Rating: 
Summary: Faithful to what took place
Review: I was at the Olympia theatre for the second concert : 6th row, great view, walked out happy. The man was probably thoroughly concentrated for the shooting, hence very little interaction with the audience, except for some US fans on center front row. But the music itself, along with the playing of those top-notch musicians and the way this little man can perform his lyrics (watch 'Darling Lorraine') made this concert one of the very best I've ever seen.This DVD has got it all: great picture, excellent sound and is very true to what happened in the hall: the intimate performance of a discrete artist playing his very polished music. Of course, if you don't like Paul Simon's recent musical inclinations, you won't like this concert as even the old standard are re-arranged into this unique American/African blend. But if you don't mind opening your ears for something new you might like, buy this DVD and there is NO way you can't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Concert and a Great DVD
Review: I've been a Paul Simon fan for a long time, and I guess that now we're going to grow "Old" together (to steal a song title from the concert and CD). Being a long term fan is definitely a journey, not just a fond memory of your youth. Simon's poetry matures and has certainly improved over time. His music has always been excellent, but the style never fixed. Over time he's sampled and incorporated music and musicians from around the world. Some of his work has been wildly popular (e.g., Graceland), some probably only enjoyed by his faithful fans (The Capeman). I don't remember when I last heard a Paul Simon concert, but friends got us tickets when "You're the One" hit the Bay Area late in 2000. I went without any real expectations. It was great. A small venue. A great band. An excellent show. A wide selection of music, all brought "up to date" what ever way that makes sense to Simon. It was a completely satisfying experience. From the ... I discovered the Paris concert would be on PBS so taped it then. Again, completely satisfied with the TV transformation of the concert experience. The DVD arrived today, and now with considerable expectation, I popped it in, enabled DTS, and sat back to enjoy. It's not a complete substitute for the concert experience. You lose the considerable crowd experience with a lot of interesting strangers. And a sweet cloud of ... doesn't spread as soon as the lights dim, but given the limitations, it's a pretty good replica. If you're more a less a Paul Simon fan and have a good home theatre system, you'll want to add the DVD to your collection, no question. If you're a real Paul Simon fan, this is an excellent excuse to go out and buy a home theatre system (I'm not kidding)!
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Concert and a Great DVD
Review: I've been a Paul Simon fan for a long time, and I guess that now we're going to grow "Old" together (to steal a song title from the concert and CD). Being a long term fan is definitely a journey, not just a fond memory of your youth. Simon's poetry matures and has certainly improved over time. His music has always been excellent, but the style never fixed. Over time he's sampled and incorporated music and musicians from around the world. Some of his work has been wildly popular (e.g., Graceland), some probably only enjoyed by his faithful fans (The Capeman). I don't remember when I last heard a Paul Simon concert, but friends got us tickets when "You're the One" hit the Bay Area late in 2000. I went without any real expectations. It was great. A small venue. A great band. An excellent show. A wide selection of music, all brought "up to date" what ever way that makes sense to Simon. It was a completely satisfying experience. From the ... I discovered the Paris concert would be on PBS so taped it then. Again, completely satisfied with the TV transformation of the concert experience. The DVD arrived today, and now with considerable expectation, I popped it in, enabled DTS, and sat back to enjoy. It's not a complete substitute for the concert experience. You lose the considerable crowd experience with a lot of interesting strangers. And a sweet cloud of ... doesn't spread as soon as the lights dim, but given the limitations, it's a pretty good replica. If you're more a less a Paul Simon fan and have a good home theatre system, you'll want to add the DVD to your collection, no question. If you're a real Paul Simon fan, this is an excellent excuse to go out and buy a home theatre system (I'm not kidding)!
