Prong
The Vault DVD
Review by Gary Hill
This new double DVD from Prong captures 3 shows of the band during 2002 and 2003. The set has its good and bad points, but overall I would say it definitely falls into the very good range. First lets take a look at what exactly is included here. The first DVD has two full concerts on it. The first is a show from Melkweg, The Netherlands in 2002. The band does 20 songs ranging from different periods of their career. They put in a solid performance, and this is captured to video pretty well. The sound and video are both quite good, although not great. The raw energy of the show, though, makes this one a killer.
The second concert on disc one is from the With Full Force concert in Germany in 2003. Prong wasn't headlining this one, as they were the first show. The intensity is not quite what you get with the other concert, still this one is good, nonetheless. Taken by itself, it is a potent show, but after the Melkweg show, this one rather pales.
Disc 2 starts with another concert, this one an hour-long set recorded at the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden in 2003. While their performance on that day seemed to be a little rougher than the other two, if not compared alongside those shows, this one would still be a strong one. There is also a "surprise section" which consists of lower quality on and off stage footage, some minor interviews and the like.
Prong fans should love this and those looking for a taste of the band might find this a good introduction. It's a strong release, but it could have been better. As you might suspect given the nature of the material, there is a good amount of duplication of songs, but the sheer quantity of live performances, and the quality make up for it.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2005 Year Book Volume 3 at https://garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2005.
|