WHEN IN ROME

I would give five stars for the documentary by itself. Add a another five star concert to the mix and this DVD is bordering on something really special. The Come Rain or Shine documentary gives every detail that someone could hope to know and more. From the personal end of the band members and how they came back to the technical end of the stage design, visual effects, and finding the right stools for Phil and Chester in the duet; everything is shown. A most fascinating part of it is the rehearsals that are depicted. At first Phil had such a hard time on drums and this was evident on the Rock Honors when he was playing watered down parts on Los Endos. I was proud of Phil because you can tell that he worked so hard to get back to where he once was. I saw them in Boston on the US leg and he and all of them were phenomenal. You can see his struggles on the DVD, though, when he throws he sticks down in anger after failing at Duke's Travels' drum beat. Granted, the bass drum seems hard, but Phil would normally have no problem. My favorite part of the DVD is the revealing of Tony's personality. He is always so solemn, even on other documentaries, but this time, he is cracking jokes and having a lot of fun.

As far as the concert goes, it must have been their best set list since the early eighties. Some of the songs were tuned down, as others have or will point out. That doesn't bother me that much, however. Others have sworn by playing in authentic keys and claiming to have perfect pitch. Whatever. To me, it is not that difficult to adjust to a different key. There are some musical mistakes, particularly the drum fill in Firth of Fifth, but it is a hard one and they adjusted quickly. I am not sure who it was, but it appears to be Phil as his right hand looks a bit strange when it happens. Overall, I find it amazing though. Ripples, Carpet Crawlers, Los Endos (w/ the duet), and Home by the Sea are the highlights for me. Everything is astounding. I mean, many of these songs are just better live. No Son of Mine and Domino are much better than their studio conterparts. The medleys were great too. Throwing Duke's Travels in there was a strong addition. This has to be one of their best releases out of everything in their catalog. If not for the concert, then get it for the documentary because that was the most interesting thing I have seen on them. Five stars without question.