Oasis – Live By The Sea on DVD

• Cat.no: PLMPB 01201
• Cert: E
• Running time: 82 minutes
• Sides: 2 (CLV)
• Year: 1995
• Pressing: UK, 1997
• Chapters: 17 (9/8)
• Sound: Stereo
• Presented in Fullscreen
• Price: £24.99
• Extras : None
  

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  Director:

  Nigel Dick

  (P.I. – Private Investigations, Final Combination)

Featuring:

Liam Gallagher (Vocals)
Noel Gallagher (Lead Guitars, Backing Vocals)
Paul Arthurs (Rhythm Guitar)
Paul McGuigan (Bass Guitar)
Tony McCarroll (Drums)

NB. From the release of their second album, the drummer was replaced with Alan White.

Oasis – Live By The Sea is the PAL Laserdisc release of their concert recorded on April 17th, 1995 at Southend Cliffs Pavillion, a year after the release of their first single, Supersonic. This concert is already available on video, and this laserdisc has been timed to coincide with the release of the band’s third album, Be Here Now, which contains the No.1 single, Do You Know What I Mean, the new single, Stand By Me (not a cover of the Ben E. King classic), and the release planned for Christmas, All Around The World.

This concert focuses on material from the band’s first album, with all the tracks from that album appearing here, bar “Bring It On Down”, along with others that have become staples of Oasis’s music such as Rock N Roll Star, a solo offering from Noel in the form of D’Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman featuring Noel singing with just his guitar for accompaniment. The concert closes with a rousing version of the Beatles classic, I Am The Walrus.

The disc has been given an E certificate by the BBFC, for being exempt from classification, but like Queen – Live At Wembley 86, and a number of other music videos available, some bad language slips through on occasion. While strumming through, D’Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman, Noel stops halfway through exclaiming, “Oh, fucked that right up”, resulting in huge cheers from the audience in sympathy before continuing, “Don’t know the next bit….. Right, well that’s that then innit, I s’pose.”, and then launches into a solo performance of Talk Tonight.

The band’s first single, and my favourite track from them to date, made No.31, but better things were to come. The follow-up, Shakermaker made No.11, followed by four assaults on the Top Ten : Live Forever (No.10), Cigarettes And Alcohol (No.7), Whatever (No.3), and a No.1 smash for Some Might Say. All these tracks, bar “Whatever”, came from their first No.1 album, Definitely Maybe.

Their second album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory made No.1 as well, in 1995, and spawned three hit singles. The first was released at the height of a head-to-head rivalry with fellow Britpop band, Blur, whose Country House beat them to No.1, leaving Oasis’s Roll With It to languish at No.2. The top slot was denied them again, when they released Wonderwall, it taking second place to Robson & Jerome‘s dreadful double-cover of “I Believe/Up On The Roof”. I wasn’t a big fan of Wonderwall, preferring instead one of the other tracks on the CD single, The Masterplan. Finally, the third single from the album, Don’t Look Back in Anger shot to No.1 in March 1996, and remaining in the UK Top 75 for 16 weeks. Although they didn’t release any other singles from the album in the UK, many of the tracks were played on radio stations on a rotational basis, including Champagne Supernova, Morning Glory, Cast No Shadow and She’s Electric. In fact, it’s been these additional tracks which I have personally preferred to those released as singles, and Oasis have made promo videos for at least the first two of those four listed.

On Thursday 21st August, 1997, Oasis released their third album, Be Here Now, which sold enough copies to reach the top slot by the following Saturday evening, making it the fastest selling album in the UK, making No.1 in just three days.

Oasis have made a point of being one of an increasing number of bands to make all of their singles constantly available to fans, so the record books are littered with endless re-entries of their past singles. Other bands to do this include The Charlatans and The Prodigy.

The picture quality of the disc is superb, the laserdisc format bringing out the mass of colours on stage and bringing home the atmosphere of the live concert. Some parts of the concert appear to have a soft look about them, but this is the way those parts were filmed, rather than there being anything defective about the disc.

As for the sound quality, it is nothing short of excellent, the laserdisc bringing out a quality as clear as a compact disc. Just turn up the volume.

There are 17 chapters, one for each song, and the track listing is as follows :

Side One
1. Rock N Roll Star
2. Columbia
3. Digsy’s Dinner
4. Some Might Say
5. Live Forever
6. Up In The Sky
7. Acquiesce
8. Headshrinker
9. Good To Be Free

Side Two

10. Cigarettes & Alcohol
11. Married With Children
12. Sad Song
13. D’Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman
14. Talk Tonight
15. Slide Away
16. Supersonic
17. I Am The Walrus

If I only had one quibble, it’s that while the sidebreak is good, and each side contains just over 40 minutes of music, the sidebreak could have been moved to allow one side to be in CAV mode allowing perfect still frames.

I gave this disc a 4/5 overall as not quite every Oasis song is my bag. However, for anyone with a Laserdisc player wanting to show off their sound system, and annoy the neighbours into the bargain, put this platter on, pump up the volume, and get MAD FER IT !

Film : 4/5
Picture : 5/5
Sound : 5/5

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1997.