Favourite Metal Concert DVDs

I did a search and didn't find anything on this subject, so I thought I'd take a crack, jack.

Which are the concert DVDs really worth grabbin' a hold of?

I just sat through a couple of vids which made me realize that I definitely need to get out to a few more shows this summer. Last thing I saw in person was actually pretty recent, Metallica/Machine Head, 01-29-09, but before that was a pretty long stretch.

On vid, I just saw Candlemass - Live In Fryshuset 1990, which is part of their 'Documents Of Doom' DVD. Awesome set from one of the best Metal bands ever. The DVD was filmed in or around Stockholm, Sweden, right there at the absolute peak of their initial growth. Their first four recordings were already under their belt and the bands was absolutely slaying them live every night.

One DVD that I definitely need to talk up is Rainbow's Live in Munich 1977. Not only is there a stellar production job on this DVD, who's footage could have been in absolute shambles because of the era it was filmed in, but the show itself is just frakkin' hot. The band gets a late start on this evening because Blackmore has just got out of jail an hour or so prior to the gig. A special section of the disc tells ya the story of how he got arrested for defending some female's honor in the crowd, and kicking a security guard square in the head. The story is hilarious...especially the part about how they tried to smuggle Blackmore out of the auditorium in an amplifier.

The show is great, with Rainbow coming in a close second to Zeppelin with their live improvisational prowess. This DVD would be cool enough as just a great testament to the power of this live act, but it's value as one of the very first Metal concert videos is indispensable. Ya really need to see what Cozy Powell pulls off on this evening. The boy is on point throughout the entire set. His powerful drumming lends a lot to making Rainbow a formidable live act. Ronnie James Dio's voice is in it's tender prime here. He rips through every song with total command of the audience. Bob Daisley on bass and Dave Stone on Keys. Wow. This is one tight organization.

All of the tunes on the DVD are like three or four times the length of the studio recordings. And, absolutely none of that time is boring. Every jam and musical offshoot sounds purposeful here. This band was very capable of improvisation, whereas most other Metal groups wouldn't have a clue when it comes to stretching out a section. The track 'Mistreated' is the only song that both RJD and David Coverdale have both sung live. Coverdale wrote it with Blackmore, and performed it with Purple in '74, and here Dio does it with Blackmore in '77. The DVD comes with three music videos which were shot for their upcoming release, Long Live Rock. And, inside you find a replica of the original concert programme. Great package for fans of Metal's awesome roots. Definitely worth getting.

What else you guys got? Any DVD info that you care to pass on to us?

That Rainbow one is good. The sound is real awesome. Too bad they couldn't get Dio or Blackmore to do any of the bonus commentaries.

I have only bought a few concert DVD's myself.

Sentenced - Buried Alive
Iron Maiden - Live After Death
Nightwish - End of An Era
HIM - Digital Versatile Doom

Of those, the Sentenced one is essential for a fan, but really not especially awesome performance-wise. The band is not very visual, so you might as well pick up the CD version.

The Nightwish one is quite similar, but I'm sure no-one minds watching Tarja Turunen that much.

The HIM one luckily has both the CD and DVD versions packaged together. 'Luckily', because you won't be watching this one more than once, but of course the CD gets a spin every now and then.

The Maiden one is obviously the best of the three. But even that one I've only watched once and then put it aside to dust. Of course, I listen to the CD version regularly.

I also have the Judas Priest Electric Eye DVD that comes with the Priest Live concert in Texas. And I have Maiden's Early Days that has concert footage, but it's more of a compilation DVD rather than a concert DVD.

I do like to watch concert DVDs, but really don't think the replay value justifies the price. That's why I borrow lots - I get to see the show once and that's all I really need. I buy lots of live albums and I value those a bit more. I listen to CDs a lot. DVDs... well, I tend to not put them on that often. It requires more time to put the TV on, work your way through the menus and all, I guess, and more effort because you actually feel like you have to watch constantly.

Iron Maiden - Live After Death, Rock In Rio
KISS - the entire KISSOLOGY set
And for nostalga purposes - Stryper - Live In Japan (I know it's not on DVD, but is a great memory from my youth!)

I have to agree with Marc on that Rainbow DVD, excellent performance from Blackmore and Dio, Deep Purple's 'Come Hell or High Water' DVD is excellent, and strange at times, when time to time Blackmore stops playing right in the middle of a few songs.

