Tim Minchin, Live: Ready For This?

Tim Minchin is by far one of the wittiest and most talented musicians I've heard...and his stuff is very hard to come by. Fortunately, this download showcases some of Minchin's best stuff, ranging over several styles. The common thread running through all of Minchin's work are his sharp, clever lyrics that can surprise you, turning on a dime from whimsical to poignant. If you don't have a sense of humor about things religious or theological, and don't possess an otherwise open mind, this might not be your thing. But for those of us of a more skeptical and irreverant bent, this album is pure gold. And "White Wine in the Sun" now stands alone as an all-time favorite Christmas song. And like Minchin, I quite LIKE other Christmas songs (see my review of  Midwinter Night's Dream (Dig)  as evidence) to begin with.I can't praise "Ready for This?" enough. It's one of the few albums I play over and over in its entirety rather than just downloading a couple of favorite songs.

This is a wonderful album from a VERY talented satirist. One of my favorite Minchin productions is a video rendition of is poem "Storm" and it can be found on-line to download for free if you poke around. To give you an Idea of what Tim does, go to YouTube. Check out Five Poofs, Two Pianos, where he pokes fun at gay musicians and even volunteers to turn to the dark side to make it 6 poofs. His humor is SO over the top, yet delivered as if were fact and, well, it's like a really good deadpan SNL routine...from when SNL was actually relevant...with a few f-bombs and the c-word.

Nothing can compare to seeing Tim Minchin live, but this is as close as you're going to get in your own living room. Ready For This? is the show he did a couple of years ago and the songs are available on YouTube, but the DVD lets you see the whole show in high quality on a big screen. It includes the stand-up comedy and interaction with the audience that's an integral part of the fun.The songs are all great, but they vary a lot in their musical style and their type of humor. Two of my favorites are Dark Side and Canvas Bags, which both poke fun at pretentious rock stars. He also makes fun of himself, which is particularly amusing in The Song For Phil Daoust, who is a journalist who wrote a scathing review of Tim's first show in the U.K. There are also silly songs like Bears Don't Dig on Dancing and touching songs like White Wine in the Sun.This DVD includes the animated version of the beat poem Storm, which is a big hit on YouTube. It's a delight for skeptics like myself who get annoyed with nonsense. In addition to the DVD which was recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, there is a CD of the show which was recorded live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.Minchin's work is not for everyone. If you are very religious, prudish or intolerant of bad language you probably won't enjoy his performance. If you prefer intelligent, lyrically dense, original comedy, then this is the DVD for you.

Tim Minchin is the funniest bestest performer I've heard in a very long time. He is the bizarre combination of an outstanding classically trained pianist, a talented singer, a creative lyrisist, and a weird looking guy. But can he perform! He is a scientific sceptic and an atheist and that is a large part of his music, and you WILL be offended if you do not share that world view. You will probably be offended by something he sings anyway. He uses a lot of synthetic music, so some over 40's may not like it, but I'm 53 and hate all music created since the end of the Vietnam war, and I like it. I would give him more stars if I could. He is simply phenomenal.

Cannot say enough about Tim Minchin. This man is funny, intelligent, silly and serious. His music and stand up not only makes you laugh, it makes you uncomfortable, it makes you think, it has made me see the world in new ways. He is an accomplished pianist and a great vocalist who has chosen to use this musical venue to make some very needed points. Love this CD.

Tim Minchin is an amazing artist, musician, singer, comedian etc....I believe he is a genious. He plays with a full orchestra, like the BBC and the Sydney orchestra or just him and his piano. Both are fantastic shows. He'll make you laugh and cry at the same time. I saw him live in LA and me and my friends all laugh so much, our bellies hurt the next day... This is a great DVD, sadly the only one available in the US now. I'm hoping all his other DVD's we'll be available here soon. In this DVD is just him and his piano and his songs and music and his comedy. Buy it and you will have a wonderful time...

Cabaret performer Minchin is never a dull character. Always smart, charming, thought-provoking, and hilarious, "Ready For This?" offers up typical Minchin-esque social commentary mix with a humorous outlook. With a new intro to "Prejudice" and a perfectly performed rendition of "Confessions," fans will delight where the old meets the new. Minchin is, in many ways, like a modern-day Tom Lehrer, with perfectly placed rhymes and not a single wasted syllable. My personal favorite track is the emotionally fueled live rendition of the secular holiday song "White Wine in the Sun."

I would give it 5 stars since I love Tim Minchin, but the listing said it was a new CD, and the one I received was not new. It was not factory sealed. It was a used CD that someone (poorly) rewrapped with cellophane.

Second hand one looked brand new love it

Arrived before expected, just in time for Christmas!!ThankyouMy brother in law loved it!!

If you're looking for catchy, hilarious songs for them days when you're feeling "not too happy" then this is all you'll need! This guy is so full of wit, he really does push the boundaries and yet is funny and popular enough to get away with it, one of my favourite albums ever bought! Get it!

Brought this for my husband. He loves it. We think tim is great anyway but now we can listen and laugh along in the car too.

I loved this album, you're getting a lot of songs for your money and there are some classics on it notably white wine in the sun and the good book. Buy it!