DVD : Center Stage (Ac3 Dol) |
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Rating: - * Stupendous! ... I was at Sierra Nevada Brewing in the Big Room for night one of Tommy's stint there. The performance was everything anyone could ask for....the room crackled with energy. The venue is intimate (around 350 people), acoustically incredible and there's truly not a bad seat in the house. I consider it one of the highlights of my life to have seen this stellar musician live. This DVD definitely does not disappoint! Many thanks to Bob Littell and his great crew and staff for a wonderful evening of music and this heritage keepsake. Rating: - * Center Stage - Tommy Emmanuel ... Tommy is a master guitarist and entertainer. It's always best to see him in person but this DVD is a very good representation of what he does. The music is wonderful and flawless. But the real joy is simply watching a person do what he was created to do with every bit of energy and exuberance he possesses. Tommy is a force of nature! Rating: - * A superb, virtuosic performance by Tommy Emmanuel ... I remember being introduced to Tommy Emmanuel around the early 1990s, while he still toured Australia as an electric guitarist with band. At the time, his shows were an eclectic mix of hard rock, with a few acoustic ballads and some fingerstyle pieces, hinting at what was to come. After releasing his album "Only" (2000), Tommy established himself as a premiere acoustic soloist and has remained that way since. His guitar playing skills and overall musicianship continually amaze me. There are pieces here that seem only fit for two guitarists, not one! All of his music is played with energy, clarity and impeccable taste. Highlights of this performance for me were: The Finger Lakes - a nice, moody build-up section to the main fingerstyle chorus. Nine Pound Hammer - incredible rendition of a Merle Travis song. Tommy sings, while accompanying himself with walking bass lines and chords. The last section where he plays a right hand percussion rhythm, while left-hand tapping the bass line (and singing too) will bring a smile to anyone's face. Happy Hours - a clever, uptempo fingerstyle piece, written by TE. This is one of those pieces that comes across as deceptively simple, yet has some very cool melodic parts, especially in the middle. Mombasa - Tommy says "now we're going to go to Africa" before launching into an extended guitar-percussion solo, before AND after the song. I hope that microphone didn't give him too many headaches though. Morning Aire - This is a sublime piece, and Tommy performs it flawlessly. This is the high-point on the DVD for me. Lenny Bro - What a great new piece. It has a very strong rhythmic feel, with quirky melodic ideas. It sounds like TE was experimenting with the whole-tone scale in the middle section. Nice one! Initiation - This is one of Tommy's trademark works, using the guitar with heavy delay and reverb, to create a dark, brooding atmosphere. After the percussive intro, I liked his immediate change of pace, playing a repeated 4-note pattern, with intensity and aggression. Play this one LOUD, on a good system. Overall, "Center Stage" is well produced and is a great representation of the live experience - the only downside for me is the harmonica player that TE brought in for four songs. Bob is a great player, but unfortunately does not know when to stop playing, and often drowns out Tommy's solo parts. This ruined "Working Man Blues" and "House of the Rising Sun" for me. That said however, the songs I've already described are more than worth checking out. Tommy plays guitar with a rare authority and command, allowing the listener to take in the music as much as possible. Rating: - * Outstanding ... Simply outstanding. I recently saw Tommy at the House of Blue in Hollywood, CA (8-23-2008)and I would say that this DVD captured the sense and feel of that concert. I also have the Center stage CD and let me tell you, the DVD truely brings ou the magic of Tommy's live rperformance. Rating: - * Journey Outback Experience ... To see Tommy play live and realize he's making all the music on one guitar is amazing. Initiation, takes you thru the door into the wild and spiritual, an ancient feeling. Touched |
