As Eve Wood's documentary Made in Sheffield (VL-9/05) points out, all electronica can trace its roots to the English working-class industrial burg Sheffield, which spawned such influential synth-pop bands as ABC, Heaven 17, Cabaret Voltaire, and the one true international superstar group, the Human League. Filmed at Brighton's Dome, this 17-song set features the silken-voiced Philip Oakey, joined by Susan Anne Sulley and Joanne Catherall on backup vocals (originally a pair of schoolgirls recruited after the departure of Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh—who formed Heaven 17—Sulley and Catherall were no more than window dressing in 1980 and 25 years later remain so), fronting a solid lineup of synth, keyboards, guitar, and drum/percussion players. Nicely filmed and boasting a gorgeous Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track (as well as a stereo option), The Human League: Live at the Dome finds the band in like-they-never-left form on hits such as “Love Action,” “Mirror Man,” “The Lebanon,” “Human,” “(Keep Feeling) Fascination,” and “Don't You Want Me.” DVD extras include a 20-minute backstage American tour featurette, and a 55-minute interview with Oakey, Sulley, and Catherall. Sure to appeal to fans of ‘80s New Wave everywhere, this is highly recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)
The Human League: Live at the Dome
(2003) 87 min. DVD: $19.95. Music Video Distributors (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 20, Issue 6
The Human League: Live at the Dome
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: