Helvetica & Objectified

One of the most overlooked genres in documentaries is good quality films on designers (Of all persuasions) and the massive influence they have on our day to day lives. So, have you ever stopped and wondered about the process that designers go through to bring an everyday object such as a new type of toothbrush to the market? Or, the sometimes complex decision making needed to choose a type font that will accurately convey a companies 'message' to the wider public? These questions are just two of the central reasons that ex-punk record label boss Gary Hustwit needed to ask himself before setting off on his journey into the world of designers-and the variety of reasons products end up the way they do on the shelf-and into millions of homes throughout the world. And just why Helvetica is so dominant in the world of communications...

HELVETICA

Starting with Helvetica, Hustwit was intrigued by the seemingly endless uses for the font-and how it seemed to dominate with nearly every organization that needs to convey a message to the public-with as little confusion as possible. Sounds easy enough in theory, but as many have found out, choosing the right typeface is extremely crucial to avoid the dreaded misinterpretations that people may have when they are wanting to find out more about a product or service-and where to obtain them. A clear concise message will convey instantly all the critical information a consumer will need to know exactly what it is the organization is offering.
Get the message communicated with an easy to read typeface-and it becomes much clearer for the people who need to use that information quickly-the person who might just spend money on your product or service!
If you get it wrong as such, then you can spend needless amounts of time and energy just explaining yourself to the confused punter. Who then, might decide not to spend money with you-or get they might not get to the right destination because the message wasn't clear enough.

Wisely, Hustwit choose to concentrate the bulk of the story on both-the various people who love using this ubiquitous font-and those that wouldn't touch it with the proverbial 'Ten ft bargepole'! These various personalities are more than vocal in their admiration of Helvetica-or their outright contempt for such an antiquated font that should really be consigned to the history books. And both sides have good compelling arguments for and against its continued usage. But, after viewing this movie, you do understand why Helvetica is at the top of the font world. It is very easy to understand-in nearly every language available, it is the font least likely to give the public any confusion about the message conveyed. Its simplicity is so good, that no other font to date has really had any serious chance to dethrone it from its position.

When I first read about this movie in a film festival book, I just knew that it would be, at the least, an interesting look at a topic that doesn't get much coverage overall in today's society, but, I wasn't prepared for just how much fun this doco was. It was both entertaining & informative-illuminating a subject matter that we do take for granted much too easily in these busy times we live in.

After viewing this fantastic doco, you too, will notice Helvetica much more than you did previously...

OBJECTIFIED

In the second part of his now confirmed "Design Trilogy", Hustwit turns his eye to those other unsung heroes of the design world-industrial designers-to ask them just what factors shape their thinking into the design for any given product. Why do certain things end up in the form they take? Why do they struggle to change that form? Why do some changes come from the most unlikely sources? And most importantly, will most people 'get it'? i.e why are some things so successful-and others doomed to failure? Is it all because of the initial design? Or, are there other factors involved that aren't immediately obvious?

As with his first movie Helvetica, Hustwit logs more frequent flier miles traveling all over the globe to interview some very interesting people at the forefront of industrial design. And one of the best examples of just how great design can make a significant difference is best exemplified by the interview with the head designer of an American company that is clearly head and shoulders above all others-APPLE. To say that Jonathon Ive is a god for the Apple faithful is not too far from the truth. Making computers sexy was never high on the computer industries list, but Apple knew that if these boxes looked different, it would make them stand out in a rapidly crowed field. And it might make them fun to use as well. But, really Apple's big coup was the iPod.
Making that sexy was a masterful mover on their behalf. Now, everyone either has one-or seems to want one! For the record I don't own an iPod-or a iPhone. I wouldn't mind having an iPod-but the phone still seems hampered by poor reception/call clarity issues that might be solved with more time. Maybe its just in this country? (New Zealand).

Aside from Apple, other great designers get to share their stories, ideas, and reveal the sometimes complex processes that are need to bring a product to the market-and for it to be successful as well. The story about the potato peeler is an object that most of us take for granted, but to learn about how a major change came to such a simple item is quite revelatory to say the least. The 'Toothpick' story is another of those "I did not know that?" kind of deceptively simple design masterstrokes that just happen from out of nowhere.

This film is more than just a companion piece to helvetica, its a film that gives you a greater appreciation for the multitude of things in your life that are either very necessary-or taken for granted. By shedding light on this aspect of the modern world, you come away with a heightened level of interest in those things those surround you everyday of your life.

I would recommend this not just to those of you who love good design, but to anyone curious about how good design can make a undeniable difference in your own lives.

Already looking forward to the third part of this trilogy Gary-whenever you decide to make it-that is!

District 9

The temptation to write only about the blatant political allegory on full display is going to be extremely hard for me to resist, so I'll try my best to avoid it if I can. Having said that...

South Africa and Sci-Fi. Not the two most obvious bedfellows you could ever envisage, but think about it for a moment, and it does make complete sense. A country that has had a tumultuous history to say the least, it does provide a rather unique environment to base a movie on with the sort of themes that District 9 deals with.

The story starts with the fact that a massive alien spaceship has been hovering silently over Joburg for 30 odd years, with no sign of going anywhere. Inside, over 1 million alien beings (Dubbed as "Prawns" by the locals-for their rather obvious physical similarities) are dying, and need urgent help. These creatures are the last from their homeworld, but this detail fades into the background when the true plight of their situation is revealed to us. Forced down to earth into a shantytown, the prawns just mope about aimlessly, seemingly without any hint of an optimistic future, forced to endure third world squalidness, begging for food, operating black markets with Nigerian warlords - all to survive another bleak day in a place which is more akin to being in a concentration camp.

Enter the MNU (Multi National United) corporation to run District 9-as they see fit. We meet the exuberant Wikus Van Der Merwe, the 'friendly' face of the corporation sent to be the bearer of some rather disturbing news for the prawns. They are to be moved to another camp-which is going to be much better than the current one. Supposedly. Little does the ever smiling Wikus realise it, but he is just a pawn in a much bigger game. Namely the key reason why MNU are so keen to move the unsuspecting prawns. They want to acquire the aliens' superior biotechnological secrets behind the very formidable weaponry they have. Unlocking these secrets would make a company extremely rich beyond belief.

Whilst conducting the eviction, Wikus is accidentally infected with an alien virus, which causes his DNA to mutate. Into something neither he-nor anyone else could imagine. Slowly, but surely, transmogrifying into a prawn. District 9 picks up speed after this event, taking us on one hell of a ride as the increasingly distraught Wikus struggles to convince anyone that he is OK, when its fairly obvious that he isn't.

Meanwhile, some enterprising prawns are hatching plans of their own-unbeknown to MNU and the general public...

Everything about this seminal piece of Sci-Fi just works perfectly. The story is totally believable (With, yep, you guessed it-the fairly obvious political parallels represented here), the acting first rate (Even though some supporting characters are rather cliched), the alien design (and movements) very convincing, the set & production design's totally realistic, to name but a few seperate aspects that stand out in my mind.

This is a great Sci-Fi movie, one of the very best this year so far. Maybe even, one of the best this decade possibly.

Second Skin

An addiction can manifest itself in a staggeringly wide variety of forms in this modern digital era, so it shouldn't come as a great surprise to many, that some people are completely & utterly addicted to online gaming. And its not hard to see why this is so. Some of these games are so much fun, that you can easily suck up massive blocks of precious time for a never-ending quest for world domination, complex missions, slaying dragons & demons, rescuing fair maidens, fighting the forces of evil to name but just a few diversions! Having played many PlayStation 1 games way back in 1996, I can attest to the compelling nature of games. "Just 5 more minutes babe, just 5 minutes!" is a very familiar phrase that was thrown in the direction of my PlayStation widow-and of countless millions of other people... You get totally lost in the moment, desperate to get to the end of the next stage, goal, better time, end result. Its not the race, its getting to the end that transforms seemingly rational people into monosyllabic grunting neanderthals!

This wonderful documentary gets into the lives of a small group of players whose lives have been profoundly altered by their own unique addiction to an online game called WOW (World of Warcraft). By creating an onscreen character (avatars), these gamers then immerse themselves in this world absolutely, shunning everything else in their own personal lives, concentrating with a obsessive zeal to be further ahead, more heroic, more legendary than anyone else. The commitment alternates between intense-and undeniably, extremely unhealthy in more than one instance. Second Skin delves into these worlds, asking the gamers the necessary questions that are being raised onscreen. Just why on earth, do you guys (And ladies) let yourselves be in thrall to this game? How has playing it affected your own life? And what about the other people in your life-how has your playing WOW affected them? Without much surprise, this film is mainly focused on mainly young guys who've opened up to the camera's to reveal the real impact that their addiction to WOW has created. Their respective stories are all similar-but unique to their own situations. For some, the personal cost has been very high. Some learn to deal with their addiction, some don't acknowledge any problem whatsoever! Complete denial is always useful when you can't deal with the stresses in your own modern life.

