Rating: 
Summary: Better than expected
Review: Love the beatles but did not think Paul could pull it off but he did. Friends of mine that saw the concert live said it was one of the best. 30 songs later in this DVD and I appreciate the man even more. First of all he surrounded himself with excellant musicians,and although I thought the concert started out fairly slow and typical of what I expected, it kept building through the end. Some might not like all the cutaways during the songs to audience and clips but I found it appropriate for the story line. Reproduction was excellant along with music quality. His dedications to many people in his life including his former wife Linda and the rest of the beatles brings you back to a time when these guys were really good. One of the best songs writers ever. You will delighted to get this killer DVD
Rating: 
Summary: Great concert, lousy DVD production
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed the concert, even tho it was chopped up into bits and interspersed with footage of the road tour, sound checks, backstage highlights, etc. It all painted, I thought, an eloquent portrait of what Paul's up to these days.
What I didn't like, however, is that the DVD itself is very poorly produced. Although my receiver can get Dolby 5.1, DTS, and most any other sound format, in order to actually receive the correct format I had to mess around with menu options and a variety of other settings. Everytime I went to the menu for any reason and then returned to the concert, the program started over again from the very beginning so that I had to scroll through chapters to find where I was. This was very annoying. Also, on several of the special options, I got lost in a loop and had to completely shut down the DVD and restart to get back to where I wanted to go. I believe the info on the package said there was 3 hours of material, but in fact, there's only 2 hours worth.
I only wish Paul had attended to the amenities of the format as well as giving a great show. Then it would have gotten a 5-star rating, in my book.
Rating: 
Summary: A DVD of Paul at his best!!
Review: Paul McCartney's Back in the US DVD is a concert film/documentary of his 2002 US tour. Paul is right on for these performances. His band is tight and his voice is better than ever! The song selection is nice. It's a good blend of Beatles, Wings, solo, and new Driving Rain songs. As far as the DVD goes, it is good, but it could have been better. I would have preferred a straight concert film with no interruptions at all. All of the songs in the order played. Then as a bonus, they could have had the documentary part separate, lasting around one hour or more. It would have everything that is a special feature on the DVD, plus everything that they had insterted in between songs on the so called concert film. What they've done, however, is changed the order of songs that they were played in, inserted a few things inbetween songs, (such as Paul meeting fans, doing interviews, or interviews with roadies and assistants) and ommitted a few songs. There are 3 songs that can be accessed as a special feature. Why weren't these in the concert film in the first place? Also, most of the special features look like what they've put inbetween the concert footage. For some reason, they've taken two different things (concert performance and behind the scenes stuff) and cut them up and put some of each in the main concert film, and the remainder as a special bonus feature. Why they did this, I cannot figure out. One 2 hour concert film of the songs alone in the correct order and then the 1 hour or longer documentary would have made an excellent 5 star DVD. Another let down is a huge editing of Your Loving Flame (what might be the chorus is never played and they talk over the song) and the cutting of the first half of Hey Jude. My Love, the best ballad on this DVD is also edited. But don't let that keep you from buying this DVD. This is Paul McCartney, after all. Many Beatles songs are played here live for the first time ever and the old solo and Wings songs are given a more rock performance here. His tributes to John (Here Today) and George (Something) are touching. Band on the Run, Let Me Roll It, My Love and Maybe I'm Amazed are the most exciting performances on this DVD. I think all of those are played (or presented here) consecutively. Then of course come the songs that he always plays (Hey Jude, Let it Be and Yesterday). The finale of Sgt. Pepper (reprise) and The End is fantastic. The music on this DVD is amazing. Well over 20 songs are presented here and most of them are complete performances. I have Paul's live (tour) albums from the 90's and I've seen the two videos that coincide with those albums, but Back in the US beats them all! Get this DVD and turn the stereo up for some of the best songs ever written!
Rating:
Summary: "Knight" of the Blackbird.
Review: Please,please me..? Yeah,yeah,yeah !! And you can please,please yourself immeasurably by buying this superb DVD archive of Sir Paul's sell-out 2002 US tour.
