INXS: Live Baby Live 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

INXS: Live Baby Live 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 22, 2020

Note: This is the first 4K UHD release from Eagle Rock Entertainment, and as is discussed below (in text ported over and then revised from my original INXS: Live Baby Live Blu-ray review of the 1080 Blu-ray release for the American market), even Eagle Rock's press people weren't quite sure of the specs of this release, let alone how to provide one for review purposes. It's therefore taken me a while to get hold of what amounts to an import only (but of course region free) 4K UHD disc.

Eagle Rock Entertainment has long been one of the “go to” labels for concert fare, and I know based on my own reaction to an initial press release as well as a surprising amount of messaging I received about INXS Live Baby Live Wembley Stadium that many were excited by the fact that Eagle Rock is evidently moving into the 4K UHD format with this release. Expectations may need to be tempered somewhat, as it turns out that (according to Eagle Rock’s press representative, who stated outright this was "a confusing situation") the 4K UHD disc is only available as an import, with a region free 1080 Blu-ray also included. While this 4K UHD iteration of the concert has perhaps been unwisely hard for folks in the United States to instantly get a copy of, the good news is that the video element is nicely upgraded, and this release sports the same great sounding Dolby Atmos track as was found on the 1080 Blu-ray I initially reviewed.

This now legendary concert was filmed before almost 74,000 fans packed into Wembley Stadium on what the cover says was a "hot July evening" (evidently different from a certain Neil Diamond concert) in 1991. This is a high energy performance, with some really appealing vocals from Michael Hutchence and good, propulsive playing from the band. The set list for the evening was:

Guns in the Sky
New Sensation
I Send a Message
The Stairs
Know the Difference
Disappear
By My Side
Hear That Sound
Original Sin
Lately
The Loved One
Wild Life
Mystify
Bitter Tears
Suicide Blonde
What You Need
Kick
Need You Tonight
Mediate
Never Tear Us Apart
Who Pays the Price
Devil Inside
Shining Star (Credits)

INXS: Live Baby Live 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note 1: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 Blu-ray.

Note 2: Parts of my original INXS: Live Baby Live Blu-ray review of the Region A 1080 Blu-ray are ported over to this review in all three of the video, audio and supplement sections, as applicable.

INXS Live Baby Live Wembley Stadium is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment with a 2160p transfer in 1.90:1. The initial press release I received, which we reproduced in our news announcement of this release, stated (rather breathlessly):

This masterclass in showmanship and musicianship has been painstakingly restored over a twelve-month period from the original 35mm negative in 4K, and is now presented in cinematic widescreen for this first time ever.

The restored version was created by shot-by-shot repositioning to get the best out of the frame. To accompany the astonishing visual upgrade, the audio was also remixed in full Dolby Atmos, created by Giles Martin, the band's Executive Music Director, and Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios.

Both that "cinematic widescreen" and "shot-by-shot repositioning" are probably clues that this had a different original aspect ratio, and the IMDb is reporting that it was originally released in 1.33:1. That might seem like things are going to be almost comically realigned for such a wide aspect ratio in this version, but aside from wishing the framings could get a little closer to the guys at times, I didn't notice anything that struck me as downright ludicrous. There is a lot of space on the sides of many shots featuring Hutchence or one of the other guys in a "solo" moment, but on the whole framings looked relatively decent to my eyes.

Framing aside, I was actually extremely pleasantly surprised by the immediately noticeable uptick in detail levels this 4K version provides. It's striking even during the credits sequence, where it's quite easy to make out individual facial features in the immense audience in shots taken from the band's point of view. But throughout this presentation, I was repeatedly struck with both general and fine detail levels, and not necessarily just in close-ups. The palette is also nicely highlighted, and some of the red tones, especially the lighting on drummer Jon Farriss, pops more expressively in this version. Grain looks fantastic throughout, with maybe niggling qualms when it "competes" with blue lighting and fog machines, where it can look just slightly pixellated. Kind of surprisingly, the increased resolution suddenly brought to view a couple of brief anomalies that I frankly hadn't noticed in the 1080 version. One of these is at circa 20:00 where there's a little blip of white damage toward the mid-right section of the frame.

INXS: Live Baby Live 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

INXS: Live Baby Live Wembley Stadium features Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 tracks, and for once all three sound great within their own contexts. I'm often on record (no pun intended) complaining that a lot of the concert video surround tracks tend to bury vocals at times as a perhaps intentional trade off to give a good accounting of the live sonics and crowd noises, but in both the Atmos and 5.1 tracks, vocals are mixed forward (where I personally feel they should be), without sacrificing any of the energy or nuance of the instrumental assortments. I frankly didn't hear a ton of difference between the Atmos and 5.1 tracks, but for once I have no qualms recommending either of these tracks in comparison to the fine if obviously narrower stereo track.

Note: While this is often the case for "standard" 1080 Blu-ray releases by Eagle Rock Entertainment, the label has also authored this 4K UHD disc to default to the stereo track, so have your remote handy if you want to listen to one of the surround tracks.

INXS: Live Baby Live 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements offered on the disc. The insert booklet has a few more pages than is typical and includes some writing (in absolutely miniscule font) from the guys, along with quite a few stills. The lack of a score above reflects the lack of on disc supplements.

INXS: Live Baby Live 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hey, if you know anyone who would like to help me fix the world by putting me in charge of everything, please have them contact me, as one of the newest items I'd add to my "to do" list is urging Blu-ray labels not to heavily tout their first 4K UHD release and then make that release available only as an import. While arguably a bit too hard to actually purchase on "this side of the pond", this release augurs well for Eagle Rock Entertainment's 4K UHD releases going forward, though again they're advised to maybe make future outings readily available in the United States. Technical merits are solid, and INXS Live Baby Live Wembley Stadium 4K comes Recommended.