B
Rating for Substance: A

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Review: There was some artifacting early on and the image is a little dark throughout. There is a little crawl along the right edge at times and a drop out about once per song, but they are very small and random. The image overall is pretty good with nice reproduction of stage lights and ambiance. Blues were handled nicely, but reds had a little trouble from time to time. This is not reference quality material here, but it could be considered irrelevant, as the sound is what we are really scrutinizing over here.

Image Transfer Grade: D+
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English	yes
Dolby Digital 5.1	English	yes

Audio Transfer Review: This is what I would classify as a mild punch in the face. The soundstage seems to be very accurately reproduced and bass is not overbearing. The depth of the soundstage is about twenty-five feet back and along the sides is very deep. It wraps around a little shallow in the beginning but opens up gradually later on, as if someone was playing with the mixing board during the live recording and finally got it right about midway through. The 2 channel stereo track is better than any CD of Dave Matthews live album that I have ever heard, and I wish that I could pop this baby in the car stereo when I'm on the road.

His vocals are smooth and a hair bright, complimenting the violinist well. I felt no discomfort with the violin segments, but thought for sure that I would. Overall the transfer feels dynamic and right, with the horns a little brown and the bass slightly muddy. Very nice.

Audio Transfer Grade: B+ 

Disc Extras

Static menu with music
Scene Access with 19 cues and remote access
Music/Song Access with 19 cues and remote access
4 Multiple Angles
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extra Extras:

1. DVD-ROM web link access
2. Slide show set to music.

Extras Review: The extras are not exactly pouring out through the seam in the Amaray case, but at the very least the extras do have value, as even the slide show is enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the multiple camera angles; four different angles on three separate tracks: Rapunzel, Stay, and Don't Drink The Water. The camera angles are from main, left, right, and center. Nice stuff here. Minimum, but nice.

Extras Grade: B-
 

Final Comments

If you are a fan of The Dave Matthews Band, I urge you to seek this DVD out and add it to your collection. The music is great, and although the extras are a little on the slim side, I found them in no way to be "filler" that was thrown in at the last minute to appease those who are looking for extras as a means to an end. Dave is a pleasant but hyper guy, whose energy, you may find, is catching.

Chris Knox 2000-05-09