Rating: 
Summary: If you liked the tour...
Review: ...you'll love this video. Opening with an incredible "Jammin' Me", Petty and his ultra-dependable Heartbreakers tear through a set of standards and "Echo" rockers that put you in the front seat. Soundwise, this can't be beat. Visually, there's none of the herky-jerky style that some directors favor (see REM's "Road Movie" for a dizzying example of that genre). From the tour of the summer last year (sorry Bruce) comes this souvenir of great rock and roll and Petty's dedication to his craft. Well worth the cost and well worth watching a number of times.
Rating:
Summary: Heartbreakers still have it
Review: After reading previous reviews of this DVD, I don't see what all the fuss is about! The picture quality is very nice...nothing is out of focus, and the sound is absolutely fantastic! Perhaps those with complaints have a bad or defective copy?The performance is top notch...great song selection, even though a few of my favorites are missing. Sure, some of the editing is a little weird...I would have rather had the entire concert unedited with no breaks to check out what was happening backstage or views of the Fillmore itself, but for some reason people who direct concerts feel they have to dress the DVD up instead of just giving us the concert itself. (Take, for instance, McCartney's "Back in the US" DVD concert film, which would have been the greatest concert DVD ever if they had just wiped out all of the garbage between the songs.) This is a nice momento of this concert tour, especially now with the passing of longtime Heartbreaker Howie Epstein. And, Stan Lynch is still missed on the drums--please come back, Stan! But otherwise, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, and Scott Thurston continue to deliver. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the best DVD.....But, if you like Tom Petty.....Buy it!
Review: As a collector of high quality live concert DVDs and a classic rock fan, I recommend this DVD for anyone who enjoys Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The sound quality is very good and although the band looks a little tired, they performed admirably. The camera work/editing wasn't awful, but was far from excellent. There were almost no fades. All the scene changes were quick cuts. At times the cameras had a hard time focusing and the picture was slightly grainy. Also, as a previous viewer stated, Tom's head was cut off frequently. It looked like amatuers may have filmed this show. In my opinion, during a live concert performance...........
THE CAMERA SHOULD NEVER LEAVE THE STAGE DURING THE PERFORMANCE until it is completely over with the exception of very brief shots/pans/fades of the audience. Therefore, producers should leave the roadies and fan comments to the "bonus material" portion of the DVD or don't include it at all. Even though very brief on this DVD, those cuts away from the performance are distracting and disrupt the "live concert" feel that a high quality DVD concert is capable of delivering especially on a good video/surround sound system. Paul McCartney's "Back In The US" which could have been the best selling DVD ever, was reduced to unwatchable garbage because of this. If any other reviewers disagree, please say so.
Rating: 
Summary: DVD captures essence of Petty live
Review: As someone who has seen Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers live almost a dozen times in various venues, I can say this DVD does a great job of capturing the essence of the band in concert, particularly their shows from the past five years. The most consistent live act I have ever seen, The Heartbreakers are in typically outstanding form in the shows recorded for the DVD. The sound on the DVD is great, and the presentation of the material is well paced. While this DVD is a MUST have for true Tom Petty fans, casual fans will enjoy it as well. For those somewhat familiar with the band's work, the DVD will show them what they have missed if they have not seen the Heartbreakers live.
I love this DVD and am sure I'll watch it a few thousand times, but there were a few things that kept me from giving it 5 stars. First, I would have liked to have seen more focus on Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench. Their musicianship is a big reason why the Heartbreakers are one of the greatest American bands of all time and head and shoulders above most other bands touring today. Aside from a nice scene of Campbell tearing up the solo on "Running Down a Dream," there are few shots of his work. I found this disappointing since his six string IS the guitar voice of Tom Petty, and anyone who has seen the band live knows what Campbell can do with the instrument and how big a part he plays in the live shows. Second, I think the directing could have been a little less "heavy handed." There's a few "artsy" shots and cut-aways I would have preferred seeing replaced by wide-screen stage shots that would have given the viewer a greater sense of being there. Finally, I would have liked to have seen more "extras" on the DVD. One of the nice things about the format of the DVD is you get material you can't find anywhere else. I would have liked to seen some band interviews, lyrics, behind the scene stuff -- anything else. All the DVD offers is the concert, with the option of choosing songs. I found that surprising since Tom Petty has always been at the cutting edge of music video.
Those shortcomings should not detract anyone from buying this DVD, however. Overall, it is a good look at one of the best bands in the world.
Rating:
Summary: Addition to previous review.
Review: Aspect ratio was stated as full screen by Amazon. My DVD is in wide-screen. Also, there are no subtitles, as in words to the songs. For those of us that know them, that is fine. For those that don't ? Come on Tom. Give us a DVD from your concert at Pine Knob in June. That was quite honestly the best concert I have ever attended. I stood up for over two hours because everyone, (pavillion or lawn) was up. This was my sixteen year old son's first concert and he came home hoarse. I told him that it was all downhill from here. Come on, Tom. You can do better.
