Blue Oyster Cult - IHeart Radio Theater NYC 2012 Blu-ray

There's been a glut of Blue Oyster Cult live shows hitting the market in the last year and I've got every one of them. They all have strong points, such as doing complete albums - 'Agents of Fortune' live in the studio with Albert Bouchard as well as their first album completely live in London - as well as an outdoor venue in Germany and a long set at 'Hard Rock Live Cleveland 2014'. Even the old 'Long Day's Night' from 2002 has been remastered both in video and audio to great effect, giving you a last chance to see original member Allen Lanier. But I personally have always believed BOC learned more from the Beach Boys than Black Sabbath. No matter how hard they try to be categorized as a heavy metal band, they are entirely too smart to be painted into such a corner. And how many heavy bands have so many four part harmonies in their material? So perhaps the best way to judge the best of this batch of live material is by how good the vocals are, and that is where 'iHeart Radio Theater N.Y.C. 2012' excels. Recorded in a 'live-in-the-studio' setting, the acoustics are great. While there are certain songs most likely to be played at nearly every concert, there are a few surprises here, such as 'Shooting Shark', where bassist Kasim Sultan displays an impressive thumb-popping bass technique. Most impressive are the vocals, with more harmonies than you would expect from such hard rockers. Rest assured, Buck Dharma hasn't lost a thing on guitar, still perhaps the most under-rated maestro of the six strings from the 1970s. Eric Bloom is a great front man, and the 5.1 surround mix really rocks on 'Black Blade', vocals careening off the back of the auditorium. New kids Ritchie Castellano and Jules Radino carry their weight and more, with the drums particularly thrashing in a great way and even punkish at times. If I had to pick just one show to represent why Blue Oyster Cult are such a great band after 50 years of relentless touring - the best show I ever saw, back in 1977 with the giant laser show - this would be my 'Exhibit A'. Can't recommend it highly enough. Read more

Yes, the camera work is shaky and bizarre, but it DOES NOT MATTER! Blue Oyster Cult put on an AMAZING concert and they sound fantastic!!! (Additionally, they play The Vigil!!! - if you are a REAL fan you know how INCREDIBLE that song is!!! Read more

I loved the concert I have watched it a lot. This band is under rated. This band does things with instruments not many bands do. the music is complicated and at times dark but the talent is fantastic. Read more

I won't be as brutal as the other guy, only because the sound is high quality, but people on 'ludes should NOT operate a camera. Seriously, you can actually get motion sickness watching the DVD. For that reason, BOC should have chosen a better show to release. These last few live recording have been a bit disappointing. It's a shame because BOC is a great live band. Read more

This is another great performance by Blue Öyster Cult. Buck Dharma shows he’s still one of the best guitarists around. Great sound production and a nice variety in the set list. Read more

A decent performance from the current line-up of BOC. The concert is only 62 minutes long - not 120, as represented in the information for this product. The interview extra is a little over 7 minutes long and not particularly informative. The setlist for this show includes a good assortment of the band's classics. Again, the show is rather short, though that may have been a restriction of the venue rather than a choice made by the band. Live performances of the song "Godzilla" used to be an opportunity for a lengthy bass guitar solo. Kasim Sultan didn't rise to the occasion, though, which was mildly disappointing. Your mileage may vary in that regard. The audio is clear and crisp, with a choice of straight-up stereo or surround. My biggest complaint was the video. The actual picture was very crisp and clear. However, the camera work was annoying and distracting - stuttering zooms and chaotic fast-cuts that made the show difficult to enjoy watching. It made me feel like I'd been spun around on a merry-go-round at high speed. I suppose this style might work with death/speed metal bands, but not BOC, in my opinion. This one is for completists and die-hard fans only. Best bet is skip this one and buy BOC's Hard Rock Live Cleveland 2014, which boasts 17 tracks and 111 minutes runtime (as opposed to 10 tracks and 62 minutes runtime) - and more traditional live camerawork. Read more

Great versions of great songs! The band sounds awesome, pick this up if you are a BOC fan! Read more

Finally a Blue Ray version of a live performance of Blue Oyster Cult. Best Rock Group ever. Read more