Deep Purple – Live At Montreux 2006 (Blu-ray + HD-DVD)

 

Picture: B     Sound: B     Extras: B-     Concert: B/B-

 

 

After showing up in every video and audio format, including DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD, Deep Purple has finally arrived in high definition video as Eagle Vision HD issues solid HD-DVD and Blu-ray versions of their previous DVD-Video and CD release Deep Purple – Live At Montreux 2006/They All Came Down To Montreux.  The DVD-Video had 16 tracks, while the CD had only 12, but this HD-DVD has all 16 and the second DVD-only Hard Rock Concert with the following tracks:

 

Montreux Concert

 

1)     Pictures Of Home

2)     Things I Never Said

3)     Strange Kind Of Woman

4)     Rapture Of The Deep

5)     Wrong Man

6)     The Well-Dressed Guitar

7)     Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

8)     When A Blind Man Cries

9)     Lazy

10)  Keyboard Solo

11)  Space Truckin’

12)  Highway Star

13)  Smoke On The Water

14)  Hush

15)  Too Much Fun

16)  Black Night

 

Hard Rock Concert

 

     1) Fireball

     2) I Got Your Number

     3) Strange Kind Of Woman

     4) Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

     5) Rapture Of The Deep

     6) Wrong Man

     7) Lazy

     8) Perfect Strangers

     9) Highway Star

     10) Smoke On The Water

 

To read more about the concerts, you can access the DVD/CD review at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5519/Deep+Purple

 

 

So that leaves the technical performance, which is a pleasant upgrade from the DVD and one we thought was maybe shot in 1080p HD, but the 1.78 X 1 image is 1080i after all (despite the HD-DVDs 1080p marking) now identified as 1080i on the back of the Blu-ray and that explains why there are too many shots that just do not push the HD image to the limit.  However, this was much easier to enjoy than the DVD version and is much easier on the eyes, versus some HD shoots which might as well be analog.  The sound options in both 1080i disc versions are PCM 2.0 16/48 Stereo, Dolby Digital Plus and the preferred DTS HD 5.1, which is still not the like the multi-channel sound on the U.S. DVD-Audio or import SACD of Machine Head, but is full enough to outdo these options, though the lead singing seems to be somewhat lost in the mixes in all versions of the Montreux concert in both formats.  That is not a problem with the DTS or Dolby 5.1 on the Hard Rock Concert, but that material is not as rich or as full as the Montreux recording.  The DTS HD is the best the band has ever sounded on any video format, however.

 

The extras are the same as the DVD-Video, including the Hard Rock Concert, plus an interviews section in PCM 16/48 2.0 Stereo with the band on camera (16 X 9 again, but low definition) that is more interesting than expected.  Both offer booklets.  Deep Purple – Live At Montreux 2006 is still the better version of the same program in both high definition formats, so HD-DVD and Blu-ray Purple fans will be satisfied if no one else.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo