Echo And The Bunnymen - Live DVD

Their passion for army surplus gear may have waned but Live in Liverpool proves that 23 years on, Echo and the Bunnymen are still one of the greatest post-punk bands around. Recorded in August 2001 in their home city, the show is a subtle mix of their greatest hits and more recent tracks. In an attempt to give the recording a 1980s chic, vintage cine-camera footage of the band on tour (shot in the style of Derek Jarman's work with The Smiths) is superimposed over the live material. While the classics ranging from "Nothing Ever Last Forever" to "Bring on the Dancing"... significantly out-number the newer material ("An Eternity Turns" and "King of Kings") they nevertheless sit comfortably together. Proving that they're not too old to rock, the recording begins with the band emerging from a pre-show party clutching bottles of beer. Throughout the live show McCulloch balances a cigarette between his fingers, demonstrating that he's still a bit of a rebel, but perhaps with less of a cause these days. He's still a wonderful performer, and combined with the menace of co-founder Will Sergeant, the Bunnymen are still a live musical force to be reckoned with. On the DVD: Live in Liverpool on disc comes with a quality sound recording which successfully recreates the audio atmosphere of the concert, precisely balancing the bass, vocals and drums. The visuals are, at times, basic, but this is more than made up by the excellent sound and on-stage performances. The on-screen menu is also rather plain, with the strained bonus material perhaps only of being of interest to die-hard fans. Using the same material as that which is superimposed over the main concert footage, the short bonus films for "Crocodiles" and "Zimbo (All My Colours)" provide a flavour of the early Bunnymen. There are also the low-budget videos for "It's Alright" and "Make Me Shine", the two singles from 2001's Flowers. As well as this extra material, it is also worth noting that the DVD live recording and track-listing, differs markedly from that featured on the Live in Liverpool CD. --John Galilee [show more]

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