1999 – Ryko Disc
Concert Rating: A
Disc Ratings (Video/Audio/Extras): C/B/B+

Specs and Features:
90 mins, NR, full frame, double-sided, single layer, Amaray keep case packaging, multiple angles and corresponding sound mixes, 21st Century Schizoid Band interactive feature, (very) interactive menu (more on this “feature” below), scene access (19 chapters), languages (English DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1), no subtitles.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I must admit that I am a King Crimson fan. I was introduced to this experimental rock group by a double LP (remember those 12-inch discs?) in the mid-1980s called “The Young Person’s Guide To King Crimson,” which was a “greatest hits” collection of sorts. To be clear, King Crimson doesn’t make hits, so one could call this record a sampler of all things Crim. This LP revealed to me a band that was formed in the late 1960s that produced rock music before there was heavy metal, before grunge, when “progressive” rock was not college fodder, but highly charged, complex (and yes, sometimes pretentious) works of “art.” At the time, I couldn’t believe the sound I was hearing in my headphones. This was music wackier and more complex than vintage Yes or Rush (and your reaction to those bands will probably determine your interest in this DVD). One moment, a beautiful melody would be floating in all its mellow rock splendor, and the next – WHAM (not George Michael’s musical group) – the earth would crumble beneath my feet as dense, clashing chords and complex rhythms pounded my eardrums with free jazz abandon. Very few bands are this heavy. You think Metallica is heavy? You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!

If you like being assaulted by music – King Crimson is for you. Fans of cute boy bands need not apply.

Which is why I snatched up the Deja VROOM DVD – here was a cutting edge band putting out a cutting edge product on a cutting edge audiovisual platform. Multiple angles, multiple audio mixes, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 tracks. Lots of goodies. Is it worth it? Yes, and no.

There are 19 compositions in the Deja VROOM set: (side 1) Circular Improv, VROOM, VROOM, Frame By Frame, Dinosaur, One Time, Red, B’BOOM, THRAK, Matte Kudasai, Three Of A Perfect Pair (side 2) VROOM, Coda: Marine 475, Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream, Elephant Talk, Indiscipline, Talking Drum, Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part II, People, Walking On Air.

The band’s lineup is King Crimson’s recent “double trio” format, with the talented Adrian Belew (guitar, guitar synth and vocals), Trey Gunn (Chapman Stick/bass), Pat Mastelotto (drum kit, percussion), Tony Levin (Chapman Stick, bass, background vocals), Bill Bruford (drum kit, percussion), and ring leader Robert Fripp (guitar, guitar synth). No, a Chapman Stick is not a lip balm. It’s a stringed instrument with the range of a bass guitar and traditional guitar and played with two-handed fretting (like playing a piano on a guitar neck). If you’ve never heard or seen this instrument in action, you’re in for a treat. You can grab a peek of the instrument here (http://www.stick.com).

The performances in the Deja VROOM concert are fantastic, but subdued. Don’t expect David Lee Roth-style splits by Adrian Belew in this set, but do expect top-notch music craftsmanship; these are six artists at the top of their form. The sonics are impressively dynamic across all five channels and subwoofer, with a lead vocal performance by Belew that is appropriately mixed to dominate the front soundstage when he’s singing. The rest of the instruments encircle the listener in a spacious 360 degree “wall” of sound. And when that wall comes tumbling down – look out! Did I mention that this DVD is best played loud?

However, there are three things about Deja VROOM that may annoy some folks (notwithstanding one’s predilection to dislike King Crimson’s music to begin with):

1) The sound mix - the music is mixed as a “double trio;” that is, one half of the band is mixed almost hard left, and the other half hard right, with vocals (thankfully) in the middle. In other words, you have Bill Bruford’s drum kit on one side, and Pat Mastelotto’s kit on the other. The kick drums also sound a bit flat, without much “kick.” The low end is dominated by Tony Levin’s bass (“One Time” is a good example). The guitars are harsh at times, giving the mix a predominant mid range push.

2) The video – will someone please tell music video/concert directors to hire good lighting directors already? While not as bad as Steely Dan’s Two Against Nature concert, here is yet another example of low light levels contributing to copious amounts of video noise and compression artifacts. Poor Robert Fripp is in shadows most of the time, and colors have a very filtered, smeared quality.

3) The menu/navigation system – egads, if King Crimson’s music was not challenging enough, here you have a complex menu design that may instigate some viewers to commit acts of violence upon their home theater equipment.

That being said, the DVD is a unique experience for rock music lovers who are up for a challenge. Several selections include multiple camera angles on each of the performers, with some songs even having different audio mixes highlighting the selected performer’s angle. All video is 4:3 (full screen), and some camera angles exhibit better video quality than others. For example, the camera attached to the side of Bill Bruford’s drum kit has a surveillance video quality. However, I highly recommend viewing Bruford’s incredibly intricate drum work in “B’BOOM” and “Talking Drum” using these different angles to see him work the entire drum kit. The DTS 5.1 track is preferred over the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, providing a fuller, more spacious sound field.

Special features include “In The Court Of The Crimson King,” an exploration of the history of King Crimson through founder Robert Fripp’s writings and historical photographs and “Tony’s Road Movies,” Tony Levin’s Super 8mm documentation of life backstage. There are a few small Easter eggs that I will leave for those who wish to go beyond the big Easter egg that is the menu.

There is also a special feature on Deja VROOM that is truly innovative from a technical standpoint. “21st Century Schizoid Band” is an interactive exercise that allows you to create the ultimate band lineup from a variety of King Crimson incarnations dating back to 1969. For example, you can choose the rhythm section from 1974, a vocalist from 1996 and an instrumentalist from 1969 and have these fragments of historical recordings come together to play the song, “21st Century Schizoid Man.” The folks who did the time compression and editing behind the scenes to make this feature possible are to be commended. Very cool.

On the packaging front, Deja VROOM comes in an Amaray keep case. Inside the case is a very thick booklet (18 pages, not including front and back cover), including the King Crimson history, the band’s music and business philosophy, a listing of the DVD’s features, and a manual for the menu navigation system!

It is refreshing to see words like these in the booklet: “The first aim of DGM (Discipline Global Mobile, Crim’s record company) is to help bring music into the world which would otherwise be unlikely to do so, or under conditions prejudicial to the music and musicians. The second aim of DGM is to operate in the market place, while being free of the values of the market place. The third aim of DGM is to help the artists and staff of DGM achieve what they wish for themselves. The fourth aim of DGM is to find its audience. The fifth aim of DGM is to be a model of ethical business in an industry founded by exploitation, oiled by deceit, riven with theft and fuelled by greed.” A record company finding the audience for the artist? What a concept in this world of pre-packaged marketing strategies! You want alternative music? Here it is. Lots of info in this package.

A limited run of Deja VROOM DVDs came bundled with a sampler CD of other music from artists in King Crimson or related to the band in some way. If you plan on buying this disc, be on the lookout for this rare find on the shelves.

If you’re tired of what’s currently on the radio and are ready for serious mind and ear expansion, Deja VROOM may be for you. This is the polar opposite of corporate pop music, and will certainly take you out of your comfort zone. Some of you may find that you prefer the idea of alternative or progressive music more than the actual music. That’s OK. Steve Martin once said that “comedy is not pretty.” Neither is music. For those willing to allow music to once again surprise, confound and ravage the senses – Deja VROOM is for you.