Apparently, many people think it's completely creepy, entirely inappropriate, and perhaps even darned near illegal for the 60 year old 'beast' to even appear on the same stage as the 28 year old, lithe, delicate, and gorgeous 'beauty', let alone perform, as a duet, such an incendiary number like "Paradise By the Dashboard Light", being as it were, a paean to lustful, and, yes, presumably youthful sexual experience.
Furthermore, some comments also alluded to the general 'skankiness' of both female performers; please wait while I telegraph the headline to the news room: " 'skankiness' appears at rock concert". And, of course, this condition is entirely Mr. Meatloaf's fault because, clearly, appearing in latex, leather, or what one reviewer described as " a barely-there cheerleading outfit and white hooker boots" is not something a young lady rock performer would ever do willingly without a desperate economic need and/or, probably, daily physical abuse.
As for me, whether in the minority or not, I'd rate this is one of my favorite concert DVDs. Way over the top, of course, but that's Meatloaf. It's theatre, man, THEATRE. I didn't feel 'creeped out'; I was definitely thinking, "Wow, those people can perform!" Meatloaf was at his sharpest and as theatrical as I've ever seen. Aspen Miller's vocals and presentation were captivating; CC's background vocals were 'just right', and she added a lighter, buoyant 'let's rock this joint' feel to the proceedings. The band looked absolutely delighted to have an arena to play in that evening, and more than willing to show their appreciation for the opportunity by returning energy and virtuosity.
Personally, I found that I responded poorly only to Meatloaf's duet with Marion Ravn; "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" isn't my favorite sort of song (and if I did want to listen to it, I'd probably go find Celine), and the much more nuanced and subtle delivery of the ballad simply left me craving for some more 'raucousness'.
And lest one think I rate my concert DVDs in accordance with their 'skankiness' factor, I'd say my other most favorite concert DVD is Neil Young's 'Heart of Gold'; which I guess, might be representative of how some people, clearly, would prefer Meatloaf to 'age' as a performer. Having seen '3 Bats Live', I'd say, there's time for that later. Enjoy this show in the meantime.
