HOME   News   Reviews   Adv Search   Features   My DVD   About   Apps   Stats     Search:
  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Full Frame
  • Dual Layer (RSDL 68:38)
  Languages
  • Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  • Spanish: Dolby Digital Stereo
  • Spanish: Linear PCM Stereo
  Subtitles
  • None
  Extras
  • Cast/crew biographies
  • Photo gallery
  • Animated menus
  • Interviews
  • Discography
Alejandro Sanz - El Alma Al Aire Live
Warner Vision/Warner Vision . R4 . COLOR . 110 mins . E . NTSC

  Feature
Contract

Alejandro Sanz is a superstar in Spanish music. Since the release of his first album Viviendo in 1991, which sold over a million copies, he went on to record two more studio albums and one live album to establish himself. The release of his album Mas escalated him to a worldwide stage, selling over five million copies. He became the most rewarded artist in the history of Spanish music and went on to win four Grammy Awards from his five nominations in 2001. He has since released another studio album El Alma Al Aire and has also released an MTV Unplugged album, the first Spanish artist to do so. Although he is yet to break through into commercial English speaking music, his popularity in Spain and Latin America is growing at an alarming rate.

Recorded at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid (the home of Atletico Madrid Football Club), this concert in front of 60,000 hysterical fans is a showcase of this artist. He performs all of his best known songs and also has some special guests in the form of some popular Spanish artists assisting him. The audience is predominantly female and they seem to know every word to every song.

Track listing:

Tiene que ser pecado
Aquello que me diste
Ese ultimo momento
Llega, llego soledad
Cuando nadie me ve
Me ire
Hay un universo de pequeras cosas
Siempre es de noche
Medley
Hoy que no estas
Mi solidad y yo
El alma al aire
Amiga mia
Y, si fuera ella?
Quisiera ser
Buleria
Lo ves
Corazon partio

It is impossible to not try to compare Alex Sanz with other better known Spanish or Latin artists, but he just doesn’t really compare with any of them. Some would think this is a good thing and music is a matter of taste, but this artist is very bland in my opinion. His music is obviously very Spanish with the majority being ballads, but apart from his looks, I really cannot see the reason for the hysteria he causes. I mean no offence to his legion of fans but I must be missing something with this one. He doesn’t do a great deal on stage and spends most of his time with his eyes closed, but the fans just go wild. This concert may not be the best place for an introduction to this artist. The video and audio are less than adequate and also taking into account the struggle to hear him due to fans singing all his songs, usually louder than him, then perhaps a CD would have been a better introduction?

Still, without doubt he has a huge fan base within the Spanish speaking community, but for an artist that is trying to break through into an untapped market, this release is not the way to do it. He does have talent, but his style won’t appeal to everyone.

  Video
  Audio
  Extras
Contract

Presented in full frame and therefore not 16x9 enhanced, this transfer is not very good at all. Most known problems can be found throughout, including pixelisation, lack of detail, over saturation of colours, shallow blacks, aliasing - the list is endless. The whole show has a continuous blue effect, which can be caused from stage lighting, but this does seem excessive. The only good thing that can be said about this transfer is that the close-up shots are of reasonable quality. The only subtitles supplied are for the interview section of the extras, so if you don’t speak Spanish then don’t bother. The layer change occurs at 68:38 during the intro to a song and is not too intrusive. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, this is an NTSC only release, so you must have that capability.

Keeping up the standard of the video, there is a choice of Linear PCM 2.0, Dolby Digital 2.0 and DD 5.1 and I never thought I would say this, but the track of choice is the PCM 2.0. The first noticeable advantage to this is the volume - it is a lot louder than the Dolby tracks. The quality is only slightly better, but with three pretty awful tracks available, any slight difference in quality is worthy of note. The DD 2.0 and DD 5.1 are very much alike. Both are quite quiet, with the only difference being some separation on the DD 5.1 track. Don’t get excited though, this is not what you would class as good separation, it is merely the equivalent sound from the DD 2.0 mix spread over the rear speakers. Overall, none of the available tracks are adequate, but they do match the video transfer.

A few extras are supplied for fans, not many but a few. Interview With Alejandro Sanz is an interview in the stadium on the day of the show, this runs for 10:07 and is thankfully supplied with English subtitles. Biography consists of seven pages of text, this feature gives an insight into his career. Discography displays a graphical image of all albums with the option to click them and see the track listing. Picture Gallery contains nine pictures from the show, this feature is decent quality but a bit lacking in quantity. Official Tour Schedule is simply three text pages showing his tour itinerary. Lastly is Musicians which contains a picture of each musician, along with their name and instrument played.

Overall this is a release that only diehard fans will get any pleasure from. Whether this artist is good or not is a matter of opinion but regardless of that, the video and audio quality are less than adequate. This is surely not the best way to try to break into an untapped market.


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=1923
  • Send to a friend.
  • Do YOU want to be a DVDnet reviewer? If so, click here

    Cast your vote here: You must enable cookies to vote.
  •   And I quote...
    "Pick a language, any language. Spanish? Good, then we can begin."
    - Adrian Turvey
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Sony DVP-NS305
    • TV:
          AKAI CT-29S55AT 68cm
    • Receiver:
          Sony STR-DE685
    • Speakers:
          Sony SAVE815ED
    • Centre Speaker:
          Sony SAVE815ED
    • Surrounds:
          Sony SAVE815ED
    • Subwoofer:
          Sony SAVE815ED
      Recent Reviews:
    by Adrian Turvey

    The Rise & Rise of Australian Rugby - The Bledisloe Cup: Deluxe Edition
    "This is a quality package for fans of rugby, as well as fans of Australian sporting history."

    Youssou N'Dour - Live at Union Chapel
    "The talented African singer gives a fine performance in this show."

    The Wailers - Live
    "Keep the pizza delivery phone number handy for this one!"

    Matchbox Twenty - Show: A Night in the Life of
    "Great band, great spectacle, great sound, great show!"

    Manchester United - Beyond the Promised Land
    "Fans of Manchester United should enjoy this release, for others it may induce vomiting! "

      Related Links
      None listed

     

    Search for Title/Actor/Director:
    Google Web dvd.net.au
       Copyright © DVDnet. All rights reserved. Site Design by RED 5   
    rss