Rating: 
Summary: Classic Late 80's New Year's Performance.
Review: This DVD captures the Dead in their late 80's peak. The show is spirited, well played, and soulful throughout. The extras (fan questions, Jerry's backstage kitchen, and Mickey as Spock/Jerry as Santa) have to be seen to be believed--they're hilarious. The band is having fun throughout. You can tell by Jerry's face on the fantastic opener "Bertha" which DeadBase (a Grateful Dead stat book) ranked as the all-time fan's favorite version, and for good reason. Here's the thing about those controversial special effects: I watched this live on pay-per-view that night, and the effects were part of the broadcast. I videotaped the performance directly off tv and had it for many years. This DVD is essentially an edited version of that broadcast. So, the DVD company did not add the effects, they were already there. The extras also were longer in the original broadcast. Why they axed the rousing Promised Land from the DVD and VHS versions, who knows, but it's a notable omission. It's still worth a purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: It's so good, I want more like this!
Review: This is a fine performance by the legendary band, and is well done as a DVD. There is a segment of interviews between sets, but it is entertaining enough that I don't mind it isn't a separate feature. The camera work is good, and the sound is very good. There are some extra features included. This is a full-frame DVD. It has vivid colors, especially noticable when the balloons are dropped at the strike of 12:00. It is a dual-layer disc. The layer changeover is noticable, but not too bad.It is a real pleasure to see Jerry and friends together on stage. Thank you for the music and the memories.
Rating:
Summary: Music = 5 stars. Picture = 3 stars.
Review: This is easily the best of all the Grateful Dead DVDs currently available. Why? Because it's easily the best of the shows. I've been a collector of Dead bootlegs for some time, I have quite an extensive collection of CDRs, and I've always felt that this New Years show was underrated. It has a ripping version of "Cold Rain & Snow" early on. My all-time favorite "Terrapin Station" appears in Set II. In fact, I've often said that the first set of this show is my favorite first set ever. There's something about how all the songs hang together, about the groove and the energy: it glitters. The DVD itself, however, it exactly like the others, and suffers from exactly the same problems. The cheesy "tripped-out effects" are just annoying. When they cut away to some picture of the cosmos during the peak of "Terrapin Station" I wanted to throttle my television. I didn't buy this DVD to just _listen_ to the music--I've already heard this show dozens and dozens of times--I bought the DVD to _see_ the songs played. I'd much prefer it if they excised all the effects and "mood shots" and stuck to showing us the Dead playing their songs. Of course, one could make the argument that watching the Dead play--actually watching the individuals--isn't the most exciting thing you'll ever see, but that's what I'm looking for in a DVD of a Dead show. So don't expect an amazing DVD. But do expect to have a really good time watching and listening! These DVDs--especially this New Years one--would be a real treat for any Dead fan. This one has some funny bits between the sets: question-and-answer with the band, where someone went out into the crowd with a camera and had the fans ask questions that were brought back to the Dead to answer; "Cooking With Jerry" is hilarious; and there's a strange but amusing interlude where Jerry's dressed up as Santa and Mickey's dressed up as Spock, reading Jerry's mind in a mind-meld type thing. ("Lists, checking twice... cigarette butts... elves in tie-dies... drums solo almost over...") The Amazon.com review is misleading, as I'm sure others have pointed out: "Dark Star" was _not_ played at this show, and so for obvious reasons it's not on this DVD. (In fact, the Dead hadn't played Dark Star for three years before this show, and wouldn't play it again for another two years after, at the second of the famous "Formerly the Warlocks" shows in '89.) And the whole thing about New Years Eve being an especially sad night for Deadheads isn't true either, since the Dead stopped playing New Years shows after Bill Graham died, about four years before Jerry's death. So even were the Dead still around, we can assume they wouldn't be playing New Years shows. But whatever. Finally, this DVD doesn't contain the entire show. For some reason I can't fathom, they cut "Promised Land" (which was the second song), and for reasons I can easily understand, they cut the entire third set. They did, however, include the very rousing encore "Knockin' On Heaven's Door."
Rating:
Summary: Super, except for effects.
Review: This is my first Dead DVD & by the time the 1st song "Bertha" was over I realized I was in for a real treat. The audio was excellent & video was cystal clear, featuring numerous angles both close & wide. All was well as I settled in for the rest of the show. Shortly thereafter however, the "special effects" video overlays began. Not only did I not want to see this stuff, (didn't buy it for an "art" show), but the quality of the effects rated a negative 5 stars: cheaply done by a child or someone's pet?, same effects repeated time & time again in different songs, annoying to say the least. I still recommend this DVD & am glad I got it but will be closing my eyes during the effects in future viewings.
Rating:
Summary: Super, except for effects.
Review: This is my first Dead DVD & by the time the 1st song "Bertha" was over I realized I was in for a real treat. The audio was excellent & video was cystal clear, featuring numerous angles both close & wide. All was well as I settled in for the rest of the show. Shortly thereafter however, the "special effects" video overlays began. Not only did I not want to see this stuff, (didn't buy it for an "art" show), but the quality of the effects rated a negative 5 stars: cheaply done by a child or someone's pet?, same effects repeated time & time again in different songs, annoying to say the least. I still recommend this DVD & am glad I got it but will be closing my eyes during the effects in future viewings.
Rating:
Summary: Great, great show
Review: This was a hot show. Great video of the show. Doesn't capture all the live energy, but it's pretty decent. Deadheads won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Da' Boys , Brent , JERRY , This DVD is required viewing !!
Review: What can I say , I love this DVD . Cold Rain , Terrapin , Bertha , Uncle John's etc.... This DVD has Jerry all over it . If you miss the band or just Jerry you should get this DVD . The sound is excelent . This is soul food if their ever was soul food . Do yourself a huge favor and buy this DVD and if you need to a DVD player . It is worth every penny , some like me would say it is a bargin at that price . Thank you , Grateful Dead Productions , for releasing this show ( my first New Years show )PLEASE RELEASE MORE SHOWS ON DVD . We love Jerry and miss him , nothing helps fill the whole like seeing him again , Thank you very much .
|
