Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.

Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland

Amazon.com
Few early rockers were more gifted or less honored in their prime than the late Roy Orbison, whose vaulting tenor and vulnerable love songs conjured heartbreak and desire with operatic intensity. This 1987 concert special, originally broadcast on Showtime, came two decades after Orbison had retreated from pop's front lines, yet neither Orbison nor his music coasts on mere nostalgia: in every respect, A Black and White Night survives as a triumphant performance and a superb video production, as well as a first-rate retrospective of Orbison's hits.

Filmed in black and white against the streamlined art deco stage of the since-demolished Coconut Grove in downtown Los Angeles, the concert is buoyed by a remarkable cast of A-list Orbison fans who signed on as his accompanists. Under the direction of producer T-Bone Burnett, the stage band thus includes Jackson Browne, Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Jennifer Warnes, along with the rhythm section from Elvis Presley's fabled late '60s and early '70s touring band. That astonishing lineup is all the more noteworthy for the restraint with which they collaborate--it's evident that those superstars came to honor Orbison, not upstage him, resulting in a gratifying cohesion to the performances.

Orbison himself sounds as powerful as ever, his soaring falsetto cresting as dramatically as it did on the studio versions of the hits that inevitably dominate. Those songs meanwhile confirm that his blue chip admiration society came as much for the caliber of his writing as for his ravishing voice: if he remains best known for the jaunty come-on of "Pretty Woman," Orbison was first and foremost a rock balladeer, capable of bringing lumps to our throats with such classics as "Crying" and "Only the Lonely," or conjuring romantic trances through such gentle charmers as "Dream Baby." On this night, he handled all of them with fervor and finesse. --Sam Sutherland

A number of reviewers comment on the absolutely spectacular 5.1 and DTS mixes for this release and I couldn't agree more....this is not only arguably the best DVD yet released, the remix was done from 1987 tapes and really shows why it is worth considering re-buying your favorite music when remixes are released.

Regarding the black and white format.....it is sharp and clear with excellent video mixes.....you are usually on the right person at the right time throughout and the fact that it was shot at LA's Coconut Grove makes it even better.

And now the music....ah, the music....of coure it has Pretty Woman, Cryin', Dream Baby. But what is spectacular is Roy's delivery of Blue Bayou, the sailing lyric in It's Over, the rhythm section on Candy Man, the fun in redoing his 1st hit from Sun Studios...Ooby Dooby...there isn't a track on this one that won't find a special place in your heart.

It simply cannot be said any other way.....this is what Roy was always all about....and you've got Springsteen, Lang, Souther, Riatt, T-Bone, Costello, Browne......all to vouch for it!


Outstanding concert DVD for HT with great DTS audio!   September 13, 2001
 29 out of 30 found this review helpful

Others have already done justice to the incredible ensemble of talented musicians who jammed with Roy for this "exclusive" (Cinemax) concert performance, before a celebrity/VIP audience in "Black & White Night" in September, 1987.

So I will make my comments more technical in nature. First the video is 4:3 full-screen, even though the concert was shot on film, it was for exclusive presentation on Cinemax cable. If you have a home theater system with a comprehensive audio setup, you will be extremely pleased with the quality of this production. The B&W film transfer and DVD mastering is excellent with a perfect balance of digital detail and B&W grain.

The audio mix and digital mastering is also exceptional. I tested the DS5.1 on a few tracks and it was certainly okay. But what really stands out is the DTS6.1 which is fabulous!! They did a great job.

If you enjoy really good concert DVDs (there aren't that many), and have a system to do them justice, then Roy Orbison B&W Night will knock your socks off. You can watch/listen over and over and over. With the classic songs and the all-star ensemble, it's difficult to imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy this concert.

(System is a Yamaha RX-V3000 with a 10 speaker configuration, an Epson EMP-7600 2200 lumens front projection setup with a 162" screen. It's a pretty amazing system ... if something isn't really good enough, it will basically be unwatchable and unlistenable. On the other hand, with the B&W Night concert DVD with its high resolution and super DTS mix, you can "fall into" this concert, just as if you were in the audience).

What fun! This is a great DVD sure to be a favorite in your collection. Enjoy!!

(After nearly two days of CNN etc, tonight I watched this DVD twice, with Roy and his pals having fun and making great music ... a strong and much needed dose of American inspiration, creativity and musical talent in this very somber week of September 11, 2001).


A Magical Night   March 21, 2005
 28 out of 28 found this review helpful

On September 30th, 1987, the stars were in alignment, and an incredible concert took place. Thankfully, they filmed and recorded it. This DVD features not only an amazingly warm and relaxed performance by Roy, but also includes a remixed SACD soundtrack of the film. If you already have the "Black & White Night" CD (first issue) you may want to pick this up anyway. The sound mix is crystal clear. I think there were at least three acoustic guitars being played that night, and on this reissue, they positively shimmer! The other differences from past issues of this concert on disc or video are the inclusion of "Claudette", restored to its proper place in the running order, and on the SACD, "Blue Angel" is added on as a bonus track.
This package is really worth the price. I paid no more than I would for an average new DVD, so the SACD is really a bonus. If you're a fan of the great Mr. Orbison, I think you'll watch this one over and over.


Maybe the best dvd concert I own.   February 8, 2000
 21 out of 22 found this review helpful

Taking aside that this concert is a tribute to a rock'n'roll legend and that the ensemble that plays with him is a dream team of pop and rock stars, I should also praise the outstanding B&W video quality, which gives this disc a timeless look. Moreover, this gem has superb audio quality and includes the lyrics, if you press the subtitle function. The band (B. Springsteen, Elvis Costello, James Burton, Alex Acuna, Jackson Brown, Ronnie Tutt, T-Bone Burnett, Tom Waits et al. Nuff said?), the back up singers (Bonnie Raitt, K.D.Lang and Jennifer Warnes) and the director are having a lot of fun sharing the stage with this unique singer/composer who can whisper, in an almost operatic way his heart- breaking songs and still make us feel his delivery as strong as any modern day rocker. A great contributing factor for the beauty of this concert is that all the musicians and singers involved in this tribute let Orbison be the star and act as if they were a professional band hired for the ocassion, although it's inevitable to feel the worship attitude that everybody has here and that adds very well to the result. Buy this!