I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a music concert so much and I would consider this essential viewing and listening,not just for die-hard Beatles and "Macca" fans,but for anyone who is up for entertainment on a grand and damn near overwhelming fashion. The indefatigable McCartney took to the road again at the age of 60 and with a cracking quartet of young musicians (love that "percussion power-house" of a drummer that is Abe Laboriel,JR.) belts out some fabulous new incarnations of Beatles and Wings classics.The set-list is astonishing when you simply read it through in black and white and fills you with renewed awe and appreciation of the great man's astounding legacy of lyrics.In fact,trying to isolate "highlights" from the concert is a futile exercise because there is not a dull moment throughout,and in nearly 3 hours of footage,that's an awful lot of moments ! If you were to twist my arm,though I would rave about the surging dynamism of "Back in the USSR,"Can't buy me love","Maybe I'm amazed","Band on the Run" and "Live and let Die".On the other more contemplative side of the coin we get intensely moving versions of "Here,there and everywhere","Something","My Love","Let it be" and the really touching tribute to John Lennon,"Here today".Also,there is a magical performance of "Blackbird" - a good candidate for my favourite song of all time- where Paul seizes his courage in both hands and sings it just to the accompaniment of his own acoustic guitar.Here,and throughout he is in fabulous voice and if that's what a vegetarian diet can do for a body,then pass me the spinach and squash ! The atmosphere of the concert is electric and as one used to the reactions of rather more reserved British audiences,I really found it delightful the way the American fans lost all their inhibitions and collectively sang,cried and danced themselves silly all the way through ! Fantastic to see that it wasn't just rows and rows of baby-boomers down there and that teenagers,children and near babes-in-arms made up a goodly proportion of the capacity crowds.Utterly sweet and charming it was to see a little girl of about 7 years old clapping along (and smiling from ear to ear !) to "All my loving".That song may have been written 40 years ago now,but that wee lassie provided ample and concrete proof that it's appeal is absolutely timeless and each generation that comes along will simply rediscover the immortal and intrinsic qualities of such songs for themselves. I really enjoyed the back stage and behind the scenes clips that were interspersed between the songs and it gave me some great insights on exactly how such a mammoth undertaking as this tour can be transported from city to city with consummate professionalism and minimal loss of life and limb ! Great too to learn a little more about Heather Mills,who has done so much to bring Paul up and out of the deep,dark night of mourning for Linda.She seems like a really feisty North of England lass and if you were not aware that she had suffered an amputated leg after a horrific road accident,then you could never,ever tell,because she moves (and still looks) like the fashion model she once was.
One annoying thing about these clips though was the "unfinished" story of the young lady who was an evident "Macca-maniac".She tells us that she had just lost her job and had come down to the concert venue,even though she couldn't afford the price of admission.No doubt appearing on her idol's DVD is some considerable recompense in the end but we are never told if someone took pity on her and she actually got into the auditorium.I really and sincerely hope she did and if anyone out there can tell me the outcome,then I'd be most grateful,because the suspense is killing me ! As I type this review Sir Paul is currently taking Europe by storm with his "Back in the World" tour and I can't wait until he comes home to the UK so I can be a part of this tremendous experience in reality.In the meantime,all you folks out there can revel in the glorious "virtual reality" of this magical chronicle where one of the greatest musical figures of our time takes his big,booming,Beatle's heart and wheel-like,joyfully rolls it across and to America.
Rating:
Summary: next best thing to going to a live show
Review: well I saw this tour concert twice in Dallas and
St. Paul. this is the closest thing to seeing the
show, but of course nothing NOTHING beats live Paul. strangely the video seems only 4:3 aspect ratio
but I can deal with that
Rating:
Summary: Great show, but too bad it is not in one piece
Review: Like one reviewer just said, it would have been a lot better if the show had been complete and uncut by those useless fans comments. I, too, was distracted by the non-continuity of the performance and would prefer the show in one piece and the rest made as a documentary or a "making of". They did it for the backstage thing and "one the road with Paul McCartney", so why not add these?
I guess that's why they called it a "concert film", title carefully chosen so that we can't say they misled us. Though they left us disappointed.
