Rating: 
Summary: One of Ms. Streisand's crowing achievements.
Review: After insisting for years that she didn't enjoy live public performances, Barbra Streisand finally came out of hiding and delivered exactly what all of her fans had been dreaming of - and much more. Despite giving many live performances over the years on television shows and fund-raisers, this was actually the first real concert tour of Streisand's career. She decided it was time to finally conquer her intense stage fright and, at the same time, give something back to the fans who had been begging to see her perform live for years. The show's pricey tickets sold out instantly, and fans eagerly awaited the day of the concert. Little did anyone know that Streisand would not only meet the huge expectations that had been placed before her, but that she would greatly exceed them - the `93-`94 concerts will be forever remembered as one of the best things she has ever done.
From the slow emergence of the perfectly-selected opening song "As If We Never Said Goodbye" to appropriately wistful closing selection "For All We Know," Streisand treated her audiences to a spectacular evening. She opened herself up more than she ever had before, and allowed her fans to spend time with the woman behind the superstar. The first act of the show was more like one of her sixties television specials (particularly MY NAME IS BARBRA) than a traditional concert, with insightful and humorous "therapist" monologues peppered throughout the first half. Streisand effectively reminisced about many of the events that shaped her life as an entertainer, and the song selections perfectly complemented the stage dialogue. The songs performed in this half are not the typical "greatest hits" set that most artists perform, but were selected because of what they represent in Streisand's life. It works flawlessly, with the well-known selections ("People," "Evergreen") folding into the context as easily as the lessor-known material ("I'll Know, "Will He Like Me").
The second act is performed more like a traditional concert, however Barbra still lets her guard down quite a bit when she discusses her relationships to her son and goddaughter, both of whom she dedicates songs to. Making it's long-awaited debut on DVD (and home video period), this the original New Year's concerts performed at the MGM Grand over two nights. It features a slightly different song listing, with a terrific three-song medley of "I'm In the Mood For Love," "Speak Low," and "Guilty" added to the first act, as well as a brassy rendition of the rarely-performed "What Is This Thing Called Love." There are also some alternate song lyrics and stage dialogue sprinkled throughout, and "Evergreen" is performed during the second act instead of the first. Streisand herself sounds absolutely phenomenal here. I though she sounded wonderful in the later concert that was filmed for HBO (even if she had been fighting laryngitis at the time), but she amazingly sounds even better here. The only minor disappointment is that "Somewhere" and the YENTL medley (both of which became instant show-stoppers) had not yet been added to the song list at the time of this performance.
Viewers should take note, the concert that was recorded for the Triple-Platinum-selling double-CD set was performed at Madison Square Garden in New York, in which the fact that she was performing in her own home-city made the show seem even more poignant. The concert that was filmed for the HBO/NBC airing (as well as the original home video release) was performed at Anaheim, Canada, which was the last stop on Streisand's tour. As previously mentioned, she was fighting laryngitis at the time, and, even though there are a couple of scratchy notes, Streisand still sounded phenomenally great. The HBO version of THE CONCERT is the version that won five Emmy awards in addition to the prestigious Peabody award.
Rating:
Summary: An EXCELLENT evening of music
Review: After repeated viewings, this has undoubtedly become my favorite performance of Barbra "live". I have written a review here already (see below), but the more I watch this, the more I love it. Her voice outshines each of the HBO specials, and she looks fantastic. For those of you who miss the Yentl medley and the finale "Somewhere", she had not added those songs until later in her tour, what you are seeing here is the complete concert as it occurred on New Year's Day '94. I like this performance not just as a rememberance (I was there the first night), but as a document of her great voice and talent. I think even someone unfamiliar with Streisand would enjoy seeing this DVD, and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: An EXCELLENT evening of music
Review: After repeated viewings, this has undoubtedly become my favorite performance of Barbra "live". I have written a review here already (see below), but the more I watch this, the more I love it. Her voice outshines each of the HBO specials, and she looks fantastic. For those of you who miss the Yentl medley and the finale "Somewhere", she had not added those songs until later in her tour, what you are seeing here is the complete concert as it occurred on New Year's Day '94. I like this performance not just as a rememberance (I was there the first night), but as a document of her great voice and talent. I think even someone unfamiliar with Streisand would enjoy seeing this DVD, and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: In comparison, more like margarine...
Review: Although this version of "The Concert" is more historical for the fact that it was opening night and Barbra's first concert in 27 years, I think Barbra was in much better form during her closing night HBO-televised performance, which is available on VHS. By that time, Barbra had gotten over her nerves, she was comfortable with the material, often joking with the crowd, and the set list is far better in my opinion, with songs like "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" and the "Yentl" medley in place of songs like "Guilty." There, the filler is gone and no segment drags on. Here, she's just not as confident and doesn't have the kinks worked out, as is typical of any opening night performance. The show is still fantastic, however, and if you must have everything Barbra has done, then for history's sake this one is definitely a keeper.The suuuper cool thing about this DVD though are the extras -- Barbra performing "When the Sun Comes Out" from the "My Name is Barbra" special and "It Had to Be You" from "Color Me Barbra." To see this old footage restored so masterfully makes me hope both of these specials will become available in entirety on DVD soon!
Rating:
Summary: In comparison, more like margarine...
Review: Although this version of "The Concert" is more historical for the fact that it was opening night and Barbra's first concert in 27 years, I think Barbra was in much better form during her closing night HBO-televised performance, which is available on VHS. By that time, Barbra had gotten over her nerves, she was comfortable with the material, often joking with the crowd, and the set list is far better in my opinion, with songs like "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" and the "Yentl" medley in place of songs like "Guilty." There, the filler is gone and no segment drags on. Here, she's just not as confident and doesn't have the kinks worked out, as is typical of any opening night performance. The show is still fantastic, however, and if you must have everything Barbra has done, then for history's sake this one is definitely a keeper. The suuuper cool thing about this DVD though are the extras -- Barbra performing "When the Sun Comes Out" from the "My Name is Barbra" special and "It Had to Be You" from "Color Me Barbra." To see this old footage restored so masterfully makes me hope both of these specials will become available in entirety on DVD soon!
Rating:
Summary: Live and Raw, not overly rehearsed and "fixed",Barb is Best!
Review: Another triumph...and an evening to watch Barb do what she does the most thrillingly - PERFORM LIVE! Spontaneity over final touches and her voice always shines most live!
(She is also very amazing on the TV special she made with James Caan in the 70's. I think it was called "from funny girl to funny lady" and you can see it at the radio tv museum that is in Beverly Hills or New York City! )
I love watching barbra sing live in the 60's and there are 2 extras from two of her TV specials at that time period included in this dvd. please release some of her old Ed sullivan appearances....some rare and exciting ones! May you enjoy your purchase!
Rating:
Summary: ULTIMATE STREISAND CONCERT TOUR-DE-FORCE!!!
Review: Barbra Streisand hit the concert stage in 1980 in Los Angeles at the Dorothy Chandler in a Marilyn & Alan Bergman Tribute Concert and was totally electfifying and brilliant beyond description! The finale was Barbra doing what at first appeared to be a solo version of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" only to be joined from rear orchestra by an unannounced Neil Diamond for a stunning and showstopping duet!!! This night was a spoiler so nothing has come close to this great event until "Live At The MGM Grand"!! What an extraordinary event with Barbra giving the most raw and passionate performance ever to be captured on film in her amazing career. Opening strong with a show-stopping "As If We Never Said Goodbye" then gliding into a brilliant medley which ends with an exhuberant "Don't Rain On My Parade", it is clear that Barbra is a her absolute peak with nothing held back!!!! Charming and winning in her Marlon Brando duet then deeply passionate in the definitive version of "People", Barbra then thrills with a burning "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)". Cole Porter's classic "What Is This Thing Called Love?" is spellbinding and "On A Clear Day" is pure magical bliss that hits wonderful heights!! Comic moments are great throughtout and the special Linda Richman skit is great fun!! The beauty of a Mother's love is incredibly moving in "Not While I'm Around" sung to a handsome Jason and "Ordinary Miracles" is just plain riveting with Barbra at her vocal and emotional peak!! Moments shared with Barbra's Mother and President Clinton's Mother are special and the dedication to their memory at the finale is another of the many moving moments in this extraordinary and historic event!! This is a concert that reminds one how incredibly gifted this legend is and how her talent is incomparable when she is moved and inspired to do her best!! Barbra was moved and inspired on this great evening and did she ever deliver!!! Don't miss this spectacular performance!!! Bravo Barbra!!!!
