PHISH: IT dvd release

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by ceddy10165, Oct 13, 2004.

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  1. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    A beautiful package, an crystal clear mix, a stunning picture, excellent direction and editing, and a very powerful message about the spirit of music.

    I have never been a hardcore Phish fan, though I was for many years a hardcore Deadhead. I have the Phish books, have seen some shows, have a handful of tapes, the albums etc, but Phish was never MY band. always admired them and respected their path.

    They really caught my attention with Billy Breathes because the songwriting became less obtuse and the playing started to serve the songs. "Beatles-y" was my thought for the lack of a better word.

    anyway, long story, short. if you'r a fan, you already bought it. but if you've ever sat on the fence and never felt like you understood Phish-- got what IT was about, pick this dvd up. It is a very powerful statement about the love of music. you will feel at the end like I do; that I missed out on some of the most original American art this country has ever produced. :thumbsup:
     
  2. Beatlelennon65

    Beatlelennon65 Active Member

    I bought it, but I havent listened to it yet. I am waiting for that perfect stress free night to watch it from start to finish.:)
     
  3. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Nicely worded ceddy10165! I can't resist a Phish thread. If I don't start one, I MUST join it! Same goes for you Matrix Man!

    Yes, IT was a wonderful festival. This DVD is very well shot and mixed although I have to say the editing can make you dizzy. If only the director had spent more time with each shot instead of feeling compelled to cut to something new every 5 seconds. Still, I feel lucky that IT is here. Something that the DVD alludes to but can't fully convey...the sense of community at a Phish show. It may sound corny but it's true...all 60,000 people at the show were there for A) the band and B) for that intangible feeling of being part of something bigger than the band. I saw much kindness spread throughout the festival site over four days. Phish fans have taken an unfair, stereotypical rap over the years thanks in large part to the media, and, to some extent, a small portion of the community who brought that image on themselves. For the most part, I saw some wonderful people who were respectful and polite to the tiny town they were visiting. Over three festivals, Phish and their fans pumped almost 90 million badly needed dollars into Maine's economy. While I'm sad that it will probably never happen again, I feel blessed that I was able to be a part of it while it was here.

    What I enjoy most about watching the DVD...viewing the close band interaction which is difficult to see in a festival envrionment, even on the giant screens. The interviews are interesting but nothing earth shaking. From Trey's rough voice and tired face, I'm guessing these interview bits were filmed in Vegas in April of this year. Trey has already gone on record as writing that run off as a wasted blowout party (and, I'm guessing, a precursor to the end of the band). I also appreciate being able to relive the weekend with clean feet! The mud was a problem which only worsened as the weekend progressed. I lost two nice pairs of New Balance shoes...oh well.

    There are many memories of the festival which are only hinted at on the DVD...the little extras provided by the band which helped make the site a truly unique city. The water tower became a perfect spot for a giant pair of Groucho Marx glasses and nose...the Sunk City (exactly what it sounds like....a virtual town half planted in the ground) "The Bunny" radio station broadcasting 24/7 at 96.1 FM. Phish licensed a local 100,000 watt station for four days to air their own unique programming....the Runaway Jim 5K Memorial Race on Sunday morning...the giant IT welcome sign..."Our intent is for your delight"....the odd assortment of acrobats hired by the band to randomly walk and entertain throughout the campsite. The sexy "Bunny" girls who kept everyone laughing...and possibly the most amazing moment, the "Tower Jam". The band played on top of the old abandoned air traffic control tower. Unfortunately, only a small segment of this appears on the DVD. The jam lasted about one hour and featured some beautiful and scary improvised music. If you were to put music to a U.F.O. invasion, it would sound like the "IT" tower jam.
    Unfortunately, by the time of the tower jam, I was in my tent, too tired to move. I listened to some of it on "The Bunny" but didn't have the strength to get up and see what was going on.

    The second disc features an additional 150 minutes of music as well as more interviews and a photo gallery prepared by the staff of The Bunny (complete with an aircheck soundtrack).
     

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  4. snaporaz

    snaporaz New Member

    Location:
    Aloha Oregon
    If it takes him 15 seconds to change shots then it sounds like good editing to me! I'm a little worn of the 2 second clips.... Is this an anamorphic 16x9 by any chance?
     
  5. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Actually, that should have read every "5 seconds"...some shots are longer and some are shorter but that seemed to be the average. Yes, the aspect is 16x9.

    It looks and sounds fantastic. The surround mix is very nice...plenty of action in the rears without sounding distracting or out of place. Mike's bass and Fish's drums are prominent in the mix while Trey's guitar is given very adequate placement in the mix. The film "Bittersweet Motel", while containing some great moments from 1997, really seemed to jack up Trey's guitar in the mix while "IT" really makes PHISH sound like a "band".
     
  6. ceddy10165

    ceddy10165 My life was saved by rock n roll Thread Starter

    Location:
    Avon, CT
    mike--thanks for the follow up.

    while the DVD could never truly convey being at the event, it does convey the spirit VERY effectively. IMO this release is an instant classic music film, because it allows a non-fan to understand the music and the intention of the band, and get "IT." There are so many goosebump moments in the film, that I have goosebumps just thinking about it. Like I said previously, I flirted very closely for many years now with Phish, but this show really drove it deep and soulfully home.

    I should also mention that when it was first broadcast in my area, it was followed by a rerun of Trey on Charlie Rose that was icing on the cake.

    as for the fast editing of the DVD, for me it conveyed the enormity and sensory overload of the event and was not distracting, but felt like an artistic intent.
     
  7. Beatlelennon65

    Beatlelennon65 Active Member

    I havent even looked at the track list because I dont want to know what they played! That way it's a surprise! What a goofball! I think I will play it tonight, I've got tomorrow off, so I can have a few tonight and crank up the Phish for some good old fashioned ... I dont know where I'm going with this.
     
  8. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    EASTER EGG on IT DVD disc one

    I read about this on another site and was skeptical until I tried it....it real and it's kinda cool!

    Pop in disc one, go to the main menu and scroll down to "bonus interviews". Once it's highlighted, click your LEFT arrow. A little arrow appears on your screen pointing down.
    Hit "ENTER" and you will see the following message "turn out your lights and turn up your volume. WAVES an Experiment in Surround Sound. What follows is a 20 minute video (about 75% to 25% ratio black screen/action) accompanied by the live "IT" version of Waves. The cool thing about this mix...it's a very aggressive surround mix which begins in the rears and works it's way all around your room. Since the regular 5.1 mix of Waves already exists elsewhere in this set, I thought this was a very nice bonus.

    The action on the screen (don't be surprised by the black screen...the video and still shots come in only occasionally) consists of a mix of moments captured throughout the weekend....crowd shots, camping shots, shots of Trey fiddling with his gear, a nice sunrise, bunny girls, etc.)

    This easter egg would probably be far more engaging if I weren't a 100% sober dude...oh well...it's still a nice touch. If you have the IT DVD or plan to get it, don't miss this easter egg.
     
  9. Beatlelennon65

    Beatlelennon65 Active Member

    Cool! My first thought when I read your post was "this must be really cool if you are in to certain things". I am sure it will still be cool when sober, so I will check it out tonight!
     
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