Mr McCartney, next time, please don't cut the show like this. For all of us who weren't there, it would be better left uncut. I also understand the fact that there were shows taped at different locations, thus the costume changes between songs, but that's OK. It's been done before with other shows where you could see this was a different city, but the show didn't stop. You know, editing...
: )
And also, maybe next time, you'll make a world tour type of show, not just one country...
Overall, the show is great!
It would just have been perfect uncut, that's all
: )
Rating:
Summary: A Complete Concert DVD (Excellent)
Review: This DVD is great and is a must have for every DVD library on Earth. It is a complete concert video of Sir Pauls Back In The US Tour. (I was at the Minneapolis concert so I know it is complete.) This DVD also has many extras which I thought were very good to add. It deffinetly deserves this 5 star rating. I hope he releases a Back in the World tour DVD similar to this one but with everything being from his European tour. Now what are you still reading this for? Go buy this DVD!
Rating:
Summary: Top-Notch performances, sound, video. I love this Disc
Review: McCartney is in top form on this DVD. This is not stale bread. The songs of the set list are put together and performed in an exciting fresh new way. This band is tight and they rock amazingly well. These are not a bunch of old guys getting together to jam. These are well-rehearsed, disciplined, talented and likeable musicians. I don't see McCartney resting on his laurels, relying on nostalgia. Sure, there is nostalgia. The whole fabric of the show is weaved with it, but it's not what carries the concert. The performances do. If you think McCarney can't rock, or he's over the hill, watch this disc.
As far as sound production, I watch this with my home theatre in DTS format, and it's great. The mix is believable. My subwoofer gets plenty of use, which can't be said of the original versions of these songs on CD or vinyl. The surround channels aren't solely used for audience ambiance. There is proper sound reflection. It sounds like you're in the audience with the best seats in the house. The video is produced well too. The stage is bright. The camera angles are clean and unobstructed-unlike 70's concert films. Obviously, a professional choreographed each song. You also get to see Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglass, Howard Stern and others in the crowd rocking out with everyone else.
I can't say enough about this disc. If you rent it first at Netflix or Wal-Mart, I bet you'll end up owning it.
Rating:
Summary: It's like being there....and I was.
Review: While I agree with a few of my fellow reviewers, I think they've missed a little something.
Yes, the editing is a little frenetic. Yes, there are a lot of crowd shots. Yes, the ape thing was a little stupid. Yes, cutting out the first half of "Hey Jude" is unforgivable.
Get over it. The DVD looks and sounds terrific. I was fortunate enough to be at one of his shows on this tour, and this disc tries to make you feel like you were there. It WAS frenetic. Watching the crowd WAS half the fun. And the disc makers thankfully edited out 99% of the preshow Cirque-like inanity.
When he confidently walks out on stage, and launches into "Hello Goodbye", I was transported back into the Arrowhead Pond. I cried (again) during "Here Today". I screamed (again) during the finale combo of the reprise of "Sgt.Pepper's" mixed with "The End". These are songs so embedded in my musical memory, I don't remember a time I DIDN'T know these tunes. And to see the guy...to hear the voice...responsible for those songs perform them with such enthusiasm...why quibble?
Get the DVD to see one of the few true musical geniuses the last several generations will ever see, perform immortal songs in front of an adoring crowd. What I would give to see Gershwin do "Rhapsody In Blue", Mozart on a harpsichord, Scott Joplin do a rag.
Don't fight it...give in. You'll have just the greatest time!
Rating: 
Summary: Ultimately Disappointing
Review: The concert footage is interspersed with tour footage and backstage footage so you get a song here, two songs there etc, rather than a concert all the way through in one piece. This approach may be refreshing at first but does not lend itself to repeated viewings. Also every self-proclaimed Beatles nut in the USA appears to have crawled out of the woodwork to make up the audience, which is shown "getting on down" at every opportunity. The picture quality is not sharp either, whether this is down to cramming three hours onto the DVD and thereby sacrificing resolution, I'm not sure. Surely Macca's got enough money to have made this a double DVD set for the same price as one. That way he could have had the concert on one disc and the "rockumentary" stuff and soundchecks etc on the other.
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