Actual BLU-RAY review (unlike prevous 35 DVD reviews), 21 Nov 2008
I would give the DVD 5 star rating too. The program is awesome. Take That is in it's best form, and concert is wonderfully conceived.

I trained myself to perceive buying something I like on a Blu-ray, after I already have it on a DVD, as an upgrade and not double-dipping. As such, I expect it to actually BE an upgrade...

Unfortunately... it was lit for the in-house audience and not for cameras (at least not for cameras used to shoot this concert). Insufficient light leads to grain and grain is abundant here, there is a lot of blocking and it is obvious that there is something gravely wrong with the colors and contrast. It's blooming, screaming and is painful to watch. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement over the DVD, judging by the difference between their previous DVD and Blu-ray, but this exceeded all my grim expectations... DVD itself looked ok, but when I inspect it now, after seeing the Blu-ray, I see that the grain is inherent in the source material, it was only far less visible (almost invisible) in the inferior resolution of the DVD. On the Blu-ray, I can only see grain and color banding...

Needless to say, this is the worse Blu-ray disc I have, an awfull presentation of a wonderful content. To add insult to injury, DTS HD Master Audio track that is advertised on the package is nowhere to be found on the disc, giving more of an amateurish feel to all the proceedings... They wrote: "Music Never Looked Or Sounded So Good" on the cover. I beg to differ! I am sorely dissapointed, even if I didn't expect too much of an improvement over the DVD.

AMAZING BEST LIVE ACT IN THE WORLD !!!!!!, 09 Jun 2008
AMAzing FANtastic show and jason orange have a great voice hope they tour again id camp overnight for front row tickets

The second best thing, 01 Apr 2008
I was lucky enough to be there the night they filmed this DVD (7th December), but if you were not, this is the second best thing.
As a music DVD this is very complete, with the whole show, a long documentary on the production and tour, an audio commentary done by the guys and a photo gallery.
As for the show, it is absolutely breathtaking, I haven't stoped watching it since I bought the DVD. A definite MUST not only for Take That fans, but everybody who enjoys great live music and an amazing production.

Somewhat taken aback, 27 Mar 2008
Look I was never into these people first time around. My wife would go off to their concerts and I'd just not get it. Cheesy hip gyrating c**p - at best. And lets face it - Robbie was the talent wasn't he - just look at Knebworth - isn't that just streets ahead.

And then I saw this - having again bought it for my wife.

Its really good - but bits of it are a revelation. These guys seems so much more comfortable with themselves. They don't seem like the shadow of RW is over them any more. If the "Ultimate Tour" hologram of Robbie had been repeated it would almost have felt like an intrusion - because this is a "Beautiful World" performance.

I love the fact that they do something slightly different with almost everything. Other people have commented on the upbeat tone of "Back for Good" rather than the nauseating cigarette lighter Angels rip off we've seen before. The "slow" version of "Could it be Magic" is breath-taking. Howard is a revelation - his vocals get better and better and unlike Gary Barlow his live voice is better than the studio version - listen to Beautiful World if you don't agree. Even a visibly nervous Jason and "Wooden Boat" suprises - it's just great.

So I sign off this review still rather embarassed that I thought this was so great. But forget the cheese of before. This ain't the same. Buy it.




Utterley Amazing!, 27 Mar 2008
Being one of the hundreds of thousands that went to see Take That on tour I placed my pre-order for the Beautiful World DVD many weeks before it was actually released.
With very fond memories of the live tour I was unsure whether the DVD would be able to re-create the atmosphere I experienced in the MEN arena at Manchester.
It did.
The hairs on my neck stood up when the amazing classical overture kicked in at the very beginning and it did not stop there. The entire DVD is edited with excellent interludes and the extras on the DVD give you an insight into the tour that I have never experienced before.
All in all the DVD as a whole took me back to that cold December night where I experienced possibly one of the best concerts around.
The added extras on the DVD just make for an excellent peek into what life is really like on tour!
You are bound to enjoy this DVD even if you are not the biggest Take That fan.

Actual BLU-RAY review (unlike prevous 35 DVD reviews), 21 Nov 2008
I would give the DVD 5 star rating too. The program is awesome. Take That is in it's best form, and concert is wonderfully conceived.

I trained myself to perceive buying something I like on a Blu-ray, after I already have it on a DVD, as an upgrade and not double-dipping. As such, I expect it to actually BE an upgrade...

Unfortunately... it was lit for the in-house audience and not for cameras (at least not for cameras used to shoot this concert). Insufficient light leads to grain and grain is abundant here, there is a lot of blocking and it is obvious that there is something gravely wrong with the colors and contrast. It's blooming, screaming and is painful to watch. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement over the DVD, judging by the difference between their previous DVD and Blu-ray, but this exceeded all my grim expectations... DVD itself looked ok, but when I inspect it now, after seeing the Blu-ray, I see that the grain is inherent in the source material, it was only far less visible (almost invisible) in the inferior resolution of the DVD. On the Blu-ray, I can only see grain and color banding...

Needless to say, this is the worse Blu-ray disc I have, an awfull presentation of a wonderful content. To add insult to injury, DTS HD Master Audio track that is advertised on the package is nowhere to be found on the disc, giving more of an amateurish feel to all the proceedings... They wrote: "Music Never Looked Or Sounded So Good" on the cover. I beg to differ! I am sorely dissapointed, even if I didn't expect too much of an improvement over the DVD.

AMAZING BEST LIVE ACT IN THE WORLD !!!!!!, 09 Jun 2008
AMAzing FANtastic show and jason orange have a great voice hope they tour again id camp overnight for front row tickets

The second best thing, 01 Apr 2008
I was lucky enough to be there the night they filmed this DVD (7th December), but if you were not, this is the second best thing.
As a music DVD this is very complete, with the whole show, a long documentary on the production and tour, an audio commentary done by the guys and a photo gallery.
As for the show, it is absolutely breathtaking, I haven't stoped watching it since I bought the DVD. A definite MUST not only for Take That fans, but everybody who enjoys great live music and an amazing production.

Somewhat taken aback, 27 Mar 2008
Look I was never into these people first time around. My wife would go off to their concerts and I'd just not get it. Cheesy hip gyrating c**p - at best. And lets face it - Robbie was the talent wasn't he - just look at Knebworth - isn't that just streets ahead.

And then I saw this - having again bought it for my wife.

Its really good - but bits of it are a revelation. These guys seems so much more comfortable with themselves. They don't seem like the shadow of RW is over them any more. If the "Ultimate Tour" hologram of Robbie had been repeated it would almost have felt like an intrusion - because this is a "Beautiful World" performance.

I love the fact that they do something slightly different with almost everything. Other people have commented on the upbeat tone of "Back for Good" rather than the nauseating cigarette lighter Angels rip off we've seen before. The "slow" version of "Could it be Magic" is breath-taking. Howard is a revelation - his vocals get better and better and unlike Gary Barlow his live voice is better than the studio version - listen to Beautiful World if you don't agree. Even a visibly nervous Jason and "Wooden Boat" suprises - it's just great.

So I sign off this review still rather embarassed that I thought this was so great. But forget the cheese of before. This ain't the same. Buy it.




Utterley Amazing!, 27 Mar 2008
Being one of the hundreds of thousands that went to see Take That on tour I placed my pre-order for the Beautiful World DVD many weeks before it was actually released.
With very fond memories of the live tour I was unsure whether the DVD would be able to re-create the atmosphere I experienced in the MEN arena at Manchester.
It did.
The hairs on my neck stood up when the amazing classical overture kicked in at the very beginning and it did not stop there. The entire DVD is edited with excellent interludes and the extras on the DVD give you an insight into the tour that I have never experienced before.
All in all the DVD as a whole took me back to that cold December night where I experienced possibly one of the best concerts around.
The added extras on the DVD just make for an excellent peek into what life is really like on tour!
You are bound to enjoy this DVD even if you are not the biggest Take That fan.

enigma,seven lives many faces, 11 Nov 2008
Seven Lives Many Facesyet again another great album from Enigma,awsome cd a few riffs from the past and some great new stuff as well ,head phones a must,fav tracks 4and 9 but all great .

Enigma back on top!, 10 Nov 2008
I have every Enigma album and had to get this one to add to the collection. I was a little disappointed with the 2 previous albums (having said that they do contain some great tunes) and was sceptical with Seven Lives...But this is a great album. I went for the enhanced one to gain a couple of extra tracks and love them all. There are a couple of favourites that I have - 'Same Parents'(very thought provoking lyrics) and 'La Puerta Del Cielo'(which has a haunting Eastern European feel about it!)
This album is definately getting back to its original roots. I love it and can't stop playing it. Thank you Michael Cretu for another wonderful journey into the worldof Enigma.


Monster Album, 10 Nov 2008
I read all the rave reviews here, so I bought it. Wow! Unbelievable. Don't hesitate, just go and get it. You won't be disappointed. I've waited so long for another top Enigma album but this one was worth the wait. Unusually there is not one bad track. God, I can't get this album out of my head it's that good.

The return of Enigma, 22 Oct 2008
An amazing album, at the very least back to his old form but probably light years ahead. Well worth buying and listening to loudly on a good system to get the full benefit of this brilliant piece of work

Seven Lives Many Faces - Much Enjoyment, 19 Oct 2008
Yet another superb collection from Enigma. As soon as it arrived I was keen to hear it based on other reviews on Amazon. Boy was I not disappointed, is it possible to wear out a cd? Slightly different from previous but I think all of them have been, not regretted a purchase yet. If you really like Enigma style I do think you'll love this too.

Actual BLU-RAY review (unlike prevous 35 DVD reviews), 21 Nov 2008
I would give the DVD 5 star rating too. The program is awesome. Take That is in it's best form, and concert is wonderfully conceived.

I trained myself to perceive buying something I like on a Blu-ray, after I already have it on a DVD, as an upgrade and not double-dipping. As such, I expect it to actually BE an upgrade...

Unfortunately... it was lit for the in-house audience and not for cameras (at least not for cameras used to shoot this concert). Insufficient light leads to grain and grain is abundant here, there is a lot of blocking and it is obvious that there is something gravely wrong with the colors and contrast. It's blooming, screaming and is painful to watch. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement over the DVD, judging by the difference between their previous DVD and Blu-ray, but this exceeded all my grim expectations... DVD itself looked ok, but when I inspect it now, after seeing the Blu-ray, I see that the grain is inherent in the source material, it was only far less visible (almost invisible) in the inferior resolution of the DVD. On the Blu-ray, I can only see grain and color banding...

Needless to say, this is the worse Blu-ray disc I have, an awfull presentation of a wonderful content. To add insult to injury, DTS HD Master Audio track that is advertised on the package is nowhere to be found on the disc, giving more of an amateurish feel to all the proceedings... They wrote: "Music Never Looked Or Sounded So Good" on the cover. I beg to differ! I am sorely dissapointed, even if I didn't expect too much of an improvement over the DVD.

AMAZING BEST LIVE ACT IN THE WORLD !!!!!!, 09 Jun 2008
AMAzing FANtastic show and jason orange have a great voice hope they tour again id camp overnight for front row tickets

The second best thing, 01 Apr 2008
I was lucky enough to be there the night they filmed this DVD (7th December), but if you were not, this is the second best thing.
As a music DVD this is very complete, with the whole show, a long documentary on the production and tour, an audio commentary done by the guys and a photo gallery.
As for the show, it is absolutely breathtaking, I haven't stoped watching it since I bought the DVD. A definite MUST not only for Take That fans, but everybody who enjoys great live music and an amazing production.

Somewhat taken aback, 27 Mar 2008
Look I was never into these people first time around. My wife would go off to their concerts and I'd just not get it. Cheesy hip gyrating c**p - at best. And lets face it - Robbie was the talent wasn't he - just look at Knebworth - isn't that just streets ahead.

And then I saw this - having again bought it for my wife.

Its really good - but bits of it are a revelation. These guys seems so much more comfortable with themselves. They don't seem like the shadow of RW is over them any more. If the "Ultimate Tour" hologram of Robbie had been repeated it would almost have felt like an intrusion - because this is a "Beautiful World" performance.

I love the fact that they do something slightly different with almost everything. Other people have commented on the upbeat tone of "Back for Good" rather than the nauseating cigarette lighter Angels rip off we've seen before. The "slow" version of "Could it be Magic" is breath-taking. Howard is a revelation - his vocals get better and better and unlike Gary Barlow his live voice is better than the studio version - listen to Beautiful World if you don't agree. Even a visibly nervous Jason and "Wooden Boat" suprises - it's just great.

So I sign off this review still rather embarassed that I thought this was so great. But forget the cheese of before. This ain't the same. Buy it.




Utterley Amazing!, 27 Mar 2008
Being one of the hundreds of thousands that went to see Take That on tour I placed my pre-order for the Beautiful World DVD many weeks before it was actually released.
With very fond memories of the live tour I was unsure whether the DVD would be able to re-create the atmosphere I experienced in the MEN arena at Manchester.
It did.
The hairs on my neck stood up when the amazing classical overture kicked in at the very beginning and it did not stop there. The entire DVD is edited with excellent interludes and the extras on the DVD give you an insight into the tour that I have never experienced before.
All in all the DVD as a whole took me back to that cold December night where I experienced possibly one of the best concerts around.
The added extras on the DVD just make for an excellent peek into what life is really like on tour!
You are bound to enjoy this DVD even if you are not the biggest Take That fan.

enigma,seven lives many faces, 11 Nov 2008
Seven Lives Many Facesyet again another great album from Enigma,awsome cd a few riffs from the past and some great new stuff as well ,head phones a must,fav tracks 4and 9 but all great .

Enigma back on top!, 10 Nov 2008
I have every Enigma album and had to get this one to add to the collection. I was a little disappointed with the 2 previous albums (having said that they do contain some great tunes) and was sceptical with Seven Lives...But this is a great album. I went for the enhanced one to gain a couple of extra tracks and love them all. There are a couple of favourites that I have - 'Same Parents'(very thought provoking lyrics) and 'La Puerta Del Cielo'(which has a haunting Eastern European feel about it!)
This album is definately getting back to its original roots. I love it and can't stop playing it. Thank you Michael Cretu for another wonderful journey into the worldof Enigma.


Monster Album, 10 Nov 2008
I read all the rave reviews here, so I bought it. Wow! Unbelievable. Don't hesitate, just go and get it. You won't be disappointed. I've waited so long for another top Enigma album but this one was worth the wait. Unusually there is not one bad track. God, I can't get this album out of my head it's that good.

The return of Enigma, 22 Oct 2008
An amazing album, at the very least back to his old form but probably light years ahead. Well worth buying and listening to loudly on a good system to get the full benefit of this brilliant piece of work

Seven Lives Many Faces - Much Enjoyment, 19 Oct 2008
Yet another superb collection from Enigma. As soon as it arrived I was keen to hear it based on other reviews on Amazon. Boy was I not disappointed, is it possible to wear out a cd? Slightly different from previous but I think all of them have been, not regretted a purchase yet. If you really like Enigma style I do think you'll love this too.

harry hill is the best, 01 Jan 2005
i am a big harry hill fan at ony 12. i love all his work but his stand up is the best.this takes the best bits of his live show.
he makes his jokes esay to understand. l can't wait for the next dvd

harry hill is the best, 31 Dec 2004
i am a big harry hill fan at only 12. i love this dvd because it is not rude and not crude.i think it is one of my funnist dvds i have.

he is very clever by building up the jokes so evry one will understand then,this has the best bits of him live.

by sam boot

harry hill is a genius and a national tresure!, 02 Nov 2004
if u like or love harry hill this DVD is 4 u! it is excellent. ppl who have seen most of his material will know sum of the jokes but it dosnt matter, it is the way he sez them that will keep u watchin this quality DVD.

HARRY'S HILL-ARIOUS!!!, 04 Dec 2000
I went to see this performance live and it was unbelievable. The only time I stopped laughing was at the interval... :) Unfortunately the tour is over..... BUT you, yes you can buy Birdstike! on DVD from Amazon today!!! This DVD is a MUST for all people who like to laugh. In other words, everyone!!! Please buy this DVD - it's for your own good...!

Actual BLU-RAY review (unlike prevous 35 DVD reviews), 21 Nov 2008
I would give the DVD 5 star rating too. The program is awesome. Take That is in it's best form, and concert is wonderfully conceived.

I trained myself to perceive buying something I like on a Blu-ray, after I already have it on a DVD, as an upgrade and not double-dipping. As such, I expect it to actually BE an upgrade...

Unfortunately... it was lit for the in-house audience and not for cameras (at least not for cameras used to shoot this concert). Insufficient light leads to grain and grain is abundant here, there is a lot of blocking and it is obvious that there is something gravely wrong with the colors and contrast. It's blooming, screaming and is painful to watch. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement over the DVD, judging by the difference between their previous DVD and Blu-ray, but this exceeded all my grim expectations... DVD itself looked ok, but when I inspect it now, after seeing the Blu-ray, I see that the grain is inherent in the source material, it was only far less visible (almost invisible) in the inferior resolution of the DVD. On the Blu-ray, I can only see grain and color banding...

Needless to say, this is the worse Blu-ray disc I have, an awfull presentation of a wonderful content. To add insult to injury, DTS HD Master Audio track that is advertised on the package is nowhere to be found on the disc, giving more of an amateurish feel to all the proceedings... They wrote: "Music Never Looked Or Sounded So Good" on the cover. I beg to differ! I am sorely dissapointed, even if I didn't expect too much of an improvement over the DVD.

AMAZING BEST LIVE ACT IN THE WORLD !!!!!!, 09 Jun 2008
AMAzing FANtastic show and jason orange have a great voice hope they tour again id camp overnight for front row tickets

The second best thing, 01 Apr 2008
I was lucky enough to be there the night they filmed this DVD (7th December), but if you were not, this is the second best thing.
As a music DVD this is very complete, with the whole show, a long documentary on the production and tour, an audio commentary done by the guys and a photo gallery.
As for the show, it is absolutely breathtaking, I haven't stoped watching it since I bought the DVD. A definite MUST not only for Take That fans, but everybody who enjoys great live music and an amazing production.

Somewhat taken aback, 27 Mar 2008
Look I was never into these people first time around. My wife would go off to their concerts and I'd just not get it. Cheesy hip gyrating c**p - at best. And lets face it - Robbie was the talent wasn't he - just look at Knebworth - isn't that just streets ahead.

And then I saw this - having again bought it for my wife.

Its really good - but bits of it are a revelation. These guys seems so much more comfortable with themselves. They don't seem like the shadow of RW is over them any more. If the "Ultimate Tour" hologram of Robbie had been repeated it would almost have felt like an intrusion - because this is a "Beautiful World" performance.

I love the fact that they do something slightly different with almost everything. Other people have commented on the upbeat tone of "Back for Good" rather than the nauseating cigarette lighter Angels rip off we've seen before. The "slow" version of "Could it be Magic" is breath-taking. Howard is a revelation - his vocals get better and better and unlike Gary Barlow his live voice is better than the studio version - listen to Beautiful World if you don't agree. Even a visibly nervous Jason and "Wooden Boat" suprises - it's just great.

So I sign off this review still rather embarassed that I thought this was so great. But forget the cheese of before. This ain't the same. Buy it.




Utterley Amazing!, 27 Mar 2008
Being one of the hundreds of thousands that went to see Take That on tour I placed my pre-order for the Beautiful World DVD many weeks before it was actually released.
With very fond memories of the live tour I was unsure whether the DVD would be able to re-create the atmosphere I experienced in the MEN arena at Manchester.
It did.
The hairs on my neck stood up when the amazing classical overture kicked in at the very beginning and it did not stop there. The entire DVD is edited with excellent interludes and the extras on the DVD give you an insight into the tour that I have never experienced before.
All in all the DVD as a whole took me back to that cold December night where I experienced possibly one of the best concerts around.
The added extras on the DVD just make for an excellent peek into what life is really like on tour!
You are bound to enjoy this DVD even if you are not the biggest Take That fan.

enigma,seven lives many faces, 11 Nov 2008
Seven Lives Many Facesyet again another great album from Enigma,awsome cd a few riffs from the past and some great new stuff as well ,head phones a must,fav tracks 4and 9 but all great .

Enigma back on top!, 10 Nov 2008
I have every Enigma album and had to get this one to add to the collection. I was a little disappointed with the 2 previous albums (having said that they do contain some great tunes) and was sceptical with Seven Lives...But this is a great album. I went for the enhanced one to gain a couple of extra tracks and love them all. There are a couple of favourites that I have - 'Same Parents'(very thought provoking lyrics) and 'La Puerta Del Cielo'(which has a haunting Eastern European feel about it!)
This album is definately getting back to its original roots. I love it and can't stop playing it. Thank you Michael Cretu for another wonderful journey into the worldof Enigma.


Monster Album, 10 Nov 2008
I read all the rave reviews here, so I bought it. Wow! Unbelievable. Don't hesitate, just go and get it. You won't be disappointed. I've waited so long for another top Enigma album but this one was worth the wait. Unusually there is not one bad track. God, I can't get this album out of my head it's that good.

The return of Enigma, 22 Oct 2008
An amazing album, at the very least back to his old form but probably light years ahead. Well worth buying and listening to loudly on a good system to get the full benefit of this brilliant piece of work

Seven Lives Many Faces - Much Enjoyment, 19 Oct 2008
Yet another superb collection from Enigma. As soon as it arrived I was keen to hear it based on other reviews on Amazon. Boy was I not disappointed, is it possible to wear out a cd? Slightly different from previous but I think all of them have been, not regretted a purchase yet. If you really like Enigma style I do think you'll love this too.

harry hill is the best, 01 Jan 2005
i am a big harry hill fan at ony 12. i love all his work but his stand up is the best.this takes the best bits of his live show.
he makes his jokes esay to understand. l can't wait for the next dvd

harry hill is the best, 31 Dec 2004
i am a big harry hill fan at only 12. i love this dvd because it is not rude and not crude.i think it is one of my funnist dvds i have.

he is very clever by building up the jokes so evry one will understand then,this has the best bits of him live.

by sam boot

harry hill is a genius and a national tresure!, 02 Nov 2004
if u like or love harry hill this DVD is 4 u! it is excellent. ppl who have seen most of his material will know sum of the jokes but it dosnt matter, it is the way he sez them that will keep u watchin this quality DVD.

HARRY'S HILL-ARIOUS!!!, 04 Dec 2000
I went to see this performance live and it was unbelievable. The only time I stopped laughing was at the interval... :) Unfortunately the tour is over..... BUT you, yes you can buy Birdstike! on DVD from Amazon today!!! This DVD is a MUST for all people who like to laugh. In other words, everyone!!! Please buy this DVD - it's for your own good...!

Relive the Experience, 06 Oct 2008
This DVD version of the famous Red Rocks concert has been a long time coming and it does not disappoint. It is great to have the whole concert restored and the missing tracks are so good one wonders why they were ever omitted fom the original VHS version. The most impressive aspect of this release is the improved sound. The bass in particular is awesome, and I can hear phases from Adam Clayton that I have never been able to hear before. Edge's guitar is equally impressive and the whole sound picture is perfetly balanced.

A previous reviewer mentions how this is the last time we see U2 in their original early form before the introduction of sequencers. The Unforgettable Fire album saw the band delve into ambiant, keyboard supported tracks . However, it is not true to say that Edge replaced all his keyboard playing with sequencers. More accurately the sequencers (driving DX7 and Oberheim keyboards) were required to recreate what had been sequenced in the studio while Edge played guitar over the top. To this day he still plays the New Year's Day piano part live just as he did at Red Rocks 25 years ago.

The only oddities are the neccessary edits made during 'Two Hearts Beat as One' and 'Electric Co'. They are both to do with Bono's tendency to introduce songs from other artists into U2 live songs. In the first Bono tried to get the crowd to sing along with him but he could not remember the words. This section has been cut along with what I believe was a couple of phrases from West Side Story that had to be removed from Electric Co for copyright reasons. The latter edit creates quite a 'glitch' in the song but these two hiccups do not detract from what is an amazing piece of rock footage.

The inclusion of Electric Co. shows, for the first time, the sequence where Bono scales the cliff high above the audience that gave us the famous still image from the original video box cover. Up to this point it has not been clear how this image related to the concert.

Another great feature of this version, that was lost on the original, is that the show starts in daylight and, as the show progresses darkness decends along with rain, mist, burning olympic-style torches and stage smoke...very atmospheric!

Glorious!, 04 Oct 2008
This is a great and very honest record! and, as someone here said before, it was made at a time when U2 wasn't that monster that is now. In terms of music, this is a pure, total and absolute rock and roll album. Damn! wish I was there...compared to the Pop Mart or the Vertigo tours, "Live At Red Rocks" is superior. It comes 25 years later to justify why U2 is among the greatest bands in rock. Personally, my favourite songs are "An Cat Dubh" - "Into The Heart" and "11 o'Clock Tick Tock".

Recently, when it was released the DVD "Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago", it was those two songs (An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart) the ones that meant something for me, because I saw a moment of true communion between The Edge and Adam Clayton as long as they were playing those songs...it was like both of them were transported for one moment to the 1983 days...days of honesty and rock and roll.

That's what "Live At Red Rocks", the DVD, offers...honesty and rock and roll. Buy it, the packaging is nice and if you already have the remastered versions of the first 3 albums, then you got to complete the collection.

Great DVD, and an underwhelming album , 30 Sep 2008
Bringing to a conclusion phase one of U2's reissue packages, "Under A Blood Red Sky" was originally an 8 song concert stopgap EP that bought U2 some time between albums, and now, in retrospect captures U2 at precisely the stage where they stood on the cusp of being pretty good before leaping to huge, and potentially being as big as they would ever be. They could have easily turned into a fair to middling act that never got any bigger than the theatre market. Unlike the traditional cliché, which says all bands release their best stuff in their first decade, and that at the end of that decade they are as big as they are ever going to be, this sees U2 just before they took the leap to arenas, stadiums, and having a turnover bigger than many countries.

Musically, the reissue comes in two flavours : the original 8 song LP give a polish for a CD re-release, and a long awaited DVD version of the Red Rocks concert that was originally seen in a highly truncated VHS release in 1984. Taking a step back from this VHS release, the DVD version has been regraded and expanded : instead of the VHS version released, the DVD is taken (primarily) from the UK TV broadcast featuring a handful of pre-show interviews, backstage footage, and 5 extra songs not previously released. Visually and aurally - given that U2 sank most of their available finance into funding the show - "Live At Red Rocks" is a fairly desperate Fame-Or-Bust move in capturing the euphoric passion of a U2 show of the times but with everything at stake.

These were the days before U2 discovered irony or post-modernism, before Bono became someone who was automatically doublethinking his every thought and action to ensure he didn't offend someone, before he put his personality in check by the rigours of fame and the lens of public eye. Here Bono acts up, improvises, makes it up as he goes along, he leans into the crowd which willingly catch him - an act that would see his jacket torn from him if he tried it now by the hysteria of the hungry - and pulls a girl from the audience to dance with him. (I know, he does this now, but now its part of a love song and a predictable act, then it was a youthful naivety). Over time, this impertuous, eager Bono would be replaced by a mature calculation. When you see U2 now - especially on U23D - you can almost see Bono cynically thinking "If I do this with my arms, that part of the crowd will go wild", "If I say this, they'll scream at me". That safety net and security of having an audience on your side was not here then, and with this concert as many others of the time, U2 had to work very hard to win the crowd over and keep them there.

Musically, the Red Rocks show and live album are signs of a tight, hungry, youthful entity : honed by hundreds of shows and a half-decade playing live, U2 were in their element in a way that the sterile recorded entity could never be. The Edge (in the days when he had hair, not hats) leaps between instruments - guitar and piano - with a dexterity he would never show again : on the next tour, U2 bought sequencers. Behind The Edge, and unsung, are the tight, near telepathic communion between Adam on bass and Larry on drums.

For people who've spent a long time with U2 (I'm in my 22nd year with them), it's strange to see U2 as young boys : all floppy haircuts, and dated fashions from the age before they had stylists who told them what to say, what to wear, and before they learnt by instinct and without thinking, how to pose at every second. Here they were learning their craft, at the limits of their ability, before maturity started to reign them in.

In many respects, the audio CD is a disappointment (as it was at the time) : it's a short ride that fails to reflect the U2 live experience of the time, being about half the length of a U2 concert, as well as missing some fairly major live staples that frequented the numerous b-sides of singles at the time and the running order doesn't reflect any U2 show on the tour. Musically, it's a tight and exciting document that easily matches the rest of U2's high standards but falls a bit short in providing a comprhensive U2 document of their live show at the time. Buy this for the DVD and think of the CD as a handy concert EP instead of a live album in the traditional sense and you may be on a winner here.

Actual BLU-RAY review (unlike prevous 35 DVD reviews), 21 Nov 2008
I would give the DVD 5 star rating too. The program is awesome. Take That is in it's best form, and concert is wonderfully conceived.

