Portishead - Live in Roseland, New York (PNYC Live) DVD

Directed by Dick Carruthers
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Live, NTSC
Language: English

This famous filming of Portishead's first-ever live gig in New York - along with the accompanying album - is now considered a modern classic. The concert itself is a wonder to behold, as Portishead (Geoff Barrows, Adrian Utley, Beth Gibbons, Andy Smith) smoke cigarettes, chew gum, scratch records, and behave in a generally hip manner while around them the 30-piece New York Philharmonic Orchestra and a 5-piece horn ensemble do their thing. The performance and subsequent recording of this gig has, in some cases, offered a preferred body of work to Portishead's studio-based albums, proving that a live gig does not always equal poor production values. From the haunting "All Mine" to the ever-popular "Glory Box," the energy from the band members and orchestra adds a breathtaking edge to the well-known tunes. The camera itself takes on part of the magic of the concert, sweeping majestically across the action and the audience, helping to capture the slow, silky essence of this urbanized opulence.