Reflecting on "Live a Paris"

[Your_Su_Phu]

Rewatching this, I think it's her best concert DVD by FAR.

 

The stage design is so simple. No video screens or special effects. No dancers. Just Celine, her band and her backup singers. Sure, the lighting was pretty cool (and unique) but overall the whole setup is quite minimalist compared to her later shows. And yet Celine OWNS the stage. Her voice is not quite at its peak, but close to it (I think her peak was around 1991-1994). There were embarrassing moments as usual, but this DVD also had her best stage performances ever. She never lost the energy level throughout.

 

Comparing it to the Taking Chances DVD, there's the obvious case of the deterioration of her voice. It's so overly vocoded and polished, it sounds soulless, and it totally lacks a live ambiance because it's so excessively edited. The costumes, video screens, dancers, conveyor belts and elevators are eye dazzling..and yet it's all so soulless. She acts wacky but not in an engaged or charming way, rather in a careless way, as if she is overly complacent/pleased with herself as opposed to her 90's tours where she was always eager to please. At times it's almost as if she's parodying herself. (The armpit sniffing, excessive high kicks in a short skirt, weird spinning and ending poses are all so off kilter it's almost as if she's drunk.)

 

There is something very old fashioned/classic about the direction of the LAP DVD, but I LOVE it

Look at the opening, it's so glamorous and dramatic, and incorporated so well into the opening song:

 

 

Her movements during LBDB are so theatrical and dramatic, it's like she's doing a dance. And I LOVE the really strange but effective angles that the director chose to shoot from throughout the DVD.

 

 

During the upbeat numbers, her backup singers serve as effective backup dancers. There are cool little bits like when they don white gloves to complement their hand movements ("Regarde Moi"), a cute little dance routine for "Misled", and dramatic shadowing of Celine's vocals during the chorus of "Je Sais Pas"

 

 

 

 

It's even fun to watch her perform the same old lipped track to "Power of Love" because she actually seems to care. Sure, Celine is lovable cos she doesn't take herself too seriously. But when it comes to performing your music, you BETTER be at least somewhat serious about it. She does many of the same movements now, but none with the same kind of intensity or purpose. Notice how dramatic, forceful and precise/on the beat the ending pose is:

 

 

Towards the end, Celine changes into a long black gown for the last 3 numbers. The colors fade to black and white, with the exception of red stage lights for dramatic effect, and she gives another spot-on dazzling performance to "Quand on na que L'amour". Notice how every movement serves a purpose. She may be dramatic, but nothing is excessive. It all works. (Unlike now :'()

 

 

For the dramatic encore, the stage curtains are almost closed completely and the stage is drenched in moody blue lighting. As she finishes her song (a very fitting finale that's NOT *gasp* MHWGO), fireflies seem to float up towards the screen, as her signature appears)

 

 

Even the credits are interesting - with delighted fan testimonials as they all leave the concert in awe.

 

This was the first concert I had ever seen of Celine when I was a preteen. And the one I use as a comparison point for all other concerts.

I am glad that Celine has experimented with a variety of show styles. She's gone from minimalist to over-the-top (A New Day..) to classic (the current residency), but I think what Live a Paris proves is that when she wants to be, she can be an extremely powerful performer who does not need to rely on any tricks or effects. With her tiny frame she can OWN the entire stage and captivate the audience. The irony is that many critics doubted that because during the early days of AND, she was dwarfed by the huge production and it was sometimes hard to even find her among the sea of dancers. At its best, the AND show was special in its own way - I think the choreography and energy during RDMH must be electrifying in person...but to be quite honest, Celine doesn't need any of that.

Edited March 27, 2012 at 05:27 PM by Thomas

[amelie]

I agree with everything except that i think that THIS is her peak vocally

[Celine Fan 77]

It's always been one of my favorite DVDs. Actually, I agree with you that the opening with J'attendais was wonderful, but at the same time I think it was a weird choice to open a show like that.

[takeachance]

Ya I agree with you . I really love this DVD, its one of my favourite ones to watch actually. I LOVE her hair here and I think she looks SO well ! In love with the black outfits etc. I also get what you saying about the way she was then when she got REALLY REALLY into the music and thumped the hell out of her chest I guess she has grown out of doing that nw a little bit and when she does do it now, its kinda cause she knoes we all wanna see her do it at some stage of the concert .... So shes like "im gunna hit myself now for the fans", but maybe she did it before cause she hardly knew she was doing it and was so taken over by the emotion.

