Dance Music DVDs & Blu-Ray

Notes: Originally shown in 1998, Big Train was the eagerly awaited follow-up to Father Ted from writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews. Resisting the pressure to make another sitcom, Big Train is, instead, a sketch show in the best Monty Python tradition, updated with influences from arch-surrealist Chris Morris as well as the contemporary The Fast Show. The sketches can be joyously odd--Pythonesque firefighting showjumpers, the evil hypnotist, and the outrageous onanistic office workers, for example--but the show never neglects to keep the punchlines coming thick and fast (though the animated staring contest does rather drag after a while). The cast comprises some of the best new names in comedy, including Kevin Eldon, Simon Pegg, Mark Heap, Julia Davis and Amelia Bullmore (who went on to become Alan Partridge's Ukrainian girlfriend).

Series 2 didn't pull into the platform until 2002, by which time Graham Linehan was absent writing Black Books. But Arthur Matthews maintains the quality of the first series on the whole--the man with oversized hands, the creepy cult questionnaire, the zookeeper's recruitment agency--adding some spot-on French art house cinema spoofs and other movie-style take offs somewhat in the manner of Spaced, which Pegg and Heap had gone on to make. That duo return here for more silliness along with new cast members Rebecca Front (The Day Today, Knowing Me, Knowing You) and Tracey-Ann Oberman (better known now as Chrissie Watts in Eastenders).

On the DVD: Big Train belatedly arrives on DVD in a two-disc set which includes a plethora of deleted scenes for both Series 1 and 2. There are cast biogs plus three of the sketches as performed on a German TV sketch show. Commentary on the first series is by both writers, though happily Pegg, Heap and Eldon gatecrash halfway through. Matthews and Eldon join director and producer for the somewhat more straight-faced commentary on the second disc. Menu options thankfully include the treasurable "Play all" facility. --Mark Walker

Region 1 NTSC format. Will only play on multiregion DVD players.

Notes: Cream in 1968 at the Royal Albert Hall was an emotional experience for the fans and the musicians, as it marked the end of an era. It was a final highlight of the band's career, who had released highly influential albums in the three years they were active.

The band performs their famous improvisational skills and unique musical chemistry. The concert is considered an important moment in music history and was an unforgettable event for the fans, who were able to experience the supergroup Cream live.

The legendary Farewell Concert - worldwide for the first time in HD - It is also cinematically remarkable concert recording, as the film through its means of expression (monochrome sequences, hectic cuts, preference for close-ups and detail shots, double exposures, etc., the film also documents the pop art and flower power movement of the late 1960s and with it the attitude to life of the young generation.

Blu-ray, (region B)

Notes: Cream in 1968 at the Royal Albert Hall was an emotional experience for the fans and the musicians, as it marked the end of an era. It was a final highlight of the band's career, who had released highly influential albums in the three years they were active.

The band performs their famous improvisational skills and unique musical chemistry.The concert is considered an important moment in music history and was an unforgettable event for the fans, who were able to experience the supergroup Cream live.

The mediabook with a foreword by director Tony Palmer and a personal text by Nettie Baker, daughter of the legendary drummer.

Farewell Concert: Live At The Royal Albert Hall in London 26, November 1968 - German cinema premiere: November 1973. Cream is considered the first supergroup in the history of rock music - The music magazine Rolling Stone listed the band as number 67 of the 100 greatest musicians of all time.

The legendary Farewell Concert - worldwide for the first time in HD - It is also cinematically remarkable concert recording, as the film through its means of expression (monochrome sequences, hectic cuts, preference for close-ups and detail shots, double exposures, etc., the film also documents the pop art and flower power movement of the late 1960s and with it the attitude to life of the young generation.

DVD + Blu-ray (region 2)

Notes: "Entering the Forbidden Zone" is a film by Conor McGrady, edited by John Buckley, with the soundtrack, "The Dream of Reason Brings Forth Monsters" by Nurse With Wound. The film was originally developed as a video projection for Nurse With Wound performances scheduled for Russia and for the Shepherds Bush Empire, London, but which were not able to take place due to the onset of the pandemic in 2020. The duration of the film corresponds with the duration of the planned performances.

Imagery is taken from Conor McGrady's artworks probing aspects of power or control. These often stark images have been combined with film footage to create a loose narrative journey into the dark, violent underbelly of contemporary society, generating a sense of unease or disquiet.

Conor McGrady is an artist who has exhibited in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Zagreb, Croatia. In 2022 his first solo museum exhibition "Entering the Control Zone" took place at the Museum of Fine Art, Split, Croatia. "Entering the Forbidden Zone" was premiered in conjunction with this exhibition.

Entering the Forbidden Zone

A Film by Conor McGrady

DVD

Youtube access code alternative also provided

Edited by John Buckley

Soundtrack: "The Dream of Reason Brings Forth Monsters" - Nurse With Wound

Film Stills by John Buckley. Artwork Photography by Tom Flanagan and Sarah Stapleton

Special thanks to Egg, John Buckley, Steven Stapleton & Sarah Stapleton

2022

Signed on request by Steven and Conor.

Notes: Prepare for an explosive journey through a blistering setlist with Duran Duran's 'A Hollywood High' on Blu-ray. Visually stunning, this electrifying high-rise rooftop performance was filmed in Los Angeles at The Aster, framed against an iconic LA skyline and the Capitol Records building. Experience the pulsating energy of the band's timeless music in crystal-clear 4K, enhanced by 5.1 and Dolby Atmos surround sound. With exclusive extras, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews, this DVD is a must-have for any Duran Duran fan.

Blu-ray (region 0)

Notes: Amidst the turmoil of the times, such as the spread of coronavirus and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gezan searched for ways to interact with people and pursued new music with the theme of "voice", at a live concert at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall. The performance of the new system "Million Wish Collective" was unveiled for the first time, and Hibiya was shaken with shock and joy. Directed by Shuichi Bamba, the vivid camerawork with 13 cameras with different textures captures the complexity of this world and approaches the true meaning of what a rock band is. Tickets for this performance, which was greeted with the largest capacity in their career, were sold out quickly at full capacity. The package is a special jacket with a bright red photo of Taro Mizutani stamped with gold foil wrapped in a special jacket called the December Newspaper, and the newspaper consists of the members' columns and illustrations. It is a work full of imagination that presents hope after regaining human wildness and flesh in a distorted era.

Region code: 0 (universal)

Notes: Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the release of Journey's incredible Lollapalooza performance from Chicago, IL on July 31, 2021. The stunning set, which will be released on CD/DVD, Blu-ray, and Vinyl, serves as a testament not only to the band's enduring legacy, but their relevance to a whole new generation of rock 'n roll fans.

"Journey are veteran professionals when it comes to throwing entertaining concerts, and the fans upfront knew that from experience. But for the young festival goers and indifferent onlookers who expected a weathered band of baby boomers to twiddle their thumbs for an hour before breaking out jukebox staples, they got to experience arguably the most underrated feeling a music festival can offer: discovering a different side to an artist's discography that you overlooked up until then." - Rolling Stone

"Journey's Lollapalooza performance blended fresh and familiar, with the band's new lineup delivering a hit-packed package during their Saturday headlining slot." - Ultimate Classic Rock

"Pineda's kinetic showmanship was evident throughout the set's litany of hits, as he brought fresh energy to ubiquitous singles from "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" to "Lights". However, the true spark of the night's set rested in the hands of the band's longest-serving members. Guitarist and founder Neal Schon was a quiet force, delivering a reliable string of solos that felt as economical as they were effortless, while on keys, hometown boy Jonathan Cain added soulful sharpness to "Stone in Love" and "Just the Same Way". If anyone in the crowd was worried about their image, they weren't letting on. Instead, they were singing along to the band's deep catalogue of songs that have embedded themselves in the heads of anyone who's owned a radio in the last 50 years." - Consequence Of Sound

"Unlike so many of their classic rock brethren, Journey has managed to maintain some semblance of relevance amongst a younger demographic and wasted no time getting to the hits Saturday at Lollapalooza." - Forbes

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, Journey have 25 gold and platinum albums, including the fifteen-million selling Greatest Hits collection, with total sales adding up to 80 million records around the world. As the band's legend continues to grow larger and their touring gets bigger, they recently released a new studio album, "Freedom" in July 2022. It was their first album of new material to be released in eleven years, since 2011's "Eclipse". The album was met with rave critical and fan reviews and charted in multiple countries around the globe.

Notes: DVD + CD. Nightclubbing: The Birth of Punk Rock in NYC is the first-ever documentary about the renowned New York City nightclub Max's Kansas City (1965 - 1981), which had an indelible impact on the world of music, fashion, art, culture, and the creation of the New York City punk rock scene. As legendary Alice Cooper puts it: 'A million ideas we're launched back there,' referring to the Max's Kansas City famous backroom, where everybody gravitated toward the pop art genius Andy Warhol, who held court there. This first-ever film on Max's Kansas City features never-before-released footage, including footage of three of Warhol's superstars -- Jayne County, Ruby Lynn Reyner, and Penny Arcade. DVD bonus features include the seven-minute feature titled 'Survivors' Guide to 70s NYC w/ Neon Leon and Sonny Vincent,' trailer and Spanish subtitles. This deluxe version also includes an additional 50 minutes of deleted scenes, a soundtrack CD, poster and special slipcover.

Region code: 0 (universal)

Notes: English rock band Pink Floyd perform live at Earls Court in London on 20th October 1994.

The tracks performed include 'High Hopes', 'Money', 'Us and Them' and 'Wish You Were Here'.

Notes: In the early '90s, aspiring filmmaker (and General Hospital co-star) Ryan Sexton lugged a giant camcorder into some of the seediest clubs and the filthiest apartments in Hollywood. There he filmed hour upon hour of VHS footage of the jaw-droppingly offensive Shock Rock band The Mentors, focusing on their infamous lead singer, 'El Duce.' 30 years later, the team behind The Nightmare and Room 237 and the editor of Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist uncover this dusty stockpile of long forgotten - and unseen - footage. They begin to piece together a picture of the man under the black executioner's hood and what his willfully offensive act and controversial views might tell us about 21st century America. An Incendiary, tragicomic documentary (midway between The Decline of Western Civilization and Crumb) which has been hailed as 'Essential Viewing' by CineVue and called 'Dark and Irresistible"' by director John Carpenter, The El Duce Tapes will chew you up, spit you out, and leave you floored.

Notes: San Francisco was at the center of an explosion of artistic creation during the mid-to-late 60's. Whether it was art, poetry or music, the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco was the place for like-minded individuals to explore and create. Renowned jazz columnist and television producer Ralph J. Gleason took note of the exploding rock music scene and created several groundbreaking television documentaries spotlighting the music emerging from San Francisco.

A Night At The Family Dog was videotaped in February 1970 at Family Dog on the Great Highway in San Francisco. The show captures the heyday and diversity of the San Francisco sound with live performances from Santana, The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.

Go Ride The Music was recorded in 1969, focusing on two of the Bay Area's biggest bands at the time - Jefferson Airplane & Quicksilver Messenger Service.

West Pole is an essay on the San Francisco music scene, originally airing in 1969. It features rare performances from local and national favorites, including The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Steve Miller Band, Ace of Cups and Sons of Champlin.

DVD (NTSC, no regional coding)