Cheap Jethro Tull: Live at Montreux (DVD) Price

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Customer Reviews of Jethro Tull: Live at Montreux

Fantastic video of Tull onstage in '03
Jethro Tull is one such act where the same kind of break-neck energy found within the tattered fringes of punk rock co-exists inside virtuoso instrumentation and arrangements. Singer-flautist-co-founder Ian Anderson loves the art of adding several notes of flute and voice at the drop of a sage's hat, and his tendency for ad-libbing can seen and heard on the new DVD, "Jethro Tull -- Live at Montreux 2003," released by Eagle Rock Entertainment. <
>"Jethro Tull music has always retained a degree of improvisation," the 60-year-old Anderson told me on the telephone recently. "Even structured music has space for improvisation. All members of the band have an opportunity to change notes, and that's always fun." <
>Led by Anderson and longtime guitarist Martin Barre, Tull sounds tremendous throughout the new DVD, which will shoot shivers of excitement through the faithful and uninitiated alike, both with acoustic numbers and electric guitar-driven tracks. <
>Anderson selected a near-perfect set list for the new live DVD. It shows the way he and Tull inject adrenaline and inspiration into 19 of their most beloved tracks on the new DVD, which also is available as a double-compact disc set. As the DVD plays, it's little surprising that "Living in the Past," "Aqualung," "Locomotive Breath," "Empty Cafe" and "Life is a Long Song" sound so relevant and feisty, even though the bulk of the video's tracks were first recorded in the late 1960s and 1970s. Bassist Jonathan Noyce, drummer Doane Perry and keyboardist Andrew Giddings round out the quintet as Anderson rotates between flute and acoustic guitar. <
>"I try to be inventive with time signatures when writing, and there's new pieces of music that tests the limits of the musicians, which is exciting," Anderson told me. "I'm just grateful for people to give us something of a chance live, and to want to see a one-legged flute player." <
>Equipped with one of the most recognizable guitar riffs in all of rock music, the song "Aqualung" builds in intensity and the punchy "Fat Man" is ironic without ever being too aware of itself. Yet it's the quieter moments on the DVD, particularly the perfect, should-have-been-a-No.1-hit "Budapest" and the holiday-themed "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Bouree (Version de Noel)," that hit the deepest. Framed by Anderson's acoustic, appropriately crystal-like guitar playing, "Budapest" is a prime example of how Tull weaves classical influences into blues, folk and Mediterranean sounds. The track originally appeared on Tull's 1987 album, "Crest of a Knave," which edged past the gamblers' favorite, Metallica's "... And Justice for All," to win the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album Award in 1988. <
>Check out this DVD. They might not play with quite the fire they had in 1972, but they have a lot of energy and class left in them.

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Great Performance dvd
This is Tull's best dvd effort. Superb audio and video, in my opinion. Ian Anderson may be the most under-rated rock icon out there. He is tops in my book (even when he says some off-color things.....which he always does). I'd love to sit in a living room with Ian for a couple of hours and talk. I bet he's got stories and insights that would keep you totally captivated. Also, it was wonderful that Tull included a song from the old "Benefit" album. "Benefit" is a great, and yet, over-looked masterpiece.

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Strange set list and a disjointed performance
It's always great to get the opportunity for new Tull footage so I can see why the other reviews are so positive. The DVD production values are <
>excellent. There are some strange moments for me, which seem to center around the drumming and timing. Hard to articulate but for me the group just seemed "off" at times. "EMPTY CAFE" was a highlight for me...instrumental off Martin's solo album. It was nice to see that on the DVD. I am not real pleased with the performance on the DVD and upon reading between the lines in the liner -notes maybe Ian Anderson wasn't either.?