 

I absolutaly love this concert and how she delivers "Je sais pas" - Breathtaking

Edited March 27, 2012 at 09:07 PM by takeachance

[Timster]

1994 - 1995 was her vocal peak, but she was ill just a few days before the recording of Live à Paris, which is why her voice was not as strong as other performances such as Olympia from the year before.

 

It's so refreshing to see a setlist with 10 out of the 12 songs on the promoted album being performed! I love her energy in the D'eux tour, she managed to keep her stamina through really tough songs like Regarde-moi, LBDB & Prière païenne.

 

The only thing I don't like about the DVD itself is the picture quality. I understand that the DVD is a transfer of the Laserdisc, meaning the quality is no way near what it could be. I'm sure most of Celine's old concerts could be released in Blu-ray if they use the original tapes and digitally remaster everything. I also don't like the colour effects they put on the video during certain songs, it's almost as annoying as the glow/blur put on ACDS. I'd much rather see the original footage.

 

But overall it's one of my favourite Celine DVDs, it's so genuine and powerful.

[Celine Fan 77]

By the way, is it just me or she sings the songs from D'eux JUST LIKE the album versions?? I'm not saying that it's playback, don't get me wrong, I mean that her voice was just perfect that night!

[ferjaacu]

I love this concert It's one of my favourites to watch too. Like many of you said already, love the way she was really into the music. And of course, it has the performances of 3 of my favourites songs, TPOL, LBDB and QANQL

[GoldenLeaf]

Rewatching this, I think it's her best concert DVD by FAR.

 

The stage design is so simple. No video screens or special effects. No dancers. Just Celine, her band and her backup singers. Sure, the lighting was pretty cool (and unique) but overall the whole setup is quite minimalist compared to her later shows. And yet Celine OWNS the stage. Her voice is not quite at its peak, but close to it (I think her peak was around 1991-1994). There were embarrassing moments as usual, but this DVD also had her best stage performances ever. She never lost the energy level throughout.

 

Comparing it to the Taking Chances DVD, there's the obvious case of the deterioration of her voice. It's so overly vocoded and polished, it sounds soulless, and it totally lacks a live ambiance because it's so excessively edited. The costumes, video screens, dancers, conveyor belts and elevators are eye dazzling..and yet it's all so soulless. She acts wacky but not in an engaged or charming way, rather in a careless way, as if she is overly complacent/pleased with herself as opposed to her 90's tours where she was always eager to please. At times it's almost as if she's parodying herself. (The armpit sniffing, excessive high kicks in a short skirt, weird spinning and ending poses are all so off kilter it's almost as if she's drunk.)

We can blame all the lack of live ambiance ''feel'' and the overly vocoded and polished vocals on Julie Snyder and her incompetent prduction team.

 

Gérard Pullicino did a better production job on Celine's concerts (LAP, LIM, ACDS) than Julie Snyder did on AND LILV and TCWT to be honest.

Edited March 27, 2012 at 09:55 PM by Calypso

[Javito]

If someone asked me to recommend a live DVD of Céline, I would say this within 0.1 seconds. It doesn't get any better than this, since, like someone pointed out, we don't have the Olympia concert in video.

 

Céline's voice was at her peak here, powerful and rested, not yet overexploited for the marathonian concerts that would come and all the overexposure that wore her out with Las Vegas. I believe that in this concert she still had the passion intact for performing

[celinecolombian]

Soooo agree! This is her best DVD Concert...

[browseceline]

I think the sound of that dvd is very bad. And you know why? it sounds dull and it sounds like there is big compression on the whole sound, you can easily hear that. And when I check the dvd in my computer it says the sound of it is a compressed mp3! ( i think I saw 192kbps)

I can understand that downloaded movies have compressed audiotracks.. but a commercial dvd??? The image quality is nice, but the sound is one of the reasons I don't watch this dvd often. Bad bad sound editing! You can hear it in the first video in the videos posted here, that there is huge compression on the backgroundmusic, esspecially on the hammond organ during J Attendais. It feels like something pushes the music inwards.. I can't explain, but maybe some of you did hear it too.

