English, baby!

Concert DVDs

Date: Aug 02 2010

Themes: Music

Grammar: Zero Conditional

Go Super!

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen

If you can’t see your favorite band live, a concert DVD may be the next best thing. Videos of big live shows give an impression of what it was like to be in the audience. In some ways, a concert DVD can even be better than actually going to a concert, since you don’t have to worry about being so high up in the nosebleeds that the musicians look more like tiny bugs than people. Then again, there is nothing like truly being a part of the crowd at a big, rowdy concert. Find out if Marni and Devan like to buy concert DVDs of their favorite bands.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Devan

Marni: You know, I love going to big concerts, but I recently was watching a concert DVD of Kiss, and I just thought, this doesn’t quite capture the amazing, you know, aspect of actually being there.

Devan: Yeah, it doesn’t like really capture the essence. I feel like that about live recordings, like live CDs. I’ve never gotten into live albums because I feel like I don’t really want to hear a concert of a concert that I wasn’t at. I’d rather hear the quality of an actual recorded album if I’m going to be listening to them. But if I want to see them live, I want to see them live, I don’t want to listen to a live recording and pretend that I was there, because you’re never going to fully, you know, get that experience.

Marni: Right. And DVDs are kind of different because you actually get the visual, you kind of can submerse yourself in it, especially if you have a really nice sound system. And it is kind of neat to see shows or bands like Led Zeppelin, you know, obviously we would never have the opportunity, or Jimi Hendrix or somebody who’s dead. But if it’s a current band or somebody that’s touring, I don’t know…I just say go to the show.

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Zero Conditional" from this lesson

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3

Go Super to Ask Ebaby! teachers your questions!

The iTEP^® test

Sponsored by

Schedule an iTEP^® test and take the official English Practice Test.
Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Marni loves going to concerts. But she doesn’t think concert DVDs can match the experience of actually seeing a band perform live. Devan agrees that concert DVDs don’t do a great job of capturing the feeling of being at a big live show. She doesn’t like to listen to recordings of live shows for the same reason.

As Marni points out, there are some bands who don’t perform together very often anymore, like Led Zeppelin, or performers who aren’t alive anymore. Plus, some concerts are too expensive for the average person to be able to go. For shows like these, it might make sense to buy the concert DVD. But if possible, Marni thinks it’s always better to go see the band live.

Do you own any concert DVDs or live albums? Do you think watching a DVD of a show can ever match the experience of being there?

Comments

Marcelolic

Brazil

Of course not! Being in a concert live is one of the best experience a person can have I guess to see your favorate band playing is amazing and cool :)

I don't change to go in a concert for watching a DVD! :P hehe

rosendo

Mexico

i have u2's DVD live from Chicago , wow i got into them !!!

azumichka

Bulgaria

i love going to concerts. The feeling is amazing. but i have and DVDs to watch a show which i haven't been on it.

jiahui.lei

China

i've never been to a real concert before,but i got a live album of my favorate band,i think it's a good way for ppl who can't be a concert.

anna_poland

Poland

DVDs of course it's not the same impression as being live at the some kind of performance. If I only can, I try to be at the concert and experience that on live.