Product: Porcupine Tree: Anesthetize (2008)
Rating: 5.0
Almost as good as watching them live... but better!!!
This is what I mean: I was fortunate enough to attend two concerts from the same tour that the DVD is taken from. No question, PT is better enjoyed live; however, this DVD offers significant advantages that a live concert cannot provide:1. You watch it when you feel like it.2. You don't have to drive to get to the concert.3. The guy in front of you won't block the view of the stage.4. You can seat down and enjoy.But the truly impressive aspects of this DVD are the camera work and the sound mix. During the credits I counted at least 9 camera operators. It is as if you're on the stage with the band! You can watch Gavin Harrison playing from the left, the right, the top, and even from under the drums! I know now where he keeps the set list (down on the left side). You can even read the brand of the drum sticks that he uses.Same with the other musicians: you can see the keys of the keyboard reflected on Richard Barbieri's glasses; the chords that the under-rated, extraordinaire bass player Colin Edwin chooses so discretely; the craftsmanship of John Wesley's guitar playing, and the artistry of genius composer/arranger/musician/producer/promoter Steven Wilson.The sound, the mix and the production are of the most impressive quality. Even the PCM Stereo version is so good I hope they release the tracks on CD or as downloads to be able to listen to in the car.They start out with the full Fear of a Blank Planet album, ala The Incident tour. Impeccable all; "Way Out Of Here" (which can be seen on YouTube) and "Sleep Together" stand out, this last one for the rage and energy that the band displays.It is appreciated that for the second half of the show, they chose a number of songs, which are not that frequently heard on live material available. "What Happens Now", "Cheating the Polygraph" and "Normal" (from Nil Recurring), "Dark Matter", and "Sleep of no Dreaming", among others, are simply spectacular. The show stealer, however, turned out to be a very low key piece called "Half-Light" from the Deadwing sessions, in which Steven Wilson plays his signature Video Guitar and John Wesley finishes the song with the most heartfelt vocal that I've heard in a long time. There is no question: John Wesley is the fifth Beatle!!!If you're still reading is because you already know Porcupine Tree. I don't need to tell you about how good these guys are or that they play the most creative kind of progressive, hard and acoustic rock combination that can be found on this planet. If you're a fan, you have to have this DVD.This review is based on the first viewing of the regular version of the DVD made in England (not the Blu-ray).6/26/10 Edit: A "similar" show from the same Fear of a Blank Planet Tour has been released for a download on the PT site or at the [...] store where most things PT can be found. It's worth the download because the music is great and the proceeds are for a good cause (read below abstract taken from the Burning Shed page), however, it is not the same set list nor the same sequence played on the DVD filmed in Holland. The low price more than justifies the download.This download comprises a complete 2 hour live performance from the Fear of a Blank Planet tour."The show was recorded and mixed to the usual PT standards in order to provide material for a planned live album, but when the decision was taken to film much of the same repertoire in Holland for a major DVD release instead, the Atlanta recording ended up back in the vault.Now PT have decided to make it available in complete form as a download only release in order to raise funds for Mick Karn's treatment for cancer. Although the repertoire is similar to that on the Anesthetize DVD, the performance has its own atmosphere, and also includes the first ever officially released live recording of "A Smart Kid".The mp3s are high quality 320kbps files and there is a break between tracks 8 and 9 in case you want to burn your own 2 CD set, for which Carl Glover has also provided CD artwork.Please note that all Porcupine Tree's profits from the sale of the Atlanta download will go directly to the Mick Karn Appeal. Burning Shed's profits will go to Macmillan Cancer Support."