This DVD rocks. Allow me to get that out of the way right up front.

The first-ever DVD release of a Brian Setzer Orchestra concert, Live in Japan was filmed in Tokyo in February 2001 and is one of those rare DVDs that you'll plunk in time and again just to energize your world. The disc contains 20 rip-roarin' rockabilly tunes performed by guitar-slinging Setzer and pumped up by a screaming big band. Trumpets wail, trombones fly, and that beautiful big bass spins wildly across the stage.

I've been a fan of Setzer since his Stray Cats days, all the way through his four Brian Setzer Orchestra releases, which seem to take the raw material of his early days, pump it up with wicked mojo, and send it out yowling. Today, Setzer—with his jivin' neo-swing stylings—fronts a jangly 17-piece group that obviously has a blast thumping through electric jazz, jump blues, and just good old-fashioned rock-and-or-roll. And not only is Setzer the front man—he's a masterful guitar licker from way back.

The 20 tunes on this DVD are "Hawaii Five-0," "This Cat's on a Hot Tin Roof," "The Dirty Boogie," "Jumpin' East of Java," "Footloose Doll," "Drive Like Lightnin' (Crash Like Thunder)," "Caravan," "Americano," "I Won't Stand in Your Way," "Mystery Train," "Gene & Eddie," "Guitar Rag," "Sleepwalk," "Stray Cat Strut," "Jump Jive 'an Wail," "Pennsylvania 6-5000," "(Gettin') in the Mood," "Get Me to the Church on Time," "Rock This Town," and a second version of "Rock This Town." Three of the songs—"Mystery Train," "Gene & Eddie," and the second "Rock This Town"—are performed by Setzer's three-piece ensemble, '68 Comeback Special.

I'm in awe over the tremendous amount of energy flowing from these guys, track after track. Watching this DVD was a total joy—partially because of the hilarious sight of Setzer's Asian fans sporting pompadours.

Image Entertainment presents The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Live in Japan in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this image, even though it suffers from the usual video-source flaws. You'll notice some motion artifacting, but you'll be so wrapped up in the songs that you won't care. In several instances, the image looks severely cropped, as if the image comes from a fullframe source. In particular, close-ups on Setzer look blurry and distracting. Nevertheless, this is a bright, colorful transfer that does the subject matter proud.

The DVD offers three sound options: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0, and DTS 5.1, all switchable on the fly. However, the DTS track is set several decibels lower than the other tracks, so volume adjusting is in order. The Dolby 5.1 track offers a brilliant, wide-open sound field with nice crowd envelopment in the rears. Stereo imaging is exceptional, and peaks are intact without being shrill. The 2.0 track is a "why bother" track—particularly if you've got a surround setup and want to feel like you're right there in the crowd. The DTS track barely edges out the Dolby 5.1, producing a sound experience that's just a bit tighter and richer.

All that said, this is the loudest, most bass-rich DVD mix I've ever heard. It's the kind of soundtrack that presses against your chest and pounds through your skeleton. And despite the default loudness of the track, you'll just want to turn it up and up and up. This is truly a satisfying and energetic music disc.

The lone special feature is a 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette called "The Documentary of the Brian Setzer Orchestra." It takes you backstage at the Tokyo concert, where the bandmates engage in a lot of back-slapping, both literally and figuratively. This anamorphic piece shows more severe digital artifacting than the concert footage does. It's a fun, fluffy little piece, but I expected more depth from the title.

This theater-shaking DVD will be your new reference audio DVD.