The DVD did not offer any significant improvements over the original VHS version in terms of audio and video quality. The only audio options included were Dolby Digital 2.0 and PCM stereo and they both sounded flat and compressed. Extra crowd noise was also dubbed into the mix and it became very annoying once you noticed it. The video quality is about what you would expect from a 1983 concert recording that was not touched up - not very good. The picture was dark and did not present any significant detail.
The Extra Features consisted of four post-Hodgson era videos; "Cannonball", "Better Days", "Free As A Bird", and "I'm Begging You", as well as "My Kind Of Lady" from the last album that Hodgson appeared on, 1983's Famous Last Words. "Cannonball" was a particularly good song from the first post-Hodgson album, Brother Where You Bound, and its accompanying "caveman" video is always a trip to watch. Surprisingly, "I'm Begging You" went on to become a huge dance club smash, and this groundbreaking video certainly shows why.
Although this DVD is a rather poorly produced affair, it will remind you just how timeless some of this band's music really is. Supertramp fans should definitely check this one out, since there is essentially nothing else out on video by the band, but also check out the excellent new Retrospectacle: The Supertramp Anthology two-CD set to get a real dose of this once great band.
Set List
01. Crazy
02. Ain't Nobody But Me
03. Breakfast In America
04. Bloody Well Right
05. Give A Little Bit
06. From Now On
07. The Logical Song
08. Goodbye Stranger
09. Dreamer
10. School
11. Crime Of The Century
Performance 7/10
Production 5/10
Article comments
1 - Dave Black
Thanks for the background, very helpful.
As a 70's guy with 32+ years working in the U.S. Consumer Electronics trade, I can’t imagine what would have been captured from Supertramp if our 07’ audio/video tech had been available. Fear not, I’m buying anyway. My eyes and ears are getting pretty old, I may not know the difference in another 10 years.
Thanks again,
2 - mike murray
I love supertramp, is there any dvd of there's that sounds and looks good. please let me know.
3 - Paul Roy
Mike, I'm afraid this is it.