I trained myself to perceive buying something I like on a Blu-ray, after I already have it on a DVD, as an upgrade and not double-dipping. As such, I expect it to actually BE an upgrade...

Unfortunately... it was lit for the in-house audience and not for cameras (at least not for cameras used to shoot this concert). Insufficient light leads to grain and grain is abundant here, there is a lot of blocking and it is obvious that there is something gravely wrong with the colors and contrast. It's blooming, screaming and is painful to watch. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement over the DVD, judging by the difference between their previous DVD and Blu-ray, but this exceeded all my grim expectations... DVD itself looked ok, but when I inspect it now, after seeing the Blu-ray, I see that the grain is inherent in the source material, it was only far less visible (almost invisible) in the inferior resolution of the DVD. On the Blu-ray, I can only see grain and color banding...

Needless to say, this is the worse Blu-ray disc I have, an awfull presentation of a wonderful content. To add insult to injury, DTS HD Master Audio track that is advertised on the package is nowhere to be found on the disc, giving more of an amateurish feel to all the proceedings... They wrote: "Music Never Looked Or Sounded So Good" on the cover. I beg to differ! I am sorely dissapointed, even if I didn't expect too much of an improvement over the DVD.

AMAZING BEST LIVE ACT IN THE WORLD !!!!!!, 09 Jun 2008
AMAzing FANtastic show and jason orange have a great voice hope they tour again id camp overnight for front row tickets

The second best thing, 01 Apr 2008
I was lucky enough to be there the night they filmed this DVD (7th December), but if you were not, this is the second best thing.
As a music DVD this is very complete, with the whole show, a long documentary on the production and tour, an audio commentary done by the guys and a photo gallery.
As for the show, it is absolutely breathtaking, I haven't stoped watching it since I bought the DVD. A definite MUST not only for Take That fans, but everybody who enjoys great live music and an amazing production.

Somewhat taken aback, 27 Mar 2008
Look I was never into these people first time around. My wife would go off to their concerts and I'd just not get it. Cheesy hip gyrating c**p - at best. And lets face it - Robbie was the talent wasn't he - just look at Knebworth - isn't that just streets ahead.

And then I saw this - having again bought it for my wife.

Its really good - but bits of it are a revelation. These guys seems so much more comfortable with themselves. They don't seem like the shadow of RW is over them any more. If the "Ultimate Tour" hologram of Robbie had been repeated it would almost have felt like an intrusion - because this is a "Beautiful World" performance.

I love the fact that they do something slightly different with almost everything. Other people have commented on the upbeat tone of "Back for Good" rather than the nauseating cigarette lighter Angels rip off we've seen before. The "slow" version of "Could it be Magic" is breath-taking. Howard is a revelation - his vocals get better and better and unlike Gary Barlow his live voice is better than the studio version - listen to Beautiful World if you don't agree. Even a visibly nervous Jason and "Wooden Boat" suprises - it's just great.

So I sign off this review still rather embarassed that I thought this was so great. But forget the cheese of before. This ain't the same. Buy it.




Utterley Amazing!, 27 Mar 2008
Being one of the hundreds of thousands that went to see Take That on tour I placed my pre-order for the Beautiful World DVD many weeks before it was actually released.
With very fond memories of the live tour I was unsure whether the DVD would be able to re-create the atmosphere I experienced in the MEN arena at Manchester.
It did.
The hairs on my neck stood up when the amazing classical overture kicked in at the very beginning and it did not stop there. The entire DVD is edited with excellent interludes and the extras on the DVD give you an insight into the tour that I have never experienced before.
All in all the DVD as a whole took me back to that cold December night where I experienced possibly one of the best concerts around.
The added extras on the DVD just make for an excellent peek into what life is really like on tour!
You are bound to enjoy this DVD even if you are not the biggest Take That fan.

enigma,seven lives many faces, 11 Nov 2008
Seven Lives Many Facesyet again another great album from Enigma,awsome cd a few riffs from the past and some great new stuff as well ,head phones a must,fav tracks 4and 9 but all great .

Enigma back on top!, 10 Nov 2008
I have every Enigma album and had to get this one to add to the collection. I was a little disappointed with the 2 previous albums (having said that they do contain some great tunes) and was sceptical with Seven Lives...But this is a great album. I went for the enhanced one to gain a couple of extra tracks and love them all. There are a couple of favourites that I have - 'Same Parents'(very thought provoking lyrics) and 'La Puerta Del Cielo'(which has a haunting Eastern European feel about it!)
This album is definately getting back to its original roots. I love it and can't stop playing it. Thank you Michael Cretu for another wonderful journey into the worldof Enigma.


Monster Album, 10 Nov 2008
I read all the rave reviews here, so I bought it. Wow! Unbelievable. Don't hesitate, just go and get it. You won't be disappointed. I've waited so long for another top Enigma album but this one was worth the wait. Unusually there is not one bad track. God, I can't get this album out of my head it's that good.

The return of Enigma, 22 Oct 2008
An amazing album, at the very least back to his old form but probably light years ahead. Well worth buying and listening to loudly on a good system to get the full benefit of this brilliant piece of work

Seven Lives Many Faces - Much Enjoyment, 19 Oct 2008
Yet another superb collection from Enigma. As soon as it arrived I was keen to hear it based on other reviews on Amazon. Boy was I not disappointed, is it possible to wear out a cd? Slightly different from previous but I think all of them have been, not regretted a purchase yet. If you really like Enigma style I do think you'll love this too.

harry hill is the best, 01 Jan 2005
i am a big harry hill fan at ony 12. i love all his work but his stand up is the best.this takes the best bits of his live show.
he makes his jokes esay to understand. l can't wait for the next dvd

harry hill is the best, 31 Dec 2004
i am a big harry hill fan at only 12. i love this dvd because it is not rude and not crude.i think it is one of my funnist dvds i have.

he is very clever by building up the jokes so evry one will understand then,this has the best bits of him live.

by sam boot

harry hill is a genius and a national tresure!, 02 Nov 2004
if u like or love harry hill this DVD is 4 u! it is excellent. ppl who have seen most of his material will know sum of the jokes but it dosnt matter, it is the way he sez them that will keep u watchin this quality DVD.

HARRY'S HILL-ARIOUS!!!, 04 Dec 2000
I went to see this performance live and it was unbelievable. The only time I stopped laughing was at the interval... :) Unfortunately the tour is over..... BUT you, yes you can buy Birdstike! on DVD from Amazon today!!! This DVD is a MUST for all people who like to laugh. In other words, everyone!!! Please buy this DVD - it's for your own good...!

Relive the Experience, 06 Oct 2008
This DVD version of the famous Red Rocks concert has been a long time coming and it does not disappoint. It is great to have the whole concert restored and the missing tracks are so good one wonders why they were ever omitted fom the original VHS version. The most impressive aspect of this release is the improved sound. The bass in particular is awesome, and I can hear phases from Adam Clayton that I have never been able to hear before. Edge's guitar is equally impressive and the whole sound picture is perfetly balanced.

A previous reviewer mentions how this is the last time we see U2 in their original early form before the introduction of sequencers. The Unforgettable Fire album saw the band delve into ambiant, keyboard supported tracks . However, it is not true to say that Edge replaced all his keyboard playing with sequencers. More accurately the sequencers (driving DX7 and Oberheim keyboards) were required to recreate what had been sequenced in the studio while Edge played guitar over the top. To this day he still plays the New Year's Day piano part live just as he did at Red Rocks 25 years ago.

The only oddities are the neccessary edits made during 'Two Hearts Beat as One' and 'Electric Co'. They are both to do with Bono's tendency to introduce songs from other artists into U2 live songs. In the first Bono tried to get the crowd to sing along with him but he could not remember the words. This section has been cut along with what I believe was a couple of phrases from West Side Story that had to be removed from Electric Co for copyright reasons. The latter edit creates quite a 'glitch' in the song but these two hiccups do not detract from what is an amazing piece of rock footage.

The inclusion of Electric Co. shows, for the first time, the sequence where Bono scales the cliff high above the audience that gave us the famous still image from the original video box cover. Up to this point it has not been clear how this image related to the concert.

Another great feature of this version, that was lost on the original, is that the show starts in daylight and, as the show progresses darkness decends along with rain, mist, burning olympic-style torches and stage smoke...very atmospheric!

Glorious!, 04 Oct 2008
This is a great and very honest record! and, as someone here said before, it was made at a time when U2 wasn't that monster that is now. In terms of music, this is a pure, total and absolute rock and roll album. Damn! wish I was there...compared to the Pop Mart or the Vertigo tours, "Live At Red Rocks" is superior. It comes 25 years later to justify why U2 is among the greatest bands in rock. Personally, my favourite songs are "An Cat Dubh" - "Into The Heart" and "11 o'Clock Tick Tock".

Recently, when it was released the DVD "Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago", it was those two songs (An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart) the ones that meant something for me, because I saw a moment of true communion between The Edge and Adam Clayton as long as they were playing those songs...it was like both of them were transported for one moment to the 1983 days...days of honesty and rock and roll.

That's what "Live At Red Rocks", the DVD, offers...honesty and rock and roll. Buy it, the packaging is nice and if you already have the remastered versions of the first 3 albums, then you got to complete the collection.

Great DVD, and an underwhelming album , 30 Sep 2008
Bringing to a conclusion phase one of U2's reissue packages, "Under A Blood Red Sky" was originally an 8 song concert stopgap EP that bought U2 some time between albums, and now, in retrospect captures U2 at precisely the stage where they stood on the cusp of being pretty good before leaping to huge, and potentially being as big as they would ever be. They could have easily turned into a fair to middling act that never got any bigger than the theatre market. Unlike the traditional cliché, which says all bands release their best stuff in their first decade, and that at the end of that decade they are as big as they are ever going to be, this sees U2 just before they took the leap to arenas, stadiums, and having a turnover bigger than many countries.