Second Skin is an absorbing & entertaining documentary that immerses you very convincingly into the mindset of the online gamer, creating empathy & understanding for these people whose lives have been irrevocably changed by their addiction to this virtual world.

Watch it before you start on your own quest!

Them Crooked Vultures

Here's a taster of something big that's happening in the world of rock!

See if you can guess the various musicians-and what bands they are associated with....

More to come soon. Stay tuned!

Jeff Beck: Performing this week... Live at Ronnie scott's

Short review: Buy it-or rent it now!

Long Review: Finally, the guitars gods have smiled-and bestowed a Jeff Beck DVD on us fans! And its only taken 50 years...

One of the pleasures of the digital age we live in, is getting an ever increasing selection of great music-related DVD's, from complete concerts, documentaries, conceptual works-and many hybrid versions of the aforementioned. Some artists seem to have an endless supply of DVD's-others are notable for their absence. And Jeff Beck definitely fell into the later category! Just why some artists take their time getting to this format is a mystery, possibly it may come down to factors like record company indifference, squabbles over royalties, artist differences-and a myriad of other complicating reasons as to why they have empty spaces in the visual medium.

After reading various rave live concert reviews in the English rock press, I knew that when this DVD was first slated for release, it would be a foregone conclusion that my battered credit card would take another unavoidable hammering, to acquire this masterpiece.

I wasn't disappointed...

In fact, It was revelatory to say the least. Not only at the ripe young age of 65 is Jeff Beck still a master of the guitar, but the backing band were something else as well. That would be the combined skills & talents of: ultra-skillful drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, the shy-ish but stylishly impressive Jason Rebello on Keyboards and last-but not least, the precocious pint-sized Aussie wonder-girl Tal Wilkenfeld on bass guitar. Her facial expressions back to Jeff are both very entertaining-and revealing at the same time. The look of unadulterated joy is absolutely irresistable! Having pointed that out, the rest of the band are clearly having a ball as well. In fact, the audience joins in as well; feeding off on watching the jaw-dropping talent on close display - and the band respond in kind. When Jeff announces later on, that its been "The best week of my life", you are very much inclined to agree with him. To have witnessed this first-hand would have been something else. Again, thank god for the DVD medium. Now, we get to share what those few lucky enough to have been at Ronnie Scott's witnessed in the flesh. Pure musical magic on an unprecedented scale.

To single out any particular song is redundant with a DVD of this magnitude. The whole thing rocks-from go to whoa!

BUY IT NOW!!!

Departures

Usually with my film festival selections, I'll avoid the seemingly obvious commercial movies that I'm fairly certain will come back to the cinema's after completing their run at the festival-and put my time into viewing stuff that I'm not so sure of making a return. Mostly, I focus on the documentaries & animation sections. These genres are a real treat to see on the big screen. But, having said that, I always allow myself a few exceptions, historical epics are one such category! Its pretty damn cool to see vast landscapes, epic struggles, battles etc, on the biggest scene possible. This genre in particular loses a grand sense of scale that regrettably, does get diminished by reduction to the average sized TV screen.

So, with that criteria in the background of my selection planning, when I first read the brief on this film, I immediately was seduced by its potential charm to make me really enjoy the benefits of seeing it on a big canvas.

I wasn't wrong...

Justifiably the winner of the best foreign movie Oscar in 2009 (And blitzing the Japanese Oscars with 10 tucked away safely!), this utterly charming & deeply moving film is damn near perfect from my point of view!

The story is of a Cellist Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), who after unexpectedly losing his job with an orchestra, reluctantly decides to return to Yamagata (His hometown) with his dutiful wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue) to pursue a new career. Of which, he has no idea! Spotting an Ad in the local paper for someone to help with 'departures', he investigates with eagerness, thinking it might be a new career in a travel related business. Of course, he is partially right. Only before the interview starts, he does start to wonder just why there are coffins in this office...
With the owner Sasaki (Tsutomu Yamazaki) not wasting any precious time whatosever, i.e the job interview being one quick question, Daigo is hired immediately. Then he learns the truth about the company's business. Assisting the recently departed on their journey from this life to the next! Shocked, he is struck with a sense of 'how did it all come to this? so quickly in my life so far. But Sasaki is able to impress upon him the honour of such a job-and slowly over the coming weeks, Daigo begins to see things in an entirely new light. Observing the old man tenderly handling the deceased with a care & reverence that is just truly beautiful to watch, Daigo, begins to grasp the sensitive nature of this new job. At first, he is hesistant to assist, but gradually gains enough confidence to try the job firsthand. This new experience changes his outlook completely, and from that point on, there's no turning back. Or at least until Mika is made fully aware of just what Daigo actually does now for a living...

