Studio: Monster Music
Video: 1.78:1 Widescreen Enhanced
Audio: DD 5.1 In Audience Mix, DTS 5.1 On Stage Mix, DD 5.1 On Stage Mix, Stereo
Extras: Digital Music Files encoded with Dolby Headphone In AAC (320Kbps) & WMA (192Kbps); THX Optimizer; Behind The Scenes (6 min); Monster Home Theater Performance tips (5 min); Behind Those Eyes (2 min)
Length: 73 minutes
Rating: ***1/2
This is my first experience with a Monster Music Superdisc. Monster Music is a division of Monster Cable, Noel Lee’s hugely successful accessory manufacturer. The disc is a DVD video that also has digital music files for an iPod or computer. Unlike many of the DualDiscs, it does not offer a DVD-A track–strictly DD or DTS. Although the sound was very good, it could not equal the quality of the superior format. 3 Doors Down puts on a good show live–much like a Matchbox 20 concert. The concert includes their big hits and a good mix of rock tunes both new and old. The production is huge with lasers, pyrotechnics, fog, lights, and a large screen behind the stage. The music is good if you like the alternative rock flavor of the band (see my review of the SACD for more on the music). I was hoping the Behind the Scenes in the extras would have a lot of information about the concert, but it was mostly an advertisement for Monster Music and their new Superdisc. All in all it’s a good show and sound and looks are good.
Camerawork on this disc consists of rapid cuts that vary in length from a few seconds to a split second. The video is HD, so it appears grainy in dark scenes, but clean in lit scenes with a soft haze over the entire image (as seen at many concerts). As for the audio, I found the stage mix sounded much better and louder than the audience mix. Vocals and instruments are much clearer and crowd noise was still audible. The focus was shifted more to the front in a good way. The On Stage mix comes both in DTS and DD. I preferred the DD–the voice sounded more realistic even though the DTS may have an edge on the top end.
Songs included: Duck and Run; Road I’m On; Kryptonite; Father’s Son; Better Life; Away From The Sun; Be Like That; Runnin’ Out of Days; Sarah Yellin’; It’s Not Me; When I’m Gone; Here Without You; Loser.
— Brian Bloom
