Roy Orbison: Black & White Night [Blu-ray]

Presented on Blu-Ray for the first time, a special one-time event documenting one of rock and roll's greatest and most unique performances. Recorded live at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy Orbison is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars. Highlighting this all-star line-up are Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Orbison and fellow performers spend a scintillating hour performing many of his greatest hits.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #660 in DVD
• Brand: Image Entertainment
• Released on: 2008-09-30
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: AC-3, Best of, Dolby, Live, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 64 minutes

Few early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.

Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.

Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews

Excellent quality blu-ray DVD
This unique concert looked great in a PBS broadcast, and is even better in a blu-ray DVD. This isn't one you'll use to show off wide screen HD video because of the nightclub setting and black and white production so there's nothing eye-popping. Nevertheless the production and transfer are immaculate and the sound is pristine. The guest artists are totally inobtrusive, the music and arrangements sound as good as the originals only with far better quality, and there is a total absence of extraneous chatter. It is just pure Orbison, who looks relaxed and pleased throughout. All the great hits are here still sounding fresh, along with that very special tenor you can't mistake for anyone else.
It is an unforgettable moment beautifully captured. This is simply the best concert recording I've ever seen and heard and well worth the purchase.

Actually Being There..........
Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse.
I sampled all three tracks offered - DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 PCM 2.0 - but kept the DTS-HD on for the majority of my first viewing (and completely on the next 2). It separates applause and crowd noises effectively to the rear speakers as well as some background vocals. The only weakness is that it seems too short - actually you never want it to end. This video has caught a wonderful night of cherished music performance and the Blu-ray is the best way to see it unless you had the rare privilege to see it life.

Classic Greatness
I actually have owned several copies of this great concert, but this will be the first review I have ever posted. Let me say, the first time I saw this concert on PBS I was stunned. Being a lifelong Roy fan, I didn't even know this concert existed... I purchased it the very next day... and since then it has been watched hundreds of times. Black and White Night was a concert towards the end of Roy's career, but it really did put him back on top where he belongs.

Buy » Roy Orbison: Black & White Night [Blu-ray]

DVD Releases »  Roy Orbison: Black & White Night [Blu-ray]
Cheap New DVD Movies » Roy Orbison: Black & White Night [Blu-ray]

Technorati Tags: music, dvd, dvd releases, roy orbison, concert, music video