Music DVD Review: Heart - Dreamboat Annie Live
Published January 06, 2008
Dreamboat Annie Live is the first release from Shout! Factory’s new “Legendary Albums Live” series, which features famous bands performing their quintessential albums live, in sequence, and in their entirety. The artists will also perform songs by the musicians they were listening to at the time for inspiration and give exclusive interviews. So says the distributor's website.
If this excellent new Heart DVD is any indication of things to come, then this is going to be one hell of a new concert series. I get giddy just thinking about all of the bands and albums I'd love to see given this same treatment. How about Rush doing 2112, AC/DC doing Back In Black, Pearl Jam doing Ten, The Eagles doing Hotel California - I could go on for hours.
I was somewhat let down by Heart's last concert DVD, 2003's Alive In Seattle. The sterile setting looked more like a Vegas lounge act than a rock concert and the performances were uninspired. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this new DVD. The Wilson sisters were four years older now, each in their mid-50s, and they would be relying on a single album to sustain most of the show. Were the sisters still that good? Was the album ever really that good? I say hell yes to both!
The album in question here is Heart's 1976 debut, Dreamboat Annie. Yet another band I grew up on has passed the 30-year mark. Wow. Although Dreamboat Annie may have been the quintessential album choice for this series - I might have preferred Little Queen though - this was certainly not the quintessential Heart lineup performing it. As with the Alive In Seattle performance, Heart has long been reduced to just Ann and Nancy Wilson and whoever their current backup band is at the time.
The Wilson sisters have always been the face and lifeblood of Heart; so as long as they are both still around, they will always have a legitimate claim to the name in my book. It is a shame, considering that all of the original band members are still around, that they could not have all come together for this 30th anniversary of their celebrated debut.
I wasn't expecting a full-on band reunion, but a few guest performances by some of the original band members would have been nice. The wounds must still run a little too deep between the Fisher brothers and the Wilson sisters, who shared much more than just a bunch of songs back in the day.
- Music DVD Review: Heart - Dreamboat Annie Live
- Published: January 06, 2008
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Video, Music: Rock, Music: Pop, Music: Classic Rock and Oldies, Review
- Writer: Paul Roy
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Comments
I am a life-long fan of Heart's. As well as the love-mongers, and any side project that Ann, or Nancy have ever been involved in-- also the solo projects. I first fell in love with the band, upon listening to "Magazine" at 16yrs. of age, and being "blown-away" by the hard rock, blues, and folk rock all through that entire album! (although at the time I wasn't aware of the controversy surrounding it's release)
Anyway; The highest compliment I can pay Heart, is: there is no
experience that can come close to a Heart show! Over the years I have seen them, all over New England--upwards of 35 times. At times, the
shows have literally left me breathless, and wishing I had a ticket for upcoming shows,even the next night would be so cool. The energy, the rock n' roll attitude, the powerhouse vocals,and always great band members; the songs and lyrics great performances night after night - what more can I say: Heart has always ruled, and always will, anything they put out has always touched me, and rocked me! You GOTTA have "Heart".





Thanx for the fine review! What did you think of Jupiter's Darling?
To be technically right, White Lightning and Wine was performed live by the original line-up, who recorded it, that is. Also, they followed up with a recent performance on A&E Private Sessions.
Maybe the popularity of youtube and surfacing of classic footage is a factor in the band's decision to feature it. Enjoy!