Desperation Band

At first, I was interested to see what Desperation Band would do with a full DVD of content. Their live albums have been considered by some to be a less-impressive American version of Hillsong, an understandable comparison to make. This DVD is slightly different than those released by their Australian competition, in that it is more a “complete” live performance. It does share a similar style, utilizing numerous cameras with fast cuts. This is both a blessing and a curse. It keeps things interesting, especially with some of the angles they chose. The cameras mounted to vocal microphones is a unique idea, though not as entertaining as Hillsong mounting a camera to Michael Guy Chislett’s Gretsch. The issue I have is that some of these quick cuts seem to disorient you, constantly reminding you that you are but a spectator, rather than a participant in, the worship experience. This is especially true with the slower songs that make up at least half of the disc. Add to this the fact that close to 50% of the time the cameras are out of focus, and you have a video that at best is tricky to interpret.

I don’t mean to be all negative, because the video does have its merits. It is a good look into what Desperation Band is like live, and it is entertaining (especially “Taking Over Now”). The production quality is good, and you can tell that a lot of effort went into thinking what the final product would look like. The audio is exactly what is heard on last year’s Everyone Overcome album, and that is a good thing. There are times when it is obvious that the audio is from a different performance, but it is never distracting, and the audio/video sync is perfect.

I dearly wish the same could be said about the video quality. While not bad in any sense of the word, it is not stunning. The focus issue is a big one, and whether by design or accident, it has the effect of making the viewer wonder if the camera operators were volunteers. This is reinforced by the obviously varying array of cameras used. The bullet cameras used on the drum kit and vocal mics are expected to produce less-pleasing images than a professional camera, but some of the other cameras have a somewhat harsh look as well.

Now for the really good news; the ending accomplishes everything the beginning does not. The start is strong, and identical to the album. “Prologue” and “Light of Salvation” start off strong, giving you an idea of what it would be like to participate in one of the conferences. From there, things go downhill slightly. “Counting on God” is almost awkward, but “Overcome” makes up for it. The next two songs are rather slow, and I honestly lost interest. However, “I’m Coming Your Way”, “Taking Over Now” and “I Will Go” definitely make you feel like you really are a part of the movement. Everything the previous tracks did to distract you from the “experience” is forgotten, and you truly are drawn in. Unfortunately, right at the moment when you most want the video to continue, you have reached the end.

Overall, I think this is a project that might just lead the way for a successful venue for Desperation Band. Despite some less-than-stellar moments, it does leave you wanting more, and that is usually a good thing.

Tagged as: Desperation Band, Everyone Overcome

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