In July 1991, Australian rock band INXS hit a career milestone when they headlined Wembley Stadium to a sold-out crowd of over 73,000 fans. Filmed with 17 35mm cameras, this phenomenal masterclass in showmanship and musicianship has been painstakingly and meticulously restored over a twelve-month period from the original negative to 4K Ultra HD, and the result is an absolute sensation.
First of all, the Live Baby Live concert itself is up there with the best ever recorded – the band play flawlessly throughout and lead singer Michael Hutchence’s performance in this film alone cements his status as one of rock’s greatest frontmen. With a complete and utter command of the audience, the band run through 21 of their finest anthems, and this new release restores a previously unseen lost performance of 1990 track Lately into the film. Shot gorgeously by director David Mallet, the film captures the raw intensity of the performance and the sheer epic scale of the audience, creating a film that throws you right onto the stage on that historic night.
Following the film’s hugely successful theatrical run over 1,000 screens worldwide in late 2019, Eagle Rock have brought the film to DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and watching the 4K disc is nothing short of breathtaking. The work done on this restoration is staggering, creating a warm, healthy image that looks like it was shot last week, not 1991. To accompany the mesmerising visual upgrade, the audio has also been remixed and restored, now presented in Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio (4K and Blu-ray only), DTS 5.1 Surround and Dolby 5.1 Surround – all created by Giles Martin, the band’s executive music director, and audio engineer Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios. The sound quality is just as much a revelation as the image, sounding crisper and fuller than ever before.
The DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray packages also include an insightful booklet, featuring new notes from the band and an essay by broadcaster and ultra INXS superfan Jamie East, who was in the crowd on that special evening. One of the greatest rock concerts ever captured on film, Live Baby Live is a highlight in INXS’ incredible career, and looks and sounds better than ever before in 4K Blu-ray.