Everything about this beautifully crafted movie is perfect. From the understated, empathetic acting, the masterful direction from Yojiro Takita, the well crafted screenplay from Kundo Koyama, the stirring & majestic score from Joe Hisaishi, the set & production design-all combine brilliantly together to make for a fantastically powerful experience. Although, perhaps the most crucial element is the absolute respect the Japanese show for the deceased. It is an tradition that has been revered, honoured, and cherished for countless numbers of Japanese families for centuries. It is, unquestionably, a very moving experience to watch-even though this is a fictional tale! Half the audience we watched it with were sniffling, crying, sighing, all deeply affected by watching this cinematic masterpiece.

This was my favorite movie of the festival-and of this year to date. Its really hard to see anything else even coming close. Go and see it on the big screen if you can-otherwise buy or watch it when its available on DVD-or BluRay!

Tyondai Braxton: Platinum Rows

This is an exciting development, to say the least. Tyondai Braxton is unquestionably, an extremely talented individual with a superb musical vocabulary, steeped in a rich heritage from his father, the avant garde composer, Anthony Braxton. This musical legacy can be a millstone for many siblings who are born into famous families, many have balked at the mere idea of following the imposing footsteps that famous parents unwittingly hand down. Some however, rise to the challenge of creating new works of art that although, will be inevitably compared to their folks, they make a mark with their own distinct abilities that fans recognize as unique to that person.

Braxton has already made significant inroads in this respect, having recorded with such luminaries as Battles, Glen Branca, Prefuse73, Kronos Quartet, to name, but a few who've benefited from his unrivaled compositional talents and ability to arrange musical pieces that demonstrate his prowess supremely.

I've just sat and listened to this new 'song' Platinum Rows, which is already being touted as the centerpiece of his soon to released album Central Market. And yep, if this is the sound of the new album, then it promises to be a more than worthy addition to his small (But select) body of work thus far. The easiest (And laziest!) way to describe the sound would be "Battles meets the Orchestra". And, in all fairness to Mr Braxton, its not too far from the truth either! That is, its very much the sound of an avant-garde composer writing for an avant-garde orchestra, with a healthy dose of processed vocals, gargled with an odd assortment of unlikely musical instruments. Central Market was inspired by Igor Stravinsky, Bernard Hermann, Brian Eno, John Adams and Swans. This intriguing combination of classical & electronic composers are a vital clue in decoding Braxtons musical lineage-and dropping major hints as to future explorations.

This killer track reeks of all those influences, infused with Battles' type arrangements, but undoubtedly the major contributing factor here is Braxton himself.

Surely, a full length (30 minute plus) piece is not out of reach for a man of this many talents?

To paraphrase Jon Landau...

I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE OF MOVIES-AND HIS NAME IS JAMES CAMERON!

OMG. OH MY GOD!!!

Absolutely mind blowing...

I have just seen the 15 minute promo for AVATAR, and trust me on this-it will be THE movie of 2009 Without question!!!

Now at the moment I don't sound like a 45 year old guy, I sound more like a pimply snotty nosed fan-boy kid who has just soiled himself rather badly but I really do feel extremely excited about this movie as much as I did when I was 14 (In 1977!) and saw Star Wars for the very first time.

I watched the trailer on Friday, and was immediately hooked, and needed more straight away. We then watched a news report telling us of the very first screening in NZ (In Wellington-home of Peter Jackson & WETA) and the reaction of those viewers afterwards. So, when I see in today's weekend paper, that my local cinema (Less than 500 yards away!) is playing the promo footage-for free! - what do you think I did next?

Soon, we are there, getting our 3D glasses, in eager anticipation of what we're about to view. It starts with JC giving us a little preamble about what we are about to view-select footage from the first half of the movie only. And then it starts...

You will totally believe you are in another dimension. The clarity, depth of field, sense of realism is quite frankly, staggering. I have never seen such jaw dropping, eyeball watering visuals on a SciFi movie before On the news report they mentioned that there is something like 850 people working on the visual FX alone! You can see where the money is being spent on this spectacle . But, having said that, the storyline does seem like it will be a major component of this movie. That is one area where, unlike some big name action directors, Cameron does give a huge focus on how the whole thing works in its entirety.