Rating:
Summary: Like real life, good enough for DVD
Review: I am evaluating this as a small part of an old Tom Petty collection. I wish more of my music collection was on DVD so I had more opportunity to see who was producing the music, and how it was done. On this DVD, the guitar solo by Bo Diddley while Tom Petty is singing "Mona" is filmed well enough to convince me that Bo Diddley was doing plenty of notes, even when he wasn't singing. Musically, I was trained to understand Mozart and his ilk, a standard selection of melodic phrases that sound like a single composer always had the tune in mind, so I am amazed that Tom Petty can sing that song like it has a tune, which it does, but in a blues idiom that never sticks in my mind firmly enough to whistle, while there is so much else going on. There is some audience interaction, with Tom telling the crowd, "I have to sing a song right now," when some introduction gets some of the people excited enough for Tom to feel it, too. 2003 might be a big year for me to witness how people recover from mistakes. The beginning of "Even the Losers," (selection 11) starts with a nice guitar part, but the first verse wasn't perfect, so it went into a few attempts, and a lot of the trouble seem to fall on expecting any one person to accomplish so much within a short period of time. Music can be great when it is simple, but Tom Petty is the kind of creative genius who would rather startle people with something way beyond whatever was expected. Anticipation is such a large part of appreciating his music that "The waiting is the hardest part" became a favorite line in the video "Pack Up the Plantation." That was a long time ago, and I might not like anything that has been recorded since 1999 as much as I liked "Needles and Pins," an old tune that was a big reason I bought "Pack Up the Plantation" as a double LP before discovering that it wasn't on the Plantation video. What is great in "Needles and Pins" was "I saw her face, it was a face I loved." I think people who listen to music feel that way so often that I'm surprised how often I had to ask myself, *whose face was that?* before I knew that only four of the faces in this DVD concert were older versions of people on the "Pack Up the Plantation" tour. "Jammin' Me" is not one of my favorite songs, but it names enough people to show what kind of society we live in, in a way that might even hurt, if people don't know what you're doing. Tom Petty found a way of using people's names in his song "Swingin' " that must have been new in 1999, but which I seem to emulate in a lot of reviews. Sonny Liston and Benny Goodman went down swinging to different beats, and too many of my reviews have come out like "Mary Jane's Last Dance." I don't think people should make up their mind about that song by the weird video that introduced it to MTV viewers. This performance reduces the song to its musical elements, and this kind of DVD is best for people who are most curious about how they do that on a musical level. It's not creepy when they are just singing it. People who freaked out ought to lighten up already.
Rating:
Summary: Like real life, good enough for DVD
Review: I am evaluating this as a small part of an old Tom Petty collection. I wish more of my music collection was on DVD so I had more opportunity to see who was producing the music, and how it was done. On this DVD, the guitar solo by Bo Diddley while Tom Petty is singing "Mona" is filmed well enough to convince me that Bo Diddley was doing plenty of notes, even when he wasn't singing. Musically, I was trained to understand Mozart and his ilk, a standard selection of melodic phrases that sound like a single composer always had the tune in mind, so I am amazed that Tom Petty can sing that song like it has a tune, which it does, but in a blues idiom that never sticks in my mind firmly enough to whistle, while there is so much else going on. There is some audience interaction, with Tom telling the crowd, "I have to sing a song right now," when some introduction gets some of the people excited enough for Tom to feel it, too. 2003 might be a big year for me to witness how people recover from mistakes. The beginning of "Even the Losers," (selection 11) starts with a nice guitar part, but the first verse wasn't perfect, so it went into a few attempts, and a lot of the trouble seem to fall on expecting any one person to accomplish so much within a short period of time. Music can be great when it is simple, but Tom Petty is the kind of creative genius who would rather startle people with something way beyond whatever was expected. Anticipation is such a large part of appreciating his music that "The waiting is the hardest part" became a favorite line in the video "Pack Up the Plantation." That was a long time ago, and I might not like anything that has been recorded since 1999 as much as I liked "Needles and Pins," an old tune that was a big reason I bought "Pack Up the Plantation" as a double LP before discovering that it wasn't on the Plantation video. What is great in "Needles and Pins" was "I saw her face, it was a face I loved." I think people who listen to music feel that way so often that I'm surprised how often I had to ask myself, *whose face was that?* before I knew that only four of the faces in this DVD concert were older versions of people on the "Pack Up the Plantation" tour. "Jammin' Me" is not one of my favorite songs, but it names enough people to show what kind of society we live in, in a way that might even hurt, if people don't know what you're doing. Tom Petty found a way of using people's names in his song "Swingin' " that must have been new in 1999, but which I seem to emulate in a lot of reviews. Sonny Liston and Benny Goodman went down swinging to different beats, and too many of my reviews have come out like "Mary Jane's Last Dance." I don't think people should make up their mind about that song by the weird video that introduced it to MTV viewers. This performance reduces the song to its musical elements, and this kind of DVD is best for people who are most curious about how they do that on a musical level. It's not creepy when they are just singing it. People who freaked out ought to lighten up already.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning intimate preformance. Best I've seen from my couch!
