Ames, IA (07-Apr-94)

DISC D169.ra
SOUND Puts you in mind of Rolling Thunder - not, unfortunately, Renaldo’s heyday but the weather. Dull, muffled and no fun. May well be an improvement on what went before, but still not very good. Acoustics better than electrics, though only just. DASH-F four stars is over-generous.
IMAGE Tonight’s taper is in the front left balcony with a fine clear view and his camerawork throughout is carefully controlled - indeed quite remarkably so, such that, apart from one tiny fix at the start of In The Garden, Cineman’s restorative patchwork is not needed on this one at all. A nice active mix of D and band shots, with movements consistently steady and smooth. Lack of light means dowdy, shady passages and never very much coloration (see screenshots, which do this time accurately reflect what’s on offer). Never closer than head-to-knee either, thus neither particularly handsome nor intimate, but solidly competent all the same.
RUNNING TIME The show, which is complete, runs 109 minutes and is preceded by a one minute TV spot used to sell tickets to the locals.
PERFORMANCE In the review of D297.su, a show from later this same month (and a much better DVD than this one, if you're looking at this tour) I moaned about ragged endings. Here they’re more and worse, with sixth song Baby Tonight the first to close with anything even resembling communal understanding. This pervading fault mars an otherwise decent set.
HIGHLIGHTS (1) A beautifully filmed and flawlessly performed Hattie Carroll (2) She Belongs, with the dark rhythm in its soul just barely transcending the sonic murk.
THANKS Ann S/K
STARS D169.ra reprises a watchable and skilfully rendered film but, despite the best and assuredly well-intentioned efforts of those behind it, does the music a disservice. Two and a half. Not recommended.