Led Zeppelin-DVD, one of my favorites, Metallica's Cunning Stunts (or whatever it is called) has a great performance, Alice Cooper-Brutally Live a favorite of one, and AC/DC-Plug Me In, features great live performances from both Bon and Brian.

I could go on, I have lots of live DVDs and VHS performances.

I like a lot of them but I am having trouble of thinking of any official live DVDs that I truly love.

I don't watch a lot of concert DVDs but Overkill's WRECKING EVERYTHING came immediately to mind. That one was sweet. I borrowed it from a friend and didn't give it back to him for something like three months, haha!

Black Label Society - Boozed, Broozed and Broken-Boned
Crowbar - Live: With Full Force
Corrosion of Conformity - Live Volume
Overkill - Wrecking Everything
Iron Maiden - Live After Death
Judas Priest - Live 1983
Metallica - Binge and Purge - Seattle 1989
Slayer - War at the Warfield

some that come to mind that I enjoy:
OVERKILL - Wrecking Everything Live
ANVIL - Live At Wacken Open Air Festival
ONCE DEAD - Return with a Vengeance
DIO - Sacred Heart Live
KISS - Kissology, Vol. 1 1974 - 1977
KISS - Kissology Volume 2 1978-1991
KISS - Kissology Volume 3 1992 - 2000
JUDAS PRIEST - Electric Eye
JUDAS PRIEST - Rising in the East
JUDAS PRIEST - Live in London
HIRAX - Thrash 'Til Death-Live in Concert
HIRAX - Thrash & Destroy
TWISTED SISTER - The Video Years
AEROSMITH - Texxas Jam '78
TED NUGENT - Full Bluntal Nugity
MOTORHEAD - Stage Freight

Fat Freddy wrote:

I don't watch a lot of concert DVDs but Overkill's WRECKING EVERYTHING came immediately to mind. That one was sweet. I borrowed it from a friend and didn't give it back to him for something like three months, haha!

Yeah, that's one of the best I've seen, if not the best.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

I don't watch a lot of concert DVDs but Overkill's WRECKING EVERYTHING came immediately to mind. That one was sweet. I borrowed it from a friend and didn't give it back to him for something like three months, haha!

Yeah, that's one of the best I've seen, if not the best.

The concert was fantastic (I could've been there -- I remember seeing ads for it in the local NJ music paper and thinking about going, but something came up) and I also geeked out on the "Batmen: The Return" history-of-Overkill documentary that was included in the bonus features. Just a great package all around.

Led Zeppelin - DVD
Rush - Rush In Rio, R30, Snakes & Arrows, Replay X3
Thin Lizzy - Live And Dangerous
Heaven & Hell - Live At Radio City Music Hall
Trouble - Live In Stockholm
Jimi Hendrix - Band Of Gypsys, Live At Woodstock, Live At Monterey
Deep Purple - Perihelion, Total Abandon, Live At Montreaux 2006, Archive Collection
David Gilmour - In Concert
Pink Floyd - Live At Pompeii, Pulse
King Crimson - Absent Lovers, Deja Vroom, Eyes Wide Open
Iron Maiden - Live After Death, Rock In Rio
C.O.C. - Live Volume
Overkill - Wrecking Everything, Live At Wacken
King's X - Gretchen Goes To London

Megadeth - That One Night, is pretty good.

Alice Cooper-Welcome to My Nightmare- the guitar solo battle between Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter is worth the price of admission alone.

I'd like to see the Corrosion and BLS vids mentioned. Someone cited Priest's Rising in the East, and that one is hot indeed. When you compare it to their 80's vid, Evil Eye, you see how much heavier they sound now as compared to then. Dream Theater's 'Score' DVD is just that...a score.

Anthrax released two DVDs over the last five years and both are good. One is with the classic Beladonna era, filmed somewhere in NJ. Even Dan Spitz comes out of retirement and gets in on the game. All the classic material is covered. Someone told me that this one show had the band thinking about another romp in the studio, but that never happened for one reason or another. The second video is called 'Music of Mass Destruction' and is filmed in Chicago. This one sees John Bush fronting the band, and the set covers pretty much every era of the band. Both vids are essential for the longtime fan.

These aren't Metal, but I think that there's two music DVDs that are essential viewing. The two disc, Led Zeppelin live concert package is a must for everyone. As is, Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii - Director's Cut. This updated version of the Pompeii concert film is much more entertaining than the original. By far. The director splices in a whole bunch of footage which he filmed back when the band were recording Dark Side of the Moon, amongst a bunch of other interesting interview stuff. Some computer graphics are also added and the overall, cumulative effect is a much improved viewing experience.

