Fantastic value, interesting material
IggyBowieLou | Kansas City | 03/05/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a weird little package, including neither the Berserker nor the original Strange Charm albums. What we have here instead is a CD compilation of some great Numa-years songs (also available by itself) and a PAL DVD of the Berserker Live from London concert video. I've read elsewhere that it's region-free, but my Sony Dream System says it's restricted, while it plays fine in my US Lite-On player, which I didn't realize was multiregion or multiformat. In the US, just beware it's PAL. Most computers should play it fine, though.
It's a great bargain, though a bit alien to anyone who's not a hardcore Numanoid. The classic Atco/Beggars Banquet songs in the track listing are all live versions, and the rest hits some unusual album picks and B-sides.
The real reason to buy this one, though, is that video. Shot while Gary was rocking the blue hair/white skin image, it's an 11-song concert culled mostly from the love-it-or-hate it Berserker album. The video quality is shockingly good, though the sound isn't nearly of the caliber heard on the White Noise double-disc album from the same concert.
This show is a pretty impressive feat to behold. We've got the classic Numan lighted panels and band on risers. The man's dedication to paint himself white and dye his still-new hairplugs bright blue was pretty remarkable, and I have no idea how he doesn't sweat it all off by the end of the show. The band is pretty darned tight, though I have to admit I'm not much of a fan of backup vocalist Karen Taylor (she's no Tessa Niles or Tracey Ackerman), and she looks awfully uncomfortable on her upstage center perch. It's nice not to have "Cars" included in the setlist.
It's pretty cool overall, and a great deal for the price. I'm happy to have it in my (silly big) Numan collection."
Track Listings (26) - Disc #1