Underworld Live: Everything Everything (UK)

So, like, I`m 16 and I`m in THE Stringfellows club and this band called Freur with a mad-eyed singer come onstage and sing some crazy songs that mean nothing to me. So much nothing that me mam buys their album. Oh well, they were nice.....FFWD 17 years and, like, I`m in Virgin and I realise Underworld, whose previous incarnate was Freur, have a new live CD out. Hang on, what`s that...DVD out on 9/10/00...yup, I`ll wait `til then...and me mam won`t buy this one so I retain street-cred !

Glad I resisted the temptation to buy the CD. Underworld are probably best renowned for THAT song - y`know LAGERLAGERLAGER which so beautifully encapsulated the summer of "Trainspotting", a film that has yet to be matched in independent cinema.

But for us old skool U`wrld fans, this DVD is a greatest hits package with that LIVE thang thrown in for good effect.

Blimey, how can you get excited about three geezers (Emerson, Hyde and Smith) leaping around prodding and poking knobs and dials like their lives depend upon it, I hear you ask ? Well, you don`t have to.

Rather than a "look how the band play their instruments and rock in a poodle-stylee", `Everything Everything` lives up to its name. It is the ULTIMATE live band experience, `cept the guys don`t play no instruments (aside from Karl Hyde strumming a string ad nauseum during `Push Upstairs`).

See, with electropop combos it`s all about visuals and corblimeeguvsquire, you get a few included here. Bored with the band/saucer-eyed crowd scenes/occasional graphics? Hit that multi-angle button and you`re launched into a video graphic world of beauty. Bit like Whistle Test in the `70s, for us who can remember weirded out Sunday lunchtimes on BBC2, The Tomato Art graphics, normally projected on UW`s backscreen live-style, are brought to the forefront, yet blend seamlessly into the live action at the touch of a button. You can come over all Mr Video Editor by swapping from video to live action - tres cool !

Musically, this really is a feast of the boys` biggest and best stuff. Kicking off with the opening tracks to the Underboys second album "Second Toughest in the Infants"(`Juanita/Kiteless`) the vibes quickly hit the pace with ensuing storming versions of `Push Upstairs` and `Pearl`s Girl`. Before you know it 45 minutes have passed.

Bring it on to `Born Slippy` (the LAGER song) and the wholelive shebang goes A1 wappo. A percussive heavy version of the song, this take sees chopped up cuts of the crowd gone mental, the vid with Hyde freaking out in the corner with his personal stereo, and funky noise zipping round the room like there`s no tomorrow.

The audio (you get the option of 5.1 or 2.0) is fantastic - with my neighbours comfortably ensconced next door after their Friday night pub visit the volume knob on my Yammy A5 was well down, but the effects still managed to zoom around all six speakers with minimal effort, the sub booming like a jackass in a repetitive kicking competition.

The pictures are what you`d expect from a live performance - fast, fuzzy, dripping with sweat (Hyde beats Blair hands down for the world`s sweatiest shirt), with lights flashing on and off more frequently than a pelican crossing on speed - we`re talking strobestrobestrobe, darlings. Essentially, though, the piccy is focussed and clear, just like the audio.

For old timer UW fans who can boast they liked them pre-Slippy there are old faveraves `Rez` and `Cowgirl` suitably segued with a thumping, grumbling percussion track. For new timers `Jumbo` is wheeled out along with a blistering take on the Batman-track `Moaner`.

Extras are pretty low key - 5 mins of out-takes and two audio only freebie live tracks (`Kittens` and `Rowla`).

Having said that the highlight of the whole piece has to be `King of Snake`, the `I Feel Love` pastiche, which absolutely rocks the live joint, and cleverly blends in with the `Shudder` overture, as it does on the `Beacoup Fish` album.

Music video can suck. This one doesn`t. Switch off your lights, check the neighbours are out, turn the dial to 11 and mong out like there`s no tomorrow.....jazz ciggies, schmazz ciggies. You`ll be more wired than a wire brush from the planet wire after this feast and won`t feel like a late night trip to the petrol station for munchies. Instead you`ll be in the mood to hit a club !!!

This has to be the best Music DVD on the market. If you are a fan of Underworld this dvd is a must, The sound quality is AMAZING and the visual`s are EXCELLENT overall a fantastic buy.
Buy this dvd today, if you don`t like dance music don`t bother.

the music is awful the songs all 9 of them mediocre at best. the sound is inaudible.and the picture leaves a lot to be desired.if your a fan you may some joy but i found it totally nauseating.

This is a very good DVD and there is some of Underworld`s best music on it like Born Slippy, Jumbo or Shudder/King of Snake and lots more. If you`re a fan of Underworld then this DVD is a must-buy. There are extras on the disc like out-takes,bonus tracks and DVD-Rom features. 7/10