Anyways, back to the stunning visuals... The alien designs, color palates, fluidity, sense of motion, contrast between foreground & background are just absolutely stupendous, to say the very, very least. One thing that seems abundantly clear to me is how much the designers (And presumably James Cameron) were in thrall to such visionary artists such as Roger dean & Syd Mead. The dragon-like bird creatures clearly straight off a YES album cover methinks Not a bad reference point at all!

Come December 18th, there will be a mark made by this movie that will define all that have preceded it-and those who follow in its footsteps. It is going to be the movie event of 2009...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXF2n...eature=related

If you can, go and see this footage as soon as you can. You will not be disappointed It clearly will whet your appetite for the main course to come...

Attached Thumbnails

WHITE LIES: TO LOSE MY LIFE...

I love getting recommendations from friends, because you know one thing is certain. Whatever they are suggesting that you buy, watch or listen to, you know they are wanting you to enjoy it just as much as they have done. When someone is so passionate & enthusiastic about a particular band, album or movie, their infect you so well, that its really hard to say no!

So, when I walked into my favorite record store www.marbecks.co.nz, and asked my friend Bryan about what he could recommend, he had no hesitation in suggesting this young 3 piece from the U.K, the very promising new rock band, WHITE LIES. I wont bother boring you with the details about their history etc, instead I'll direct you to the informative wiki over here. Lets cut straight to the chase, to the stuff that matters most, the music...

1: Death. From the opening minute of insistent bass & drums, you know this track is going to explode later on-and wow-does it ever, soaring into the stratosphere with its impassioned vocal from lead singer Harry McVeigh. The opening line "I love the feeling when we lift off" sets the tone for the rest of the record, with its themes based around death, funerals, loneliness, dreams, fears, anxieties, missed opportunities and a whole host of life's myriad complex human emotions & feelings. Musically, the bands sound is, as many other scribes have noted, reminiscent of obvious influences such as Interpol, Editors, and yes, almost inevitably Joy Division. But there is one major difference. Most of the aforementioned bands have had the tag of 'Gloomy' attached to them at least once during their career, but although you could argue that White Lies sound like they belong with that bunch, their music is much more joyous, upbeat- euphoric so emphatically in fact!. This song has even made it to the status of 'Sing-along-classic' with its chorus line of "Yes, this fear's got a hold of me". Check out the Glastonbury clip on the band's homepage!

2: To Lose My Life. With its Joy division sounding drums, Fuzzy bass line, this propulsive track starts much like the preceding one, then launches into a great chorus, with another interesting couplet "Lets grow old together-and die at the same time". Yep, you can imagine this line being sung along with as well! (And that's not a bad thing either...)

3: A Place to Hide. 15 seconds of shuffling drums makes way for a shiny synth & bass riffs, followed by McVeigh intoning with his now familiar convictions about guilt, redemption-all "before the storms begin". Although a now familiar musical template is being set, each tune has a unique arrangement, one that is very welcome I'd add! This is the sound of a band confident in its abilities to create something different with each respective song.

4: Fifty On Our Foreheads. Slight drop in pace for the opening of track 4, the drums clattering away, setting up for the majestic sounding verse with its glorious keyboards, rich plump toned bass lines, and more soulful vocals from McVeigh informing us to "Start burning in the sky" And, is it me? Or did I hear a snatch of Joy Division's "Atmosphere" somewhere in there as well? I suppose if you gonna reference another band, might as well be obvious about your influences! Initially this track wasn't a favorite, but breaking it down to its parts reveals hidden qualities that cant really be appreciated with one or two cursory listens.

5: Unfinished Business. Opening with McVeigh asking for a second chance, and a church organ droning away, this track bumps up a gear when the chorus kicks in, with the expansive drum pattern throwing scatter-bombs in many directions. Then, with its galloping simplistic bass lines its picks up another gear, with bassist Charles Cave adding backing vocals to the main chorus lines.

6: E.S.T. The most obvious influence in this track is undoubtedly Joy Division, with its fat, rich Keyboard providing a foundation to build from magnificently. Although keyboards are an important part of the bands sound, they never overwhelm any song, instead adding a depth & complexity to the overall sonic template. A sound that would be very hollow if they were removed. Which does beg the question of why bands like this (And many others) never seem to like to acknowledge the pivotal role that keyboards bring to a bands identity, even to the extent that the keyboard player isn't always identified officially in a bands career. See Joel Sieglers fantastic Black Sabbath website for his views on the role of longtime keyboardist Geoff Nicholls!
Maybe guys, for album 2, give Tommy Bowen (Who augments the band on live dates) full band credit. Your sound wouldn't be the same live without keyboards...

