I remastered the NIN Woodstock '94 set from the highest quality sources I could find.

[tony.parente]

Can't watch on mobile...
some other time I guess!

[Halo Infinity]

@Kevin Carafa - I just know I'm going to watch this multiple times from start to finish as a favorite film whenever I get into the mood to do just that. Thank you so much for giving it your all. I only checked it out for a few seconds and I'm very impressed at how pristine the audio and video quality is. It's very well done.

[nowimnothing]

So, the other day I was looking for a good copy of the Woodstock 1994 performance. I'm an audio mastering engineer and I wanted the highest quality I could get.

I've always been troubled in the quality of what was available.. All the CD versions have edits in Reptile and in some of the banter between songs (in order to fit them onto one CD), and they don't include the full intro. They're also all highpassed at 60hz for broadcast and have some really strange phase issues in the low end. So I went looking for a new source of video and audio and decided I was going to assemble the highest quality copy of the performance that I could find.

As far as audio, I took a couple of the FLAC rips from reflectinginthechrome.com, and assembled a full performance. This took care of those edits, but it didn't have the full intro. I also needed a good video source.. then, I found a site: http://www.seven1963.org/ that had a DVD rip for download. It was a 720x480 interlaced DVD, which is the highest resolution that you can get from an NTSC broadcast like this, and likely the best copy we will ever see of this performance (unless, of course, the HD footage ever leaks from the production company..).

I found the intro audio from a youtube video and edited that in. I also remastered the FLAC audio: I put back what was dropped down below 60hz (in Burn, for example, you'll hear a huge difference in the fact that you can hear the main bassline!), fixed the odd phasing/panning issues in the low end, and did a full mastering like I'd do for any other record. It's louder and punchier, but not overdone at all.

For video, I de-interlaced it the best I could via software, cropped out the nasty VHS garbage on the sides and bottom, and synced it up with the audio. What I made and uploaded is what I believe to be the most complete and highest quality copy of this performance that exists. There are a few pops and clicks in the audio, and at one point in the video, the words 'VIDEO TRACKING' flash on the screen (I'm assuming this was taped on two VHSs and this was the break point, but nothing is missing), but it's much, MUCH better than anything out there and certainly better than anything else on Youtube.

Ok, so that was all probably too technical and boring, but enjoy. I'm working with relflectinginthechrome to get the FLAC/MP3 downloads up, along with a 1.7 gb MP4 for download.

Download links:
Video (1.7gb MP4): http://www.mediafire.com/?b527z8c8epajm68
Audio (103mb MP3): http://www.mediafire.com/?7grz87gev6d9xgd
Audio (543mb FLAC): http://www.mediafire.com/?8ppcq9iara5tx11

Seriously awesome. This was the first bootleg of a NIN live show that I ever purchased (I remember paying $50.00 for a silver CD pressing back then) and I listened to it non-stop. Gone are the days of having to scour every record shop you could find to try and locate a live recording.

And then there are people like yourself who make the effort to make something awesome like this. I have neither the talen nor the know how to do something like this and I really appreciate those that do.

Thanks so much for doing such a great job.

[SM Rollinger]

So im watching the mp4 through my xbox on my tv, and it looks fuckin' great. Bright colors, crisp video, hardly any interlacing. And HOLY SHIT THE AUDIO ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIVE NOW! Wow, ive watched this so many times, and its like its brand new all over again. I love how you left the intro.

Someone should seriously update the wiki,

Video

There is a video for the "Happiness In Slavery" performance that has long circulated the internet through p2p and sites like YouTube. This version is heavily dubbed or poorly mixed, so much that Trent banging on the keyboards cannot be heard. The beginning has sounds from "Pinion" and the end is "Head Like A Hole," including the scene of comedian Calvert DeForest (1922–2007) announcing the band. This song was also released on the official Woodstock '94 CD and VHS. Part of the performance also appears on Closure.

Link to this new one!

[ninja77]

So im watching the mp4 through my xbox on my tv, and it looks fuckin' great. Bright colors, crisp video, hardly any interlacing. And HOLY SHIT THE AUDIO ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIVE NOW! Wow, ive watched this so many times, and its like its brand new all over again. I love how you left the intro.

