Ted Nugent – Motor City Mayhem, Blu-ray (2009)

by | Jul 13, 2009 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews | 0 comments

Ted Nugent – Motor City Mayhem, Blu-ray (2009)

Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment EVBRD 33336-9 [Release date: June 30, 09]

Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 color, 1080i HD

Audio: English DTS Master Audio 5.1, Dolby 5.1, PCM Stereo
Extras: None
Length: 123 minutes

Rating: ****


Another of their highly successful series of concert Blu-ray discs, Ted Nugent’s Motor City Mayhem offers another shining example of Eagle Rock’s now trademark combination of exceptional performances with remarkable image quality and sound. The concert, which was shot in Ted’s hometown Detroit on July 4, 2008, captured a celebration of the motor city madman’s six thousandth live appearance, and kicked off with a very fetching young lady clad in a stars-and-stripes string bikini emerging from a very large cake. Ted and band (with some notable guest appearances) then proceeded to absolutely tear through most of his classic hits over the next two-plus hours. Among the standout performances were the three tracks featuring guitarist and vocalist Derek St. Holmes from his classic seventies line-up. When that album, Ted Nugent, hit the airwaves, it immediately propelled him to superstardom; you could hardly tune into an AOR radio station anywhere in the country and not hear “Stranglehold” or the ever-classic “Hey Baby.” Both tunes are offered stirring performances here, although Derek St. Holmes’ voice has lost a touch of the sweetness that made his work with Ted so enjoyable (and infinitely listenable) in the seventies.

Technically, this disc is superb from both audio and video standpoints. The image quality is uniformly excellent, with superb color representation and remarkably good contrast, offering an overall highly detailed image presentation. Black levels were nice and deep. And the audio content was also superb – I did all my listening through the DTS Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and it offered an enveloping and dynamic re-creation of the concert experience.

Of course, the bottom line is: how much Ted Nugent can one take in a single sitting? While I found many of these performances riveting (especially those featuring Derek St. Holmes), Ted’s overwhelming macho posturing can be a bit much to take, especially for two-plus hours. However, he really hammers it down throughout this Blu-ray – pretty impressive stamina for a sixty year old! Must be that outdoor lifestyle and all that clean living – right! Maybe if I’d had this disc thirty years ago, I’d feel differently, but I’m sure true Ted Nugent fans will find this concert disc both fascinating and indispensable. Recommended.


TrackList:
Ted Nugent Intro; Star Spangled Banner; Motor City Madhouse; Wango Tango; Free For All; Stormtroopin’; Dog Eat Dog; Need You Bad; Weekend Warrior; Love Grenade; Honky Tonk; Wang Dang Sweet Poontang; Bo Diddley/Lay With Me; Baby Please Don’t Go; Geronimo And Me; Jenny Take A Ride; Soul Man; Hey Baby; Cat Scratch Fever; Stranglehold; Great White Buffalo; Fred Bear; Outtro.



– Tom Gibbs

    

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