Review: I bought High Grass Dogs because I love Tom Petty and just bought a DVD player. I thought it would be nice to have a little petty to put on and have video to go with it. Wow, was I way underestimating the power of this DVD. This is an up close and personal filming of the concert...no bells, no whistles. No fancy lighting or pyrotechnics. Just the band, the music, and the crowd. The sound is incredible. it has Dolby Digital 5.1, and with surround the crowd noise is behind you, the music in front of you...it really feels like you're in the front row. Obviously, I love the DVD...I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Great footage from great shows
Review: I have a killer live TP&HB from '97 when they played the Fillmore on CD, but I really always wanted to see the initimacy of the the theater itself. That's what makes the video so great. Great set, great band, great show from one of the best rock bands ever....check it out...
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST OF THE PETTY DVDs
Review: I have seen Tom Petty and the boys live many times and I'm a naturalist fan - that is, I don't just like the hits and often feel the overlooked stuff is better or as good as the standards. Petty and Co. make great albums, but where they shine is live, so when I say this is the best of the live DVDs I am basing that on three things. 1)The accuracy to which it captures a true Heartbreakers show, 2)How many times one would watch/listen to it and 3) should anyone other than Petty die-hards need apply.
First, the performance takes place at the Filmore which is a theatre/club. This does not allow the band to play as they do in arenas, but the whole thing works. There is energy, but also a intimate feel - very nice. It also does what good concert DVDs should do and makes the viewer feel, if not like they are there, at least what it must have been like to be there (to be fair, this is an eassier feat given the club setting vs, say, a stadium). This also reminded me of Petty's hilarious performance on VH1's Storytellers from around the same time. Anything that makes me think of that is aces in my book (if only that were on DVD).
The songs are great and great to hear live. Since there is no recent live Petty album this can double as such. The opening one-two punch of "Jammin' Me" and "Runnin' Down a Dream," kicks ass! This how a show I saw on that tour began and as far as I'm concerned its how every show should begin. And while we're talking about it, this version of "Jammin' Me" is so good it gave me a new found respect for a song that always seemed like an oddity in the Heartbreakers stash. Don't get me wrong, it rocks (love Mike's guitar and the more agressive vocal from Tom), but it doesn't jive well inserted with their hits - chronologicly it falls somewhere between "Don't Come Around Here..." and "Free Fallin'," but its not just that; it feels rather 80s-ish, whereas most of their other singles have more of a timeless feel. But here the tune is loose, loud, and we are having fun watching it because the boys are having fun playing it. We also get great songs from the underrated "Echo," and thank God for some tracks from "She's the One." There is something of a lull just before the encores where they play at least one too many slow songs in a row, but they soon ralley for a set of rockers, including a harder "You Wreck Me."
There are of course too many Petty Hits to fully include them all here so some may be bummed their favorite song didn't make the cut, but that alomst goes without saying for any long-running act at a live show; that's the way it goes, but what is here is all done so well, the set feels complete.
Second, I have had this since it came out in fall of '99. I'm writing the review now because I am watching it again, as I do often. It doesn't get old and DVD is great cause you can jump right to the "Jammin' Me's" and the "Mary Jane's" of the set. I use it as much as a live album to listen to as I do a concert to watch. I wish it were available on CD.
And thirdly, fans, and I obviously am one, won't be disapointed; and non-fans may just be converted. The guys had their A-Game on this night.
I have seen some reviews complaining about the filming; cuts, shakiness, etc... I may have comented on that myself way back when, but I honestly haven't thought twice about it. In my opinion its neither a plus or a minus.
The other Petty DVDs are good as well, but this is the only one that depicts a typical live show. The Soundstage one is filled with covers and light on Heartbreakers hits (which isn't a bad thing, I rather enjoy hearing some of that stuff, but its from PBS so there is a slow, artsy-fartsiness to the whole thing) and "Live at the Olympic" is a run-through of the "Last DJ" album cover to cover with 5 or so bonus past hits at the end as encores. I like "Last DJ," but many didn't. If you are one of those, skip that DVD.
Regardless, this Filmore one would be the one to have anyway. Simply put, It's Great.
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