Someone should seriously update the wiki,


Link to this new one!

The old video as described in the wiki is most likely a direct rip from the "Woodstock '94" compilation VHS as released shortly after the event. The NIN performance begins with Larry "Bud" Melman's (Calvert DeForest) intro over "Pinion" and ends with the last few seconds of "Head Like A Hole", while the announcer chants "Nine Inch Nails! Nine Inch Nails!". I agree that it's sloppily edited and I remember that even the professional release sounded relatively flat and uneven compared to this new remaster.

I tip my hat to you, Kevin. Great job on the audio and video. I've been a fan for 19 years now, and I used to own a silver-pressed CD of this show until a (soon-to-be former) friend stole it from my house 15 years ago then tried to deny that he ever knew I had it. This release is leaps and bounds better than that original silver sounded. Bravo!

[SM Rollinger]

I never noticed Trent headbutting the mic at 1:16:03, haha he is pissed!!

Also, i find it amusing that Trent and Robin were more less dressed the same during this show, as they were during the recent Festival Tour.

edit: It seems like there is a slight break in the audio before the first verse during Reptile, is that due to the flac sources being edited down?

[ninja77]

So, the other day I was looking for a good copy of the Woodstock 1994 performance. I'm an audio mastering engineer and I wanted the highest quality I could get.

I've always been troubled in the quality of what was available.. All the CD versions have edits in Reptile and in some of the banter between songs (in order to fit them onto one CD), and they don't include the full intro. They're also all highpassed at 60hz for broadcast and have some really strange phase issues in the low end. So I went looking for a new source of video and audio and decided I was going to assemble the highest quality copy of the performance that I could find.

As far as audio, I took a couple of the FLAC rips from reflectinginthechrome.com, and assembled a full performance. This took care of those edits, but it didn't have the full intro. I also needed a good video source.. then, I found a site: http://www.seven1963.org/ that had a DVD rip for download. It was a 720x480 interlaced DVD, which is the highest resolution that you can get from an NTSC broadcast like this, and likely the best copy we will ever see of this performance (unless, of course, the HD footage ever leaks from the production company..).

I found the intro audio from a youtube video and edited that in. I also remastered the FLAC audio: I put back what was dropped down below 60hz (in Burn, for example, you'll hear a huge difference in the fact that you can hear the main bassline!), fixed the odd phasing/panning issues in the low end, and did a full mastering like I'd do for any other record. It's louder and punchier, but not overdone at all.

For video, I de-interlaced it the best I could via software, cropped out the nasty VHS garbage on the sides and bottom, and synced it up with the audio. What I made and uploaded is what I believe to be the most complete and highest quality copy of this performance that exists. There are a few pops and clicks in the audio, and at one point in the video, the words 'VIDEO TRACKING' flash on the screen (I'm assuming this was taped on two VHSs and this was the break point, but nothing is missing), but it's much, MUCH better than anything out there and certainly better than anything else on Youtube.

Ok, so that was all probably too technical and boring, but enjoy. I'm working with relflectinginthechrome to get the FLAC/MP3 downloads up, along with a 1.7 gb MP4 for download.

Download links:
Video (1.7gb MP4): http://www.mediafire.com/?b527z8c8epajm68
Audio (103mb MP3): http://www.mediafire.com/?7grz87gev6d9xgd
Audio (543mb FLAC): http://www.mediafire.com/?8ppcq9iara5tx11

I had no idea that the Woodstock '94 PPV was actually shot in early HD. I've seen it mentioned a few times in passing on YouTube, but chalked it up to people upconverting SD footage to 720p or 1080p and calling it "HD". Sure enough, a Google search for "Woodstock 94 HD" produced this result: http://www.vu-la.com/papers/950323_Woodstock94.pdf

It's interesting that the festival promoters would choose to blow a whole bunch of money on presenting a show in a format that virtually nobody could watch at home, since it was 1994 and you couldn't just walk into a store and buy an HDTV at that time. Even more interesting that by the time HDTV became mainstream, this event had been all but forgotten about, save for a bunch of NIN fans who had settled for second, third, and fourth generation VHS copies of this show for years. I realize NIN were not the only act who played at Woodstock '94, but I've never heard anyone talk about searching feverishly for the best-ever copy of Sheryl Crow, Collective Soul, or Live's set from that weekend. I'm not knocking any of those bands at all - it's just that NIN's 80 minutes on stage seem to be the most memorable.

