Michael Ball: Live at the Royal Albert Hall is a tour de force from a performer who manages to combine stardom on the British musical stage with great success as a pop performer. By the end of the 1980s he was already a youthful veteran of some of the decade's biggest musicals, including
Les Misérables and
The Phantom of the Opera. But his performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber's
Aspects of Love, which spawned the hit single "Love Changes Everything," turned him into a major star--a status he has maintained with bestselling albums, sellout concert tours, and television series. As this 1999 concert reveals, he is at his best singing show songs that give him a character to get his teeth into: "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," for example. And he is a first-rate pop singer whose gallant 1992 bid for Eurovision glory is recalled with the uptempo "One Step out of Time." He favors dramatic ballads and sometimes takes them way over the top: there's more than a touch of Dusty Springfield in his histrionic gestures. But it's all delivered with an engaging charm that clearly delights the predominantly female audience.
--Piers Ford
1 Wow!! Sooooo much fun! What a performer!!
I didn't know that Michael was such a huge hit in the UK and that he had all of these CDs and DVDs. I recently have tried to get my hands on all of his music that I could. This particular DVD was wonderful. I enjoyed listening to him speak with the cute UK accent. He always shows so much feeling in his songs. He is a great performer.
I enjoyed his variety of music. All of the songs come from my generation and it was fun to watch him put his touch on them. I really enjoyed his playful side in watching the Tom Jones hit, Help Yourself.... OOOOOoooooo baby.... What a hunk!! Wow!!!
I loved "Something Inside So Strong"... I has become my favorite hit. I loved "One Step Out Of Time" and the theme from "Friends", "I'll Be There For You" which my sons really like. The Blues brothers medley was really fun too, it makes me get up and dance with him - doing all the silly dances.
I am addicted to watching this over and over. It is the best!!
2 But where's the rest?
Yes, it's a great recording, a great concert by a great singer (with a few silly song selections). He's got the warmest, richest voice of any male singer in his genre today. But I first purchased this on video a couple of years ago from the UK, which has a short documentary on the creation of the tour. I was disppointed to see that it was not included as a bonus feature with this release.
3 Wow, 5.1 has been fixed
This is my second review.
Universal Music has now remastered this DVD and I am pleased (thrilled!) to report that all is well with the Dolby 5.1 track. I have just watched Love Changes Everything in 5.1 mode and the video matches the sound perfectly.
So how do I rate this DVD? There are certainly some songs on this DVD that are a bit slow and not too exciting. However at least half of the songs are simply "stunning" and, of course, Love Changes Everything turns me into a quivering bowl of jelly every time, so I have to give it a 5 of 5.
4 ENJOYED ACT II MORE THAN ACT I
I enjoyed Michael's performance very much and only had the four songs he performed at the 50th birthday celebration for Andrew Lloyd Weber on DVD at Royal Albert Hall to compare this live performance to.
I only found Michael a few short months ago, and am overwhelmed by his talent.
I really enjoyed the opening of the concert and how as he was singing "Hot Stuff" he showed portions of the concert and I eagerly awaited each song to see how he would perform it.
I was a little disappointed with Act I, due to the mood of some of the songs he sang, even though I did enjoy "Something Inside So Strong, "Oh What A Circus," and of course "Gethsemane." Each time I watch him since "Gethsemane," I am moved tremendously by the amount of emotion and feeling he puts into performing it.
I am a Bette Midler fan and love to hear her sing "The Rose," but Michael's version touches me in a way I cannot even explain.
Act II was much more fun for me. It was my first experience seeing Michael in a "playful" mood, and when he finished up with "Help Yourself" before his signature song, "Love Changes Everything," I don't know how those ladies in the front row were containing themselves from jumping up on the stage. I have only had the DVD for three days and have watched him perform "Help Yourself" so many times I lost count. I wonder if Tom Jones has seen this performance? WOW!
