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Dance Hall Crashers

Live! at House of Blues L.A. DVD
2005
Kung Fu Films

Dance Hall Crashers - Live! at House of Blues L.A. DVD (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Anchors
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Dance Hall Crashers (link)

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Published on January 13th 2006

I’ll be honest: I have never, ever been to a ska show. I’ve been seeing live music with some regularity for around 4 years now, and I have never seen a ska band play. Doesn’t interest me. I enjoy a decent amount of ska, but the prospect of seeing one of those bands' live show has never sparked my interest. Dance Hall Crashers aren’t even one of the ska bands I might listen to on record, so I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this live DVD, and after it was over…eh?

The crowd at the House of Blues in Los Angeles seemed mightily enthused about the well-known, female-fronted ska outfit, and their enthusiasm showed for the entire set. That enthusiasm would have done well to translate into the actual band.

The two female vocalists of DHC are great showmen. They dance around the stage, get right in the face of the crowd, and they sound fantastic. In fact, the whole band sounds fantastic. I’m not as familiar with their back catalogue as some may be, but I can tell a tight live band when I see one, and the Dance Hall Crashers fit that bill. Granted, the songs aren’t the most difficult to play, but all members are cohesive musicians nonetheless. Where I do have an issue is with the energy that the bassist and guitarist put into the music. I realize they’re playing relatively simple things, so spazzing out would look awkward and not fit the music, but they could actually look like they’re alive, rather than going through the motions. Luckily, both singers are well enough alive as they play the energetic 19-song set. I can’t say any song stuck out above all the others, but they played a good mix of fast and slow tunes that the crowd seemed pretty responsive to. Futhering the crowd's approval, they played such favorites as “Elvis and Me,” “Cold Shower,” and the set closer “Go.” But since this is a DVD, the songs aren‘t anything if they’re not presented well.

The cinematography is probably the best part of this entire DVD. The picture is of a pristine quality throughout the entire production, the sound is fantastic, and they use a wide variety of camera angles that show the crowd as well as the band themselves. It’s very well done, and it looks more professional than the DVDs that a lot of bands sloppily throw together. All members of the band are shot essentially the same amount, with some extra time obviously given to the singers, as everything about DHC’s live show is dependent upon them.

It all comes down to whether or not you’re a fan of the Dance Hall Crashers. If so, you’ll no doubt love this and the sheer number of tracks included, if not, this DVD isn’t stellar enough to change your opinions on ska and how it translates live.

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 19, 2006 at 1:44 PM (EST)
My Score:

I really like this band, are they split up or just "on hiatus"? Either way, this DVD is pretty cool.

Joe

Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-01-14 20:13:30
My Score:

About moshing to ska.

I just can't help it, every time i hear something by the voodoo glow skulls, i have to randomly punch in the air and totally "mosh it up, bro". It's just the "angry circus"-vibe fucking with my head.

Posted by skajester on 2006-01-14 17:02:25
My Score:

I got this for a buck. Still, it's worth the full price. Looks great, sounds great, the ladies jiggle and move... fun stuff.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 14, 2006 at 10:25 AM (EST)

mark hoppus wrote a bunch of songs about the girl in this band he dated. Like Rock show!

Posted by SlackMFr on 2006-01-14 06:17:22

Women can be showmen? Whether you like DHC or hate them, this review tells us nothing besides that the reviewer is a douche bag on wheels.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 14, 2006 at 6:15 AM (EST)

That Hater Mail is the shit.

Posted by joeg on 2006-01-14 01:41:49

www.coalitionagainsthardcoredancing.com/

Posted by Vincent_M on 2006-01-13 23:13:16

Amen Fistchode, than punch-the-floor moshing shit was happening at the Troc a few weeks back to a fucking WESTBOUND TRAIN song! How can you possibly turn one of their songs into something you'd mosh to? Jesus...

-Vincent M

Posted by notfeelingcreative on 2006-01-13 22:44:20

If you ski outside your league, your gonna have a bad time.

