My Top Ten Concert DVD/Blu-ray Discs of 2010

Top Ten Concert DVD/Blu-ray Discs of 2010

I purchased my first Blu-ray disc (BD) concert video last year, and several of them have made their way onto my 2010 top ten list. If you have a decent audio-video system to watch these babies on, the improvements in audio and picture quality can be quite stunning, especially if they were recorded and produced properly. BD concert video sales have taken off remarkably since 2010, thanks in part to more reasonable pricing - you can usually get them for about 20-30% more than their DVD counterpart - and the fact that most new concert videos are now released on both BD and DVD format. Although 2010 wasn't exactly the best year I've ever seen for concert videos, there were certainly enough good releases to make my job at narrowing down this top ten list a very difficult task. Here goes:

10. Marillion - Out Of Season: This hidden treasure, which can only be purchased from the band's own website, is a deluxe, three-DVD, boxed set that captures all three nights of the band's Marillion Weekend 2009, in Port Zelande, The Netherlands. Each night featured a different theme and a completely different setlist, and was highlighted by an entire performance of their acclaimed 1989 Seasons End album, which was the first album to feature new lead vocalist Steve Hogarth, after Fish quit the band the previous year. The real star of this set, however, was the third night where the band dusted off several of their longest and most proggiest tracks - and this is where these progressive rock veterans really shine. (DVD)

9. Springsteen, Bruce - London Calling (Live In Hyde Park): Although I have already come clean as to not being the biggest Springsteen fan in the world, you've got to give credit where credit is due. London Calling was easily one of the best produced concert Blu-ray discs of the year, and Bruce and his E Street Band simply did what they do best - turn in another kick ass live performance. (BD)

8. Metallica - Orgullo, Pasion, Y Gloria: This excellent concert DVD highlights our favorite Hall of Fame inducted metal band during their three sold out shows in Mexico City, during the summer of 2009, in front of about 155,000 rabid fans. Metallica had not played Mexico in about ten years and their Mexican hermanos and hermanas were extremely excited, to say the least. Kirk Hammett was not too far off when he remarked, "it's like Beatlemania." The setlist offers an excellent career overview, going all the way back to their 1983 debut Kill 'Em All album (has it really been that long?) on up to their latest offering, 2008's Death Magnetic. (DVD)

Article Author: Paul Roy

Paul Roy is a system administrator by day and amateur music DVD critic by night. When not attending as many live concerts as he possibly can, Paul likes nothing more than to kick back with a good concert DVD and rattle some walls. …

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