Rating: 
Summary: The best vocalist in rock. Evah.
Review: You look at the dorky glasses and hair and wonder how that voice ever came from that body. But it did. Roy's voice was a miracle.
To me the greatest tributes come from one's peers. "Black and White Night" is filled with musicians who have heavy duty reputations of their own and basically showed up to be Roy's backing band and vocalists that night. As they say in "Goodfellas", it's tribute. k.d. lang, Ronnie Raitt, and Jennifer Warnes sha-la-la-la their hearts out in the back corner. Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, and T-Bone Burnett play their parts and keep their heads down, other than a quick bit where Elvis gets a piano solo and bangs his elbow on the keyboard. James Burton will be a revelation to those who don't know him. Like Roy, he looks nothing like a rock star, but he sure can play. The only one who really comes up front, and has the stage presence to pull it off, is Bruce Springsteen. They are terrific together. Roy Orbison and Bruce Springsteen singing into the same microphone -- whoa!
An early scene shows the star-studded audience laugh and gasp in delight when Roy hits the first high note. There is another great moment later on when Tom Waits, who didn't just fall off the turnip truck, reacts the same way to a gargling thing Roy does near the end of "Mean Woman Blues". ("I got a woman, mean as she can be...." -- if your toes are tapping already, buy this!)
Here is what Bruce said about Roy in his speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction: "I carry his records with me when I go on tour today, and I'll always remember what he means to me and what he meant to me when I was young and afraid to love. In '75, when I went into the studio to make 'Born To Run', I wanted to make a record with words like Bob Dylan that sounded like Phil Spector, but most of all I wanted to sing like Roy Orbison. Now everybody knows that nobody sings like Roy Orbison."
I have probably watched "A Black and White Night" more often than any DVD I own. It's almost nothing but highlights.
PS to William Ritter -- "Dream You" was on Roy's last studio album, "Mystery Girl".
Rating:
Summary: hypnotic at times
Review: Wonderful collaboration of musicians and singers. All his hits are here, 'only the lonely', 'dream baby', 'blue bayou', 'running scared', 'in dreams', 'crying', 'it's over', 'pretty woman' etc. You can see the admiration from the crowd and people on stage for this legend. This dvd was a beautiful gift to his fans before his death. The black and white was a nice touch as it gives the concert a nostalgia look. The performers contribute nicely to the concert but allow Orbison to be centre stage. Roy's music timing is flawless. Thought I might get sick of hearing 'pretty woman' after so many times but I was wrong, this live version gave it life. The only problem I had was I found the dvd a little expensive ($34. Cdn), but shop around. This dvd is still worth it. The sound is unbelievable. Get this dvd and let the violins, his words and voice melt your heart.
Rating:
Summary: Roy Orbison and Friends: Black and White Night
Review: This album is a must if you are a fan of Roy Orbison, rock-a-billy, or early Rock'n'Roll. It is the best DVD I have seen of this genre. Orbison was a very early influence in Rock'n'Roll; somewhat underappreciated in the USA but well-received in Britain where he did a lot of his early concert touring. Believe it or not, the Beatles used to open for Orbison concerts. The Beatles music, as well as later British musicians learned from Orbison's music and style.
Orbison was an early role-model for Bruce Springsteen, who also appears on this DVD. In his and Roy's duets, their voices are virtually undistinguisable. The guitar playing of James Burton (former lead guitar for Elvis Presley), Bruce Springsteen, and Roy would make Les Paul proud and Duane Eddy envious.
Because of the contributions from some of Roy's "friends" this DVD is far superior to any Roy Orbison studio CD. k.d. lang, Bonnie Riatt, and Jennifer Warnes, all musical talents in their own rights supressed their egos to sing back-up vocals. Contributions from Springsteen, T-bone Burnett, Jackson Brown, Elvis Costello and Burton distinctively add tremendous appeal to this work.
Buy, buy, buy! This is a once-in-a-lifetime performance that you will play over and over again.
je__1@earthlink.net
Rating:
Summary: Five stars NOT ENOUGH
Review: I have been to hundreds of concerts, from Jazz, Pop, Big Band, Country, Classic and whatever I've left out. I wasn't aware of this one until I saw it on PBS. With the Boss, k.d.lang, and a group of the best musicians all playing free and singing along with Orbison's unique and beautiful range, this wasn't a concert, it was a celebration. It was in the top 5 I've seen in a lifetime (with my range of interests there have been others, such as a Mahlar's Symphony of a Thousand, The Highwaymen, Jazz at the Philharmonic, etc. that reached a peak of their own form). But the excitement and pure enjoyment of the performers and listeners made it an emotional experience. Like a great Willie Nelson or Louis Armstrong performance it can be seen over and over.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning! Not just for "fans"...
Review: I didn't realize exactly how great Roy Orbison was until I saw his "Black & White Night" on PBS several months ago. That session brought all of my memories together into one massive event. I contributed to the PBS station just to get the VHS and CD versions of that concert, recognizing just how special it was. I just now spent nearly five hours listening to that CD while I read most of the 115 reviews on Amazon (avg = 5 stars out of 5) of the DVD, and the advantages (editing, video enhancements, extra tracts) of the DVD over the VHS and CD version I have. I just ordered two copies of the DVD (one to watch/listen to, and one for backup).If you have read this far, you realize the contribution of Roy, his talent, and the incredible array of stars that attended him at the "Black & White Night" event. For no other reason than your personal satisfaction, buy this DVD!
Rating:
Summary: A Magical Surprise
Review: .
I've always been a "passive" listener to Roy Orbison....enjoyed his stuff, but never got to the point of buying an album. I decided to take a chance on this DVD because of all the great reviews, and I'm VERY glad I did. The moment Roy opens his mouth to sing the first note of "Only the Lonely" it is impossible to do anything but smile. Yes, his voice is a legend - but watching it happen really brings home the magic that this man could create. Star studded band and celebrity audience adds another dimension of interest to the show. I didn't tell my friends what to expect and there were a lot of surprised people when they started to recognize all the talent on the stage (as well as in the audience). Extraordinary sound and great video quality round out a fabulous 5 star package. Thank you Roy.
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