[Shadaloo]

Beautiful. A show as important to any band's history as this is to NIN's is a necessity for old fans and new to experience. My sincerest thanks!

[Kevin Carafa]

edit: It seems like there is a slight break in the audio before the first verse during Reptile, is that due to the flac sources being edited down?

Funny you singled that out.. here's the story:

So, the bootleg cds of this have edits in order to fit the entire 1 hr 25+ minute performance on a single disc. Pretty much all of them are cutting out the intro and first verse/chorus of Reptile and the part right before burn, along with a lot of the intro and some of the ending. Some are edited less than others, but NONE of them had the first verse of reptile. I had to use the VHS audio for audio from the end of closer to the 2nd verse of reptile. And, it just happened to have that glitch in it. The one part I needed...!!

There was a youtube version that had that moment OK, but it was really shit quality and not worth splicing in. I'm confident that's the only big snafu in audio, and I thought it was not a huge deal.

There's another part that was edited from a lower quality source... right before burn, his rant about saying 'fuck'.. if you watch the video, the quality goes down for about 30 seconds. Again, this was the highest-quality version of this part I could find, because almost everyone had it edited out of the audio, and the good VHS rip I found was taped on 2 tapes, and this was the splice point. Again, the one part I needed!

At least it's all there now

[Kevin Carafa]

Also, I remember the day I got the Woodstock 94 official CD, I noticed something odd. The version of happiness in slavery has different vocals than the live concert. I can't be too sure if he went and re-recorded them in a studio, or if it's from another gig on the Self Destruct tour, but it's NOT the same. Listen to them back to back, it's 100% not the same vocal performance. Interesting!

[Max Leo]

I asked for this in the 19th anniversary thread, so I'll take half of the merit just for coming with this great idea...

http://www.echoingthesound.org/commu...020#post112020



Lol, just kidding. Thank you so much.

[Kevin Carafa]

I asked for this in the 19th anniversary thread, so I'll take half of the merit just for coming with this great idea...

http://www.echoingthesound.org/commu...020#post112020



Lol, just kidding. Thank you so much.

Hah! I didn't see that, but I guess you telepathically put it in my head, cause after 30 minutes of looking on youtube for a decent version, I said to myself, 'There HAS to be a better version of this that I can do something with..'

[Arkadin]

I had no idea that the Woodstock '94 PPV was actually shot in early HD. I've seen it mentioned a few times in passing on YouTube, but chalked it up to people upconverting SD footage to 720p or 1080p and calling it "HD". Sure enough, a Google search for "Woodstock 94 HD" produced this result: http://www.vu-la.com/papers/950323_Woodstock94.pdf

It's interesting that the festival promoters would choose to blow a whole bunch of money on presenting a show in a format that virtually nobody could watch at home, since it was 1994 and you couldn't just walk into a store and buy an HDTV at that time. Even more interesting that by the time HDTV became mainstream, this event had been all but forgotten about, save for a bunch of NIN fans who had settled for second, third, and fourth generation VHS copies of this show for years. I realize NIN were not the only act who played at Woodstock '94, but I've never heard anyone talk about searching feverishly for the best-ever copy of Sheryl Crow, Collective Soul, or Live's set from that weekend. I'm not knocking any of those bands at all - it's just that NIN's 80 minutes on stage seem to be the most memorable.

And that's the problem-there evidently isn't enough incentive to do anything with the footage when NIN is the only selling point.

To do a proper release I expect a new edit would have to be made from the raw footage (would this require special equipment?), and then there is the issue of the transfer, again, possibly requiring special equipment.

[Max Leo]

Great minds think alike.

[Ruined]

Thanks for sharing this with us. I had one of the old school bootleg cds of this concert (with much lower quality sound and missing parts of Reptile); you did an excellent job on this project!

