Search - Lindsey Buckingham :: Live at the Bass Performance Hall (W/Dvd)

Another Great One from a Master

Brandon J. Smith | Philadelphia, PA | 03/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I once read of Lindsey Buckingham that he was "the thinking man's guitar god." In the years since then, I can say without hesitation that that's a perfect description of him, and this cd/dvd set is further evidence of this.



Featuring songs from his latest album, Under the Skin, this performance captures all the aspects of Buckingham that have made him such a rewarding artist since he burst onto the scene with Fleetwood Mac in the 70s. From soft folky tunes to blues to hard rock to perfect pop melodicism, Buckingham does it all. I just love the song "I Know I'm Not Wrong," so was really happy to see it's here. And his new music is strong enough to sit well alongside such classics as "Go Your Own Way" and "I'm So Afraid." Closing the set with "Shut Us Down" is a really cool idea, as it gives the viewer one last look at the most amazing finger-picking in rock.



The dvd is well shot, though it's not as stylized and slick as Fleetwood Mac Live in Boston (a personal favorite). The sound captures the live show - the occasional off note is not fixed in post production. I love when concert dvds include a cd (though this seems to market itself as a cd that includes a dvd), because I'll view the concert occasionally but will listen to the songs very frequently. In this case, the cd includes every song on the dvd except Tusk - which was a good choice for omission. It's a great song, but the odds are, if you're buying this, you probably already have Tusk in multiple versions.



The bonus documentary shows Buckingham in full reflective mode, verbose as always. Buckingham has been very vocal in recent years describing his feelings about music, his mental and emotional state, and the state of the music industry, and this is a good outlet for him to discuss these issues at length, while showing some cool footage of him recording songs for Under the Skin. It's not just a slapped-together bonus, in other words. It's a nice addition to the set.



But the main feature is certainly the concert itself. Having caught Lindsey on this tour, I can vouch for the authenticity of what you're seeing in this concert. This is the kind of heartfelt and awe inspiring performance he gives every night. Truly amazing.



Buckingham fans: this is definitely worth checking out."

A terrific look into the life of a true artist....plus a gre

Richardson | Sunny California USA | 03/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lindsey is a true artist...

not happy rehashing hits but stretching himself as a writer and amazingingly unique fingerstyle guitarist! The bonus 45 minute film is a rare inside treat and really strips some of the process involved in the business of music bare. As far as the concert...its wonderful to see and hear him alone with his guitar expressing these songs so well. On the band numbers I found his arrangements very fresh and so fun ..particularly "Holiday Road" from National Lampoon's Vacation..which is guaranteed to have your toe tapping and a big grin on your face. This is a really cool collection of behind the scenes and music and visuals..HIGHLY recommended."

Buckingham Excels, As Always

The Doctor | Massachusetts | 03/27/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A fantastic testament to Lindsey Buckingham's artistry and live performance. "I'm So Afraid" is just jaw dropping. It's also great to hear some of the older tunes like "Trouble" and "Go Insane." The concert is heavy on tunes from Buckingham's latest album "Under the Skin," which is understandable considering the show was in promotion of it. Personally, I prefer the albums "Go Insane" and "Out of the Cradle" to the melodic "Under the Skin," and "Cradle" is criminally neglected in the concert.



Having both the CD and DVD is great. However, I have to differ with other reviewers about the documentary included on the disc. I enjoyed hearing Buckingham talk about his career, though this is sparse. For the most part the documentary consists of "videos" to, admittedly very good, tracks from "Under the Skin." I use the term video loosely, however, as they are amateurish, uninteresting, and boring. I also enjoyed seeing the inside view of the ongoing frustration Buckingham experienced in trying to sell the disc to a label, but again, this is sparse and lacks any real narrative or resolution. In my opinion the documentary is pure filler, and poor filler at that.



Bottom line, a great concert captured on DVD and CD. Buy it for the music, not the extras, but definitely buy it."