INXS Live Baby Live at Wembley Stadium 1991 - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Bob Rapoport]

Concert:
Video:
Audio:
Final Score:
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I'm excited to share details about the restored INXS performance at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1991, a true highlight in their celebrated career. This release has been meticulously restored from the original 35mm film, presenting it in stunning 4K Ultra High Definition widescreen, which boasts over 20 times the resolution of the original.

The audio has been remixed and remastered in Dolby Atmos, and it includes a previously unreleased performance, making you feel like you're part of the 73,791-strong crowd on that memorable July evening. This package features the completely restored classic 1991 performance, remixed and remastered, along with a standard Blu-ray disc. Please note that 4K UHD discs are not compatible with standard Blu-ray players. The total run time is 98 minutes.

This 2020 version was restored from the original 35mm negative, with audio restoration handled by Giles Martin and Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios. It includes the full Wembley soundtrack and a 16-page booklet.

Track List:

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)

Video Quality:

I was pleasantly surprised by the noticeable increase in detail levels provided by this 4K version. Even in the credits sequence, it’s easy to distinguish individual facial features in the audience. Throughout the presentation, I was consistently impressed with both general and fine detail levels, not just in close-ups. The color palette is also nicely highlighted, with some of the red tones, especially the lighting on drummer Jon Farriss, popping more expressively. The grain looks fantastic, with only minor issues when it interacts with blue lighting and fog machines, where it can appear slightly pixelated. Surprisingly, the increased resolution revealed a couple of brief anomalies that I hadn’t noticed in the 1080 version, such as a small blip of white damage around 20:00.

Audio Quality:

INXS: Live Baby Live Wembley Stadium offers Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and LPCM 2.0 tracks, all of which sound fantastic in their own right. The vocals are mixed forward in both the Atmos and 5.1 tracks, enhancing the energy and nuance of the instrumentals. I found both the Atmos and 5.1 tracks highly recommendable, even compared to the narrower stereo track.

Note: Eagle Rock Entertainment has authored this 4K UHD disc to default to the stereo track, so you may need to use your remote to select one of the surround tracks.

INXS Live Baby Live Wembley Stadium is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment with a 2160p transfer in 1.90:1.

Final Score:

Technical Specifications:

Video:
Codec: HEVC / H.265 (64.24 Mbps)
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: HDR10
Aspect ratio: 1.90:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Dolby Atmos, LPCM 2.0, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

This is stadium rock at its best, when INXS was the #1 band in the world. Highly Recommended.

"New Sensation" reveals the charisma of lead vocalist Michael Hutchense.

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[Todd Anderson]

Great review, Bob. I'm going to pick this up.

Was total happenstance, but I met the bassist - Garry Beers - at an event a few months ago. It was all in passing, but he seemed like happy person. Super nice.

 

[Bob Rapoport]

Great review, Bob. I'm going to pick this up.

Was total happenstance, but I met the bassist - Garry Beers - at an event a few months ago. It was all in passing, but he seemed like happy person. Super nice.

Thanks Todd, you're going to love this one. I was lucky enough to see their first US show in the early 80s, Pasadena Civic Auditorium in LA, I knew immediately they would get big, Hutchense had Mick Jagger charisma and the band was great. I should have included this song too, Suicide Blonde went on to become the inspiration for a movie.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I wish I’d seen them live…. Wasn’t lucky enough. I had Kick on cassette… what a killer album.

Beautiful Girl is a favorite track tho… which I, I think, is from the early 90s.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Yep... I may have to watch this one too. I just added it to my wishlist on K-Scape.

I was spinning a few of their songs back in the 80s.