Dovetail.org.au Review:
Dovetail - supporting the youth alcohol and drug sector in Queensland - Dovetail provides free professional support to any worker or service in Queensland who engages with young people affected by alcohol and drug use.
Country: Oceania, AU, Australia
- Mitchell Frost "MJF" - Perfection. Musical euphoria.You'd be hard pressed to find a more enthusiastic fan of Eric Clapton and the musicians that join him at the crossroads guitar festival than myself. I own all the previous crossroads festivals on blu ray and DVD as well as all of the other Eric Clapton concert videos that have been made commercially available. I was also at one of Eric's shows from his tour earlier this year, so I have a good idea of how things should sound.
My home theater consists of a 2012 model 55" Panasonic plasma TV, a PS3, Denon receiver, and Rotel amplification for a pair of bowers and wilkins 685 speakers. My TV is professionally calibrated, and my speakers are tuned to my listening room using audyssey calibration. My remarks on the audio and video quality of this blu ray are as follows-
Video- Very sharp and clean image. Contrast is fantastic, and the clarity of the image can't be faulted. This concert was shown in movie theaters, and the image quality would be right at home at an IMAX theater. This is a presentation only possible due to the high resolution available on the blu ray format. No doubt compression artifacts and noise will be seen in the DVD version due to the limitations of the format. There is an incredible lack of grain and noise despite the dark conditions around the performers and stage. The editing and camera angles are difficult to fault, with plenty of close ups of the feet work of the individual guitar players. You get a wonderful impression and understanding of how the musicians are communicating on stage. Video quality is 10/10.
Audio- What a challenge for the producers to mix the sound! Often a half dozen guitar players are performing simultaneously, along with many other instruments and yet the mix was not crowded or busy. When I was at one of the shows on Clapton's tour this past year I was stunned at the unreal clarity of his vocals in a live setting. Honestly the best I've ever heard a lead vocal sound at an indoor concert. That same impression comes through on the blu ray. Turn up the volume and hear the crystal clear sound of Eric's voice on tears in heaven to hear an example. The uncompressed DTS-MA audios a revelation of beauty. Bass notes are full and clear, vocals soar with punch and dynamics, and every instrument is mixed to perfection. I'd imagine with a proper amplification system this concert could be re-played and with your eyes closed you would believe you were actually at the concert and not at home. I own perhaps 100 concert blu rays and DVDs and have heard plenty of poorly mixed junk. This concert tops mayer's where the light is, Clapton's previous crossroads 2010 festival, the clapton and winwood concert, and Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds at radio city in terms of audio quality. It's spectacular, and sets a new standard for concert blu rays.
What about the concert itself? In my opinion, this is the best overall package of performances from any crossroads festival. The musicians are all extremely comfortable and their playing is especially inspired. I was introduced to some new songs and artists and reminded of why I have such a deep love for blues and rock music. These players all have music deep down in their soul and their playing and singing comes from deep within themselves. It's a refreshing reminder of where great music comes from and the uniquely human expression that flows from live musicians unaided by technology. It's all about the music, and you can sense from every performer that they are kindred spirits with one another. Highlights include Robert Cray. The Allman Brothers, John Mayer, Gary Clark Jr... Actually the whole concert is one enormous highlight reel... nothing should be skipped... it should all be savored.
Best $20 I've spent all year. I'll be watching and listening to this for the rest of my lifetime - Lana Velez-Olds - PerfectWas everything that I expected and more. Very happy with my tablet and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to purchase one
- Rolonda Wiley "Ro" - The Gift BasketI brought for my nephew's birthday. When it arrived I was amazed by the wonderful packaging. It looks just how it is advertised. I thought this would be the most perfect gift for a 10 year old. It has so many games and candy included in the box. I could not be any more satisfied with this box of surprises.
- Mom of 4 - CHALLENGING!If the contents of this book cause you to cringe and become defensive, then congratulations ladies! You are humans, struggling with a sin nature like the rest of us...and should probably read this book several times with much prayer.
To the ladies who deem this book "dangerous," (haha!), obviously the first couple of chapters dealing with deception apply DIRECTLY to you:
"In one way or another, every problem we have in this world is the fruit of deception - the result of believing something that isn't true."
"...anytime we receive input that is not consistent with the Word of God, we can be sure Satan is trying to deceive and destroy us. What we may read or hear may sound right, may feel right, may seem right - but ***if it is contrary to the Word of God,*** it isn't right."
"Sadly, most people - even Christians - have unthinkingly exposed themselves to so much deception that ***they do not even realize they are being deceived.***"
So here's the point: If you whole-heartedly disagree with most everything in this book, chances are, you don't really know God's Word as well as you may **think** you do.
"One of Satan's strategies is to blind us to the lies we have bought into - to make us assume that because we *know* the Truth [or at least *think* we know], we also *believe* the Truth..."
The way we live, (our choices, our priorities, our response to pain in life), reveals if we really do *believe* the Truth. "What we believe is revealed, not by what we know, or what we *say* we believe, but by how we actually *live.*
As far as tossing out the whole book because you may disagree with her on some points, remember that she specifically states on page 47:
"Let me appeal to you not to get tripped up by a handful of particular issues where you may have genuine disagreement. I am simply presenting what I understand the Scriptures to teach. I am not the final word on any of these matters; ***Jesus and His Word are 'the Truth.'*** My objective is not for you to agree with everything I say but to motivate you to seek out the Truth as it is revealed in the Word of God and to examine and evaluate every area of your life in light of that Truth."
I think many of the negative reviewers on here completely missed that point.
Let me also just say to those who completely discredit her teaching on motherhood or married life because she is single and childless: I daresay she is FAR more educated on what the Bible says on these subjects than most of us...since this is her life work. And if we're going to say that anyone who is not married or does not have children should not teach on those subjects, then I guess we should toss out ALL of the Apostle Paul's teachings on marriage and children as well. (Ahem.)