Stranglers - Friday the Thirteenth Live At Royal Albert Hall

Rating:
Summary: !!
Review: After almost 30 yrs. '..lost & buried...' these wonderful songs brought tears to my eyes hearing one of the most gifted musical talents of the past 30 yrs. He does all his immortal hits.. one by one.. in all their poetic beauty & wonderful melodies...

To see & hear Cat Stevens passion & energy on stage, performing his wonderful songs even exceeds recorded CDs.. The world has only this truly WONDERFUL concert to see & hear him & his artistry that enchanted a generation. The production, the staging, the band... the concert goers.. all contribute to creating the enthusiasm his fans felt back in the 70s! A bitter-sweet experience pondering over how he could cut short sharing his music with the world & the joy it brought his fans! This is a true MUST HAVE DVD... In addition to the concert you get a number of other performances,interviews totaling over 2 hrs.!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant artist and performance-Gorgeous DVD!!
Review: After searching high and low for this elusive DVD, I finally obtained a copy through Amazon.com and I must say it was well worth every penny.
This has my vote for the music DVD of the year by far. The quality of the 1976 performance from the MAJIKAT tour is simply immaculate in both video presentation and sound. Remarkable for such an ancient piece of film. The performance itself is nothing short of magical with the immensely talented Cat Stevens and band giving faithful renditions of their most beautiful and loved songs. Every song is wonderfully articulated but standouts include The Wind, Where Do The Children Play, Lady D'Arbanville, Oh Very Young, Sad Lisa and Peace Train. The music defies categorization blending folk, rock, pop and world music into a truly unique style heightened by gorgeous melodies and fantastic musicianship. Steven's lyrical outlook on the world seems often bittersweet, but the songs are always optimistic, touching and uplifting. The performance is also very well lighted and quite enjoyable to look at.
The special features are wonderful too spotlighting rarely seen TV appearances, the Wild World encore from the Majikat performance and a revealing interview with Yusuf Islam that provides a comprehensive overview of Cat Stevens' entire career from his humble England beginnings to his journey to the Islamic faith.
The packaging is tremendous also, featuring a beautiful miniature reproduction of the original Majikat 1976 tourbook.
Again, I cannot strongly recommend this DVD enough to both casual fans and hardcore devotees of Cat Stevens, this is absolutely footage that merits repeated viewings and is quite reasonably priced considering the plethora of rare footage provided.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Audio Visual Record Of A Truly Unique Artist
Review: Anyone who was musically aware in the 70s will remember that Cat Stevens was one of the best and most popular singer-songwriters of that period. All of his best work is still very fresh sounding, and perhaps even more valid today in the message it conveyed. This DVD is a wonderful recording of Cat at the height of his career, and it both looks and sounds superb! It is packaged very nicely, and the bonus material could almost stand alone. All of this for a very modest price. The only thing that could have improved it, would have been the addition of the intimate 1971 performance from KCET Studio in Los Angeles, available on VHS. Hopefully, that will eventually be released on DVD as well. If you're an old fan of Cat Stevens, then you'll love seeing him again performing his very unique music. If you are just discovering him, the modest price makes it easy to enjoy this gifted artist performing his best work at the top of his career.

Rating:
Summary: 50 stars aren't enough....this is a gift from the music gods
Review: Currently known as Yusuf Islam during his previous life he was known and loved as...Cat Stevens, and he composed at least two of the greatest records of all time..."Tea for the Tillerman" and "Teaser and the Firecat" ...and much of that classic material is on this concert..
NOW...when I saw this announced..i had thought of fuzzy 70's video production ala his PBS appearance available on video...so I put the DVD in today with lowered expectations..
WRONG...this is a very professionally filmed gig..with ...excellent sound ,excellent direction ,stunning footage and an amazing performance...at a ridiculous low price..
the bonus footage alone from appearances on the BBC etc would be worth the price of this DVD....I believe that amazon.com lists all the songs on this product so I won't bore you with listing them..
If you love or loved Cat....you will NOT be dissapointed with this DVD...its already become one of my most treasured after only one play...I will say it again....a very HIGH quality document of a legendary performer at the very TOP of his career , performing all his legendary tunes.....four aces are impossible to beat! now ...as for Yusuf Islam...the current day Cat....he contributes a delightful interview as part of the bonus material where he generously discusses his beginnings and his albums one by one...with a fresh and lovely perspective and his religous conversion....truly a fabulous package from start to finish

Rating:
Summary: A great bit of nostalgia
Review: First of all, I must admit that I am somewhat prejudiced in this review. I attended one of the concerts on this tour, in Montreal, Canada. It is a sweet memory, going to Montreal, and seeing Cat in person. I recall how he entered, quite unexpectedly, from a Magician's box. A surprise for sure!

This is a great concert, and I am so glad Yusuf Islam allowed it to be released. There is music from the full repertoire of his albums. And he performs them flawlessly. (Well a small flaw on "Lady D'Arbanville," but whose counting?) Stevens had everything going for him. A marvelous talent for melody. He seemed to have an inexaustible supply. A sense of the appropriate lyric. A voice that could not have been better. I can't think of a Stevens song without that voice (perhaps cost him in covers, but did him good in the short run). And last, and I say this as an observer, he was simply the most handsome of pop artists of his generation.

In any case, this is a concert to remember. I do!

Rating:
Summary: Cat Stevens on DVD - It's About Time!
Review: I have been waiting for years to get Cat Stevens on video in concert and finally his 1976 "Majikat Earth Tour" is available on DVD. The concert is excellent with Cat doing songs from his albums Mona Bone Jakon, Tea For The Tillerman, Teaser & The Firecat, Catch Bull At Four, Foreigner, Buddah & The Chocolate Box and Numbers. The song list is impressive: "The Wind", "Moonshadow", "Where Do The Children Play", "Another Saturday Night", "Hard Headed Woman", "Miles From Nowhere", "Lady D'Arbanville", "Banapple Gas", "Tuesday's Dead", "Oh Very Young" and "The Hurt" plus more. Stevens puts on a great show, often switching from his acoustic guitar to playing piano, and enough can't be said of his backup band. There's also a recent thirty minute interview with Cat Stevens (now Yussuf Islam) who talks about his growing up in Soho, London, his rise to fame, near death experience, religion, etc. Also included are archive material such as "Wild World" (encore) - Majikat 1976 outtake, "If I Laugh" (BBC 'Old Grey Whistle Test - 1971), "Maybe You're Right" (BBC-In Concert 1971), "Tuesday's Dead" (Granada 'Outfront'- 1971) and more. This is an absolute must have for Cat Stevens fans and/or fans of seventies rock.

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Summary: Listen to "The Wind"; it says it all!
Review: I have just finished viewing one of Cat's last performances on his last world tour. I agree with all reviewers to date that this is simply one of the best live performances available. Cat's opening version of "The Wind" (also the opening cut on his "Teaser and the Firecat" album)sets the tone for the entire evening: meticulous, flawless performances. "The Wind", as one other reviewer has commented, is in my opinion too, the best recording Cat Stevens made in his 10-year long career. After thirty years, Cat re-recorded this beautiful short masterpiece without any instumental accompaniment and it can also be heard on this stellar DVD. The new version is sung acappella with only the sound of a whistling wind in the background. All songs are outstanding; the special features are enlightening. But I keep returning to the gem that begins the concert. This artist was/is unique. Just observe the intensity and warmth with which he performs "The Wind" and one simply can not deny Cat Stevens his place as one of "the greatest performing artists of all time". This DVD can not disappoint anyone but the most philistine.

Rating:
Summary: Astonishing Video and sound
Review: I like some Cat Stevens songs. Change is good, can't listen to Joe Satriani and Steve Vai all the time. Acoustic guitar on the DVD is really good. Excellent sound and Astounding video. It is very hard to believe that this was filmed in 1976. I am sure that in the mastering process they enhanced video. It seem as if this was recorded yesterday. Good collection of songs.
I like the interview part too. It has a very spiritual direction obviously.

Rating:
Summary: A Long Awaited Treasure
Review: I purchase many items through Amazon and especially enjoy music DVD's. I have longed for footage of Cat Stevens in concert for countless years. The wait was well worth it. I never expected such incredible audio and video from a dated concert (especially from an artist that is rarely seen). I have never written a review and am careful not to over emphasize quality but this DVD deserves the recognition. It may not be at today's standards but comes very close. It is also beautifully packaged, has great bonuses and is an incredible value. A must for any fan of late 60's through 70's music!!

Rating:
Summary: Peace train, take this country...
Review: I'm so grateful that we have this wonderful record of Cat Stevens at the height of his musical career and, in retrospect, at the culmination of the first part of his life.

There is already an authentic and beautiful spirituality which permeates his songs that only deepens with an awareness of how his journey -- and the world's -- unfolded in the succeeding 30 years.

Something specific that I just loved about his performance is how comfortable expressive and connected he was with his body. His voice and music just seem to cascade out of him in a kind of flow of self expression that I have never quite seen the likes of in a popular performer.

If you are even the slightest bit drawn to this DVD, buy it: you will not be disappointed.

"Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again."