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Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
By: M. Enois Duarte, 6.29.2009
The Movie Itself:
Is it just me with age or is music really becoming squeaky-clean and harmless? It's something that's interested me for quite some time. When I was growing up (geez, does that make me sound me old), rock music was edgy, hard, and loud. Parents yelled at kids for listening to music that they saw as corrupt, demoralizing, and downright evil. I started noticing this change in attitude with bands like Green Day and Good Charlotte --- the new wave of so-called Punk music of the mid 90s. Slowly but surely, music evolved into imitating what's already been done and has become more anemic, wholesome, and even simplistic. Strange, Nirvana and Marilyn Manson were truly the last bands to offend the ears of so many people.
This is just my opinion, of course. I'm not a music critic and only know enough of its history to get by. Admittedly, I'm somewhat grateful of the innocence in contemporary music, seeing as how I'm now the parent of a thirteen-year-old. One thing though, the world has gone topsy-turvy. I don't yell at her to turn that racket down, yet she tells me my music is too loud and obnoxious. Not sure if it's so much being a Disney-junkie, as it is a trend in attitude and the way in which kids now see the world (being green is readily acceptable today than it ever was). The days of The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, The Osmonds and even The Monkees, where real-life music stars and TV celebrities are one in the same, have suddenly come back in style with Hannah Montana, Demi Lovato, Ashley Tisdale, Selena Gomez, and The Cheetah Girls.
Then there's the latest sensation in pre-teen mania, a group which my daughter coincidently just saw last night, making it her first live concert experience. Real-life brothers Kevin, Joe, and Nick make up this trio of musicians known as the Jonas Brothers. After a bit of research, I'm surprise to see that the kids are not exactly the overnight musical craze they appear to be in the media. They've worked quite hard in the last four years to be in their present situation, with their fourth studio album released only a couple of weeks ago. With the release of their first album, they also did several songs that were featured on various kids programs. After being dropped by one record label, the second album proved more successful and the group began making television appearances on the Disney Channel, where they garnered their immense following. In December, the boys were nominated at the 51st Grammy Awards, and now star in their own TV series on the Disney Channel.
Not bad for a group of kids under 25.
Promoting their third studio album, a North American tour during the summer of 2008 was joined by Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato. At that same time, the trio became the youngest band to be featured on the cover of the Rolling Stone Magazine. Two shows of that concert were filmed in Anaheim, California by a Disney Digital 3-D production crew and presented here on Blu-ray, also in 3-D. At the start, I was thrown for a bit of a loop as the opening seemed like something out of a Gun N' Roses concert. Then they started to sing.
While the music doesn't exactly live up to that opening, there is no denying the boys know how to put on a show. Jam packed with screaming fans at their heels, the concert is quite lively, energetic, and extremely colorful. Still, it's all a superficial, disordered display of lights and pyrotechnics with little connection to the melodies, not the fans will notice or even care. Their clean-cut, boy-next-door fashion can be irritating for folks with different musical tastes. The lyrics are cutesy and inoffensive; their style of rock is elementary and facile. But The Jonas Brothers have their fans, and I'm sure this disc will find its way into your collection if you're a parent.
Rating: 5/10
The Presentation:
Disney Home Entertainment does it again by unleashing the Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience with an AVC transfer that glitters and sparkles all over. While not the stellar performance we've come to expect from this great studio, the hi-def presentation of the trio's live concert offers plenty of vibrancy and pop in a variety of colors. Recorded indoors and surrounded mostly in darkness, black levels are exceptional and allow for plenty of visibility in the distance. Details are sharp and contrast is spot-on. However, the concert is interrupted by several scenes shot on digital video that display weaker contrast levels, poor resolution, and an overall flat image. This is not a defect in the transfer, but the inconsistency is rather distracting. Of course, for fans such things are minuscule and easily excused for the concert's enjoyment. With that in mind, fans will be very pleased with the picture quality of this Blu-ray.
Rating: 8.0/10
Equipped with a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, this audio presentation of the teeny-bopper sensation makes for a definite showstopper. The lossless track exhibits well-defined fidelity and nicely balanced in the front soundstage, with music evenly spread out between the three-channels. While vocals enjoy a clean delivery in the center of the screen, the sounds of crazed fans occupy the rears, convincingly enveloping the listening area. Low bass response is surprisingly strong and hefty, but precise and non-directional. The entire concert maintains a very entertaining 360-degree soundfield. The only thing keeping it below perfection is those backstage shots and scenes before the show, where the track suddenly goes monaural. Other than that, the disc sounds exactly as a live concert should.
Rating: 8.8/10
Overall Presentation: 8/10
** 9 - 10 = Reference / 8 = Excellent / 7 = Good /
6 = Satisfactory / 5 = Average / 4 & under = Below Average **
The Extras:
Walt Disney Home Entertainment secures this Blu-ray edition of the Jonas Brothers concert as the must-have, definitive version. The 3-disc package arrives with both 2-D and 3-D versions on the Blu-ray disc, a second DVD of the concert presented in 2-D, and a DisneyFile Digital Copy for portable devices. This "Deluxe Extended" cut also includes two additional songs, four pairs of 3-D glasses, Disney Movie Rewards, and the Blu-ray is BD-Live Enabled. All bonus material is presented in high definition.
- Bonus Songs (9 min)
Two additional songs ("Love Bug" and "Shelf") not included in the final cut.
- Up Close & Personal with The Jonas Brothers (15 min)
Under the Backstage Disney banner, a behind-the-scenes look with the boys talking about their careers and excitement of making music.
- Trailers
Previews include the upcoming Blu-ray of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the television series aptly named Jonas, and one for the theatrical release of G-Force.
Rating: 5/10
Final Thoughts:
While the music may not be up to par --- at least within certain tastes and standards --- there is no denying the Jonas Brothers have made an impact and garnered a strong, devoted fanbase. Musical tastes aside, the boys provide an entertaining and fun concert experience for young girls, presented here with a very good A/V presentation on Blu-ray and a nice supplemental package. Needless to say, this one is definitely only for the fans.
Rating: 6/10
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