I have to admit I was unsure if I should purchase the DVD due to comments made about it at this website. I was concerned that I would not be able to get Michael's mouth in sync with the words to the music, but the comments here were very helpful and by following the advice posted, I fixed the problem straight away and settled in for what I think was an overall very enjoyable experience.
5 Disappointment
The DVD has the picture out of sync. with the audio. A real annoyance when the camera is close enough to see lips.
6 Good Music, 5.1 is out of sync
Basically the concert is great. I liked it a lot.
However the DVD comes with 2 channel sound and 5.1 channel sound.
The 2 channel sound is fairly good and it is in sync with the video.
The 5.1 channel sound is more full and lively but is not in sync with the video. There is NOTHING you can adjust on your DVD player to get the 5.1 channel sound in sync. All you can do is switch to the 2.0 channel sound.
I think the manufacturer should do a recall on this DVD and fix the 5.1 out of sync problem. It is incredible that this could have been released like this in the first place.
7 Review
The concert is great!! He has an amazing voice and great stage personality!!
8 "musicals & film music delivers a star ~ Michael Ball"
Michael Ball takes DVD performances to another level with a strong connection between musicals and film scores. Michael's pure voice and interpretation is nothing less than perfection in motion, will totally captivate the moment. Each cue is beautiful, with a trace of dramatic melancholy that draws you completely in immediately.
You can feel his peaceful and mellow mood with "EVERYBODY'S TALKIN'", a great tune sung originally by Glen Campbell and a hit was born, but Michael's voice brings a new meaning to this classic ~ another sensitive song "LOVE ON THE ROCKS", the Neil Diamond hit attains new heights with this arrangement and performance ~ memories sends us to "THE WAY WE WERE"/"THE ROSE", a medley that brings new feelings of passion and love, as emotion is conveyed with the power and smooth style of Michael's performance. When asked of John Barry the composer~of all the James Bond themes which is his favorite, his reply was "WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD", is also one of my favorite themes, originally sung by Louis Armstrong in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was a highlight in the film, but this rendition on the DVD is incredible.
Most highly recommend this DVD, exceeds all expectations and then some. Michael's voice will touch every emotion and fiber in your body, and at the same time bring a tear to your eye. Michael Ball has an extraordinary gift and he shares it with his fans and friends---you couldn't ask for anything more, gotta love it!
Total Time: 90 minutes ~ Hip-O/Universal 088-111-992-9 ~ (2002)
9 simply breathtaking
I too was concerned upon hearing some of the audio/movement differences, but upon watching my DVD I found few problems. This DVD is so clear that you nearly feal you are at the concert. With a big screen TV, it is esp. good. This voice is truly golden and even if there is a song not your favorite, the rest is worth it all. Buy and enjoy this very much. We can only hope that all of his videos will now be released on DVDs. I am very anxiously awaiting a new concert album this year.
In a nutshell...buy, buy, and enjoy.
10 Thanks to viewer west of sunset for audio advice!
I was about to return this DVD to the store due to synchronization problem but thanks to viewer w. of sunset's review, I adjusted the audio by switching to audio #2 on remote and all is well. Thanks so much for the tip! Why didn't the manufacturer put this same tip on their packaging! Can't believe they didn't notice it! Now, I'm able to enjoy Michael Ball's wonderful concert the way I was hoping to! My only reservation lies with the material. While it's all presented extremely well, I would have really have loved more theatre pieces since that's how we became fans of Mr. Ball. Nevertheless, it's still an excellent concert and very energetic and of course, the voice makes even filler like the "Friends" theme sound better than it is. And don't forget to adjust the audio on your remote!
