Porcupine Tree: Anesthetize

Let's start off with the complaint. The sound menu is screwed up on the DVD. The real options are stereo PCM and DD5.1. Pretty much standard DVD Audio. No complaints about the sound quality, but it would have been nice if the menu wasn't incorrect.

Now, here's my opinions:

I've watched this three times since I got it a couple weeks ago. This is my new favorite music DVD.

The sound quality is flawless. Sounds as good as any studio album by any band. There is nonstop absolute perfection throughout when it comes to the audio recording.

The 5.1 Mix is fantastic. Parallels the 5.1 mix on Arriving Somewhere and IMO, it beat's Opeth Lammentations. (though Opeth still are my favorite band, but that's another subject)

The cinematography and camera-work as well as the background videos are timed, coordinated, and shot perfectly with the music.

The lighting is set up perfectly.

Very solid 10/10, best concert video I have ever seen. Best music video I have ever seen. Among the best videos I have seen of any genre. I think that even if all of the worlds greatest directors got together, and worked with Lasse Hoile, and he took the best advice he got, there could be no better result than this. Lasse Hoile and Porcupine tree achieved the impossible. They have achieved perfection.

It's official: this could very well be the best concert DVD (not to mention the greatest packaging and presentation) I have ever seen. The photo book is just lovely. Incredibly high quality snaps that are nearly as good (though not quite) as being there in the front row in person. Some of the pics seem to be from the Incident tour, rather than the Tour of a Blank Planet (i remember Steve wearing that t shirt with the screaming baby with 'LULU' written underneath, on their recent Aussie tour), but they're so lush, it really doesn't bother me. It almost makes up for me not being alive in the vinyl gatefold artwork days, having this extraordinarily well-thought-out packaging. PT give you the whole package. Not just the amazing music (that itself is worth the asking price alone), but the superlative visuals, and the stunning artwork, too.

The concert itself is pretty much flawless. Exquisite performances of many of my favourite PT songs, including Dark Matter, Sever, .3, Normal, Drown With Me, the list goes on and on. The setlist was perfect (although there's so much fantastic material in their catalogue that they could have played just about anything from their discography and I'd be happy), with the only disappointment being the omission of Stars Die . Even some songs which I didn't count as faves beforehand (Sleep Together, for one) sound so brilliant on this DVD. Wilson sings with a much more aggressive tone on this track than he does in the studio, and it really suits it. The harmonies between Wilson and Wesley are of course amazing. I loved John Wesley's version of the My Ashes chorus. Beautiful. I got goosebumps. And Half Light. Oh, Half Light. I had to hold back tears at that one.

Amazing DVD, and even better than Arriving Somewhere (itself a near flawless live DVD). Unfortunately, I have not watched the Bluray version yet (just the DVD on my laptop). I'll have to bung it into my PS3 and check that baby out.

My only letdowns in the entire set were minor issues. One of these being the 'outro' of Strip The Soul being lost. I love that ultra heavy part at the end. I love .3 as well, though, so can't complain too much. The other was the lack of Gavin's final drum fill at the end of Sleep Together.

Other moments were so perfect, though. Dark Matter, what more can be said? That solo was otherworldly. And the way Half Light segued straight into Sever... amazing. Overall, a five star DVD.

Superb.

OK, where do I start? PT (as fans around the world call the band) shaped a new path of musical awareness for me. Their albums transcending from one album to another, conquering everything in their way and never compromising with their sound and quality of music. I've been a huge fan of the band ever since I heard Lightbulb Sun and afterward digging deeper into everything they've done. For a start, their "Arriving Somewhere" DVD released in 2006 left me in awe. From the camera work to the lighting to their brilliant performance. The band delivered with help from John Wesley who plays guitar and sings backing vocals for the band during live sessions. From what I've seen from their previous performances (Rockpalast, Nearfest, MHz, and some bootleg videos uploaded by fans around the world in you-tube), PT promises everything a music fanatic could ask for.

Myself being an avid metal fan all my life, live performances matter a lot. And Porcupine Tree, not being a metal band (although having a lot of metal elements in their music post-In Absentia), became my favorite band (or should Isay "The Greatest Band In The Planet") due to their amazing liveperformances, their passion and sincerity for the music they play. The vocal arrangements done by Steven Wilson is beyond belief (Ethereal), followed by the catchy and technical drumming by Gavin Harrison, the haunting atmospherics produced by Richard Barbierri and the on-the-dot precise bass-lines by Colin Edwin.

Come 2010. PT now released Anesthetize. With a fan following much larger than before, one can witness the crowd gathered there to witness the Greatest Band In The Planet doing what they do best. Starting out with Fear Of A Blank Planet from the album with the same name and playing the whole album live on stage, I was stunned at the precision of the band, not that it was something new, but that they were simply amazing. What also caught my attention was the awesome and sometimes psychedelic lighting and the background videos which would leave you feeling like never before. This DVD/Bluray is unlike Arriving Somewhere in almost every aspect, although I love their previous DVD with all my heart equally as I love this one. From the formal performance shown in Arriving Somewhere, comes a heavier live offering, belting out songs from Fear Of A Blank Planet, Nil Recurring, Signify, In Absentia and Deadwing. I envy the people who have seen the band in person, because I for one would give anything to see them before my time is up. My only complaint is they should have played some tracks from their Lightbulb Sun and Stupid Dream albums. None the less, one of the greatest concerts you will ever witness on DVD, the other contender being their previous DVD. This DVD left me feeling more grateful to be alive and proves that great musicians still walk the Earth. Thank you Porcupine Tree. Thank you Steven Wilson.

Highlights: My Ashes, Halo, Anesthetize, Sentimental, Normal, Half-Light, Drown With Me.

Outstanding release from an outstanding artist. The performances are stellar from a band that always delivers. The sound is fantastic and the video and the colors are radiant. They start the show by performing the "Fear of the Blank Planet" album in it's entirety, followed by a brief shot of them taking a reflective break, then the show continues with a variety of tunes from the Nil Recurring, In Absentia, Deadwing, and Signify albums. For any fan who has seen them live, it is like being there again. The blu-ray also contains several of the live tracks accompanied only by the background film Lasse Hoile. The only negative for me was that it could have used a little footage of them backstage offered as a special feature.

Read the other reviews. They say it all. I added this review for those not fully introduced to the band, and for those fans wondering whether it's worth getting this DVD/Blu Ray. This performance is exemplary of the kind of passion, dedication, and respect this band has for their music. The performance is surely the most atmospheric, evocative and ethereal of all the concert DVDs out there. The range of musical genres used by Steven Wilson, along with the accompanying multimedia by Lasse Hoile is a real treat. You are sure to find something you like among the wide range of musical genres and artistic sources the band draws inspiration from. The audio quality and amazing direction provides the topping on the cake. In short, whether you are and old time fan or not sure whether you like PT's music, this film is an absolute must have for the sheer boundaries it pushes in terms of providing audiences an immersive and unforgettable experience.