7: From The Stars. With its serene String section sweetly setting the tone, McVeigh regales us with a story about a friend having some sort of personal epiphany during a funeral. Another thudding drum pattern laying a solid foundation for the strings to start soaring higher during the following choruses. One of my fav tracks on the album.

8: Farewell To The Playground. A great sharp rhythm guitar riff drives this snappy driving number, with another memorable sing along chorus to keep live fans happy! "Keep on running, keep on running, there's no place like home"

9: Nothing To Give. A moody sombre introspective number, with McVeigh wishing "That I've got no regrets" and "I've clung to time like gold", this ballad is a nice step back from the rockier moments prior to this song. One of McVeigh's most dramatic & impassioned vocal performances thus far in his career, one can imagine other future songs in this vein being well received.

10: The Price Of Love. And saving the best for last? This powerhouse rocker (With a trademark slow intro) is another classic, with all of the now familiar WHITE LIES trademarks in place. Soaring, melodic, passionate vocals; driving, throbbing, thudding rhythms (An rather excellent Entwhistle-like bass riff detected!); crunchy biting guitar lines; full rich strings section complementing the keyboards. All of these come together so perfectly in this fantastically arranged track that probably is already a fan favorite!

And to summarize... This is my album of the year-so far!

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood: Live From Madison Square Garden

DVD Disc 1: The Concert

1: Had To Cry Today
2: Them Changes
3: Forever man
4: Sleeping In The Ground
5: Presence Of The Lord
6: Glad
7: Well All Right
8: Double Trouble
9: Pearly Queen
10: Tell The Truth
11: No Name, No Face, No Number
12: After Midnight
13: Split Decision
14: Rambling On My Mind
15: Georgia On My Mind
16: Little Wing
17: Voodoo Chile
18: Can't Find My Way Home
19: Dear Mr Fantasy
20: Cocaine

DVD Disc 2-Extras

1: The Road To Madison Square Garden. An exclusive documentary featuring new interviews with Eric and Steve, together with rare footage and photographs of Cream, Traffic and Blind Faith.
2: Rambling On My Mind. The final preparation for the three legendary performances highlighted by an acoustic soundtrack performance by Eric of the Robert Johnson standard "Rambling On My Mind"
3: Bonus. Madison Square Garden Performances of "Lowdown", "Kind Hearted Woman" and "Crossroads"

This re-pairing of two of rock musics most respected & revered musicians has been a long time coming, but for 3 nights late last year, their respective schedules had sufficient gaps to allow time for this reunion to finally take place-decades after their initial teaming up in Blind Faith-one of the first supergroups of the late sixties. Although Winwood did appear at Clapton's Crossroads guitar festival in 2007, the timing wasn't initially right for a proper organized reunion, but it did whet the appetites of both Clapton & Winwood to agree to sit down & work out just when their timing would allow more time for a tour.

And thank bloody god these two get along! Unlike the often tenuous & tempestuous relationship that EC has with the other 2/3rds of Cream (Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker) his relationship with Steve Winwood was always much healthier by comparison-musically as well as personally! This point is made because it is readily apparent that Clapton & Winwood just feed off each magnificently-their playing is totally in sync with both-the demands of the music-and the stylistic differences between each other. But the key reasons why this particular concert is so much fun to watch is the passion, energy, enthusiasm & sheer joy these two grizzled gods display so effortlessly. They are having a ball feeding off each other without doubt, so it makes you wonder just why it didn't happen sooner! Presumably they felt this way as well, because checking out their respective websites, they are teaming up again for a full tour proper. And more fans will be able to appreciate this great opportunity in person.

But, this being the digital age, thank god for DVD (and Blu-Ray!). This for me, has being one of the best things about DVD, the fact that so many musical acts are now recorded for posterity via this wonderful medium. And its not just the newer acts that have cashed on this, many older more established artists have found this option an attractive idea as well. This point is even more pertinent when you factor in that many of these musicians from rocks past are getting older-and dying. So, if you can't attend the concert in person, the next best thing is to buy a DVD of the tour. And probably you'll have a better seat-and viewpoint as well! But the really cool thing is that you can replay this concert again, and again, and...again!

I suspect I'll be replaying this DVD more than a few times in the near future...