Moby may not have the long, flowing locks of Jim Morrison, the physical bearing of Eddie Vedder, or the enigmatic presence of Michael Stipe, but on his new DVD Hotel Tour 2005, he proves himself to be a formidable frontman. Many have dismissed him as a shy studio-geek, but onstage Moby demonstrates an egoless confidence and charisma that make him one of the most engaging acts around. Recorded in Belgium, in front of a packed house of enthusiastic Moby acolytes, this twenty-four-song set showcases Moby’s versatile showmanship. Whether he’s playing guitar or letting singer Laura Dawn handle vocal duties for a while, Moby is a peripatetic whirlwind, covering the stage with all the energy of an endurance athlete. From “Spiders� to “We Are All Made Of Stars,� his own material is excellent, and his covers, including a searing reading of Mission of Burma’s “That’s When I Reach For My Revolver� and Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side� are nothing less than inspired. Elsewhere, “Find My Baby� comes with a discernibly sexy charge, while his take on New Order’s “Temptation� is dead-on. Not only is this an eminently watchable live set, it really maximizes the DVD format, coming with bonus live tracks (“Extreme Ways,� “In This World,� and a reading of The Doors’ “Break On Through�) as well as five videos and two additional short films. Not only that, but the package also generously includes a Moby Remixed audio disc, which contains thirteen tracks, including the fabulous Benny Benassi remix of “Beautiful� and Booka Shade’s remix of “Dream About Me.�
(Date of release: April 18, 2006)
