Peter Gabriel: New Blood – Live In London 3D in 3Dimensions (2011/Eagle Blu-ray 3D w/Blu-ray 2D and DVD)

 

3D Picture: B     2D Picture: C+/C     Sound: B+/B     Extras: C     Concert: B

 

 

The original leader of the band Genesis when they were considered bold, challenging and rankled as a Progressive Rock band, Peter Gabriel left the band by the late 1970s (they turned into a less creative pop band) and he began a series of self-titled solo albums (you could only identify them by their covers and unofficially numbering them) that showed where the heart of the old version of the band had gone.  Soon, he would also offer innovative Music Videos in its earliest years and then he started to have hits, but never sold out.  Over three decades after going solo, he is now one of the first artists in his field to try a 3D concert.

 

Peter Gabriel: New Blood – Live In London 3D in 3Dimensions (2011) has Gabriel performing some of his greatest songs and biggest hits in new laid-back ways that still manage to bring out what the work is saying.  The 22 tracks include Wallflower, The Boy In The Bubble, Après Moi, The Drop, Washing Of The Water, The Book Of Love, Darkness, The Power Of The Heart, Biko, San Jacinto, Digging In The Dirt, Signal To Noise, Downside Up, Mercy Street, The Rhythm Of The Heart, Blood Of Eden, Red Rain, Solsbury Hill, In Your Eyes, Don’t Give Up (a new version of his classic duet with Kate Bush, here with the female vocal by Ane Brun) and The Nest That Sailed The Sky.  These often feel like and play like ambient performances of the songs to some extent.

 

Some people might not like the orchestral approach arranged by John Metcalfe and conducted by Ben Foster, moving away from the Rock roots of the classic recordings and many live versions since, but it is a nice alternative approach and shot in part with a Telegenic 3D camera.  Blue Leach (that is the name of a man, not a group entity) directed the show and it joins Blu-ray 3D music entries by Lang Lang and Kenny Chesney (both reviewed elsewhere on this site) as impressive early concert entries.  New Blood shows Gabriel’s willingness to go into new territory as much as his debut with Genesis and is definitely recommended.

 

 

The 1080p MVC-encoded 1.78 X 1 3-D – Full Resolution digital High Definition image has some great 3D shots and some goods ones mixed together in an often impressive presentation that is pretty consistent with only minor issues.  It is also often fun and Gabriel goes out of his way to make this memorable.  The 2D 1080p digital High Definition version image is unfortunately not as impressive, showing the 3D not resolving itself well enough in the tradedown and the anamorphically enhanced 2D DVD is even weaker, so 3D is the only way to watch this one.  The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix on the Blu-ray is also impressively consistent throughout with great recording quality and some superior sonic moments you would expect from Gabriel.  PCM 2.0 Stereo and lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 are also offered, but are not as good.

 

The DTS 5.1 on the DVD is the best choice it offers versus the lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 options, but none are a match for the DTS-MA on the Blu-ray.  The combination of the 3D and DTS-MA is the only way to really enjoy this one to the full.  An illustrated, informative booklet inside the Blu-ray case and (18:25) behind the scenes featurette Blood Donors in which Gabriel explains how happy he is with the new 3D technology and making this show.  Note the 2D Blu-ray is sold separately on its own as a single, so don’t buy that one by accident and think you are getting this set.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo