Status Quo: Pictures, Live at Montreux Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
In 2009, Brit rockers Status Quo took to the Montreux stage to perform some of their biggest hits, in support of their Pictures album. And with a back catalogue spanning 40 years, they had plenty of material to choose from. Songs like 'Rockin' All Over The World', 'Down Down', and 'Whatever You Want' went down a storm with the usually reserved Swiss crowd and stood as testament to the band's enduring appeal.
I remember I was on the road in Europe with a group of friends when I first heard Status Quo's "In The Army Now". We were passing through Krakow, Poland, where a local radio station played the song twice in a row. I thought that it was very good, but certainly not a Status Quo material.
A couple of weeks later, "In The Army Now" was already a massive hit. It was quite incredible because anywhere we went - Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania – we heard the song. Eventually, for a lot of young rockers in the ex- Soviet Bloc "In The Army Now" became something of a rebel song. I found out why much later on -- military service was mandatory there, and from what I was told, many liked how the song poked fun at the Army.
I mention all of the above because if you take a close look at how Status Quo evolved during the years, you would find out that they certainly did not shy away from experimenting with different styles - which is one of the key reasons why success followed them. Status Quo always knew how to blend the old with the new.
Status Quo: Pictures, Live at Montreux was filmed in July 2009, during the English rockers' stop at the famous jazz festival in Switzerland, where they celebrated their 40-year anniversary and promoted their new album (Pictures was released in November 2008). In front of an enthusiastic crowd, the band performed a number of their greatest hits, including "Whatever You Want", "Rockin' All Over the World", "Living On An Island" and "In the Army Now".
Francis Rossi (Guitars/Vocals), Rick Parfitt (Guitars/Vocals), Andrew Bown (Keyboards/Guitars/Vocals) and Matthew Letley (Drums and Percussion) look quite different now, but their music is still as passionate and fun as it was during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Really, I don't remember ever seeing these guys looking bored or annoyed with each other on the stage (unlike their fellow countrymen Oasis), and this is certainly something that is reflected in their music.
In addition to the full-length concert, this Blu-ray disc also contains a terrific new documentary titled "Pictures: The Story of 40 Years of Hits" (99 min). In it, Francis, Rick, Andrew, Mathew, ex-drummer John Coghlan, and tour manager and song-writer Bob Young among others recall how Status Quo came to exist, how their music changed during the years, how they managed to stay together, etc. The documentary also contains a number of wonderful clips from old shows and music videos.
Rockin' All Over The World
Tracklisting:
1. Opening
2. Caroline
3. The Wanderer
4. Rain
5. Don't Drive My Car
6. Mean Girl/Softer Ride
7. Beginning Of The End
8. Is There A Better Way
9. Proposing Medley:
-- What You're Proposing
-- Down The Dustpipe
-- Little Lady
-- Red Sky
-- Dear John
-- Big Fat Mama
10. Pictures of Matchstick Men/Ice In The Sun
11. The Oriental
12. Creepin' Up On You
13. In My Chair
14. Living On An Island
15. In The Army Now
16. The Killer (Drum Solo)
17. Roll Over Lay Down
18. Down Down
19. Whatever You Want
20. Rockin' All Over The World
21. Junior's Wailing
22. Rock'n' Roll Music/Bye Bye Johnny
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080i "live" transfer, Status Quo: Pictures, Live at Montreux arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.
It is obvious to me that a lot of work has gone into this Blu-ray release as the quality of the presentation is simply terrific. Contrast is very good, clarity consistently pleasing and detail excellent. The color-scheme is also great - the red, yellow, blue and green lights covering the stage look terrific. I noticed a bit of mild motion-judder popping up here and there, but I do not think that its presence would affect negatively your viewing experience; it is well within the limits of what we have come to expect from these live shows. On the other hand, I did not see any annoying shadow effects to report in this review. Digital noise is also kept under control. All in all, this is yet another wonderful Blu-ray release courtesy of the fine folks at Eagle Rock Entertainment. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).
There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and LPCM 2.0. I opted for the Music DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.
Recorded live on July 16th, 2009 at the Stravinsky Auditorium in Montreux, Status Quo: Pictures, Live at Montreux sounds great. The vocals are clean and crisp, the guitars well defined and the bass strong. The rear channels are not overly active, but I found them to be quite effective. The crowd noise is never overpowering, though it is certainly an integral part of the show. Dynamically, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is clearly superior to the other two tracks included on this disc - the sound is fuller and notably richer. Finally, I did not detect any disturbing dropouts to report in this review.
The LPCM 2.0 track sounds good but lacks the color and depth of the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. During certain songs (In The Army Now) the singing is quite uneven. Still, those of you who cannot take advantage of the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track should opt for the LPCM 2.0 track.
Quo in Montreux - this featurette contains two interviews that were conducted at Montreux, one with Rick Parfitt and another with Francis Rossi. The two members of Status Quo talk about the past, the music they made during the years, how they managed to stay together, etc; Live performance of "Down Down" (Rossi), "Whatever You Want" (Parfitt), "Roll Over" (Rossi) and "Rain" (Parfitt) are also included. (1080i).
Pictures Auction - footage from an auction meant to raise money for the Prince's Trust. (5 min, 480/60i).
Status Quo: Pictures, Live at Montreux is yet another wonderful addition to Eagle Rock Entertainment's already very impressive catalog of music releases. In addition to the full-length concert, the distributors have also included the wonderful documentary "Pictures: The Story of 40 Years of Hits", which I found to be as entertaining as the main feature. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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