Jeff Buckley - Live in Chicago - Region 1 DVD

This 1995 concert is a single, complete show from the tour that yielded the posthumous Mystery White Boy live album. It likewise impresses, both for Buckley's own songs and the bold cover choices included, here including songs associated with Nina Simone and the MC5 (a range that explains the emotional epics that Buckley favors).

Visually, the unadorned lighting scheme casts an often harsh light on the pale, dark-haired frontman, but a generally solid performance is sonically captured with satisfying detail, and the 5.1 surround sound mix gives the DVD version an appropriate club ambience. The DVD also includes two bonus acoustic performances. --Sam Sutherland