Live seem like nice guys. If nothing else, Live at the Paradiso – Amsterdam, the band’s first concert DVD, argues that the secret to the group’s durability is the band members’ warm connection to their fans. Rising to fame at a time when angst and disillusionment were the reigning sentiments, Live preached community and hope, striking a chord with audiences that wanted a more optimistic message. As an overview of Live’s greatest hits, Live at the Paradiso is certainly a fond thank you to the faithful who have stuck by them during their recent lean years, but the mild material won’t win over any new converts.
A Memento for the Fans
Live at the Paradiso collects material from two shows Live performed at the titular Amsterdam venue during the summer of 2008. (There is also a separate live CD being released simultaneously, with two new studio cuts included.) While the band’s popularity has waned in the U.S. since the end of the 1990s, Live are still a decent draw worldwide, and the Dutch crowd give the group a hero’s welcome. And showing their gratitude, frontman Ed Kowalczyk and the rest of the band aren’t concerned with challenging their audience – the 17 songs on the DVD hit all of Live’s biggest moments, and the live renditions stay relatively close to the studio versions. Though the performances are straightforward and engaging, the pervading mood is one of a friendly get-together of old friends reminiscing about the good times of yesteryear.Catchy but Generic Songs
As chief songwriter, Kowalczyk has an indisputable knack for catchy, dramatic rock tunes. In their heyday, Live were compared (often unfavorably) to U2 for their shared fondness for uplifting songs, and certainly a track like “All Over You” has the same yearning quality that the Irish juggernaut have made their calling card. Taken in limited doses, the Live oeuvre can be a diverting, pleasurable experience, but for the casual observer, an entire set from the band begins to expose their thematic and musical limitations.Live Aren't Interested in Gloom
As a reaction to the gloom of their early-‘90s predecessors, Live stayed away from the punk and metal influences that powered grunge, opting for an arena-ready vibe that emphasized love songs and feel-good sentiments. Unfortunately, despite some notable exceptions like the spiky “Lakini’s Juice,” the band’s mid-tempo rockers started to sound reminiscent of one another, a problem that Live at the Paradiso amplifies. While the band should be commended for avoiding the overdubbing (or “sweetening”) that is far too prevalent on live albums and DVDs, the unvarnished mix does not help out the group’s similar tunes. Pretty soon, it feels like you’re hearing the same progression of power chords and vaguely positive lyrics again and again and again.A Band No Longer Popular but Still Influential
But while the band’s generic quality lessens their appeal, it’s interesting to watch Live at the Paradiso to see how, in retrospect, Live paved the way for several successful bands of the early 21st century. Kowalczyk’s earnest sensitivity is an obvious precursor to Nickelback and Daughtry, although what’s surprising about this concert DVD is that the Live singer has toned down on the barrel-chested belting that can make his contemporaries such utter bores. Demonstrating an easy rapport with an adoring crowd, Kowalczyk lays off some of the more theatric stage banter that gave him a positively messianic demeanor during Live’s peak. Instead, he’s evolved into a bland but warm presence, still radiating the same optimism of old. As with his band, you can’t quite dislike Kowalczyk, even if you can’t quite bring yourself to love him either.Release date – November 11, 2008
Vanguard Records
