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Various Artists: Rock For Asia (DVD)

Compilation DVDs can be hit or miss. Rock For Asia, a German import recently made available in North America by Spain's Locomotive Records, is both. One month after a deadly tsunami rocked Asia, several known and unknown acts rocked for Asia at a special fundraiser concert in Ingolstadt, Germany, in late-January 2005. Rock For Asia appears to have been spearheaded by German hard-rock veterans Bonfire, who called on artists as diverse as gravel-voiced Bonnie Tyler, metal mayhem-making Edguy and laid-back guitarist David Knopfler. This single-disc DVD distills that concert, notable for its nondescript staging and lighting, into a handful of performances from each artist. Consequently, we get Tyler covering Guns N' Roses, Edguy banging out the witty but wholly inappropriate "Lavatory Lovemachine," Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell and a female saxophonist performing a Kenny G-like version of "Still Loving You," Doro singing a typically sturdy rendition of Für Immer," a band of aging rockers called Man Doki Soulmates doing Beatles covers and Saxon aptly delivering "Requiem (We Will Remember)." Bonfire kicks off the festivities, which also include surprisingly compelling performances from bands that likely will be new to North American audiences: the symphonic, slightly operatic metal of Krypteria (fronted by a beautiful Asian frontwoman), the Scissor Sisters-meets-Evanescence Nu Pagadi and dramatic female-fronted hard rockers Com 'N Rail. But why is Crystal Ball, one of the more veteran bands on this bill, given only one song, "Hellvetia" — and not a real good one, at that?

Unfortunately, some of the audio appears to have been tampered with in post-production, and a documentary about the concert — who developed the idea, how the bill was determined and how much in donations the event generated — plus information about how viewers can still donate to the cause, would have made this package more worthwhile. Nevertheless, it stands as an intriguing opportunity to see veteran artists in an unexpected environment and to experience the talents of newer bands. And it was all done for a good cause.


Track Listing:
BONFIRE: Under Blue Skies, Proud of My Country, Songs for Asia
BONNIE TYLER: It's A Heartache, To Love Somebody, Sweet Child O Mine
IN EXTREMO: Erdbeemund, Omnia Sol Temperat
KRYPTERIA: Get the Hell Out Of My Way, Liberatio
NU PAGADI: Sweetest Prison, Dying Words
DORO: She's Like Thunder, Für Immer
EDGUY: Lavatory Lovemachine, King of Fools
CRYSTAL BALL: Hellvetia
COM 'N RAIL: I Won't Let Me Down, If I Knew the Way
DAVID KNOPFLER: Ship of Dreams, Easy Street
SAXON: Man & Machine, Requiem (We Will Remember)
RAREBELL & RAAB: Still Loving You
MAN DOKI SOULMATES: All You Need Is Love, Imagine
BONFIRE & FRIENDS: Song For Asia
Plus bonus footage of performances by Rolf Stahlhofen, Mr. President, Calduia Jung and Veronika Fischer

Added: April 30th 2008
Reviewer: Michael Popke
Score:
Hits: 2743
Language: english

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