Rating: 
Summary: A Rare Gift From The Past
Review: This DVD is purely for the enjoyment of a true CARS Lover.
Not for a technology fanatic, or an audio & video assessment.
If these latter reasons were what piqued ones curiosity to a
purchase,then they had no place writing a review here.besides
being a heck of a sweet bunch of guys (especially the late &
irreplaceable Ben Orr) They gave millions and millions of fans
years of listening pleasure.Finding live material of them
especially performing is rare,and this DVD even with it's
time-based flaws (that arent so bad) is a real Gem and a
must have for any Cars fan young or old.
Rating:
Summary: A blast from the past!
Review: ... The sound quality is actually quite good, and there are none of the image glitches that some others have referred to. ... Overall, I couldn't be happier with it. The music selection, even though it's from the band's early days, does not seem at all time-locked, and to see a bunch of young,talented musicians actually playing LIVE, and extremely tight,is very refreshing! The never-recorded track, TAKE WHAT YOU WANT, is outstanding! Greg Hawkes picks up a guitar, and fills out a guitar "Wall of Sound" which is truly brilliant! Having never seen this band perform, I was immediately struck by the stage presence of each(very young) member, in particular Ric Ocasek with his unemotional,cool image. ... A first rate piece of Rock history. Highly recommended. ---This review refers to the VHS edition.
Rating: 
Summary: Great DVD considering...
Review: ... this was taped back in the 1979 and even CD Technology hadn't been introduced to the consumer. Neither the concert nor sound footage are exceptional but let's face it - DVD's and big productions such as the recent Stones at Madison Square Garden were inconceivable at the time. The concert simply shows a young band evolving into something great performing music without all the glitz. Candy-O hadn't even been released yet which leaves a setlist of nothing but early material. Still, their earliest stuff was probably the most experimental and fun prior to technology taking over the 80's. The interview is extremely interesting. Many shared stories and some persistent chatter from a few members but still friendly with a bit of spook to it. It's obvious that Ben Orr's illness was no secret and it appears they all got together for one last yuckety yuck.
Rating:
Summary: Early Gems!
Review: A collection of songs from The Cars first and second releases and a favorite rarity of mine, "Take What You Want". Their performance is tight, but unpolished, unlike the over-produced, MTV oriented songs of their later years. Some of the transitions between songs are a little rough as the guys change guitars, tinker with amps, grab a drink of beer. I love it.
Each member is fun to watch for stage presence and musicianship. I renewed my love of Elliot Easton's guitar genious. Greg Hawkes is fun to watch as he sprinkles the songs with sci-fi/techno sounds. So much out of so little!
You can sense from watching this video that the Cars were headin' for big things!
Rating:
Summary: A rare gem
Review: A fun and fascinating video ...
There are more and more '60s and '70s concert videos hitting the market and much of it has crappy audio quality - by today's standards. But what do you expect?! The great thing about this Cars DVD is you can imagine seeing these guys in a small nightclub in 1979. You see that the talented musicianship and quirky-catchy songwriting was there early in the band's career. The fascinating reunion interview provides some useful insights on how they all came together and worked creatively.
I saw The Cars at the SF Cow Palace after their second album and they were polished to a sheen by then. This 1979 video shows they were far from a creation of the studio. - Paul Harrar
Rating:
Summary: A "No brainer" must have for all cars fans!
Review: A wonderful concert document and poignant interview with the band. As an avid lover of live concert performances, I eagerly awaited the delivery of this DVD. I was not disappointed! What a tight and commanding performance of some of their best material! The sound quality DOES NOT diminish the power of this performance! BUY IT!!!!! The interview alone is worth the price of the DVD for gaining a rare insight into the life and times of this ground breaking band. Long live the Cars and their wonderful legacy,.... and God bless Benjamin Orr.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific snapshot of the band in its early days
Review: A wonderful, intimate performance by a band not known as a live act. The guys in The Cars aren't terrific showmen, but boy can they play their music! They tighten and cohere the further into their set they go, and it's definitely a more upbeat, kick-ass sound than you hear on their records. Another viewer complained about the absence of a stereo mix, but the output from your DVD player's analog stereo output is just that. That said, the sound--even in Dolby Digital 5.1--is not the greatest, and it may even be re-channeled mono. But it's perfectly serviceable for the task at hand: conveying the live chemistry and great music of this band. To its credit, the surround mix places us right inside the tiny TV studio with the band, enhancing the intimacy of the performance. The video quality is pretty poor, as the master is a 21-year-old videotape, but--as with the audio--it gets the point across. Elliot Easton (lead guitar) shines, and there's some nice interaction between him and Benjamin Orr (bassist/vocalist). Lengthy interviews are interesting and sad; the honey-voiced Orr, months before his death, is emaciated. Don't be suckered by reports of a Cars 10-song sampler--the songs appear only in short snippets. Nevertheless, this is a must for any fan of late-'70s Cars music!
Rating:
Summary: splendidly entertaining document of a cool band
Review: Although certain Cars fans favor the "Heartbeat City" era, I suspect that a high percentage of Cars lovers lean toward their first couple albums as their favorites which is the period from which the 1979 concert performance on here dates from. Every track is performed with a lot of energy and conviction--it barely feels at all like they're merely going through the motions. The only time that technological primitiveness seems to be a problem is with the pompous, overloud syndrums at the beginning of "Good Times Roll"--the syndrums were kept in check on the studio version--and if this was the best they could do in a live setting, they should have just been smart & ditched them altogether instead of feeling the need to recreate the studio version so exactingly. As for the camera work, it's very tastefully done--Elliot Easton was a great lead guitarist and thankfully both he and synth player Greg Hawkes are given solid coverage so you can actually watch what they do. Hawkes' performance with various devices on "I'm In Touch With Your World" is impressive and highly amusing, plus it's interesting to see him swtich to guitar making for a 3 guitar attack on "Take What You Want". Hawkes usually looks incredibly stiff and hopelessly nerdy on stage, but what the hell, maybe that was comfortable for him and allowed him to play better. Ben Orr was clearly a very solid bass guitarist and he's in great voice here, plus he kind of serves as the "front man". Ric Ocasek's stage presence is ultra-collected--he never smiles or speaks to the audience--and when matched with his solid performance, it provides a certain mysteriousness which is quite fitting for a guy like Ocasek. The background vocals leave a little to be desired, but still, it's by & large a great performance. Don't come to this DVD expecting "Jurassic Park"-style sound & visuals--the sound quality, although mono, is great-sounding mono, and the picture quality is very good as well plus there isn't a weak track in the entire concert. Although others have complained about the audio & picture quality, I must say I feel the lack of gloss and relative 'lo-fi'-ness work very much to the DVD's advantage. In addition to the concert, you get a 40+ minute interview segment with all 5 Cars members together, and it's a major addition--although there is a slight sense of awkwardness from time to time, Easton, Ocasek, and David Robinson are all in great spirit and display cool personalities that are impossible to dislike. Easton had long hoped for a Cars reunion and he seems really happy to be with his old band-mates again, & Ocasek once again comes across as mysterious yet with a solid dose of whimsy--he has a way of being amusingly evasive. Hawkes is admittedly pretty quiet, as is Orr. It's obvious that they all knew Ben Orr was nearing the end, and indeed, he died just a few months or so after the interview took place--this probably had a lot to do with the idea of bringing the full band together one last time, but either way, I think it's really great that they did so before it was too late. I'm not the hugest Cars fan around--although I do like them a lot--and this I find this to be a supremely enjoyable DVD, and if you're a true Cars fanatic, I can't imagine you'd think otherwise.
Rating:
Summary: Early Cars ride well
Review: Although only containing 11 songs, this is quite a nice selection of early Cars music from the 1979 German TV show. The band sounds tight and plays well. Sound and video quality are good not great. The interview with all members of the band from 1999 or so is pretty good, too. There is a useless musical trailer which samples 11 songs, most of which you just heard in the main show.
Where is that "other" TV appearance which included "Drive"?
An inexpensive (got it for under ten) "must have" for any Cars fan.
Rating:
Summary: It's about time!
Review: As a longtime fan of The Cars, I was very happy to see this DVD released. It's divided into two main segments, the 1979 German TV show performance and a very recent (this summer?) interview with all five members, sitting together and talking about the old times: interesting, and sometimes amusing, recollections of their early live dates, how they met one another, album cover art, how they never seemed to play into the whole "rock star" image and kept their feet on the ground and remained a Boston-based band. Sadly, Benjamin Orr appears very ill and weak, and therefore says the least. But he smiles quite a bit and offers some nice comments. As epected, Ric Ocasek seems to do a lot of the talking, although guitarist Elliot Easton really seems the most open, relaxed and talkative. They seem to genuinely enjoy being in each other's company again. Especially touching is Easton's claim that he was "very proud" of the work he - and the band did - and then he looks over to the other four and says "I'm very proud of these guys". For a band with an image/reputation as somewhat cold and aloof, this interview goes a long, long way to change that. The performance footage itself is great. Yes, a little rough. Not the best sound in the world, but their playing is energetic and great to watch, especially Easton, Orr and Hawkes. Ben Orr certainly had a wonderful stage presence. Dressed all in black leather with shaggy hair, sleepy eyes and all, he LOOKED like a cool rock bassist. Easton's guitar work is exceptional, especially on "My Best Friend's Girl", where he nails the solo (notes AND tone) from the recording. I recommend this DVD to anyone who was ever into The Cars...you'll really enjoy it.
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