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U2 Go Home - Live from Slane Castle (Jewel Case)

U2 Go Home - Live from Slane Castle (Jewel Case)

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $15.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A truly Unique Occasion captured forever
Review: So many events conspired to make this show truly unique. Slane Castle has been host to Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Guns n' Roses, Thin Lizzy, Queen, Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers (this year, and whose Slane DVD is due 1 week after this one) but was never headlined by U2 until 2001.

2 other events that make this show equally jubilant and emotional is fact the Bono was in mourning over the death of his father. The funeral was the eve of the first Slane show the week before. However, the truly magnificent event that had the crowd on a high all day was the World cup qualifier held that afternoon in Dublin. The 2nd half of the match was screened to the Slane audience.

These 2 events are so apparent during a lot of the banter with the crowd. 'Kite' is dedicated to his father Bob Hewson, Bono changes the words of beautiful day to 'beautiful goal' in reference to Jason Mc Ateer's wonder goal. (He did dedicate 'One' to Jason Mc Ateer, but this was edited out for one reason or another, most obvious one being the scope of Mc Ateer's fame, the other may have been an attempt to ease the suffering of Dutch U2 fans).

Other highlights include, Sunday Bloody Sunday, in which Bono recalls the names of the victims of the 1998 Omagh bombing. This is quite powerful as it helps to humanise the victims instead of making them statistics of a bloody outrage. The Boyne river, scene of the famous divisive 1690 battle in the background makes the message even more potent and relevant. Bullet the blue sky is brilliant. The introduction by Sinead O Connor is inspired. However they did leave out the Charlton Heston footage at the end of the song.

The only cringe-worthy shot is Bono's Ireland flag waving moment, however considering the days events, he does go out of his way to explain its 'just once, just once for Jason Mc Ateer' and not some jingoistic retarded nationalistic gesture. 'Mysterious ways' was taken from the main track selection and placed on the DVD as a bonus track. No idea why, but its a great tune made all the better by Bono's daughter accompanying him on stage. Likewise he dedicates 'All I want is you' to his wife Ali. Bono also summons up their early days with a rendition of their first single 'Out of control'. During which he recounts the story of raising the 2000 pounds necessary to fund the band and how the band decided to stay and live in Dublin with 'the tribe'.

This is a truly unique, excellent and uplifting DVD that all U2 fans will enjoy and which U2 themselves will find difficult to replicate again.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: You naysayers make me sick!
Review: It's great that everyone has an opinion. But some people should either get their facts straight and or develop a love for live performances.

This DVD was PETITIONED for release. THE TRUE FANS WANTED IT! They campaigned for it and successfully got it released. It's by no means a Christmas cashing-in. Of course the so-called fans would favor the Boston DVD, which is great...but suffers from an overly controlled environment, bland sterility at times, over glossed production and doctored audio and lighting. Is it a true live performance? No, not as it should be. What makes the Slane DVD a true live performance? Raw energy, emotion, sponteneity, musical diversity...and an electric crowd!

I applaud those fans for U2 for having this DVD released, even if it is a second offering from the same Tour. Every concert goer knows that each show is different, and true music lovers and true fans can appreciate that.

Pearl Jam released their official bootlegs series which is being lapped up by their fans...even if those shows are from the same tour! Each show offers something different, each one as important as the next. Peter Gabriel has done the same, releasing official bootlegs from his Growing Up Tour...and you know what...the fans are buying them, because is't about the music, it's about the passion and emotion, it's about the intangible sensation of experiencing a live performance.

For those of you who loved the Elevation Tour, search online for DVDs of U2's Southbend Indiana/Notre Dame performance and the August 8th Barcelona Spain perormance (which is Edge's Birthday and features "Spanish Eyes" and "Party Girl"!!!).