Megadeth-Rude Awakening
Primus-Hallucino Genetics

Ya know, I haven't purchased the DVD yet, but that Faith No More live concert video was really kick ass...that's on my want list.

Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii is excellent, and detuned mentioned Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous, my only complaint that it is only one hour, at least my old VHS version is.

The Doors-Live In Europe is very cool black and white footage with Grace Slick and Paul Katner hosting and making comments between concert footage.

Also if you are a Pink Floyd fan, check out Roger Waters live DVD 'In the Flesh' excellent concert where Waters performs 'Dogs' off 'Animals' , which I believe Pink Floyd rarely performed.

manny wrote:

Also if you are a Pink Floyd fan, check out Roger Waters live DVD 'In the Flesh' excellent concert where Waters performs 'Dogs' off 'Animals' , which I believe Pink Floyd rarely performed.

I have a bootleg (somewhere buried in a box) of Pink Floyd on the Wish You Were Here tour. They were already performing some of the Animals material in early forms. There's a version of Dogs where the music and arrangement is pretty much set, but the lyrics are very different.

Therion - Celebrators Of Becoming

Marc Mason wrote:

Someone cited Priest's Rising in the East, and that one is hot indeed. When you compare it to their 80's vid, Evil Eye, you see how much heavier they sound now as compared to then. .

Yes, that is a good one. I saw them in concert and they use HUGE subs to crack out the low end sounds - I eneded up right next to the stage in front of the sub when I saw them - pretty powerful sub!!!

One that I have been watching lately is the Nevermore DVD called "The Year Of The Voyager".

Hirax "thrash and destroy" DVD/CD

The part when Katon calls out the two kids fighting is the best.

Detuned, I just took a gander at your DVD list. You sure you're not me, just in a different dimension, son? Our tastes are VERY similiar overall. Ja'think? Maybe you're my son, son. Were you born in any of a number of cities along the eastern seaboard? Not too many folks can boast a fondness for Doom, Prog and, I think I you also said Jazz, as well. If you were a chick I would have asked you to move in already. lol.

As for DVD picks, I heard two dudes mention Overkill's Wrecking Everything. I saw pieces of that one with a pal a few years back. If ya'll diggin' that show, then I'd also make mention of TESTAMENT's Live in London 2005 and EXODUS - Live at the DNA 2004. Actually, the Exodus one is quite boring. Very low budget with only one camera angle, no variations. And, the band is uglier than sin. Not fun to look at, like the glamorous Chuck Billy of Testament. But, since the DVD is of their record release party for the Tempo of the Damned album, I'm down. I really love that recording, and the two following. The show is probably the longest concert on DVD I've ever seen, featuring 25 songs over three hours!

A little bit more effort went into the Testament - Live in London DVD. This is where the classic lineup reunites prior to their 2008 studio masterwork. Alex Skolnick smokes it on the geetaro, and a bunch of cats from Testament's long tenure in the Metal world make their guest apperance. Great band that deserves to be playing arenas instead of small clubs. Actually, it would be great news to hear that three or four of these monster Thrash bands got together and did an arena deal. They're all so much more deserving than Metallica of the attention.

Can't forget about Heaven and Hell's great set over at Radio City Music Hall on the 31st of March, 2007. I was there that night and what I was shown by the band that evening persuaded me to grab myself a hard copy of the gig to sustain the memory. The band only had three titles from which to choose their setlist, so disappointment would have been hard to achieve. They played everything you would expect, plus great tunes which have never seen a live telling, like Lonely is the Word and Falling Off The Edge of the World.

The latest MEGADETH live DVD is poor and/or weak. Just seemed unnecessary. That One Night in Buenos Aires is the one I speak of. I don't even know the new cast of characters. Maybe that's why I wasn't into it. Didn't care for the setlist much either. Love the band though.

I got a question for those here who dig the video torrent thing. Can you name any Metal titles that are really worth getting your hands on? I have a few Megadeth shows that are mostly poor quality. Can anyone name a good one from them, or from any other band? I have a pretty solid one from ICED EARTH on their Glorious Burden tour. I really want a DOWN show. Never saw what they look like on stage. I did find a torrent for this band, but no one was seeding it. Any suggestions for anything?

Thin Lizzy - Live And Dangerous
Primal Fear - The History Of Fear
Saxon - The Saxon Chronicals
Turisas - A Finnish Summer
Firewind - Live Premonition
Overkill - Wrecking Everything Live
BOC - Live 76

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