Rating: 
Summary: Michael Hedges was right!
Review: "I got everything I know from Stephen Stills. Those people who thought Clapton was God hadn't heard Stills play acoustic guitar." -- Michael HedgesOf course Stills doesn't play any acoustic on this video just great, edgy, driving electric guitar (Stills called it "Powered Sound" in his lyric for the "Bluesman" cut on the remarkable "Manassas" CD which all the material on this tape is from). The relevance of the Hedges' quote is that Stills is a musician's musician. Stills aptly demonstrates on this video what every fan of "Manassas," "Buffalo Springfield" and "CSN&Y" understand -- Mr. Stills, when he wants to, can get it done! His ability to easily play so many styles so well was tarnished by some of his less than spectacular solo work in the '70's & 80's. In fact, some of the best and worst CD's I own were produced by Mr. Stills. However, his great talent is somehow more appreciated when he gets it right as he does on this tape with the help of Chris Hillman and some of the best session players of the era.
Rating:
Summary: So much untapped potential...
Review: A wonderful video of a band that had tremendous potential, but never made it. All of the songs on this DVD are from the "Manassas" debut double album, contrary to what the content review says. Stills is at his best, and the band proves to be very versatile in many styles of music. It's too bad that this band never made it -- what you see on this DVD is just a fraction of what they were capable of. I saw them in concert, and it was an experience that I shall never forget. Even though the production values are somewhat dated (this was originally broadcast in 1972), the video does look good, and the sound is great. This DVD is a must have for fans of Stephen Stills.
Rating:
Summary: So much untapped potential...
Review: A wonderful video of a band that had tremendous potential, but never made it. All of the songs on this DVD are from the "Manassas" debut double album, contrary to what the content review says. Stills is at his best, and the band proves to be very versatile in many styles of music. It's too bad that this band never made it -- what you see on this DVD is just a fraction of what they were capable of. I saw them in concert, and it was an experience that I shall never forget. Even though the production values are somewhat dated (this was originally broadcast in 1972), the video does look good, and the sound is great. This DVD is a must have for fans of Stephen Stills.
Rating:
Summary: So much untapped potential...
Review: A wonderful video of a band that had tremendous potential, but never made it. All of the songs on this DVD are from the "Manassas" debut double album, contrary to what the content review says. Stills is at his best, and the band proves to be very versatile in many styles of music. It's too bad that this band never made it -- what you see on this DVD is just a fraction of what they were capable of. I saw them in concert, and it was an experience that I shall never forget. Even though the production values are somewhat dated (this was originally broadcast in 1972), the video does look good, and the sound is great. This DVD is a must have for fans of Stephen Stills.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: I always loved that double-album Manassas, so discovering this
DVD was a fantastic surprise...and it did not disappoint.
This is, indeed, Stephen Stills at the height of his powers.
And the song selection is excellent. Most of the best rockers
on Manassas are included, such as Jet Set and Treasure. Just
two songs I would've liked to hear were not included: Right Now
and Colorado...but it doesn't matter because the performance is so
stellar. The sound quality is slightly less than perfect, but easily fixable if you up the volume a bit.
Rating:
Summary: Cornerstone for your DVD audio collection
Review: I guess I'm just getting too...old (44)as there's so many pop stars that I just don't give the time of day to now days. After a 5 day coke bender, Steve Stills has...more talent than Puff Daddy, Christina Auguilara, N-sync, and a long list of no talents put together. Stills is truely an icon whose songwriting and musicianship rates with the greatest whom have ever lived. You may not recognize any of the songs as pop hits, but soon you will be singing the words as most of the songs are wonderful. Unbelieveably, Stills blends a Latin percussion section, steel pedal guitar, his own guitar and wa wa pedal into a unique sound.Keep a 12 pack of cool ones and the good book near by, as this will be your epiphany!!!
Rating:
Summary: CSNY Step Aside - Manassas Was The Better Band!
Review: I'm a big Chris Hillman fan. The man creates excellent music, and he has always enhanced every band he has been associated with, from the Hillman, through the Byrds and the Burritos to Chris & Herb and "Out of the Woodwork". I also like Stephen Stills. And Stephen Stills in 1971-72 was at the peak of his singing and guitar playing prowess in the band that he formed with Hillman, Manassas. Stills and Hillman - two powerhouse musicians with a great band. This video, performed "live" at the Beat Club in Bremen, Germany, brings out the best of Manassas, which also featured Al Perkins on Steel and assorted guitars, Joe Lala on percussion, and Paul Harris on keyboards, and a fine rhythm section of Fuzzy Samuel on bass and Dallas Taylor on drums. The recording featured songs recorded off the first Manassas album, one of the great albums of the seventies, and showed a full slice of what Manassas was all about...The Folk and Country of "Bound To Fall", "It Doesn't Matter", and "Hide It So Deep"; the Latino rhythms of "Cuban Bluegrass", and the powerful Blues-Rock of "Rock and Roll Crazies" and "The Treasure". Stills' lead vocals and Hillman's co-lead harmonies especially on "Bound To Fall" and "It Doesn't Matter" are simply wonderful. It doesn't get any better than this. In fact, Hillman tipped his hat to Stills by recording "4 + 20" on his recent "Running Wild". In fact, the only disappointment is that some of the songs Stills and Hillman made famous in the Byrds and the Springfield and later sang live in Manassas are not on this video - "Rock and Roll Women", "So You Want to Be A Rock and Roll Star," and "Hot Burrito #2", and yes, "4 + 20". The video strictly features songs off the first album. The band seemed at ease during the filming, and Stephen is clearly having fun joking with Chris, Al, and Joe. After viewing Manassas at the top of their form, one really wonders why Stills would ever want to go back to those other, funny and feuding guys. Oh yeah, a bit of trivia: Manassas was named by Stills after the famous Civil War Battles fought at Manassas - or more commonly known as Bull Run. That railroad station on the cover of the Manassas album is the same one where Stonewall Jackson pillaged the Union stores of Pope's army in August 1862.
Rating:
Summary: CSNY Step Aside - Manassas Was The Better Band!
Review: I'm a big Chris Hillman fan. The man creates excellent music, and he has always enhanced every band he has been associated with, from the Hillman, through the Byrds and the Burritos to Chris & Herb and "Out of the Woodwork". I also like Stephen Stills. And Stephen Stills in 1971-72 was at the peak of his singing and guitar playing prowess in the band that he formed with Hillman, Manassas. Stills and Hillman - two powerhouse musicians with a great band. This video, performed "live" at the Beat Club in Bremen, Germany, brings out the best of Manassas, which also featured Al Perkins on Steel and assorted guitars, Joe Lala on percussion, and Paul Harris on keyboards, and a fine rhythm section of Fuzzy Samuel on bass and Dallas Taylor on drums. The recording featured songs recorded off the first Manassas album, one of the great albums of the seventies, and showed a full slice of what Manassas was all about...The Folk and Country of "Bound To Fall", "It Doesn't Matter", and "Hide It So Deep"; the Latino rhythms of "Cuban Bluegrass", and the powerful Blues-Rock of "Rock and Roll Crazies" and "The Treasure". Stills' lead vocals and Hillman's co-lead harmonies especially on "Bound To Fall" and "It Doesn't Matter" are simply wonderful. It doesn't get any better than this. In fact, Hillman tipped his hat to Stills by recording "4 + 20" on his recent "Running Wild". In fact, the only disappointment is that some of the songs Stills and Hillman made famous in the Byrds and the Springfield and later sang live in Manassas are not on this video - "Rock and Roll Women", "So You Want to Be A Rock and Roll Star," and "Hot Burrito #2", and yes, "4 + 20". The video strictly features songs off the first album. The band seemed at ease during the filming, and Stephen is clearly having fun joking with Chris, Al, and Joe. After viewing Manassas at the top of their form, one really wonders why Stills would ever want to go back to those other, funny and feuding guys. Oh yeah, a bit of trivia: Manassas was named by Stills after the famous Civil War Battles fought at Manassas - or more commonly known as Bull Run. That railroad station on the cover of the Manassas album is the same one where Stonewall Jackson pillaged the Union stores of Pope's army in August 1862.
Rating:
Summary: Manassas video
Review: If you're a Stills fan, you must get this. This video shows Stills at the top of his game. This live recording includes some great Stills/Manassas tunes and most of them played perfectly. It's a real live recording without the overdubbing fixes that many current-day "live" videos contain. You can see and hear how truly great this band was in its raw form. Get it.
Rating: 
Summary: Well, almost....
Review: One of the things that this DVD demonstrates is that Stills was actually capable of pretty nifty playing when he checked his ego at the footlights. Long overlooked, and often deservedly so, Stephen Stills could, when he made up his mind, assemble a crack,no pun intended, ensemble of musicians and generate considerable heat, so long as he could refrain from showboating. This is a good concert video of the electric portion of his concerts from this era. It is too short, the audio is only of adequate quality (i.e. better than the available boots), but you took a chance with Stills acoustically, so maybe there just wasn't a good take on the acoustic set available to this team. What you do get is an appreciation of the considerable talnts of Chris Hillman, who ought to be awarded his own place in the Hall of Fame for having endured both Crosby and Stills. Hillman is the reason this band was so good on its good nights. And in all honesty, he brought out the best in Stills that the saturated fat of CSNY could not.
So, does it make a case for elevating Steve Stills in the pantheon of rock performers? Well, almost...........
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