Edited March 27, 2012 at 11:00 PM by browseceline

[Tyler1991]

It's hard to list 1995 as a peak for her voice. I think this particular concert shows her at her best, and it just so happens that it is in the year 1995. But much of what else we have seen from 1995 is probably about as bad as 2005. Overall it was very hit or miss. I still list 1991-1992 as her peak simply because every performance she gave in that period of any song has pretty much set the bar for the rest - her LCMM performances were always flawless, her IYAMT performances were jaw dropping, her WDMHBN encore and reprise was astounding, her Calling You performances were the best, her Le Blues Du Businessman performances were top notc (if you haven't seen the Felix Awards performances watch it, and watch until its over, not when you think its over but when it IS over, her ending note she does there is out of this world and hasn't been replicated since). The entire Unison Concert is absolutely amazing. Truly an amazing era.

 

But as for 1995, like I said, very much hit or miss:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bShE9oOrs8 - MISS - Calling You @ French Show - It's hard to call it a terrible performance because aside from the straining on the higher notes the rest of it was fine, but that straining definitely kills it...and not in a good way.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDjOn-uAwTA - HIT - Calling You @ Taratata - Definitely showed that she could do it in the year 1995 (in addition to the tour). I still much prefer the performances from the Unison era and Olympia CD to this and LAP.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgnqXDGf7zs - MISS - Only One Road @ TOTP - Well I think the fact this was live and sounded like this (the ending and how rough it was), and the fact the very next week she lipped it explains enough.... great to hear it live, but she really struggled at the end.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdbagvIe8N4 - MEH - Think Twice @ TOTP - Okay, so I know a lot of people live and die by this performance, and I can't really call it a miss, but it's definitely not anything to cream your jeans over, and since we're talking about her vocal peak, I'd say this is definitely not a good representation of that. Just compare the high note here to the high note of the next video. And I suppose since she left her honeymoon for this we can give her a reprieve.

 

- HIT - Think Twice @ WMA - Like I said, that TOTP isn't that bad, but when you watch that, then watch this, you'll be thinking it was s***. This performance here is just absolutely amazing and Celine at her best. A great representation of her peak.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti2h9OEljf0 - HIT - Vole @ Telethon Tour Performance - She nailed those belts before the head notes. She'd sometimes miss those, but got them here!

 

- HIT & MISS - The Power Of Love @ American Music Awards - A great representation of 1995 summed up in just this performance. A lot of people don't like this performance, but I really do. It has some good moments and some bad. She sounds a little hesitant on the first chorus in some notes, but still very powerful. The second chorus is where the power comes out though, and her hand signals and motions at an increasing rate. What I really love about this performance is the way she sings the bridge - the power she sings in the line "the feeling that I can't go on" is so full of emotion and power and raw vocal.... I just love it.... but unfortunately, the ending note was pretty bad. Not the note itself, like it wasn't strained, just very choppy and phrased weirdly.

[Bell]

If someone asked me to recommend a live DVD of Céline, I would say this within 0.1 seconds. It doesn't get any better than this, since, like someone pointed out, we don't have the Olympia concert in video.

Yes, and not having a video of Olympia is such a shame! It would have been her best DVD.

[Trami0501]

I like to see Celine sings "What Does My Heart Beats Now" from Sailor Moon Music Video.

[Miha]

HaHa it's funny I just (FINAAALY) ordered LAP two days ago.

Yep It's Celine at her best. And the best part is her incomparable introduction of the band.

I remember my first TV experience of Celine was Live In Memphis for an hour and half I was just like.

Than few years later I saw LAP and discovered that Le Ballet intro was even older. I was so mad at myself not seeing LAP before.

Both intros rock, but still LAP as a concert in whole captivates ''Celine's french soul''. You can't overlook the D'eux era, JJG,

the energy of the audience(nowadays=no comment ), simple stage, intimate venue,...

[caitlynceline56]

I love Live à Paris! I recently watched the whole thing on YouTube, and it was perfect. Céline's voice is amazing throughout the entire concert and she seems so relaxed and natural. Like Miha, I enjoyed her introduction of the band a lot! I also loved Le Blues du Businessman, Les Derniers Seront Les Premiers, and so many others!

 

I have GOT to get my hands on an actual DVD of this, but I'm really trying to rein in the spending right now...

[dmeredith]

I have always loved everything about Celine. When she first started her career in the early 90's until even now. In interviews, Celine has said that during the 90's her priorities were focusing on training and having her career be the best that it could be. That has now changed to "some degree", and with good reason.

