Rented this and, I have to say, it is a great example of what can be done with a live DVD. It's a four-disc set with one disc devoted to a documentary on the prep of the tour (featuring my hometown, Toronto ), with the others each featuring a different concert (stadium, arena and theatre).

Some of the special features include some interview snippets with the bandmembers commenting on specific songs and guest appearances by other artists, customizable set-lists, an option to see what's going on backstage during certain segments, a few songs where you can choose which bandmember you want to follow and an option to look at the S&M-y animation that was featured behind "Honky Tonk Women".

My only quibble is that the concerts were not shot on film.

Has anyone seen this and, if so, what was your opinion?

Also: what are your favourite concert DVDs? I would choose Bruce Springsteen: Live in Barcelona as my top pick.
[Edited 10/11/05 12:28pm]
[Edited 10/11/05 13:16pm]

Sounds like a treat with the Stones DVDs...I've never been a fan, but sometimes I wish I were - they seem to treat their fans really well with treats such as this.

That said, my favorite live video right now is probably Bowie's "A Reality Tour" DVD, which is partly brilliant because it's such a good performance, and partly brilliant because the set list is so diverse (and LONG, at almost three hours!), it makes for a great "best of" compilation.

I'm also a big fan of Bowie's 50th Birthday bash DVD, but that's not exactly an official release....

Anxiety said:

Was that the one at Madison Square Garden, with Lou Reed?

Ace said:

well, i think of it as "the one with sonic youth and robert smith", but yes.

Anxiety said:

Oh, The Youth show-up, too? What do they play? And what about Lou? Did they perform with Bowie?

Ace said:

yeah, all the guests played with bowie...if i remember correctly, the only song sonic youth did with bowie was 'i'm afraid of americans'. lou reed did a few - i remember them doing 'waiting for the man', 'queen bitch' and 'white light/white heat' together. there was one other song that was a lou reed song that i didn't recognize, which was mostly lou singing. he didn't sound very good - it sounded as if lou's earpiece was screwed up or something and he couldn't hear himself sing.

I'd have to pick

Stop Making Sense--A concert that was meant to be filmed, the basis for such films as:

Sign 'o' the Times--Prince captured at just the right time

The Last Waltz--Whole Lotta Legends

I just saw the end of Bruce Springsteen live in NYC on PBS and that was amazing, too.

Anxiety said:

That's his style, man.

andyman91 said:

A brilliant concept. But wasn't that more about Byrne than Demme.



I have the official (yes, official, Anx ) DVD from Alliance and the cinematography does not compare to Barcelona. Sign looks grainy.


Whenever I see this, it looks like Bruce's "Fat Elvis" period to me. And the fact that it was sort of a "greatest hits" tour also puts it below Barcelona in my estimation. Haven't seen it on DVD, so I can't compare them picture-wise.
[Edited 10/11/05 13:57pm]

I love, love, love the SADE Lover Rock Live DVD! That one's sooo good to just chill out to. The stage looks really classy, great colors, great use of videos, great music.

My favorite:

Man i wish i had a Mchammer concert on dvd. Or even vhs.

Hammer had it down pact live.

Also love:

calldapplwondery83 said:

I watched a Sade concert on video. I was grooving for a while, she's absolutely beautiful, the band is good, songs are good. I had to turn it off before it ended. The whole thing became so monotonous. Her voice, the songs, the band...

Ace said:

I would hope so!

My number 1 pick is Parliament-Funkadelic- The Mothership Connection
Glenn Goins really got them over the humb

umm..besides sade's lovers rock i dont have any concerts on dvd...


but i have a vhs of one of sineads tours..that was featured on lifetime..and damn is that awesome..it was the tour in support of I DO NOT WANT WHAT I HAVE NOT GOT.

Ace said:

i KNEW you were going to say that.

Here's a few:

The Complete Monterey Pop Festival- Tho the title is misleading,this set contains the original movie,with career making performances from Janis Joplin,Jimi Hendrix,and Ravi Shanker... not to mention great bits with Jefferson Airplane,The Who and others...also included is a second disc with Hendrix and Otis Redding's complete sets and a third disc with outakes from other groups that performed that weekend.Pricy (Criterion Collection) but essential.

Led Zeppelin DVD - Basically every filmed performance.5 hours on 2 DVDs.Until this came out a couple of years ago, Zep fans had only the much maligned "Song Remains" film.I still think that film is underrated but...this set covers alot more ground.

The Grateful Dead Movie - Filmed over a 5 night stand at Winterland in '74, the movie focuses equally on some key performances and the fans that love them... the real treat here is a second disc , about 90 minutes of unedited performances from the same set of shows...the band is at their peak ,with some great jamming on display....

Jimi Plays Berkely - Good film of Jimi on a good night with Mitch and Billy...the bonus here is a 5.1 mix of the second set that was out on CD at the same time...

Fleetwood Mac - The Dance - the squabblers finally manage to bury their hatchets and put on a great show ,with a few new songs to boot.This event managed to kickstart Stevie's solo career and revive the group long enough to (finally) put out a new album...(alas 6 years later and without Christine)

The Jazz Channel Presents Chaka - while Chaka's #1 fan on this site claimed it is boring... I think it is great... Chaka's voice is stronger than ever and her band is tight...

World Of Rhythm - Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter , Billy Cobham - Great show from 1983

MrTation said:

thanks for the recommendations...im gonna pick these two up asap.

calldapplwondery83 said:

Love this one also...

Forgot one:

George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic - This has been released twice on DVD...
Classic Classic Classic show with alot of Glen Goins lead vocals...the mothership lands as well...Definitely ESSENTIAL...

Hmmmmm.....


1.Chaka Khan - Live At The Roxy 1981 - I'm biased to that period in Chaka's carrer, that tour was off my favorite album of her's "What Cha Gonna Do For Me".

2.Rick James & Stone City Band - Live In Germany 1982 - What more can I say, PUNK FUNK live in living color.

3.Wattstax - Good performances and comentary in this classic film, the Bar-Kays steal the show by the way.

4.Terance Trent Darby - Live Hardline 1987 - TTD and crew at there best IMHO!

5. James Brown - Body Heat 1979 - The Godfather lighting up the stage like he only knows how.

A few that haven't been mentioned yet...

The best $12 you may ever spend:

Beth Hart - Live at Paradiso



This woman is phenomenal. So raw, so real, so fucking talented. So, naturally, almost no one knows who she is.

Check her out sometime.
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[Edited 10/11/05 23:24pm]

If it isn't in 5.1 surround sound then it isn't worth mentioning.


Tori Amos - Welcome To Sunny Florida

sextonseven said:

Love it! "Hey Jupiter", "Father Lucifer" and "Cooling".

GangstaFam said:

¿Qué es eso?

sextonseven said:

Huh? What?