Posted by fistchode on 2006-01-13 21:39:09

if you're at a ska show, and you're not skanking, then you'll have a shitty time.

if you're at a ska show, and you can't skank because there's little punk shits everywhere who think it's cool to "mosh" to everything, then you'll have a shitty time.

if you're at a ska show, and everyone's feeling the muthafuckin' vibe and skanking up a storm, then you'll experience one of the best experiences ever.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 9:15 PM (EST)

I saw these guys a few years ago in SF with Limp because my younger brother is Super Fan #1 and had no one to go with. I am not a big fan but the crowd really loved 'em. One of the few shows I've been to (and I've been going to shows for 7 years) where there far mare girls than guys.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 9:12 PM (EST)

"The two female vocalists of DHC are great showmen"

This is a joke, right?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 8:10 PM (EST)

Ska is fun live, but can get boring. Also, it really depends on the band... It's not some consistent good time... If it's a band that formed because they like Op Ivy and Reel Big Fish, they'll probably suck. Old school ska bands are awesome, though.

-Will

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 8:09 PM (EST)

Ska shows are whats up now, I'm not a fan of DHC but I've seen, Mustard plug, Big D, The Toasters, The Flatliners, Suicide Machines, The Planet Smashers and a bunch of other local bands over the times, and ska kids be a crazy bunch and generally friendly crowd compared to the fashion punks at most otehr shows.

Posted by sallyjesse on 2006-01-13 16:42:57

its show-women. and go to a ska show. how can you review stuff you've never taken part in.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 4:03 PM (EST)

when was this show recorded?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 2:05 PM (EST)
My Score:

really good dvd. long setlist with a good variety of songs. commentary was fucking useless though and doesn't give any meaning behind songs really (not like most of the songs have much meaning anyway).

Posted by Anchors on 2006-01-13 12:38:02

Haha Adam, if you can find an actual ska show around here, I'm down for seeing one.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 11:22 AM (EST)

They have vaginas, so that's probably 95% of the way there for you assholes.

-Lev007

Posted by notfeelingcreative on 2006-01-13 11:15:01

And no,DHC are not hot.

Posted by notfeelingcreative on 2006-01-13 11:14:27

Pietasters are amazing when it comes to ska, they combine the best elements of ska and soul!! I've never seen DHC live, I had tickets to see them with Bad Religion when I was a kid, but my mommy and daddy didn't let me go!!

Posted by sickboi on 2006-01-13 11:07:17

Come to DC and see the Pietasters. Now that's a ska show.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 9:37 AM (EST)

are these chicks hot?

Posted by shindo on 2006-01-13 08:56:45

Anchors I'm driving down to wherever you are and we're going to see the Slackers or something. You having never been to a ska show just boggles the mind.

-adam

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 8:06 AM (EST)

Now my girlfriend
Likes UL and DHC

Posted by ejaculine on 2006-01-13 07:52:58

Ska is meant to be heard live. And if you go to a ska show, you can't just sit down... you gotta skank that shit!

Posted by psychoos231 on 2006-01-13 02:26:21
My Score:

Its an alright dvd, eww save perris

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 2:19 AM (EST)

Do these cats even play ska anymore? last i heard they were playing a pretty poppy rock/punk sound with no horns and little of the others trappings off ska

Posted by branden on 2006-01-13 01:43:48

save ferris is booooooo

i wish i liked ska like i used to

Posted by joeg on 2006-01-13 01:33:23

they used to be one of my favorite bands and still kinda are. it'd be cool to see them but they're another one of those "indefinite hiatus" bands and they only play a few shows a year.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 13, 2006 at 1:30 AM (EST)

apple shampoo by blnk was wriiten when mark had a crush on karina from dance hall crashers...true story....

Posted by TahoeJeff on 2006-01-13 01:07:43

From personal experience, this band puts on a really fun live show. I'd like to see them again sometime.

Posted by darkstarm on 2006-01-13 01:01:07

Seeing Ska live is quite the experience, I assure you.

Posted by KirbyPuckett on 2006-01-13 00:36:19

I probably would have bought this when I was 16, seven years later...I'm not really into them anymore.

Where's a SAVE FERRIS DVD?!?!

- Kirby

Posted by JKyle on 2006-01-13 00:20:55

Are these guys still around?