 

People evolve, and your priorities change in life as you get older. You realize what is important. I love Celine the most as she is now. She's evolved into a beautiful, mature, wise woman. What was important when she was younger has now changed to a realization that a career is one thing, but yourself & family are what are most important. You can't continuously keep every audience member happy with everything that you do. People are so quick to judge. She wouldn't be the person that I admire if all she cared about was her fans, but neglected her own family. She's doing her job, but taking care of what matters most.

 

Everyone starts their careers with their best intentions. They give it their all for many years, but then they start to realize that if you neglect "what's most important" you've truly lost "the real path to success".

 

Viewing the TCWT, Celine was putting on a show. She never looked like she was striking "drunk poses". I would be so upset if I was judged by every move I made.

 

We all have our days when we're at our best, and other days when we wish we could just go back to bed. Not every performance can be the "best", 'cause there are many factors that interfere. No matter what tho', Celine has always sung with her heart and her utmost best. She gives her all, and she always feels the music and the words that she's singing. I believe that's what prompts her to choose the songs that she sings. They are the songs that "speak to her" now.

 

Celine amazes me with all that she is able to juggle and do with such grace, integrity and professionalism. She has been on this "road" for a long time now and she continues to "stay the course". There aren't many performers like her!

 

She captivated me with her singing in the 90's, and thrilled me during the first Vegas shows and TCWT days, but she's worked her way into my heart in the latter years. She's a woman who has grown into her own, and she's content with life and she's in control of it as well. Before, the career was in control of her (of course that's what she wanted), but now she's in control of herself. More power to her!! To thine own self be true!!

 

I think that Live a Paris, as all her videos, have their own special uniqueness. I find wonderful parts throughout all of her shows. I also find that sometimes some songs "speak to me more" than at other times. That happens due to whatever mood I'm in or what might be going on in my life. So, thank you Celine for being such a power house who inspires me and speaks directly to my heart!!! You bring a smile to my face every time I hear you and you bring peace to my soul as well!!! You are truly a beautiful woman inside and out!!! That's what counts most!!!

[Bell]

Such a wonderful post, dmeredith! And so true!

[Gwynne]

It's always been one of my favorite DVDs. Actually, I agree with you that the opening with J'attendais was wonderful, but at the same time I think it was a weird choice to open a show like that.

I'm sure I heard in an interview that her mother loved the song, and that's why she decided to open with it -- I'll have a dig around and let you know!

[celine4evauk]

Its one of my favourite concerts to watch too. Peeved that Sony only released part of the show on cd though.

[ferjaacu]

Great post Meredith !! And that's the way it is

[CelinesDIVO5]

It's hard to list 1995 as a peak for her voice. I think this particular concert shows her at her best, and it just so happens that it is in the year 1995. But much of what else we have seen from 1995 is probably about as bad as 2005. Overall it was very hit or miss. I still list 1991-1992 as her peak simply because every performance she gave in that period of any song has pretty much set the bar for the rest - her LCMM performances were always flawless, her IYAMT performances were jaw dropping, her WDMHBN encore and reprise was astounding, her Calling You performances were the best, her Le Blues Du Businessman performances were top notc (if you haven't seen the Felix Awards performances watch it, and watch until its over, not when you think its over but when it IS over, her ending note she does there is out of this world and hasn't been replicated since). The entire Unison Concert is absolutely amazing. Truly an amazing era.

 

But as for 1995, like I said, very much hit or miss:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bShE9oOrs8 - MISS - Calling You @ French Show - It's hard to call it a terrible performance because aside from the straining on the higher notes the rest of it was fine, but that straining definitely kills it...and not in a good way.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDjOn-uAwTA - HIT - Calling You @ Taratata - Definitely showed that she could do it in the year 1995 (in addition to the tour). I still much prefer the performances from the Unison era and Olympia CD to this and LAP.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgnqXDGf7zs - MISS - Only One Road @ TOTP - Well I think the fact this was live and sounded like this (the ending and how rough it was), and the fact the very next week she lipped it explains enough.... great to hear it live, but she really struggled at the end.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdbagvIe8N4 - MEH - Think Twice @ TOTP - Okay, so I know a lot of people live and die by this performance, and I can't really call it a miss, but it's definitely not anything to cream your jeans over, and since we're talking about her vocal peak, I'd say this is definitely not a good representation of that. Just compare the high note here to the high note of the next video. And I suppose since she left her honeymoon for this we can give her a reprieve.

