Review of Simple Plan: A Big Package For You

Introduction

Canadian pop-punk quintet Simple Plan follow their hugely successful album `No Pads, No Helmets ... Just Balls` with this mammoth DVD, which is predominantly a documentary of their World Tour of the album, together with some very impressive extras.

Simple Plan appear to have two settings: `idiot` and `sycophant`, the former of which is on show for the first 90 minutes of the main feature with the final ten minutes comprised of each band member telling you the best things about the others, how much they love their fans and how they couldn`t imagine doing anything else apart from playing in the band. This section of the DVD became nauseating very quickly and was a surprising change of direction and tone from the 90 minutes of Jackass-like behaviour which accompanied the tour.

Video

The bulk of the DVD was filmed by the band themselves on DV cameras so the camerawork is nothing to write home about, but the quality of the footage is pretty good. The concert footage has been well filmed and its subsequent editing into the band`s own documentary is well done.

Subtitles are available in English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Audio

The bulk of the DVD was filmed by the band themselves on DV cameras so the camerawork is nothing to write home about, but the quality of the footage is pretty good. The concert footage has been well filmed and its subsequent editing into the band`s own documentary is well done.

Subtitles are available in English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Features

There are some deleted scenes including the band golfing in Jamaica (how Punk is that?!) together with Simple Plan`s four music videos and six postcards, (which if you chose to send) would be unlikely to arrive at their destination intact as they are made out of flimsy `magazine` style paper. There is also a 3-track CD included in the package with the tracks `Crash and Burn`, `One Day` and `I`d Do Anything` (the last 2 are live recordings).

Conclusion

It is curious that a band who had only released one album and had four music videos were able to release a two and a half hour DVD and whether it`s warranted depends on your opinion of the band. This is clearly aimed at hardcore fans who will not be disappointed as they are treated to revealing interviews and an hour and a half of footage of Simple Plan on the road and in concert. I was slightly disappointed that there was no timeline on screen, so I had no idea how long they were in any given country for and therefore how hectic their schedule was.

Prior to watching this DVD, I had only heard two of Simple Plan`s songs and this DVD did nothing to endear me to the band or make me want to go out and buy any more of their material. They are a decent pop-punk outfit, similar to bands like Good Charlotte, Bowling for Soup and Sum 41, but are not up to the high standards set by Green Day, The Offspring or Blink 182.

My enjoyment of this DVD is perhaps due to the fact that I am not a massive fan of the band, but if you are, then this DVD is practically a must-have. A couple of final points though: the box describes the content as `Hilarious` which is a borderline breach of the Trade Descriptions Act and although their music may cater to a young audience, be warned this DVD does contain multiple uses of the `F`-word.