The Grateful Dead - Ticket to New Year's

Rating:
Summary: According to Amazon about this....
Review: .....the Amazon description of this show mentions there being a redition of the "stoner fave" Dark Star. NOPE, that was not played at this show. If you're ever not sure about something Grateful Dead related, go to: http://www.deadbase.com/homebase.html
and you confirm a show's set list. Most Dead heads I suspect know this already.
I've never watched the dvd of this show, but was there. I'm going to have to side with the other reviewer who would like to put an end to GDP's use of the "cheesy video effects". However, seeing a sailboat on Jer's guitar would be pretty funny. I watched the closing of Winterland dvd, and it just goes to prove that the Grateful Dead, while being the greatest band to play live in the rock genre, were not a visual prowess (like the Who or the Stones), but those able to weave musical experiences that could take you to the stratosphere. To be at a Dead show, to be dancing and soaking it all in was an experience beyond description. This still exists with the present day renditions of the Dead to a lesser, but admirable degree. The year 1987 was a pivotal, yet great year in the band's history, and this was a very good show as I recall.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Quality Video and Audio
Review: As a Deadhead, I really enjoyed this Oakland show. Okay, I am from the San Francisco Bay Area so I might be a little biased! The video portion is very good and well done with some great camera shots. The audio portion was also very good and I even burned the audio onto a CD! In this New Year's Eve show, you can tell Jerry was a bit heavier and sluggish compared to other performances. Bob Weir's "Throwing Stones" was excellent even with a slide show mixed in. Also there are many features such as having the fans asking questions and the band asnwering them. Also there's a scene where Jerry is filmed making some tasty treats backstage! Overall, a very good product from the band and one of the last great performances before the band's decline in the 1990's.

Rating:
Summary: groovy, man
Review: Bob Weir shreds on this one. Consistent groovin; grooviness from the masters of groove. Brent Mydland chops away at his keyboards earning the title of master groovemaster. Mickey Hart and the other guy with the K name show how cool it is when you can fill constantly. They never get bored! Cherry Garcia's leads are great, although this video shows how little lyhe puts into some of his writing collaborations lyrically on "When Push Comes To Shove." Phil Lesh must be the grooviest one though, with his solid rock bassing. The audio mix is great, better than View From the Vault 2 by no stretch at all. K drummer's toms are not mixed in hardly, but the snares, kicks, and cymbals of both resonate with a fury that cannot be tamed.

Rating:
Summary: Hail to the DVD format!
Review: I am just glad to know that I have some great Live Dead that I know will last for years. Yeah there could be some more tunes but that just leaves us wanting more. This is great for parties, cleaning house, writing reviews, cooking, sex, relaxing, working, hanging out, drinking (if you drink), and if you smoke I guess smoking. (I quit years ago) Point is you can stick this in the player and do just about anything. I cannot wait until the Dick's picks deal comes to DVD. Oh what a long strange trip it will be again. Oh yeah, if your wondering about the picture just stick in an old VHS and compare. It's like night and day. And just think....it will never be worse if you take care of your disc. How cool is that Dead fans?

Rating:
Summary: Slow Start
Review: I am not a Grateful Dead fan, but I wanted to find out more about the band. This is my first Dead concert. For me the concert got off to a slow start. As it picked up I began to become enchanted with the performance. I have the VHS copy. The quality of audio and video on the VHS is fine.

Rating:
Summary: Great disc- tremendous sound, good picture
Review: I bought the VHS tape in 1998, and I just picked up the DVD- this was a great concert from 12/31/1987 in California.
This DVD and the View from the Vault # 4 DVD (number 4 in the series) are this band's best video releases.

Rating:
Summary: Good Show old Chap
Review: I guess there are 2 types of fans of the Grateful Dead: Deadheads (really diehard types that would enjoy the video even if the quality was at a half a star, and the Dead were having an off night). Then there are non-Deadheads (casual fans that want the best concerts available of that group). I have all available Dead videos (didn't get GD movie - waited a little too long), and love them all (guess which type of fan I am). To the non-Deadhead fans, I would say get The Closing of Winterland, Downhill from Here, and (maybe because of Bruce Hornsby) View from the Vault 2. Then continue your quest for the perfect concert video (my personal choice is a toss up between The Last Waltz, and Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense).
Now. For the Deadicated, Deadhead fans, I would recommend anything & everything available (including Grateful Dawg). Forget the reviews from some of the others about the cheesie psychadelic effects, forget the comments of "this concert wasn't as good as", and forget the "it was better live becase they edited" comments. When it comes to Garcia and The Grateful Dead (in the illustrious words of Robert Hunter)"Like a Steam Locomotive Rolling Down the Track. He's Gone, He's Gone and Nothings Gonna Bring Him Back" so enjoy what's out there. Kudos to Monterey Home Video for making these concerts available.

Rating:
Summary: The Dead's best video
Review: I have seen all of the Dead's commercially released videos and I believe this is the best one- this two and a half hour concert is well recorded and Jerry Garcia plays extremely well. The song selection is what helps make this the best concert- Terrapin Station, Wharf Rat, The Other One, Bertha, Cold Rain and Snow are the highlights. Really great stuff here- I dont go in for that Dead Head mentality of owning every single recording this group has ever done, but this one is a must have.

Rating:
Summary: Great Video
Review: I have watched this video to many times to count. I just love it to death. It is the greatest high in this world.

Rating:
Summary: GREATful DVD
Review: I think that this DVD is one of the best ever made by the grateful dead. The visible lyrics option is great, and I aslo think that the quiz on the DVD is pretty cool. As a true Grateful Dead fan, I think that this movie is awesome.