BLUE OYSTER CULT - A Long Day's Night [DVD]

Posted: 12/29/02

Reviewed by: Dirt

Category: Classic Rock/Hard Rock

Released: 2002

Label URL: www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com

Artist URL: www.blueoystercult.com

Back in October, I reviewed the cd version of A Long Day's Night. What we have here is the companion DVD, which features nineteen of the Blue Oyster Cult's classics. The DVD features quite a few tracks that didn't appear on the cd; "E.T.I.," "Harvester Of Eyes," "Flaming Telepaths," "Last Days Of May," "M.E. 262," "Dominance and Submission," and "The Red and The Black." Only "Astronomy," which appeared on the cd, is missing on the DVD. In my review of the cd, I highly praised the band's musicianship, especially guitarist Donald 'Buck Dharma' Roeser. Well, while it's certainly a joy to listen to Buck on cd, it's even more thrilling to 'see' the master at work. I can say without hesitation that Buck Dharma is the most fluid guitar player that I have ever witnessed. He is one with his guitar, and although he has had well over three decades to master his craft, it is still mind boggling. They just don't make guitarists like this anymore.

Recorded live at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois on June 21, 2002, the band members are physically starting to show there age (in fact, Buck Dharma looks more like someone's father than a rock star), but musically BOC is at its finest. For those of you that might have noticed that Eric Bloom was having some vocal problems a few years ago, A Long Day's Night shows that he is almost back to full strength. However, you might notice that a bit of his throaty grit is missing in some of the expected places. Oddly, Bloom and Allen Lanier seem to have switched roles as of late because for this live show Lanier is up front much of the time playing guitar, instead of behind the keyboards. While he definitely plays a good chunk of the keyboards, he certainly relinquished much of his role to Bloom. It's also great to actually see Bobby Rondinelli pound on the kit, as he gives the position validity, passion and power. And bassist Danny Miranda isn't satisfied with being the bassist in the back, as he is very energetic and adds the needed thump to the songs. However, the camera definitely wasn't seeking him out.

Songwise, this is a terrific set that sounds spectacular, although you should definitely adjust the audio settings in the DVD's menu to fit your television and/or surround sound system, otherwise you might 'lose' some of the vocals. BOC has such a vast catalog to pull from but they always seem to satisfy no matter what they play. They unexpectedly included "Quicklime Girl" from Tyranny and Mutation, "Lips In The Hills" from Cultosaurus Erectus and "Perfect Water" from Club Ninja. But if I'm allowed to complain, I would have went with "Dancin' In The Ruins" instead of "Perfect Water," and "Take Me Away" from The Revolution By Night shouldn't have been ignored. Also a few more tracks from Fire Of Unknown Origin would have pleased me. And where the hell is Lanier's signature tune, "Joan Crawford."

The Bloody Truth: Without the advent of the DVD, I'm sure we would not have been provided with a visual account of BOC. Thank God for technology! Having been a Cult fan since Some Enchanted Evening (1978), I'm still wowed by them to this day. They have a vitality that most of their colleagues no longer possess, and run rings around today's silly rock groups. Buy this DVD and find out what real rock music is all about.