 

- HIT - Think Twice @ WMA - Like I said, that TOTP isn't that bad, but when you watch that, then watch this, you'll be thinking it was s***. This performance here is just absolutely amazing and Celine at her best. A great representation of her peak.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti2h9OEljf0 - HIT - Vole @ Telethon Tour Performance - She nailed those belts before the head notes. She'd sometimes miss those, but got them here!

 

- HIT & MISS - The Power Of Love @ American Music Awards - A great representation of 1995 summed up in just this performance. A lot of people don't like this performance, but I really do. It has some good moments and some bad. She sounds a little hesitant on the first chorus in some notes, but still very powerful. The second chorus is where the power comes out though, and her hand signals and motions at an increasing rate. What I really love about this performance is the way she sings the bridge - the power she sings in the line "the feeling that I can't go on" is so full of emotion and power and raw vocal.... I just love it.... but unfortunately, the ending note was pretty bad. Not the note itself, like it wasn't strained, just very choppy and phrased weirdly.

 

 

I kind of like when Celine gets a little rasp in her voice...makes the performance seem a little more raw. It's not like she didn't hit the notes or they were off key. Just a little raspy. I think all of these performances are pretty good. The WMA's "Think Twice" I definitely prefer over TOTP. However, my favorite performance of that song is this one at The Gala For Peace...

...It's so haunting, I love it. The only thing I never liked about ANY of the "Think Twice" performances was she never incorporated that note from the album..."BABY THINK TWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE" But it doesn't make me dislike the performances. "The Power Of Love" at the AMA's is one of my favorite performances of any performance she's ever done. I don't think she sounds hesitant so to speak on the first chorus, I just think she was interpreting and phrasing it differently. I totally see where you're coming from about the final note in the song, but I think she had one of those moments where she knew she wasn't going to hit the note, or she didn't get enough air to sustain that high note for as long as it needed to be held, so she worked around it and I think she executed it well. Edited March 29, 2012 at 06:43 PM by CelinesDIVO5

[takeachance]

Those live performances of Think Twice are AMAZING! ! No words can actually describe how good they are......

[Terre]

Wise words, dmeredith!

 

I LAP! I think the performances are amazing and I love the setlist. I like the fact that it's so simple, just Céline and the band. I think concerts like that are often way more captivating than shows with a million things going on on the stage.

[Matias]

I think LAP works after all these years because Celine is HAVING FUN on stage! thing I haven't seen in a long time, the TC concert is great, but I see (as she refers to herself sometimes) "The robot Celine"

Maybe is because now she has "nothing to prove" and she went to a lazy spot in her career? "Why bother? I already have it all"

In 1995 she was winning her way up into the american stardom, FAlling Into You was in the works while she recorded this concert and they knew it was going to be huge...

 

To me, her voice was AMAZING, I couldn't tell she was sick!

Edited April 7, 2012 at 07:37 PM by Matias

[Javito]

I think LAP works after all these years because Celine is HAVING FUN on stage! thing I haven't seen in a long time, the TC concert is great, but I see (as she refers to herself sometimes) "The robot Celine"

Maybe is because now she has "nothing to prove" and she went to a lazy spot in her career? "Why bother? I already have it all"

In 1995 she was winning her way up into the american stardom, FAlling Into You was in the works while she recorded this concert and they knew it was going to be huge...

 

To me, her voice was AMAZING, I couldn't tell she was sick!

 

It's when she began to say that "I have nothing to prove no more" old story that I began to worry, because that can mean that she lost the passion too. Or that the passion has been reduced to a minimum now and its more her work than her passion

[puttybuddy]

I love this concert. I loved that look, and vocally it was my favorite era of Celine.

[caitlynceline56]

I don't know, I think it's normal that she doesn't have as much passion as she once did. When you do something for 30 years, it must get tiring, even if it's something you love.

[infiniti]

One of my most fav. concerts...Celine looks amazing and sounds great...Love the Quand on na que lamourand Les blues du businessman - mind-blowing performance. To me, this is the classic Celine I fell in love and that love grew with her voice and look Edited April 8, 2012 at 02:54 AM by infiniti

[volleyceline]

It was indeed amazing!