Review of Go Gos, The: Live In Central Park

Introduction

As a teenager in the 80s, I wasn`t really aware of The Go-Go`s at all, in fact I couldn`t see beyond Susannah Hoffs and the rest of The Bangles. I think the main appeal for the band originated in the US. So, 17 years on, can the band still hack it? With tracks like Skidmarks On My Heart, Sonic Superslide, This Town, Beatnik Beach and Our Lips Are Sealed, the band show they`re still on form and perform quite well together. The live performance takes place on one stage in the park with a variety of cameras filming them.

Video

4:3 fullframe is what we have and the quality looks good. I couldn`t spot any problems with the video transfer at all, the colours are clear and sharp. It`s a shame it`s shot with a fullframe since it was only recorded last year, talk about lack of foresight.

Audio

We have quite a few options here. There`s the DD2.0 DD5.1 and DTS soundtracks to select from. The music is very clear, punchy and dynamic although I`m hard pushed to spot any real difference between the DD and DTS tracks. The one downside is the way it`s recorded because I can`t make out some of the lyrics being sung in the noisy throng; there aren`t any subtitles.

Features

Apart from the audio options and the track selection, there`s a 30 minute Behind the Scenes which includes a 4 minute In Retrospect featurette. The Behind the Scenes is filmed while the band are being made up at the hotel and on their way to Central Park. It`s only mildly interesting though. That`s your lot. On screen captions for each track would have been useful, as would have been biography info or a multi-angle feature. There were enough cameras used to make this a novelty worth playing with.

Conclusion

This is quite a comprehensive DVD with 18 tracks, all recorded live in Central Park in May 2001. It`s amazing to see that the band can still pack in the fans and they look like a right fanatical bunch too. In fact the only thing that moves the most are the various cameras filming the band. The bands stage performance isn`t exactly mesmerising. They don`t bound across the stage as frantically as they used to 17 years ago, I guess they`re getting a little past it by now. While I like some of the Go-Go`s music of the past, I feel there`s a problem here. Unless you are a fan and are willing to shell out £20 for a 66 minute DVD of uncharismatic stage performances, you`re going to be disappointed. There`s nothing here over and beyond what a few CDs wouldn`t give you at a far cheaper price. If you like this brand of girly rock/pop tunes and like The Go-Go`s, then you might enjoy this disc. Recommended for fans only though.