And the fellow from Oakland Ca, did you tell your son to throw out the ZooTV live from Sydney or Popmart in Mexico tapes for failing to include "Bad?" Sounds like a grown up hissy fit to me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Homecoming after 23 years
Review: Finally, a great concert played with the live power of U2 to their crowd. Songs played are a bit different from the Boston concert, but a lot of feelings are shown by Bono, which makes the concert very special. Plus bonus material is quite good, a must for U2 fans. That's it..buy it..you won't regret it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An emotional homecoming: GET THIS EDITION, not limited one
Review: I flew from my home in nyc just to attend this once-in-a-life-time event, U2 returning to Slane Castle after 20 years. For this gig, they were not opening for another band, but it was their own show. And it was a big show. 80,000 people big to be exact. It was powerful and moving to be attending a U2 gig in their hometown with their "tribe." It was a concert that got imprinted in my heart. So, I was in disbelief when I saw this DVD. I almost cried at the record store (no joke). After watching it again, the charisma, the enthusiasm, the love all come rushing back. Even if you didn't attend, you will most probably get chills down your spine. I've been to many U2 shows, but this one, certainly is one of the best. And of course, this show happend only 10 days before 9/11. The concert is still wonderful to watch, but it also transposed me back to the blissful time right before the world changed drastically. In short, highly recommended.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: How Anyone can say Boston is better is way beyond me
Review: The band was simply in the groove during this show, nothing like the stiff performance in Boston. There is a reason the fans lobbied to get this released, It rocks!! Simple as that. Bono hasnt sounded better in years and there is real emotion in his vocals.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Much Better then Boston
Review: U2 Go Home might just be the best live U2 DVD on the home market today. It's all about U2 being U2. It's raw, it's genuine and it's fun. These factors are what make U2 the band they are today, and were some of the things lacking on their previous DVD release U2 Live From Boston.

Sure, the Boston DVD was probably better in technical terms. There were no obvious band slip-ups in that release. However, most of that has to do with inter-cutting moments from the night after while the cameras were still rolling. In U2 Go Home, there is none of that. When the band screws up, you know about it. You see Bono laughing and Larry Mullen smirking after a rocky start to Angel Of Harlem...that's what live music is all about. To be fair the gaffs are rare. However, for those who are paying attention, Bono's voice is much better in U2 Go Home. Overall, the songs are more inspired and powerful this time out.

U2 Go Home also did something unique in using a variety of film and video stock for the show. It gave the performance that extra raw feeling. There were no perfectly timed crane shots or any nonsense that you might find in previous U2 live releases. It was also nice to see them use a 16:9 aspect ratio. It really adds to the grandeur of the show and gives the DVD a much more cinematic feel.

What about that crowd? I'll take 80'000 screaming hometown fans any day over the 20'000 tame Boston fans. Let's not forget about that silly sit down protest that took place inside the heart that is very visible on TV. (you people should STILL be ashamed for doing that....you still got a great viewing location that other fans would have almost died for) In U2 Go Home, there is none of that nonsense. It's just a lot of U2 fans who are grateful to be there, even the ones at the back.

You're also getting eight songs you didn't get on the Boston DVD. New Years Day, Out of Control, Wake Up Dead Man, Angel Of Harlem, All I Want Is You, Pride, One and Mysterious Ways(bonus track).

What's there not to like on this DVD? (well maybe a few more DVD extras would have been cool) This is one of the better U2 performances you'll ever see.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Unless you're a fan, get the Boston DVD instead
Review: Originally shot as a personal memento by the band, "U2 Go Home" was pushed into release by the group's ardent European fans, who lobbied and clamored for its release after portions of the concert were broadcast on worldwide television as "U2's Beautiful Day." While it is a valuable addition to any U2-philes collection, the simple fact is that the video, audio and overall performance is not up to the bands usual professional standards. Casual observers who take a chance on this DVD will probably be left wondering what all the fuss is about.

Still, "U2 Go Home" does have its charms. The venue, Slane Castle outside Dublin, is as picturesque and romantic a setting as one could ask for a major rock concert, and with the death of lead singer Bono's father just a few weeks prior, there is a strong emotional bent to the whole evening. But this performance and DVD must be compared to the November, 2001 release of "Elevation 2001 - U2 Live From Boston," which was meant to be the definitive chronicle of the groups hugely successful 2001 Elevation tour.

