All Rise...

Judge David Johnson doesn't know how he can live without you.

The Charge

High-def and better hair.

Opening Statement

Michael Bolton blows the doors off the Royal Albert Hall, much to the inestimable joy of a bunch of middle-aged ladies.

Facts of the Case

Michael Bolton. Yeah.

The Evidence

Let's cut straight to it Bolt-heads (is that the correct term for fans of MB?), if you love yourself some sweet Michael Bolton mic-caressing, this disc is for you. Shot live at London's Royal Albert Hall, the concert runs 135 minutes and features a wide selection of songs, from his recognizable originals like "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," "Time, Love and Tenderness" and "How Can We Be Lovers" to cover performances of "Fly Me to the Moon" (ach), "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay" (accccchh) and "That's Life."

The crowd certainly seemed to lap it up, as Bolton worked the stage like a pro, shaking hands, sticking his microphone in people's faces to let them belt out their favorite choruses and accepting multiple bouquets of flowers. Say what you want about his music, but the man is a showman and knows how to give his audience what they want.

I'm not a Michael Bolton hater and even when it was hip to rip on the guy back in the permo-mullet days, I didn't really buy into the animosity. The man has an audience and croons his guts out. Who can begrudge him that success? Sure his stuff more or less strikes me as soundtracks to Danielle Steele novels, but it's popular enough to make him a household name. And I am specifically referring to my household. My wife is a fan and enjoyed this concert. The cover songs not so much, but the Bolton originals were winners for her.

As for the most important aspect of the release, the technical merits, Bolton delivers. The 1.78:1 1080i MPEG-4 AVC picture quality is top-grade, razor-sharp, beautifully detailed and robustly colored. Those reference discs big bag A/V stores play on their high-def TV display models? This can easily serve as one. More importantly is the sound, which comes in three flavors: uncompressed LPCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS-HD Master audio. The Dolby Digital mix is the lesser of the three. The two uncompressed tracks are rich and nuanced—crack for the Bolton lover's ear canal. Extras include two bonus songs, a concert countdown and a lengthy HD interview with Bolton.

Closing Statement

If this guy floats your boat, anchors aweigh!

The Verdict

Not Guilty. There I said it.

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