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Neil Young - Red Rocks Live / Friends + Relatives (DVD)

Neil Young - Red Rocks Live / Friends + Relatives (DVD)

List Price: $19.99
Your Price: $15.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing
Review: Theres a ton of different ways of looking at this dvd, and you can appreciate some of its detracters comments. But this dvd is unbelieveable. i first bought the cd, and the dvd is 10 times better.
we have an great lineup, including former bass player for Booker T and the MGs, Duck Dunn. Ben Kieth is there, which isn't surprising considering the number of projects he and Neilworked on together. Tim Keltenr is there too, and he's a force to be reckoned with. And lets not forget Spooner Oldham, who worked on Harvest Moon and countless other hits with Neil. To top it off, we get vocals from Neil's wife(Pegi) and half sister(Astrid).
Some people complain how the musicions backed off and let Neil do his thing, them just sort of supporting him. Thats why he picked them!!!! All the stuff he's done with Crazy Horse and others, he likes to be able to flourish, and these guys let him do that. Believe me, if there was a true all star cast up there, it wouldn't be as good.
Lighting is lighting. The main focus should be on what you hear, not what you see. And considering the conditions, the lighting is pretty damn good.
The list of songs on the DVD are quite numorous, but the great ones are the long jams: Tonight's The Night, Words, and a tremendus Cowgirl In The Sand.
Bottom line, this isn't Live Rust or Weld, because its not supposed to be. Its just Neil and the gang tooling around, having a good time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Captures the magic of a great show
Review: This DVD does an excellent job of presenting Neil's performance at Red Rocks. I was lucky enough to be there. Despite the cold rain, Neil put on a wonderful show. This disc does a fantastic job of presenting what it was like that evening:the steep walk up to the seats, Neil and company's great performance, even the rain-soaked crowd are seen in accurate detail. The sound quality could have been a bit better, but with over 120 minutes of fine music and footage, this DVD is bound to please both old and new Neil Young fans. Highly recommended.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Nice Break for the Horse
Review: This film is not as sloppily produced as some have suggested here. In fact, the performances and the production are quite good. However, what makes this effort so remarkable is the playlist. Neil has assembled a great sampling of his large body of work that doesn't rely too heavily on his acoustic set from the Silver and Gold video nor the Crazy Horse standards. "Words" is a definite standout, as is "Unknown Legend" and "Razor Love". Neil also manages a pretty funny ad-lib after a bit of feedback interrupts his intro to "Daddy Went Walkin'". If you're any kind of fan, you shouldn't be disappointed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The other Neil Young
Review: This is one of the finest concert recordings ever made for several reasons:
1) Neil Young.
2) absolutely no, I repeat no audience shots.
3) one of the finest concert venues (visually, I can't attest to the acoustics... someone else will have to do that) hands down.
4) the intriguing set list. I'm of the opinion that Neil selected this particular band to put on video the particular songs, the particular types of songs, given voice here. I view it as a companion video to 'Live Rust', creating a historical record of the 'other' Neil Young. This Neil is a country/folk rocker, and this Neil has plenty of country/folk rock in his litany to choose from... 'Motorcycle Mama', 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere', 'Powderfinger', 'I Believe In You', 'Unknown Legend', and the list goes on and on. Neil selects gems from nearly each and every stage of his career, and the performances just get better and better as the concert (actually filmed over at least two nights at the Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver) progressed. 'Powderfinger' would be the best song on this recording if it wasn't for 'Razor Love', and 'Razor Love' would be the best song if it wasn't for 'Walk On', and 'Walk On' would be the best song if it wasn't for 'Words', and 'Words' would be the best song if it wasn't for 'Cowgirl In the Sand'... it's that kind of a performance.

This is certainly a different ballgame from 'Live Rust', or the 'In Berlin' concerts. 'Live Rust' was a greatest hits compilation, featuring first a solo acoustic set, and then the unparalleled Crazy Horse electric set. 'In Berlin' still drew from the 'Rust Never Sleeps' zenith of Neil's career, but offered a glimpse of the radical transitions Young would be flipping through in the 1980's, seemingly trying to find his footing in a changing landscape, and mastering several distinct genres in the process. Both recordings feature a smattering of drama, 'Live Rust' telling a chronological story of growing up, and toying with the off-beat Road Eyes, while 'In Berlin' features the high energy presence of Nils Lofgren. Another Neil concert tape, 'Weld', is in a league all it's own, featuring Neil as the Godfather of Grunge, and giving Crazy Horse it's wildest workout. That recording is significantly marred by audience shots of some of the most unforgettable concert groupies around (after a bit, you would prefeer to forget, but you can't).

'Red Rocks Live - Friends and Relatives' is none of that. It's just Neil and his friends (Jimmy Keltner on drums, Donald 'Duck' Dunn on bass, Ben Keith on a variety of guitars, but mostly steel guitar, and on keyboards) and relatives (wife Peggy Young and sister Astrid Young doing an admirable job on backing vocals). The filming is, for the most part, right on the money. It alternates between at least two nights of filming, one calm and the other blustery, and culminating in a drenching downpour that finally works its way onto the performers, and adds some REAL electricity and thunderous appeal to the epic final runs of the first encore, 'Cowgirl In the Sand'.

Don't believe any of the criticisms you read here. Sure, Neil is older, sure, some of these songs have probably been performed again and again and get to be old hat to the performers (I was watching the CSN portion of 'Woodstock' the other day and thought... would you ever get as fresh a performance as this ever again?... impossible). On the other hand, like old wine there are elements of the performance that only improve with age... the arrangements get tighter, better thought out, and carry a certain nostalgic appeal that only time can muster. This is a performer giving us impressions of songs that have lived with us through the decades, and if you can't appreciate that... well, you just don't realize what you are missing.

Highlights include some terrific romantic ballads, such as 'Winterlong', 'Harvest Moon', 'Peace Of Mind', and 'Razor Love', touching blues numbers such as 'Bad Fog of Lonliness' (a staple of Young concerts for many years, and available for the first time here on an official release) and 'Fool For Your Love', upbeat rock numbers such as 'Walk On' and 'World On a String', and classic performances of 'Words' and 'Cowgirl In the Sand'. The acoustic set features 'Daddy Went Walking' and 'Buffalo Springfield Again', displaying Young's continued relevance. There is also a very appealing version of "Tonight's the Night', featuring Neil on a bluesy piano while Keith handles the lead guitar lines on his steel guitar. I'm also fond of the vibes on 'Winterlong'.

In short, this is nothing less than an essential componant of any complete Neil Young collection, and dare I say an essential componant of any well-rounded library of rock history. At the very least, if you enjoy watching a great rock show... get this now.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Neil young Red Rocks
Review: Why is it so hard to find the song list ! Why don't you have it on the main page with the listed DVD.


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