The PBS Soundstage series is very good at what it does, and that is presenting live concert performances in an ultra-pristine television studio setting. Much too pristine for my taste though. I prefer my concert videos shot in some dingy hockey arena on a typical night from the band's tour. And while you're at it, leave the extra stage lighting and post-production affects at home, and just film the damn show exactly the way I saw it when I was there. Thank you very much.
With that said, Soundstage Presents: Heart Live, is still a fine compliment to the Heart concert video catalog. Last year's Dreamboat Annie Live DVD is slightly more satisfying than this one, but that too was just a one-off special performance. I am still waiting for something that accurately captures a typical, ass-kickin', Heart concert - like the one I witnessed this summer. Heart got the middle slot between Cheap Trick and Journey on this year's tour, and I can say with confidence that they should have been the headliner. The Wilson sisters tore it up. If only they would have filmed that show for DVD.
The Soundstage performance was recorded over two nights in July of 2005, when Heart were still promoting their latest studio album, 2004's Jupiter's Darling. The best thing about this DVD is that the setlist is long, 24 songs, and it features seven tracks from Jupiter's Darling. I admire veteran bands who continue to put out relevant music, and then dare to play it live, instead of just riding the greatest hits gravy train into retirement.
For the casual fan, the abundance of Jupiter's Darling tracks may drag things down at times, because of the unfamiliarity factor, but the album, as a whole, is as good as anything the band has ever done. Don't hold your breath waiting to hear any new Heart songs on the radio though - no matter how good they are. So it's no surprise that most people only want to hear "the hits" at every classic rock concert now.
Ann and Nancy kick off the performance with a lovely acoustic performance of "Sand", which is from their latest Lovemongers album Whirlygig. Every Heart concert features at least one Led Zeppelin cover, and this night's first tribute was by way of "The Battle Of Evermore". Ann and Nancy still had their respective acoustic guitar and mandolin strapped on from the previous song, and they proceeded to turn in one of the finest performances of "Battle" that I have ever heard. Hell, I liked this version even better than Zeppelin's.
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