Review of Oasis: Familiar To Millions

Introduction

Oasis. Greatest rock`n`roll band in the world ever, or sub-Status Quo pub rockers? Well, that`s for you to decide. And decide I`m sure you will because most people have an opinion about Oasis. Whether it stems from the "Oasis vs. Blur battle" of the mid-1990s, or from the constant headline-grabbing antics of Liam and Noel, most people have got something to say about the band.

Oasis played to over 1 million people in over 20 countries during their 2000 World Tour, and in July 2000, about 150,000 people also had something to say, as they made their way to Wembley Stadium for 2 sell out concerts.

There was always something special about a Wembley concert, and having been to several myself, it`s a shame that it will never be the same again. But if you`ve ever wondered what it was like, this DVD does a pretty convincing job of capturing the unique atmosphere.

Video

Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the video is absolutely stunning. I don`t know a lot about filming but I would swear that this was all shot digitally, as it really looks excellent. There are no marks, no artefacts, no nothing.

The DVD was directed by Dick Carruthers, who helmed the previous VHS/DVD release "There and Then". There are pans around the once great Wembley Stadium, close ups of the band, and plenty of video clips which were used during the concert. I`ll come back to these later.

There are also quite a few video effects on show, with on-screen shimmers and ripples being used to good effect during one song, and some other very psychedelic visual effects. It makes watching a load of blokes playing musical instruments a lot more interesting.

Audio

The important bit. The sound. A choice of PCM stereo, which sounds marginally better than the CD release of the concert, or Dolby Digital 5.0.

The DD5.0 track sounds good, and is used effectively to bring you that full concert atmosphere. This one must be played very loud to appreciate it fully.

Features

And it`s not just a concert DVD. There are lots of extras here too.

Menus don`t count as extras, but the menus on this disc deserve a special mention as they are very good and enhance the overall experience of the DVD. Video clips and sound bits accompany each transition from screen to screen.

There`s also a documentary, which was shot in and around Wembley by Grant Gee (Meeting People is Easy - Radiohead). This really captures the atmosphere of being at Wembley, from the gaterhing of people outside before the doors open, through the initial rush onto the pitch to get to the front, through the concert itself, and right up to everyone leaving Wembley. It`s the whole experience captured on film.

Of course not all Wembley concerts are like this, and Oasis do attract a certain type of fan - I think that`s pretty evident from the documentary which features the police dealing with trouble and also interviews with fans evicted for their "over enthusiastic" behaviour. There are also interviews with Liam and Noel.

As well as watching the documentary on its own, you can watch it in "real-time" using the "blue tambourine" feature. Using the "Matrix white rabbit" idea, you watch the concert and when the tambourine appears you click on it and are transported into the documentary.

This DVD also makes use of another under-used feature - multiple camera angles. Using footage for "Cigarettes & Alcohol" you are presented with several "camera feeds" down the side of the screen which you can switch to with the angle button on your remote.

You`ll also find the films shot for Go Let It Out, Supersonic, Live Forever and Rock `n` Roll Star, which you can watch on their own (they play in the background during the concert).

And there`s also a discography which even includes international releases. There`s also some DVD ROM content that I`ve not accessed.

Conclusion

An excellent concert DVD, brilliantly presented. Great picture and sound and good quality extras make this a great package for an Oasis fan. If you weren`t at Wembley, this is the closest you`re ever going to get. And if you were there, the memories should come flooding back.

A must for fans, but if you don`t like Oasis then you`re not likely to be buying this disc.