Rating:
Summary: I Was There
Review: Finally, the performance I've been waiting for. I was there in Las Vages the night this concert was taped. This is from the second night, New Year's Day and I remember it as if it were yesterday. And I can actually here myself yell just before she sings her first note of "He Touched Me". That night was ELECTRIC and I was honored to be in the same room, big as it is, with Barbra Streisand. What a thrill. I also saw the show once on tour in Detroit and the night in Vegas IS THE BEST SHOW. If you love her you'll love this DVD. The woman is SIMPLY AMAZING and she proves it here. It was a night I'll never forget and the fact that I was there in that audience is an event I'll remember and treasure always. Now it is on DVD and I can relive it over and over again. So can you and you won't be dissapointed I promise. Take it from someone who was there on THE actual night, it was magic and I don't care how many concert you go to, there will never be a night like this one.
Rating:
Summary: On this one, like One Voice before it Barbra PERFORMS
Review: For all you people complaining about numbers missing that were NEVER in this concert, get over it. I only wish that by the time she played NYC and LA she was still SINGING to the audience. The edited version of the latter shows may have been good television but they are in reality just a visual studio recording of what had become a COLD and calculated tour played for the cameras.The "fixed" show did it's utmost to avoid any real rapport with the audience. If you'd had heard her telling people shouting "We Love You, Barbra" to keep quiet because she'd forget the lyrics during some of those latter concerts you understand just how special this DVD is.She was smart not to have released this prior to the TOUR. I'd have felt even more ripped off by the un-charismatic performance I attended. There's supposed to be an emotional edge to LIVE performances if you just want musical perfection the studio CDs are much cheaper than the tickets were. That HBO version could have, for the most part, been filmed without an audience. Ms Streisand was certainly trying to ignore the fact that they were in the room by the time the televised version of THE CONCERT was being put together.
Rating:
Summary: I was there - and this is the BEST!!!
Review: For years, it has been hard to put into words how amazing Barbra was on New Year's Eve 1994. I tried to tell people who saw her subsequent tour and/or the HBO special from the Staples Center in LA that it just didn't measure up, but now here is a great document of the electricity and power she had before that tour was even seriously contemplated. On this DVD we get all the wonder of her voice still in it's undisputed prime. Her phrasing is broader - notes are held for a much longer time than would be the case later on the tour. It is so obvious when you watch this why the audience simply went nuts for her. On many of the songs she matches what she has accomplised on her recordings, and sometimes even betters herself. Later on the tour, perhaps to reserve her strength for all the cites she would visit, the music, while still sounding good, lost some of the excitement of this night. And WHAT A NIGHT IT WAS!!! All it takes is for anyone to compare "On A Clear Day" from this DVD with either the version from LA that was shown on HBO, or even her "Timeless" DVD to see what I am talking about. I like the fact that this show is not polished to perfection, because in recent years (even before this concert), when Barbra tinkers with her music too much, it has seemed a bit lack luster compared to the past. Not here. Virtually every song sounds better on this night than it ever did on the tour (and I saw 6 of those performances too). She never matched up to the level she acheived in Vegas. In a way, I wish she had been even more daring and included the opening song from the 1st night (this DVD is entirely taken from the 2nd performance given on New Year's Day), because her voice was even more vibrant, but there was definitely more nervousness onstage, which only leant itself to what I remember as even greater singing. But no matter...the fact that this has been released is not only a special document of a once in a lifetime event, but this will really show people what the lady is capable of late in her carreer, and folks, if you like Barbra you will be amazed by this. Yes, the show itself is not as smooth - dialogue sections would later be tightened, and numbers put in different order, but I always prefer RAW Streisand to "STUDIO" Streisand, and this is thrilling. For those of you wondering about the "Yentl" medly and the finale "Somewhere", those songe were not performed in Vegas - there were only added for the tour later on. What you are seeing is the exact show we got on those memorable nights. I will treasure this DVD as probably the most important in my entire collection, because it completely captures all the excitement of that incredible night. Also, the technical qualities are not as good as the HBO/LA show - the editing is not as good, sometimes when she sings at full voice the miking cannot handle the full volume and there is a minor distortion, but these are really puny complaints. I own all her albums and movies in various formats, but this is the one I will play over and over. Buy it, you will not be disappointed!!!! This show makes "Timeless" and the other concert special really pale in comparison. She looks amazing (especially her Act 1 dress is extremely becoming on her), moves alot more onstage, is less "withheld" and "perfected" than she will later become (at one point she even cracks on a note, which shows me that she did not want that "perfect" quality for this DVD). Live Barbra doesn't get better than this. BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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