Rating: 
Summary: Total disappointment
Review: I've been a Paul Simon fan for as long as he's been around. I own all his albums. He's a great musician and composer; he pushes boundaries; he gets incredible musicians to play with him; he has endless capacity to incorporate new styles into his own; he has showcased wonderful musicians that would never have found a place in the Western limelight without him. I found this concert virtually unwatchable. Simon's voice has always been his weak point but still serviceable; in this concert it seems he's spending almost all his energy, not particularly successfully, just trying to control it. There is essentially no interaction with the audience. When he tries to act the mood of a song he's so bad at it it's just distracting. I thought partway through the tape that maybe the whole thing could have been saved by decent backup singers - the concerts with Ladysmith Black Mambazo had the spice and verve this one didn't - but then I realized that must be almost impossible now because he's so frequently out of tune, generally under the tone. Meanwhile this incredible band of musicians is playing superbly behind him but of course the tape was edited in the usual way to showcase him, the weak link, not them. The songs themselves are usually just a tad too slow to generate much energy and are generally arranged in a flatter, less interesting way than the studio versions -- understandable for a concert but unhelpful in keeping interest. The only real high point of the whole thing is a fabulous bit where the drummer and percussionists are cut loose and do an amazing sequence. Overall, what a disappointment - save your money.
Rating:
Summary: Blending of generations, an incredible performance
Review: If you have not seen Paul Simon recently, or not been overly captivated by his newer material (Your the One, The Capeman, Rythm of the Saints, Graceland), just go and buy this tape. This is the cumulative effort of bringing together all of the phases in Paul Simon's career. All of the music is great, although his renditions of "I am a Rock", "One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor", and "Old Friends" stand out as significant accomplishments. The new material, especially "Darling Lorraine" is very well performed, if a bit over acted, and the track mix and arrangements bring decades of strong songwriting together in a performance that will keep your ears singing for days.
Rating: 
Summary: Wish it were an NYC show.
Review: If you like Paul Simon's new work you'll enjoy this DVD. The sound is simply amazing and the musicians are incredible. I pulled one star because when I saw him in Denver last summer at an outside venue (Fiddler's) he took the stage to an ecstatic, screaming crowd that I felt fed the musicians and made for an absolutely magical night. The Paris crowd seems subdued, they didn't even recognize Homeward Bound until the lyrics began. I simply wish this DVD were of a concert somewhere in Americana.
Rating: 
Summary: DON'T
Review: If you're not sure, DON'T. What's up with the hands? Audience looks dead. Band looks dead. Is he on a budget?! How about a couple pretty backup singers to liven things up on "50 ways", etc. etc. Just bland. I'm a casual fan, but just no punch to this show. Like a dead fish. Get Diana Krall in Paris instead. Same venue, but oh my what a difference.
Rating:
Summary: Great sound from a Great Artist!
Review: Paul Simon and his ensemble put on a marvelous show. The DTS and DDSS 5.1 are both rich, yet simple enough to reproduce the show sound without engineering it to death. Simon fans and music fans will like the renditions of his hits with some done in novel beats. What a musical treat for the music lover!! The percussionists are extremely talented in this performance that energize the guitars along with a full vocal performance. Definitely, a masterful live presentation. The video is excellent, yet simple enough to show just what you want to see--THIS SHOW. If your Home Theater System is up to date, you are going like this DVD. The surround is again subtle and is not meant to be a demo for DTS dimensionality. It is a concert, and it sounds like a concert, so don't expect instruments from the rear channels. Be sure to watch this one with someone special and be prepared to sing along, clap your hands, and snap your fingers. Are you into music? Don't miss this one.
Rating:
Summary: One of our Greatest Artists Shines Again.
Review: Paul Simon has to be one of the greatest song writers of our time. His words and voice blend into magic like only he can produce. This is a total experience. I could watch him daily in this concert and never grow tired of it. GREAT! He is what "music and talent" are all about. How nice it is to hear and understand the words, and what beautiful stories these words tell. How nice it is to have music that makes our body and mind move. This music sings to our heart and soul.
Rating:
Summary: Still Got It!
Review: Paul Simon's voice has lost a little of its clarity and range with the passing years. His songs, however, seem to grow ever more powerful. He tours with a spectacularly talented band, and he is still a great performer. This October 2000 concert is a triumph. I found "Pledging My Love" to be a particularly effective introduction to "The Late Great Johnny Ace."
The DVD features stereo, Dolby 5.1 and DTS audio tracks. The video is enhanced for widescreen TVs.
Recommended.
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