Although I have yet to see Björk live myself, I was able to find one of her live concerts on DVD. My first experience seeing Björk in concert was Vespertine - Live at the Royal Opera House.

DVD Details This concert DVD was released shortly after the album in 2002, and it was filmed in Widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) and has a 5.1 surround track and a stereo track. The DVD also features many special features which I have listed below.

The Concert I can guarantee that you have never quite seen a concert like Björk's. I have seen concerts from Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, and Blue Man Group to name a few outstanding concerts that stood out. I am not saying Bjork is the best concert I have ever seen, but it is one of the most unique. Some of the performers on stage with Björk include Matmos, a duo that makes all their noises on some elaborate computer setup, Zeena Parkins a harp player, and an Inuit Choir! Of course there is also an orchestra, sythnesizer, cybals, rock salt (you know rock salt, so you can record someones footsteps walking in it), playing cards, acoustic guitar, and handclaps.

The concert features all the songs from the album Vespertine as well as Hyperballad, Joga, Isobel, Possibly Maybe and Human Behavoir.

The show starts simply enough with Björk lit by a sole spotlight sitting on stage with a music box playing Frosti. Snowflakes fall around her. Here it is very pretty, I liked it better live than on the album. The overture that the full orchestra joins in with is the overture from Dancer in the Dark. If you have seen that movie or hav the album Selmasongs you will be familiar with this beautiful orchestral piece. It is a nice way to open the show. All is Full of Love (from Homogenic is performed next with full orchestra and strange rhythmic noises that I have come to love and expect from my Icelandic princess. Seeing Matmos, the duo perform on their computer rig is a sight unto itself, they have some sort of contraption that looks like it is out of a science fiction movie. Both wear white tuxedoes. Aurora is interesting, because we see that the sound of footsteps in the snow is created by a man walking in step on a box full of rock salt. A microphone is placed to capture the sound. Beautiful images of Iceland are projected behind the group, and Zeena Parkers beautiful harp is heard. The Inuit chorus really adds a majestic aura to many of the songs here. They also look splendid, in what I assume are native Inuit outfits. (Red dresses with elaborate colored beaded shawls.).

I enjoyed the songs from Vespertine more seeing them performed, the visual element adds a lot to Björks music (or for me, to anyones, I enjoy seeing musicians or their artistic interpretations of their music). The sound of playing cards is on the song Cocoon. Pagan Poetry sounds really great with the live harp and the Inuit choir. Björk looks like some ornate bird in her bright red plumage, I mean dress. (No, not the swan dress, but a red dress that has a huge billowing skirt that appears to be large brigh red feathers).

After the performance of the songs from Vespertine Björk performs a few from Post. The sounds of Matmos surrounded me for the intro of Possibly Maybe. Björk stands barefoot in her bright red plumage until singing this delicate sound. The orchestra wells up for one of my favorite songs from Post; Isobel. I love the agressive treatment the song gets here to. Although it retains its atmospheric moodiness, some of the added sounds give it a bit of a rough edge. Low deep bass growls as Björk flits bird like on the stage and sings Hyperballad backed with images of interesting things. (and I do mean deep, if you have a serious audiophile subwoofer, the low frequencies here were almost below the level of hearing, but WOW, could I feel them).

From her first album Debut comes the agressive jungle rhythms of Human Behavior. It sounds quite impressive here, much more so than as a humble hi fi ring tune on my cell phone. I love the way the percussion comes through here live. I also love the way Björk sings this song live, she is quite funny as she repeats They're terribly terribly moody then all of a sudden turn happy. Joga from Homogenic and It's in Our Hands with a full clapping native language singing from the Inuit choir close the show.

Video Quality First, I love that this concert is in anamorphic widescreen, so it looks just perfect on widescreen televisions and movie screens. Lighting is well done, and the cameras focus on every odd little detail in the concert, such as footsteps in a small bin of rock salt used in one of the songs. The Inuit Choir outfits look spectacular, and of course Björk herself looks terrific with her full length white gown and white boots. Later she comes on stage in a red frilly ballerina outfit. Color and detail are superb.

Sound Quality I listened to the show in Dolby Digital Surround Sound. It is also offered in Stereo. The sound quality is superb, and imaging is very well done. Placing instruments on stage is no problem, figuring out what they are may be! I will note that the surround sound channel although it creates a phantom center, it doesn't actually use the center channel for some reason. The subwoofer channel is in full use though, many low rumblings rocked my living room listening to this Björk concert. The surrounds are VERY active in surround mode as well, Björk uses them to surround you with all those Björky sounds, not just audience ambience.

DVD Extras The extras include some pretty fascinating interviews with Björk and the duo that make up Matmos. Björk entertains us with her charming Icelandic accent as she explains her thoughts on Vespertine and the concert tour of it. Matmos is a duo that make Björks music sound pretty mainstream. We also get an interview with harpist Zeena Parkins and orchestra conductor Simon Lee. The final special feature shows Björk's trip to Greenland where she solved her dilemna of finding a suitable choir. Native Inuit women form the choir for this concert, and listening to it, I must say, she made a great choice, the Inuit choir sounded great.

For a review of the Dual Disc Re Release of Vespertine:

Björk Vespertine (Surrounded) (CD on one side, Surround Sound plus 5 videos on the DVD side)

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD