John Fogerty -The Long Road Home (Concert Video)

Label: Concord Music Group DVD-7022-9
Video: Enhanced for 16:9, color
Audio: DD 2.0 and 5.1, DTS 5.1
Extras:  Bonus track
Length: 98:57 minutes
Rating:  Sound ****  (DTS), Video ****1/2, Performance *****

This is a concert recorded Sept. 15, 2005 at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Mastering of the disc was done by Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. The concert appears to be shot in high definition video and has been broadcast on high definition TV. I won’t beat around the bush; this is one of the best concert videos that I have seen! First the DTS sound is by far the best rock concert sound that I have heard on DVD. Most rock concert DVDs come nowhere near capturing the energy and intensity of a live rock concert – this one does. The sound is crisp and well defined. The band is kept in the front channels and the bass is deep and percussive. The words can clearly be heard and understood. The surround channels are used for ambience and not cheap thrills. The sound competes with DVD-A and most SACD sound. There are two things that stop this disc from being five stars for video. The first one is that the lighting and dark background take away from the total video quality. Cameras do not like strongly-contrasting light and dark in the same frame. When you get a closer shot on a band member you can see it was shot in hi-def. The disc does a good balance between video quality and the visual of a live concert. The second thing is it is not a high definition disc.

The performance is right on. You can tell that the musicians are really into the music. They let the music speak for itself. Fogerty does not screech the lyrics like many rock singers. You can hear all the words and they are sung with feeling. There is no need for flashing lights, dancers and fireworks. These things are usually used to make up for mediocre music or lack of musical talent. The music is a good mixture of Creedence Clearwater and newer John Fogerty songs. I particularly like the song ”Déjà vu (all over again)” comparing our present war condition with the Vietnam War of the sixties. The instrumental playing is very high quality and has a good balance with the singing. This DVD is what all concert DVDs should strive for in quality. Lots of good songs, well-played and sung, and captured well for video and audio. It moved easily into my top five DVD concerts. The band members also deserve mention for their great backup of John. Bob Britt and Billy Burnette on guitar, George Hawkins Jr. on bass guitar, Matt Nolen on keyboards and guitar and John Molo on drums. The Dolby Digital sound is good for DD, but would at best be only three and a half stars. Only as good as a decent CD sound.

P.S. I noted our five star rating for Neil Young’s Heart of Gold DVD. To show where I am coming from I will comment on what my own rating of this disc would be – since Neil Young is one of my favorite artists. I found it a pretty good DVD but not  five stars. The sound lacks impact, detail and excitement. Its transients are somewhat softened The music is probably Neil’s best since the early sixties – very good, but not great songs. Yet considering today’s album standards, better than most songs. The song writing as a whole is much better than average and saves the album. But the performance lacks energy. Yet the DVD is well worth owning. To get a better idea of what the music should sound like, play the high-resolution audio on the bonus DVD of Young’s Prairie Wind album. 

— Clay Swartz