Disco de Bee Gees: “One Night Only [Video/DVD]”

The Bee Gees have always been great performers, but this is their career topping concert. Four decades of songs are showcased here with impeccable harmonies and a first class band. The highlights are the guest appearances whether ala 'Nat King Cole' style or real like Celine Dion. Yup, Franki Valli and a tear-jerking Andy Gibb can be heard here as well as the Celine highlight. There is too much and too little as great songs like, "Nights On Broadway" and "Guilty" are cut short, but the typical 'Bee Gees song medley' and the 'Night Fever/More Than A Woman' segment made up for that. In retrospect, the concert could have had more lighting effects, but, geez, the sound is just so good, you wonder if it really makes a difference. This was a historic event.

Actually, it's been 12 years and not ten for this tenth anniversary issue, not that that matters much. This is a rehash of old material and a little bit of new. Repackaged in a new clear plastic case with color inserts, it's a bit better and brighter looking. But what's inside?

The song set is the same as any of the previous versions. The DVD arrangement is different. The sound quality is actually just as good with the options of Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Surround; maybe better. On my surround system, they all sounded good. There is a new segment of "An Audience with the Bee Gees" in a more intimate setting where they perform five good songs to an appreciative audience. This is in stereo only. There is a larger concert of this version available if you search.

The extras include a live segment (audience with the Bee Gees) that have the songs, "Heartbreaker", "Guilty", a rousing "Chain Reaction", "How Deep Is Your Love" and "Jive Talkin'". The interview is interesting including previously seen segments and several new ones that were pulled from the vaults. It lasts a satisfying 19 minutes. For an Anniversary issue, it's not bad.

However, if you really want a bargain deal and ALL that the Bee Gees can offer, I highly suggest buying the

(Collector's Edition). This has the entire concert on one disc and a 2-hour interview on a second. There are plenty of extras as well. Sit down and have a great time in your living room.

Can I brag? At 18:43 minutes into the interview, I can see myself sitting in the 3rd row of the MGM Grand bleachers. That is such a thrill for me.

I love bee gee's songs and I own this DVD(DTS version). I am not sure whether it is just my copy. The audio is not up to any dolby digital standard not to mention DTS. Most of the time, the center and the sourround channels do not have much music effect/instrument or vocal, except occasional background noise and audience's applause.

I am not sure whether this is malfunctioning that happened to a certain number of DVD produced at a certain time. If it is, then i would ask for a return/refund.

If all DVDs produced are like this.Then this is really bad production. A bad DVD at the expense of very good, memorable songs by BEE GEEs. (e-mail:dlee_at@yahoo.com)

A good dts music dvd to model after is 'Hell freezes over' by Eagles - best use of all 6 channels in a well planned/beautifully mixed architecture. (i am not as great fan of Eagles, but this dvd is by far the best engineered, audio-ly and video-ly)

If you want the music makers that made 40-50 years of history in music, and wrote memorable music for other artists, you must own this ONE* and another titled "This is where I came in*". I looked all over for their (beegees)"collectors edition", could not find it at a decent price, so decided to purchase the same music & message through these* two different packages. Bought another set as a gift.

Great sound through our BruRay & surround sound system. Excellent quality all around.

It would be but a few years after this triumphant return to live performance that Maurice Gibb would tragically pass under unfortunate circumstances. In the mid to late 90s, the Brothers Gibb were enjoying a much-deserved and much-belated re-evaluation and renaissance of popularity, with the release of the great album Still Water. Not only that, but everything 70s was cool again- disco, bell bottoms, smiley faces- and of course, the "disco" inventors themselves, the swaggering, hairy-chested, big-teethed, gold-medallioned falsetto-singing Bee Gees.

But it is unfortunate that this iconic caricature attached to a popular fad of the era is what the Bee Gees are mostly known for. Because take away this albatross from their necks and what you have are amazing songs, dating back to the late 60s, when their unique take on Beatle-esque harmonics, combined with a talent for melodies of great sensitivity, melancholy, and beauty, as well as their trademark vibrato, created a distinct sound.

The fact remains that the Saturday Night Fever tracks were in the can BEFORE the movie, and were added at the request of boss Stigwood. These were not "disco" songs. They were funky, tropical Arif Mardin-produced Miami rnb/dance and sublime balladry. Granted, they took the disco ball and ran with it- but wouldn't you, given the opportunity? For a while there, the Bee Gees bestrode the pop world like a 3-headed beast. And unlike the Beatles, they outstayed their welcome, oversaturated and thrown into the trash heap of disco hatred, accelerated by the Sgt Pepper film debacle. Forced to retreat, they became in-demand songwriters and producers.

All that musical history is here, as Barry states as the show gets started. They re-trace 30 years of stunning songwriting genius. From the 60s into the early 70s, from the disco era, from the underestimated 80s and 90s tracks, as well as the classics written for others- including an emotional, poignant "duet" with Andy Gibb on Don't Throw It All Away. There is also a nice appearance by a Titanic-peaking Celine Dion, on the underrated gem "Immortality", with the Bee Gees on backing vocals.

With a great backing band, heavenly harmonies, people like Olivia Newton-John in the adoring audience, and the classic self-deprecating Gibb wit, humility and brotherly barbing, you can't lose on this wonderful concert