Musically, the reissue comes in two flavours : the original 8 song LP give a polish for a CD re-release, and a long awaited DVD version of the Red Rocks concert that was originally seen in a highly truncated VHS release in 1984. Taking a step back from this VHS release, the DVD version has been regraded and expanded : instead of the VHS version released, the DVD is taken (primarily) from the UK TV broadcast featuring a handful of pre-show interviews, backstage footage, and 5 extra songs not previously released. Visually and aurally - given that U2 sank most of their available finance into funding the show - "Live At Red Rocks" is a fairly desperate Fame-Or-Bust move in capturing the euphoric passion of a U2 show of the times but with everything at stake.

These were the days before U2 discovered irony or post-modernism, before Bono became someone who was automatically doublethinking his every thought and action to ensure he didn't offend someone, before he put his personality in check by the rigours of fame and the lens of public eye. Here Bono acts up, improvises, makes it up as he goes along, he leans into the crowd which willingly catch him - an act that would see his jacket torn from him if he tried it now by the hysteria of the hungry - and pulls a girl from the audience to dance with him. (I know, he does this now, but now its part of a love song and a predictable act, then it was a youthful naivety). Over time, this impertuous, eager Bono would be replaced by a mature calculation. When you see U2 now - especially on U23D - you can almost see Bono cynically thinking "If I do this with my arms, that part of the crowd will go wild", "If I say this, they'll scream at me". That safety net and security of having an audience on your side was not here then, and with this concert as many others of the time, U2 had to work very hard to win the crowd over and keep them there.

Musically, the Red Rocks show and live album are signs of a tight, hungry, youthful entity : honed by hundreds of shows and a half-decade playing live, U2 were in their element in a way that the sterile recorded entity could never be. The Edge (in the days when he had hair, not hats) leaps between instruments - guitar and piano - with a dexterity he would never show again : on the next tour, U2 bought sequencers. Behind The Edge, and unsung, are the tight, near telepathic communion between Adam on bass and Larry on drums.

For people who've spent a long time with U2 (I'm in my 22nd year with them), it's strange to see U2 as young boys : all floppy haircuts, and dated fashions from the age before they had stylists who told them what to say, what to wear, and before they learnt by instinct and without thinking, how to pose at every second. Here they were learning their craft, at the limits of their ability, before maturity started to reign them in.

In many respects, the audio CD is a disappointment (as it was at the time) : it's a short ride that fails to reflect the U2 live experience of the time, being about half the length of a U2 concert, as well as missing some fairly major live staples that frequented the numerous b-sides of singles at the time and the running order doesn't reflect any U2 show on the tour. Musically, it's a tight and exciting document that easily matches the rest of U2's high standards but falls a bit short in providing a comprhensive U2 document of their live show at the time. Buy this for the DVD and think of the CD as a handy concert EP instead of a live album in the traditional sense and you may be on a winner here.


Heartrendingly beautiful, 24 Oct 2003
I've been a Cohen fan as far back as I can remember. I had a feeling I wouldn't be disappointed by this album, since Cohen's live backup singers are legendary, and I was right. These are without a doubt the most beautiful and emotional versions of the songs ever recorded, and I find it impossible to listen to the album as mere background music; as soon as the music starts playing, I can't help but close my eyes and just let the music envelop me completely.

The songs "Bird on a Wire" and "Sisters of Mercy" are worthy of special mention. The tempo is lower, the saxophone sexier and the vocals deeper and more intense than ever before, and the result defies description. I would have gladly paid in blood to be at the show where they were recorded.

I heartily recommend this album to all, it is beyond fantastic.

The best live album ever?, 06 Nov 2001
I'm not usually a fan of live albums. They often contain little more than badly recorded, inferior versions of tracks you probably already own. So this live collection comes as a welcome exception to the rule.

Simply put, this album is stunning. It contains many of Leonard Cohen's best loved songs, all played to perfection by world-class musicians and recorded with pin-drop clarity. The songs were recorded on various tours during the 80s and early 90s but the album hangs together as if they were all recorded on the same night.

Particularly effective are the understated but arresting guitars, and the backing vocals providing a silky counterpoint to Cohen's world-weary tones.

This was the album that introduced me to Leonard Cohen and I have to say, I haven't found a better version of any of these songs anywhere. This is, for me, the best live album ever made, and one of my all time top five albums, period.

Actual BLU-RAY review (unlike prevous 35 DVD reviews), 21 Nov 2008
I would give the DVD 5 star rating too. The program is awesome. Take That is in it's best form, and concert is wonderfully conceived.

I trained myself to perceive buying something I like on a Blu-ray, after I already have it on a DVD, as an upgrade and not double-dipping. As such, I expect it to actually BE an upgrade...

Unfortunately... it was lit for the in-house audience and not for cameras (at least not for cameras used to shoot this concert). Insufficient light leads to grain and grain is abundant here, there is a lot of blocking and it is obvious that there is something gravely wrong with the colors and contrast. It's blooming, screaming and is painful to watch. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement over the DVD, judging by the difference between their previous DVD and Blu-ray, but this exceeded all my grim expectations... DVD itself looked ok, but when I inspect it now, after seeing the Blu-ray, I see that the grain is inherent in the source material, it was only far less visible (almost invisible) in the inferior resolution of the DVD. On the Blu-ray, I can only see grain and color banding...

Needless to say, this is the worse Blu-ray disc I have, an awfull presentation of a wonderful content. To add insult to injury, DTS HD Master Audio track that is advertised on the package is nowhere to be found on the disc, giving more of an amateurish feel to all the proceedings... They wrote: "Music Never Looked Or Sounded So Good" on the cover. I beg to differ! I am sorely dissapointed, even if I didn't expect too much of an improvement over the DVD.

AMAZING BEST LIVE ACT IN THE WORLD !!!!!!, 09 Jun 2008
AMAzing FANtastic show and jason orange have a great voice hope they tour again id camp overnight for front row tickets

The second best thing, 01 Apr 2008
I was lucky enough to be there the night they filmed this DVD (7th December), but if you were not, this is the second best thing.
As a music DVD this is very complete, with the whole show, a long documentary on the production and tour, an audio commentary done by the guys and a photo gallery.
As for the show, it is absolutely breathtaking, I haven't stoped watching it since I bought the DVD. A definite MUST not only for Take That fans, but everybody who enjoys great live music and an amazing production.

Somewhat taken aback, 27 Mar 2008
Look I was never into these people first time around. My wife would go off to their concerts and I'd just not get it. Cheesy hip gyrating c**p - at best. And lets face it - Robbie was the talent wasn't he - just look at Knebworth - isn't that just streets ahead.

And then I saw this - having again bought it for my wife.

Its really good - but bits of it are a revelation. These guys seems so much more comfortable with themselves. They don't seem like the shadow of RW is over them any more. If the "Ultimate Tour" hologram of Robbie had been repeated it would almost have felt like an intrusion - because this is a "Beautiful World" performance.

I love the fact that they do something slightly different with almost everything. Other people have commented on the upbeat tone of "Back for Good" rather than the nauseating cigarette lighter Angels rip off we've seen before. The "slow" version of "Could it be Magic" is breath-taking. Howard is a revelation - his vocals get better and better and unlike Gary Barlow his live voice is better than the studio version - listen to Beautiful World if you don't agree. Even a visibly nervous Jason and "Wooden Boat" suprises - it's just great.

So I sign off this review still rather embarassed that I thought this was so great. But forget the cheese of before. This ain't the same. Buy it.




Utterley Amazing!, 27 Mar 2008
Being one of the hundreds of thousands that went to see Take That on tour I placed my pre-order for the Beautiful World DVD many weeks before it was actually released.
With very fond memories of the live tour I was unsure whether the DVD would be able to re-create the atmosphere I experienced in the MEN arena at Manchester.
It did.
The hairs on my neck stood up when the amazing classical overture kicked in at the very beginning and it did not stop there. The entire DVD is edited with excellent interludes and the extras on the DVD give you an insight into the tour that I have never experienced before.
All in all the DVD as a whole took me back to that cold December night where I experienced possibly one of the best concerts around.
The added extras on the DVD just make for an excellent peek into what life is really like on tour!
You are bound to enjoy this DVD even if you are not the biggest Take That fan.

enigma,seven lives many faces, 11 Nov 2008
Seven Lives Many Facesyet again another great album from Enigma,awsome cd a few riffs from the past and some great new stuff as well ,head phones a must,fav tracks 4and 9 but all great .

Enigma back on top!, 10 Nov 2008
I have every Enigma album and had to get this one to add to the collection. I was a little disappointed with the 2 previous albums (having said that they do contain some great tunes) and was sceptical with Seven Lives...But this is a great album. I went for the enhanced one to gain a couple of extra tracks and love them all. There are a couple of favourites that I have - 'Same Parents'(very thought provoking lyrics) and 'La Puerta Del Cielo'(which has a haunting Eastern European feel about it!)
This album is definately getting back to its original roots. I love it and can't stop playing it. Thank you Michael Cretu for another wonderful journey into the worldof Enigma.


Monster Album, 10 Nov 2008
I read all the rave reviews here, so I bought it. Wow! Unbelievable. Don't hesitate, just go and get it. You won't be disappointed. I've waited so long for another top Enigma album but this one was worth the wait. Unusually there is not one bad track. God, I can't get this album out of my head it's that good.

The return of Enigma, 22 Oct 2008
An amazing album, at the very least back to his old form but probably light years ahead. Well worth buying and listening to loudly on a good system to get the full benefit of this brilliant piece of work

Seven Lives Many Faces - Much Enjoyment, 19 Oct 2008
Yet another superb collection from Enigma. As soon as it arrived I was keen to hear it based on other reviews on Amazon. Boy was I not disappointed, is it possible to wear out a cd? Slightly different from previous but I think all of them have been, not regretted a purchase yet. If you really like Enigma style I do think you'll love this too.

harry hill is the best, 01 Jan 2005
i am a big harry hill fan at ony 12. i love all his work but his stand up is the best.this takes the best bits of his live show.
he makes his jokes esay to understand. l can't wait for the next dvd

harry hill is the best, 31 Dec 2004
i am a big harry hill fan at only 12. i love this dvd because it is not rude and not crude.i think it is one of my funnist dvds i have.

he is very clever by building up the jokes so evry one will understand then,this has the best bits of him live.

by sam boot

harry hill is a genius and a national tresure!, 02 Nov 2004
if u like or love harry hill this DVD is 4 u! it is excellent. ppl who have seen most of his material will know sum of the jokes but it dosnt matter, it is the way he sez them that will keep u watchin this quality DVD.

HARRY'S HILL-ARIOUS!!!, 04 Dec 2000
I went to see this performance live and it was unbelievable. The only time I stopped laughing was at the interval... :) Unfortunately the tour is over..... BUT you, yes you can buy Birdstike! on DVD from Amazon today!!! This DVD is a MUST for all people who like to laugh. In other words, everyone!!! Please buy this DVD - it's for your own good...!

Relive the Experience, 06 Oct 2008
This DVD version of the famous Red Rocks concert has been a long time coming and it does not disappoint. It is great to have the whole concert restored and the missing tracks are so good one wonders why they were ever omitted fom the original VHS version. The most impressive aspect of this release is the improved sound. The bass in particular is awesome, and I can hear phases from Adam Clayton that I have never been able to hear before. Edge's guitar is equally impressive and the whole sound picture is perfetly balanced.

A previous reviewer mentions how this is the last time we see U2 in their original early form before the introduction of sequencers. The Unforgettable Fire album saw the band delve into ambiant, keyboard supported tracks . However, it is not true to say that Edge replaced all his keyboard playing with sequencers. More accurately the sequencers (driving DX7 and Oberheim keyboards) were required to recreate what had been sequenced in the studio while Edge played guitar over the top. To this day he still plays the New Year's Day piano part live just as he did at Red Rocks 25 years ago.

The only oddities are the neccessary edits made during 'Two Hearts Beat as One' and 'Electric Co'. They are both to do with Bono's tendency to introduce songs from other artists into U2 live songs. In the first Bono tried to get the crowd to sing along with him but he could not remember the words. This section has been cut along with what I believe was a couple of phrases from West Side Story that had to be removed from Electric Co for copyright reasons. The latter edit creates quite a 'glitch' in the song but these two hiccups do not detract from what is an amazing piece of rock footage.

The inclusion of Electric Co. shows, for the first time, the sequence where Bono scales the cliff high above the audience that gave us the famous still image from the original video box cover. Up to this point it has not been clear how this image related to the concert.

Another great feature of this version, that was lost on the original, is that the show starts in daylight and, as the show progresses darkness decends along with rain, mist, burning olympic-style torches and stage smoke...very atmospheric!

Glorious!, 04 Oct 2008
This is a great and very honest record! and, as someone here said before, it was made at a time when U2 wasn't that monster that is now. In terms of music, this is a pure, total and absolute rock and roll album. Damn! wish I was there...compared to the Pop Mart or the Vertigo tours, "Live At Red Rocks" is superior. It comes 25 years later to justify why U2 is among the greatest bands in rock. Personally, my favourite songs are "An Cat Dubh" - "Into The Heart" and "11 o'Clock Tick Tock".

Recently, when it was released the DVD "Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago", it was those two songs (An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart) the ones that meant something for me, because I saw a moment of true communion between The Edge and Adam Clayton as long as they were playing those songs...it was like both of them were transported for one moment to the 1983 days...days of honesty and rock and roll.

That's what "Live At Red Rocks", the DVD, offers...honesty and rock and roll. Buy it, the packaging is nice and if you already have the remastered versions of the first 3 albums, then you got to complete the collection.

Great DVD, and an underwhelming album , 30 Sep 2008
Bringing to a conclusion phase one of U2's reissue packages, "Under A Blood Red Sky" was originally an 8 song concert stopgap EP that bought U2 some time between albums, and now, in retrospect captures U2 at precisely the stage where they stood on the cusp of being pretty good before leaping to huge, and potentially being as big as they would ever be. They could have easily turned into a fair to middling act that never got any bigger than the theatre market. Unlike the traditional cliché, which says all bands release their best stuff in their first decade, and that at the end of that decade they are as big as they are ever going to be, this sees U2 just before they took the leap to arenas, stadiums, and having a turnover bigger than many countries.

Musically, the reissue comes in two flavours : the original 8 song LP give a polish for a CD re-release, and a long awaited DVD version of the Red Rocks concert that was originally seen in a highly truncated VHS release in 1984. Taking a step back from this VHS release, the DVD version has been regraded and expanded : instead of the VHS version released, the DVD is taken (primarily) from the UK TV broadcast featuring a handful of pre-show interviews, backstage footage, and 5 extra songs not previously released. Visually and aurally - given that U2 sank most of their available finance into funding the show - "Live At Red Rocks" is a fairly desperate Fame-Or-Bust move in capturing the euphoric passion of a U2 show of the times but with everything at stake.

These were the days before U2 discovered irony or post-modernism, before Bono became someone who was automatically doublethinking his every thought and action to ensure he didn't offend someone, before he put his personality in check by the rigours of fame and the lens of public eye. Here Bono acts up, improvises, makes it up as he goes along, he leans into the crowd which willingly catch him - an act that would see his jacket torn from him if he tried it now by the hysteria of the hungry - and pulls a girl from the audience to dance with him. (I know, he does this now, but now its part of a love song and a predictable act, then it was a youthful naivety). Over time, this impertuous, eager Bono would be replaced by a mature calculation. When you see U2 now - especially on U23D - you can almost see Bono cynically thinking "If I do this with my arms, that part of the crowd will go wild", "If I say this, they'll scream at me". That safety net and security of having an audience on your side was not here then, and with this concert as many others of the time, U2 had to work very hard to win the crowd over and keep them there.

Musically, the Red Rocks show and live album are signs of a tight, hungry, youthful entity : honed by hundreds of shows and a half-decade playing live, U2 were in their element in a way that the sterile recorded entity could never be. The Edge (in the days when he had hair, not hats) leaps between instruments - guitar and piano - with a dexterity he would never show again : on the next tour, U2 bought sequencers. Behind The Edge, and unsung, are the tight, near telepathic communion between Adam on bass and Larry on drums.

For people who've spent a long time with U2 (I'm in my 22nd year with them), it's strange to see U2 as young boys : all floppy haircuts, and dated fashions from the age before they had stylists who told them what to say, what to wear, and before they learnt by instinct and without thinking, how to pose at every second. Here they were learning their craft, at the limits of their ability, before maturity started to reign them in.

In many respects, the audio CD is a disappointment (as it was at the time) : it's a short ride that fails to reflect the U2 live experience of the time, being about half the length of a U2 concert, as well as missing some fairly major live staples that frequented the numerous b-sides of singles at the time and the running order doesn't reflect any U2 show on the tour. Musically, it's a tight and exciting document that easily matches the rest of U2's high standards but falls a bit short in providing a comprhensive U2 document of their live show at the time. Buy this for the DVD and think of the CD as a handy concert EP instead of a live album in the traditional sense and you may be on a winner here.


Heartrendingly beautiful, 24 Oct 2003
I've been a Cohen fan as far back as I can remember. I had a feeling I wouldn't be disappointed by this album, since Cohen's live backup singers are legendary, and I was right. These are without a doubt the most beautiful and emotional versions of the songs ever recorded, and I find it impossible to listen to the album as mere background music; as soon as the music starts playing, I can't help but close my eyes and just let the music envelop me completely.

The songs "Bird on a Wire" and "Sisters of Mercy" are worthy of special mention. The tempo is lower, the saxophone sexier and the vocals deeper and more intense than ever before, and the result defies description. I would have gladly paid in blood to be at the show where they were recorded.

I heartily recommend this album to all, it is beyond fantastic.

The best live album ever?, 06 Nov 2001
I'm not usually a fan of live albums. They often contain little more than badly recorded, inferior versions of tracks you probably already own. So this live collection comes as a welcome exception to the rule.

Simply put, this album is stunning. It contains many of Leonard Cohen's best loved songs, all played to perfection by world-class musicians and recorded with pin-drop clarity. The songs were recorded on various tours during the 80s and early 90s but the album hangs together as if they were all recorded on the same night.

Particularly effective are the understated but arresting guitars, and the backing vocals providing a silky counterpoint to Cohen's world-weary tones.

This was the album that introduced me to Leonard Cohen and I have to say, I haven't found a better version of any of these songs anywhere. This is, for me, the best live album ever made, and one of my all time top five albums, period.

Can it ever get any better?, 15 Oct 2008
I am no stranger to reviewing material by John Mayer and I know that sometimes I can come over as evangelical in my praise, but how else can you describe such an immense talent?
The SRV analogies are bound to resonate through other reviews, and I'm sure the talented Mr M would not baulk at the comparison. However, when a 'white man plays the blues', these analogies are all too easy to use and this takes away from the originality of John Mayer's skills as a songwriter. 'Stop This Train' is the most powerful song with the most simple delivery that I have heard, and is a song which, in its live format, I often find I'm too sensitive to listen to. I am fortunate to have seen him live on two occasions, but have only seen him perform this song on the first. I almost didn't want him to do it - it feels too personal to share with thousands of others (like having your mind read by perfect strangers) and his delivery on this album moves me to tears. Quite how he can get through it, baring his soul, I do not know. But I'm very grateful that he does.
This is essentially three live sets for the price of one. His accoustic set is sheer virtuosity, the Trio is, well, The Trio and the band set gives you all that you expect when you think John Mayer. He seems to have no specific genre - how can you compare a song like 'Neon' to 'Slow Dancing In a Burning Room' and then throw in interpretations of the likes of 'I Don't Need No Doctor'? His appeal is so broad as to attract fawning girl fans and middle-aged male guitar afficianados alike (I fall somewhere in between!). I had considered Continuum to be his magnum opus, and couldn't imagine that he could make a better-sounding cd. Happily, I was wrong, and he continues to push my buttons (all of them). Long may it continue.

Excellent, 18 Jul 2008
This is a truly excellent album. THe acoustic sets are superb and show John Mayer off as the brilliant guitarist that he is. The trio sets and in deed some of the full band songs sound very much like Jimmie Vaughan. It is excellent, the songs are his best, from all previous album, but live. The small twiddly bits between/ leading into songs are very good and original. I would definitely recommend this any day to anyone who like rock, blues or jazz.(I mostly listen to metal by Mayer is the Jazz man that I like, he is a shinning example for all those in his genre) *****. Buy it.

Hyde Park miss, 11 Jul 2008
The rest of my family had a day out in central London and ended up in Hyde Park where the Clapton concert was on with John Mayer playing at the time they were there. Apparently my 8 year old said 'that sounds like daddy playing guitar.' Which proves that even John mayer can have a bad day...
The acoustic songs aren't amazing and the trio stuff, whilst incredibly well played, sounds more like an SRV tribute than an artist with his own voice. Still, all of disk 2 gives you John with his full band and a great live set it is too and its had me thinking about buying the dvd.
The John Mayer back catalogue is quite varied and not all in the vein of the modern blues/rock you get here. Be interesting to see what he does next.


Not just for the blues buff, 07 Jul 2008
This is the first I have heard of John Mayer and I am very impressed indeed. An advantage of such live albums is that you get a sense of immediacy which, with a singer/songwriter working mainly at the blues end of the spectrum, can often be lost in the confines of a studio. In this case Mayer clearly connects well with his audience and by splitting his perfomance into three distinct styles he shows off a wide repertoire of skills.

The first section is solo acoustic, very much in the style of a typical singer songwriter, with songs on the folk/blues borderline typified by a version of Tom Petty's Freefalling which is really rather good. Mayer's husky voice and exemplary guitar playing remind me a bit of Kelly Joe Phelps without the slide guitar.

The second section of disc one is performed as a trio, and allows Mayer to rock out a bit, very much in the style of Hendrix (there are a couple of covers) this is still rooted in the blues with a hint of jazz thrown in.

The whole of the second disc is performed by the John Mayer band and is not the rock wig out I was expecting. Covering a variety of styles and songs my immediate thought was that it was most like John Hiatt overall, with a hint of brass here and there, a mellow fuzzy guitar style and a fair bit of funk and gentle soul. For me the standout track of this disc and indeed the album is Slow dancing in a burning room, which is a Thin Lizzyesque ballad which is ended by a couple of minutes of twin guitar soaring and tumbling, very much in the manner of Gorham and Robertson.

Overall a fine introduction to this artist which has encouraged me to seek out the back catalogue.

Unplugged was the last collection recorded by Nirvana before the untimely death of Kurt Cobain and it caught many by surprise. As a testament to the group's live dynamic in a acoustic setting, it's a fantastic document that emphasises the nuances of one of the greatest bands of recent times. Cobain singing "I swear I don't have a gun, I don't have a gun" with clenched teeth instead of a loud howl is a revelation as is the subtle guitar playing on the haunting "About a Girl", from their earliest LP. Highlights include covers of three Meat Puppets tracks (featuring special guests Curt and Kris Kirkwood of that influential "college rock" band), the weepy cello on the Vaselines' "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" and their cover of David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World". --Lorry Fleming

Actual BLU-RAY review (unlike prevous 35 DVD reviews), 21 Nov 2008
I would give the DVD 5 star rating too. The program is awesome. Take That is in it's best form, and concert is wonderfully conceived.

I trained myself to perceive buying something I like on a Blu-ray, after I already have it on a DVD, as an upgrade and not double-dipping. As such, I expect it to actually BE an upgrade...

Unfortunately... it was lit for the in-house audience and not for cameras (at least not for cameras used to shoot this concert). Insufficient light leads to grain and grain is abundant here, there is a lot of blocking and it is obvious that there is something gravely wrong with the colors and contrast. It's blooming, screaming and is painful to watch. I wasn't expecting much of an improvement over the DVD, judging by the difference between their previous DVD and Blu-ray, but this exceeded all my grim expectations... DVD itself looked ok, but when I inspect it now, after seeing the Blu-ray, I see that the grain is inherent in the source material, it was only far less visible (almost invisible) in the inferior resolution of the DVD. On the Blu-ray, I can only see grain and color banding...

Needless to say, this is the worse Blu-ray disc I have, an awfull presentation of a wonderful content. To add insult to injury, DTS HD Master Audio track that is advertised on the package is nowhere to be found on the disc, giving more of an amateurish feel to all the proceedings... They wrote: "Music Never Looked Or Sounded So Good" on the cover. I beg to differ! I am sorely dissapointed, even if I didn't expect too much of an improvement over the DVD.

AMAZING BEST LIVE ACT IN THE WORLD !!!!!!, 09 Jun 2008
AMAzing FANtastic show and jason orange have a great voice hope they tour again id camp overnight for front row tickets

The second best thing, 01 Apr 2008
I was lucky enough to be there the night they filmed this DVD (7th December), but if you were not, this is the second best thing.
As a music DVD this is very complete, with the whole show, a long documentary on the production and tour, an audio commentary done by the guys and a photo gallery.
As for the show, it is absolutely breathtaking, I haven't stoped watching it since I bought the DVD. A definite MUST not only for Take That fans, but everybody who enjoys great live music and an amazing production.

Somewhat taken aback, 27 Mar 2008
Look I was never into these people first time around. My wife would go off to their concerts and I'd just not get it. Cheesy hip gyrating c**p - at best. And lets face it - Robbie was the talent wasn't he - just look at Knebworth - isn't that just streets ahead.

And then I saw this - having again bought it for my wife.

Its really good - but bits of it are a revelation. These guys seems so much more comfortable with themselves. They don't seem like the shadow of RW is over them any more. If the "Ultimate Tour" hologram of Robbie had been repeated it would almost have felt like an intrusion - because this is a "Beautiful World" performance.

I love the fact that they do something slightly different with almost everything. Other people have commented on the upbeat tone of "Back for Good" rather than the nauseating cigarette lighter Angels rip off we've seen before. The "slow" version of "Could it be Magic" is breath-taking. Howard is a revelation - his vocals get better and better and unlike Gary Barlow his live voice is better than the studio version - listen to Beautiful World if you don't agree. Even a visibly nervous Jason and "Wooden Boat" suprises - it's just great.

So I sign off this review still rather embarassed that I thought this was so great. But forget the cheese of before. This ain't the same. Buy it.




Utterley Amazing!, 27 Mar 2008
Being one of the hundreds of thousands that went to see Take That on tour I placed my pre-order for the Beautiful World DVD many weeks before it was actually released.
With very fond memories of the live tour I was unsure whether the DVD would be able to re-create the atmosphere I experienced in the MEN arena at Manchester.
It did.
The hairs on my neck stood up when the amazing classical overture kicked in at the very beginning and it did not stop there. The entire DVD is edited with excellent interludes and the extras on the DVD give you an insight into the tour that I have never experienced before.
All in all the DVD as a whole took me back to that cold December night where I experienced possibly one of the best concerts around.
The added extras on the DVD just make for an excellent peek into what life is really like on tour!
You are bound to enjoy this DVD even if you are not the biggest Take That fan.

enigma,seven lives many faces, 11 Nov 2008
Seven Lives Many Facesyet again another great album from Enigma,awsome cd a few riffs from the past and some great new stuff as well ,head phones a must,fav tracks 4and 9 but all great .

Enigma back on top!, 10 Nov 2008
I have every Enigma album and had to get this one to add to the collection. I was a little disappointed with the 2 previous albums (having said that they do contain some great tunes) and was sceptical with Seven Lives...But this is a great album. I went for the enhanced one to gain a couple of extra tracks and love them all. There are a couple of favourites that I have - 'Same Parents'(very thought provoking lyrics) and 'La Puerta Del Cielo'(which has a haunting Eastern European feel about it!)
This album is definately getting back to its original roots. I love it and can't stop playing it. Thank you Michael Cretu for another wonderful journey into the worldof Enigma.


Monster Album, 10 Nov 2008
I read all the rave reviews here, so I bought it. Wow! Unbelievable. Don't hesitate, just go and get it. You won't be disappointed. I've waited so long for another top Enigma album but this one was worth the wait. Unusually there is not one bad track. God, I can't get this album out of my head it's that good.

The return of Enigma, 22 Oct 2008
An amazing album, at the very least back to his old form but probably light years ahead. Well worth buying and listening to loudly on a good system to get the full benefit of this brilliant piece of work

Seven Lives Many Faces - Much Enjoyment, 19 Oct 2008
Yet another superb collection from Enigma. As soon as it arrived I was keen to hear it based on other reviews on Amazon. Boy was I not disappointed, is it possible to wear out a cd? Slightly different from previous but I think all of them have been, not regretted a purchase yet. If you really like Enigma style I do think you'll love this too.

harry hill is the best, 01 Jan 2005
i am a big harry hill fan at ony 12. i love all his work but his stand up is the best.this takes the best bits of his live show.
he makes his jokes esay to understand. l can't wait for the next dvd

harry hill is the best, 31 Dec 2004
i am a big harry hill fan at only 12. i love this dvd because it is not rude and not crude.i think it is one of my funnist dvds i have.

he is very clever by building up the jokes so evry one will understand then,this has the best bits of him live.

by sam boot

harry hill is a genius and a national tresure!, 02 Nov 2004
if u like or love harry hill this DVD is 4 u! it is excellent. ppl who have seen most of his material will know sum of the jokes but it dosnt matter, it is the way he sez them that will keep u watchin this quality DVD.

HARRY'S HILL-ARIOUS!!!, 04 Dec 2000
I went to see this performance live and it was unbelievable. The only time I stopped laughing was at the interval... :) Unfortunately the tour is over..... BUT you, yes you can buy Birdstike! on DVD from Amazon today!!! This DVD is a MUST for all people who like to laugh. In other words, everyone!!! Please buy this DVD - it's for your own good...!

Relive the Experience, 06 Oct 2008
This DVD version of the famous Red Rocks concert has been a long time coming and it does not disappoint. It is great to have the whole concert restored and the missing tracks are so good one wonders why they were ever omitted fom the original VHS version. The most impressive aspect of this release is the improved sound. The bass in particular is awesome, and I can hear phases from Adam Clayton that I have never been able to hear before. Edge's guitar is equally impressive and the whole sound picture is perfetly balanced.

A previous reviewer mentions how this is the last time we see U2 in their original early form before the introduction of sequencers. The Unforgettable Fire album saw the band delve into ambiant, keyboard supported tracks . However, it is not true to say that Edge replaced all his keyboard playing with sequencers. More accurately the sequencers (driving DX7 and Oberheim keyboards) were required to recreate what had been sequenced in the studio while Edge played guitar over the top. To this day he still plays the New Year's Day piano part live just as he did at Red Rocks 25 years ago.

The only oddities are the neccessary edits made during 'Two Hearts Beat as One' and 'Electric Co'. They are both to do with Bono's tendency to introduce songs from other artists into U2 live songs. In the first Bono tried to get the crowd to sing along with him but he could not remember the words. This section has been cut along with what I believe was a couple of phrases from West Side Story that had to be removed from Electric Co for copyright reasons. The latter edit creates quite a 'glitch' in the song but these two hiccups do not detract from what is an amazing piece of rock footage.

The inclusion of Electric Co. shows, for the first time, the sequence where Bono scales the cliff high above the audience that gave us the famous still image from the original video box cover. Up to this point it has not been clear how this image related to the concert.

Another great feature of this version, that was lost on the original, is that the show starts in daylight and, as the show progresses darkness decends along with rain, mist, burning olympic-style torches and stage smoke...very atmospheric!

Glorious!, 04 Oct 2008
This is a great and very honest record! and, as someone here said before, it was made at a time when U2 wasn't that monster that is now. In terms of music, this is a pure, total and absolute rock and roll album. Damn! wish I was there...compared to the Pop Mart or the Vertigo tours, "Live At Red Rocks" is superior. It comes 25 years later to justify why U2 is among the greatest bands in rock. Personally, my favourite songs are "An Cat Dubh" - "Into The Heart" and "11 o'Clock Tick Tock".

Recently, when it was released the DVD "Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago", it was those two songs (An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart) the ones that meant something for me, because I saw a moment of true communion between The Edge and Adam Clayton as long as they were playing those songs...it was like both of them were transported for one moment to the 1983 days...days of honesty and rock and roll.

That's what "Live At Red Rocks", the DVD, offers...honesty and rock and roll. Buy it, the packaging is nice and if you already have the remastered versions of the first 3 albums, then you got to complete the collection.

Great DVD, and an underwhelming album , 30 Sep 2008
Bringing to a conclusion phase one of U2's reissue packages, "Under A Blood Red Sky" was originally an 8 song concert stopgap EP that bought U2 some time between albums, and now, in retrospect captures U2 at precisely the stage where they stood on the cusp of being pretty good before leaping to huge, and potentially being as big as they would ever be. They could have easily turned into a fair to middling act that never got any bigger than the theatre market. Unlike the traditional cliché, which says all bands release their best stuff in their first decade, and that at the end of that decade they are as big as they are ever going to be, this sees U2 just before they took the leap to arenas, stadiums, and having a turnover bigger than many countries.

Musically, the reissue comes in two flavours : the original 8 song LP give a polish for a CD re-release, and a long awaited DVD version of the Red Rocks concert that was originally seen in a highly truncated VHS release in 1984. Taking a step back from this VHS release, the DVD version has been regraded and expanded : instead of the VHS version released, the DVD is taken (primarily) from the UK TV broadcast featuring a handful of pre-show interviews, backstage footage, and 5 extra songs not previously released. Visually and aurally - given that U2 sank most of their available finance into funding the show - "Live At Red Rocks" is a fairly desperate Fame-Or-Bust move in capturing the euphoric passion of a U2 show of the times but with everything at stake.

These were the days before U2 discovered irony or post-modernism, before Bono became someone who was automatically doublethinking his every thought and action to ensure he didn't offend someone, before he put his personality in check by the rigours of fame and the lens of public eye. Here Bono acts up, improvises, makes it up as he goes along, he leans into the crowd which willingly catch him - an act that would see his jacket torn from him if he tried it now by the hysteria of the hungry - and pulls a girl from the audience to dance with him. (I know, he does this now, but now its part of a love song and a predictable act, then it was a youthful naivety). Over time, this impertuous, eager Bono would be replaced by a mature calculation. When you see U2 now - especially on U23D - you can almost see Bono cynically thinking "If I do this with my arms, that part of the crowd will go wild", "If I say this, they'll scream at me". That safety net and security of having an audience on your side was not here then, and with this concert as many others of the time, U2 had to work very hard to win the crowd over and keep them there.

Musically, the Red Rocks show and live album are signs of a tight, hungry, youthful entity : honed by hundreds of shows and a half-decade playing live, U2 were in their element in a way that the sterile recorded entity could never be. The Edge (in the days when he had hair, not hats) leaps between instruments - guitar and piano - with a dexterity he would never show again : on the next tour, U2 bought sequencers. Behind The Edge, and unsung, are the tight, near telepathic communion between Adam on bass and Larry on drums.

For people who've spent a long time with U2 (I'm in my 22nd year with them), it's strange to see U2 as young boys : all floppy haircuts, and dated fashions from the age before they had stylists who told them what to say, what to wear, and before they learnt by instinct and without thinking, how to pose at every second. Here they were learning their craft, at the limits of their ability, before maturity started to reign them in.

In many respects, the audio CD is a disappointment (as it was at the time) : it's a short ride that fails to reflect the U2 live experience of the time, being about half the length of a U2 concert, as well as missing some fairly major live staples that frequented the numerous b-sides of singles at the time and the running order doesn't reflect any U2 show on the tour. Musically, it's a tight and exciting document that easily matches the rest of U2's high standards but falls a bit short in providing a comprhensive U2 document of their live show at the time. Buy this for the DVD and think of the CD as a handy concert EP instead of a live album in the traditional sense and you may be on a winner here.


Heartrendingly beautiful, 24 Oct 2003
I've been a Cohen fan as far back as I can remember. I had a feeling I wouldn't be disappointed by this album, since Cohen's live backup singers are legendary, and I was right. These are without a doubt the most beautiful and emotional versions of the songs ever recorded, and I find it impossible to listen to the album as mere background music; as soon as the music starts playing, I can't help but close my eyes and just let the music envelop me completely.

The songs "Bird on a Wire" and "Sisters of Mercy" are worthy of special mention. The tempo is lower, the saxophone sexier and the vocals deeper and more intense than ever before, and the result defies description. I would have gladly paid in blood to be at the show where they were recorded.

I heartily recommend this album to all, it is beyond fantastic.

The best live album ever?, 06 Nov 2001
I'm not usually a fan of live albums. They often contain little more than badly recorded, inferior versions of tracks you probably already own. So this live collection comes as a welcome exception to the rule.

Simply put, this album is stunning. It contains many of Leonard Cohen's best loved songs, all played to perfection by world-class musicians and recorded with pin-drop clarity. The songs were recorded on various tours during the 80s and early 90s but the album hangs together as if they were all recorded on the same night.

Particularly effective are the understated but arresting guitars, and the backing vocals providing a silky counterpoint to Cohen's world-weary tones.

This was the album that introduced me to Leonard Cohen and I have to say, I haven't found a better version of any of these songs anywhere. This is, for me, the best live album ever made, and one of my all time top five albums, period.

Can it ever get any better?, 15 Oct 2008
I am no stranger to reviewing material by John Mayer and I know that sometimes I can come over as evangelical in my praise, but how else can you describe such an immense talent?
The SRV analogies are bound to resonate through other reviews, and I'm sure the talented Mr M would not baulk at the comparison. However, when a 'white man plays the blues', these analogies are all too easy to use and this takes away from the originality of John Mayer's skills as a songwriter. 'Stop This Train' is the most powerful song with the most simple delivery that I have heard, and is a song which, in its live format, I often find I'm too sensitive to listen to. I am fortunate to have seen him live on two occasions, but have only seen him perform this song on the first. I almost didn't want him to do it - it feels too personal to share with thousands of others (like having your mind read by perfect strangers) and his delivery on this album moves me to tears. Quite how he can get through it, baring his soul, I do not know. But I'm very grateful that he does.
This is essentially three live sets for the price of one. His accoustic set is sheer virtuosity, the Trio is, well, The Trio and the band set gives you all that you expect when you think John Mayer. He seems to have no specific genre - how can you compare a song like 'Neon' to 'Slow Dancing In a Burning Room' and then throw in interpretations of the likes of 'I Don't Need No Doctor'? His appeal is so broad as to attract fawning girl fans and middle-aged male guitar afficianados alike (I fall somewhere in between!). I had considered Continuum to be his magnum opus, and couldn't imagine that he could make a better-sounding cd. Happily, I was wrong, and he continues to push my buttons (all of them). Long may it continue.

Excellent, 18 Jul 2008
This is a truly excellent album. T