11 WOW!
First I have to say that I was relieved to read the review that talks about the sound delay. Hitting audio worked and it made watching this dvd so much better. Not that it's a difficult thing to watch Michael Ball! I've liked Michael Ball for a while, but recently received this dvd as a gift. It's always amazing to watch Michael perform Gethsemane - his power and passion are chilling. I had never heard the James Bond theme of "We Have All The Time In The World / Millennium" and I absolutely love it!!! The songs are beautiful and watching Michael sing them is even better! "Oh What A Circus!" is fabulous and he depicts Che' perfectly with just the right sarcasm (as my mother pointed out to me! - who, by the way, has become a BIG Michael Ball fan since I've driven her nuts with everything Michael!). And then, of course, there is the "Blues Brothers Medley" and "Help Yourself" - OH MY! I could watch him shake his tail feather all night! Finishing with "Love Changes Everything" was very touching and an appropriate song to sum up the whole experience. Michael just keeps proving that not only does he have a fabulous voice, but an amazing stage presence and sense of humor.
12 Michael Ball- Live at the Royal Albert Hall
I returned the DVD because I found the audio track did not match up with the video. One would think Michael was singing in a language other than English with the words dubbed in English. His lips never catch up with the audio track. No DVD should be produced this poorly. I own the CD of this performance. I will stick with it.
13 Great performance, and I can help with your audio issues
If you are experiencing audio that doesn't sync up with the video, it is because the audio setting for this DVD is pre-set to 'surround'. If you're watching with non-surround audio, the sound won't quite line up with the pictures. Simply pressing the 'audio' button on your DVD remote (once) should reset playback to stereo, and you will get all the power and majesty Michael Ball brings to a live performance. Enjoy!
14 Terrible Transfer
I was glad to see that I was not the first to see this, the video and audio is way out of sync. Making a PAL format video into NTSC which is our format in the USA is very difficult. The software that HIPO people used was very crude at best. I have had better results at home. If I was not a huge fan of Mr. Ball I would return the product. My rating does not reflect the performance but the product that this company produced. As for the concert it is great and Mr. Ball is very good. I am a big fan of his, but this product will do nothing to enhance his image in the USA. IMHO this company should pull the product and refund customers.
15 DVD Audio
To get the sounds to line up with his mouth, you have to go into the Audio options and choose the one that isn'st chosen, and then they should line up.
It's like that on all of them.
16 Michael Ball-Live at royal albert hall
This was a wonderfull concert a long time coming.Two years ago i saw most of it on public televison and i knew i had to get it.I had seen Michael perform in other concerts such as The andrew lloyd webber celebration concert.The concert was in 2 parts.In part 2 he really got going with many fast paced songs like a blues brothers medley,help yourself and others.Fast or slow he handles them all with ease.I would highly recommend it.There was only one thing i could fault with the concert and it had nothing to do with Michaels performance. There was a slight delay when Michael formed the notes with his mouth and when you heard the actual words.It was like that all thru the concert.The audio and video were not in sinc.Thinking it was my equipment i tryed it in another system and the same thing happened.The concert was so good you should be able to overlook that little delay in the audio.
17 A Concert Not To Be Missed!
Finally Michael Ball's concert at Royal Albert Hall DVD is released here in US. Among all of Michael's concert videos, this concert, being one of his UK tours in 1999, is the best to represent his talent: singing from musicals to pop ballads and to rock'n rolls, composing, as well as acting. Most of the pop songs are carefully chosen from Michael's albums "The Movies", "First Love", etc., with the addition of some musical numbers that Michael gave his soulful rendering, among them "Gethsemane", "Love Changes Everything", and "Empty Chairs Empty Tables", are still and probably will always be the best that's ever been done.
By just listening to Michael's CDs, you'll be missing something very special, which are his emotion expressions, his lively stage presence, and his performance of rock'n roll songs. To all the joys that his voice has brought, his live performance in concert adds another dimension. Michael's concert is always ended with a string of rock'n roll songs, where his powerful high baritone enriches the tunes wonderfully. It always is quite an experience, energetic, hot, and fun fun fun. This concert is with no exception as Michael electrified the show with seven up-tempo songs in a row, and the last one, "Help Yourself" (not included in the CD along with "How Can I Be Sure") is most entertaining and fun to watch.
Indeed was Michael at his very best in this concert. You'll be totally thrilled by the voice, the singing, and the dancing, and of course, his smiles and his charms.
18 sound didn't line up with his mouth!
I don't know if its just "my" DVD of this concert but Mr. Ball's words did not line up with his mouth, for most every song during the video! This became very distracting and made the entire experience not worthwhile. His singing was top notch however. His stage presence was not that professional during many of the songs. He seemed "forced". His awkward attempts at dancing were not memorable. He should stick to singing the powerful ballads...and if the words lined up with his mouth, I would have rated this DVD a 5 star product.
19 Michael's lively stage presence and magic with any song !
This DVD/video was a filmed version of his concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1999. Of all his Dvds/videos, this record of a wonderful performance presents his lively stage presence and magic with any song best.
From catchy pop numbers to film favorites ( We Have All the Time in the World, The Way We Were, The Rose, the Blues Brothers Medley, etc), some great ballads (his own composition Someone Else's Dream, Love on the Rocks, etc) to the music of the theatre ( Gethsemane, Empty Chairs, and a commemorative version of Love Changes Everything), Michael's way with music and his warm rapport with his audience makes for an unforgettable evening... from the lively concert start with HOT STUFF to the last powerful note of LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING, he gives his audience such lasting memories of a great concert. His singing is versatile, from his beautiful baritone tones to his great tenor notes -- his voice mesmerizes and soars. Once again, he imbues his singing with emotional nuances for some songs which can almost bring a tear in the eye. He is also a delightful figure on stage as he keeps the commentaries between songs lively and entertaining.
The DVD/video enables his many fans not living in the UK to see him perform on the concert stage, thanks to this filmed version of the RAH concert... Would that the same thing could be done for his current appearance on the West End stage for CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG!
20 Best of Michael Ball and other Michael Ball videos
I have all but one of Michael Ball's videos, purchased most from England. All are outstanding...his talent never ends, acting, singing, interviews, etc. A very warm, friendly person who loves fans as much as they love him! Sings from his heart, and never disappoints his audience. If you love really good music, and theater, don't miss The Best of Michael Ball and any others that come available -- hopefully soon! I have all of his CDs, and never tire of the variety of style he has mastered with the wide range of his powerful voice, from smokey sounds to rock and roll,and the best of musical theater.
21 Addictive viewing
If you are (or are not) a Michael Ball fan, this video is an incredible example of his talents. It has it all. From the serious to the comic side, Michael displays a unique mixture. His vocal range is phenomenal. If you have either of his first videos, he has matured and improves each time I see him. His acting ability shines with each serious song. His appeal to the ladies is understandable. This video has songs selected to appeal to every type of viewer. The Blues Brothers medley is a "fun to watch sequence." His Gethsemene and Empty Chairs at Empty Tables are emotion wringers. I have viewed this video so many times I fear I shall have to buy a second one.
22 Be Prepared For A Great Evening
Seeing Michael Ball perform live on stage is an experience that will never be forgotten. The video captures the magic of the live performance and leaves the viewer wanting more. And more is exactly what you get - a short documentary showing how the show was put together and also following Michael with the tour bus. The variety of music is endless and shows off the range and quality of Michael's voice in numbers ranging from the classics of musical theatre to rock 'n' roll. Prepare to be 'blown away' by the power of 'Gethsemane' at the end of the first half of the video - it will never be performed better. The audience play a great part in joining in with the magic atmosphere of one of Britain's greatest performers at one of its most famous venues. Do not hesistate to buy this video - you will NOT be disappointed in any way. A magical evening captured forever.
23 Wow!
This is a video you will want to view over and over again! Michael Ball is so very talented! There is such a variety of songs, and the orchestration is great. Michael lends his acting talent to each and every song. I can't imagine anyone else singing Gethsemane, but Michael Ball! You won't want to take your eyes off of him, during this song, especially. He sings slow serious songs, upbeat songs, and clowns around when singing the Blues Brothers medley, and Just Help Yourself. I really enjoyed watching this show, and it is one of my favorites. If you love Michael Ball's voice, you have just got to have this video, as watching Michael perform his songs, is twice the pleasure!