[Kevin Carafa]

I bet the whole PPV broadcast from that weekend is sitting around somewhere on some kind of digital storage reel. I'm almost positive of it. And I bet that SOME day, we'll see some of it, or some foreign channel will broadcast a replay of it. Woodstock is just too iconic of an event for them not to make money off of it forever.

I briefly worked for the audio company that the the live broadcast mix of this particular PPV. They're based in northern NJ, they do live broadcast sound for lots of things out of an RV truck. I did sound with them for some central park gigs with good morning america. They had all the tracks, all the individual mics... I bet that somewhere, they've got an archive of the 48 track masters for this.. but alas, it's probably not worth it. This turned out pretty good But what I wouldn't give to hit 'solo' on the vocal mic or the drums or something on this... ohh, tis but a dream.

[Extar]

This is brilliant. Many thanks.

[ninja77]

And that's the problem-there evidently isn't enough incentive to do anything with the footage when NIN is the only selling point.

To do a proper release I expect a new edit would have to be made from the raw footage (would this require special equipment?), and then there is the issue of the transfer, again, possibly requiring special equipment.

You may be right about the special equipment part. I'm sure the raw footage exists somewhere, but as to whether Polygram (or any company for that matter) would've kept the equipment necessary for playback is another question. I don't know much about TV broadcasting, but it seems that the specs for the early-gen HD equipment they used in the 90s are different from those used today (i.e. outdated and would likely require a presumably expensive conversion process in order to get the video to conform to modern standards). Again, just getting any record label exec to consider this would require a level of interest above and beyond hardcore NIN fans and people who are really nostalgic for the early/mid 90s. On the other hand, Bob Geldof did put together a 4-DVD boxed set of Live Aid some years back (19 years after it first aired on TV, even). Although Woodstock '94 was a corporate-sponsored event and not for charity, I think both events were equally significant to their own respective decades.

Of course, they could always just use the SD broadcast master, as that would be the feed that went to MTV / PPV and it could easily be authored to DVD without a massive restoration/conversion effort (similar to the Nirvana: Live At Reading DVD that came out a couple of years ago).

[demo]

This is awesome. The low, low end is restored!

[Freshcat]

Amazing work and dedication Kevin, thank you.
Like someone else said, I recall buying a shitty 100th generation bootleg of this in Australia in the late 90s for about $50!
Great memories.

[dlb]

Wow, as I expected from the youtube video this sounds great! Downloading the mp4 now, but I guess this will be even better judging from the youtube video which is already way more clear than what is lying on my hard drive. Again, thanks alot for this and Ryan for collaborating!

EDIT: the vido may not be stunning but really is the best version I have seen and definitely the best we will get until some master tapes are released or this thing is broadcasted in HD somewhere. The sound is what makes this release stand out the most! I'm curious how the other concert footage discussed in the other thread will hold up against this release since this is the best 1994 bootleg by far IMHO!

[dzaver]

any chance of getting a torrent? or maybe if you know of some chrome extensions that helps downloading in case the connection crashes and you want to resume. it keeps happening with these mediafire links thanks for the help

[Roderick]

Thank you very much for this Kevin

[Headlike]

Big thanks!

[Perdita]

Thanks Kevin, it looks awesome!

[Little_Dreamer]

Thank you so much!

[jmtd]

Thank you so much for your efforts! One question:

: I put back what was dropped down below 60hz (in Burn, for example, you'll hear a huge difference in the fact that you can hear the main bassline!

Where'd you get the <60hz data from?

[NINfan04]

Thank you very much! Your hard work is truly appreciated by NIN fans! This is awesome!

[Kevin Carafa]

Thank you so much for your efforts! One question:



Where'd you get the <60hz data from?

It was lowpassed, but not totally cut out. So a low shelf with like 10 to 15 db of gain brought it all back. It was important to find a source that didn't have a lot of garbage being amplified down that low, though.

[demo]

It was important to find a source that didn't have a lot of garbage being amplified down that low, though.

After so many different and compressed (dynamically and size-wise) audio sources, I'm happy to hear your results. It's super clean for how old it is.