Artist: Poison
Title: “Live Raw and Uncut”
Label: Sweet Cyanide Music Inc.
Release Date: 7/15/2008
Genre: Glam Rock & Roll
Rating: 4/5
Filmed during the summer of 2007, “Live, Raw & Uncut” brings the home viewer into the crowd as the legendary Glam Rockers deliver an energetic and entertaining concert performance in front of a very obviously sold out crowd. For the tour the band was traveling in support of their most recent album “Poison’d”; which was an album of cover material that the group had reworked ever so slightly to fit their particular style. The effort was interesting and found some new numbers mixed in with a few of the covers that the boys had delivered over the course of their career and during these shows the fans would get the chance to enjoy them. Having witnessed this tour in the flesh myself when it rolled through my area I was happy to find such a performance making its way to DVD and that is very simply because it was just one of those feel good shows where everyone around you was having a good time and either drinking and singing along or just rocking and rolling without any assistance. The one main thing you could take from the crowd were the beaming smiles as Brett, CC, Rikki, and Bobby performed a chock full of hits set and blended in some of the highlights from the recent album. The video was also shot in HD which adds to the level of quality of the video which is crystal clear and of course the audio presented is top notch and clear. If one sets their home stereo up to their TV or has one of those massive home theater experiences going on you will feel as though you are at the show and in the VIP area. The downside is that there is most likely no beer concession nearby unless you have a fully loaded refrigerator.
The set list for this tour was fantastic in my humble opinion and I remember having an awesome time with friends on a hot summer night and while the beer was ice cold the music was red hot and the band was giving us their all. Since they did have a new album to promote there were quite a few of the covers delivered but they kept it simple and did the ones that worked best alongside their long admired classics. For instance, the Marshall Tucker opus “Can’t You See” works well alongside their ballads like “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” or “Something To Believe In” while “What I Like About You” works with “Ride The Wind”. There was a great level of consistency to the set and that just made it a lot more fun to watch and to be a part of. Highlights from Poison’s very illustrious career are pretty much a personal choice at this point because the girls all want to hold hands during the ballads while the guys want to have a full beer during the rockers and then there are those who swap the preference and prove the previous statement wrong. Either way, there is something for everyone at a Poison show and if you are looking for a good time this is a band that makes sure you have it. During the show Bret keeps the crowd engaged and hanging on his every word. I didn’t really expect him to have an issue with that but despite it he does talk to them quite a bit and is very thankful for their 21 years of support and love. You can tell he speaks sincerely on that from the smile that rarely leaves his face. We get solos from CC and Rikki who remind us that they are pretty talented musicians outside of the keep it simple Glam Rocking they do during the songs and there is special stage effects that up the ante during any Rock show. To get right to the point, this is one of those DVD concerts that you watch from beginning to end and don’t skip around between songs or bypass any. The release comes just in time for the bands latest summer go round which features Sebastian Bach and Dokken as well so I suggest you get yourself a pair or tickets and plan on making an appearance. I said a pair because why not bring that someone special or cool friend along to make the event a little more special. Rock and Roll is always best viewed as a group activity after all. The DVD doesn’t seem to have any additional footage on it but it does come with a booklet that I felt was a bit of a letdown. With Poison still holding on to being one of the more visual bands I had expected a little bit more in the way of photos. Instead there are only a few and a ton of credits. Some liner notes are provided to bring the viewer up to speed as well. I was curious as to why the film being shot in HD did not come out on a higher grade DVD but perhaps that is something that is being planned for the near future.
The band also includes a bonus CD which is a good chunk of the set list for you but I had to admit that they should have cut off the CC and Rikki solos on this to allow for the additional tunes to be presented. Omitting these displays of musical acumen would have allowed for at least four more tracks. Make sure you check this DVD out when you can. It is a recommendation for those who not only love the band and have seen them in concert but also for those who are finally learning about them.
CD Track Listing:
1. Look What The Cat Dragged In
2. I Want Action
3. Ride The Wind
4. I Wont Forget You
5. Guitar Solo/Georgia – Accompaniment
6. I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine
7. Something To Believe In
8. Drum Solo
9. Unskinny Bop
10. Every Rose Has Its Thorn
11. Fallen Angel
12. Talk Dirty To Me
13. Nothin’ But A Good Time
Track Listing:
1. Look What The Cat Dragged In
2. I Want Action
3. Ride The Wind
4. I Wont Forget You
5. What I Like About You
6. CC DeVille Guitar Solo/Georgia – Accompaniment
7. I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine
8. Something To Believe In
9. Cant You See
10. Your Mama Don’t Dance
11. I Need To Know
12. Rikki Rockett Drum Solo
13. Unskinny Bop
14. Every Rose Has Its Thorn
15. Fallen Angel
16. Talk Dirty To Me
17. Nothing But A Good Time
Official Website: www.poisonweb.com