DVDfever.co.uk - Dolly Parton: Live From London CD reviewDVDfever.co.uk - Charts, News and Reviews of Blu-rays, DVDs, Games, CDs, Hardware, Laserdiscs, Cinema Films & more
When country music legend Dolly Parton comes to town, you should brace yourself. Parton is well known for two things (I know what you’re thinking) her simple country gal personality, end her, ahem, huge bust. But behind that image, there’s a killer songwriter. She’s written some of the most memorable country / crossover songs of all-time.
If you can put up with some family history ramblings and interview drop-ins, you’ll probably enjoy this show.
There’s nothing spectacular going on here, presentation wise. Simple band –singer format with various projected backdrops.
Voluptuous 64-year-old Dolly, still arguably the biggest name on the country scene, can still use that heavily lilted soprano to devastating effect. We mustn’t forget that this ‘Dollywood’ star didn’t get her reputation on a meal ticket. She grafted away for years, and just to prove she’s got bundles, of talent. She plays guitar, banjo, autoharp, piano, drums, Appalachian dulcimer, fiddle, harmonica, and pennywhistle. So her assets are quite, er, impressive!
Former ‘dirt-poor’ farm girl Dolly Rebecca Parton made her name subbing for Norma Jean (not Marilyn Monroe) on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967, and it was a sort of baptism from hell she’d never forget.
Since her 1967 debut, ‘Hello, I’m Dolly’, she’s released 41 albums, so there’s plenty in her long and distinguished career to dip into.
Filmed at London’s O2, the ultra-chatty superstar rolls back the years. She had to, because it was 1982 when she stopped by last, and there was a lot of catching up to do for the fans.
Twenty-six years on, she proved she still had what it takes.
Parton with her easy-going stage persona is simply unstoppable and incomparable when she’s in this mood.
Pink-stetsoned fans packed out the world’s most popular arena.
The band played on with Dolly backstage – then came her entrance.
“Well hello London, “in her squeaky Tennessee drawl with fans going nuts. “How’s everybody doin’ tonight?”, as if she needed an answer.
In her ‘spray-on’ sparkly blues dress, she instantly engaged the fans with show-biz chit-chat, then slipped into Two Doors Down, a country and pop hit in 1978.It was recorded in the more country style by Zella Lehr, while Dolly’s was a looser and popier take which she does here.
After a short intro about a redheaded gall, we get called Jolene, a song (loosely based on a real woman who tried to steal her husband Carl Thomas Dean) that went number one in 1974.
This tour, apart from being a hits-fest, was to promote her then new album Backwoods Barbie. She sings the title track about her ‘dreams’ of being pretty with great energy , but she does rattle on a bit beforehand , which has been edited, and not cleverly either. It’s first time she tackles a guitar too.
After a whopping (and tedious) 6 minute ‘family history’ we eventually get her signature tune Coat Of Many Colours, with that twang in fine fettle. Her 2007 smash-hit Better Get To Livin’ is well received, bringing the biggest cheer of the night, so far. A mostly a capella Little Sparrow is stunning.
At the piano she tackles a stirring The Grass Is Blue, followed by an impressive collective a capella How Often Do I Cross Mind?, then straight into her 1978 Grammy-winning album and title track Here You Come Again, her first million selling album.
In a grand finale she duets (with back-up singer) for her 1983 hit Islands In The Stream, then her 1980 hit 9 To 5 gets the party treatment.
I Will Always Love You proves to be a show-stopper with the 20,000 crowd singing along.
The CD, with chit-chat kept to a minimum (i.e. heavily edited) will prove a winner.
1. Two Doors Down
2. Jolene
3. Backwoods Barbie
4. Coat Of Many Colours
5. Only Dreamin’
6. Better Get To Livin’
7. Shinola
8. Little Sparrow
9. The Grass Is Blue
10. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?
11. Here You Come Again
12. Islands In The Steam
13. 9 To 5
14. I Will Always Love You
15. Jesus And Gravity
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.