In almost every respect, "U2 Go Home" falls short of that prior release. This was the last concert of the second leg of the tour, and in listening to the audio and watching the performance, it's clear the group needed the month-long break that would come after this show. Bono tries hard, but the intensity and performance just are not equal to the task at hand. He's noticeably less active than usual, and the whole group seems hindered by a case of road weariness. Bono forgets the words to some of the songs, and his voice is weaker than on the Boston DVD. While he's not bad, it is hard to come away from this show with an appreciation of him as one of the world's great singers, which he is.

The song list is very similar to the Boston DVD. In almost every case, the better versions of some of the group's classics like "Elevation," "Beautiful Day," "Desire," and "With or Without You" come from the Boston DVD. There are a few notable exceptions, like "Sunday Bloody Sunday," which is one of the few moments where the band's fire and intensity really picks up. There are also some nice moments in some of the songs that are different from the Boston set list. "One" is particularly good, as is "Out of Control," the group's first single from the "Boy" album.

The visuals suffer from a clear lack of preparation, probably due to the fact that this is basically a revved-up home movie. The lighting, camera placement, and editing lack the flow and energy of the Boston set, even though it is directed by Hamish Hamilton, who also did the Boston DVD. The audio is good, but a notch below the Boston DVD as well.

All in all, U2 Go Home amounts to little more than a snapshot of the band on an average night. Still, as a fan, I appreciate getting some different songs from the earlier Boston DVD. However, fans might have been better served if this was treated as an "Authorized bootleg" sold through the band's website. I'd much rather have had the earlier video releases of the Zoo TV tour and "Popmart Live from Mexico City" get the full DVD treatment.

In the end, I can recommend this DVD to fans of the group, but anyone wanting to give U2 a try for the first time should pick up the Boston DVD instead.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: $15... I'm game!
Review: The biggest band in the world performing the biggest concert in the world, and cheap. I saw trailer and it's incredible the way Bono sounds. He sounds like he is 28. Remember Popmart when sometimes you couldn't even hear him, well when he talked about 1,000,000,000 watt PA, he wasn't kidding.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Get the jewel case version instead, save some money
Review: Well, at the time when I ordered this, Amazon.com couldn't really confirm if there were indeed two versions: one packaged in a CD jewel case, and one packaged in the usual DVD format. They had them listed with the exact same product description, contents, etc. I called them, and they told me they probably made a clerical error, and that the items were identical, just different in price. Turns out now that they've re-listed one as a Limited Deluxe Edition.

However, from what I can tell, the contents inside are identical to each other, with the only difference being the packaging, and that the CD jewel case version is about $5 cheaper.

The packaging claims that there are English, French, Spanish, German, and Brazilian Portugese subtitles on the DVD, but I couldn't activate them...I've had no problems with other DVDs with subtitles in the same player, so either the subtitles don't exist, or the disc may not have been mastered properly.

I did get the impression that this disc was thrown together in a bit of a hurry, most likely the record companies wanting to cash in for Christmas. I find it ludicrous that they would charge an extra $5 for DVD-style packaging. It's nothing more than a cash grab.

Bottom line is that if you're a die-hard U2 collector, you'll want this for your collection, but it'll probably wind up alongside the Popmart album also collecting dust. The Boston DVD still takes the prize for the best production to date.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Woah
Review: For the past 2 years the Elevation DVD has been the music DVD standard in my mind, the one against which all others are measured. In my view, only Nine Inch Nail's "And all that could have been" has ever lived up to that disc.

And now this comes out.

So me and my girlfriend are big U2 fans, and have heard seemingly every version of all of their songs. Some of the songs from this concert are my new favorite versions. Angel of Harlem has never swung so much, Sunday Bloody Sunday has never sounded so... hopeful.

You definately want this one.


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