Elton John

Elton John: Elton 60 - Live At Madison Square Garden [Blu-ray]

Elton's record breaking 60th sell-out performance at Madison Square Garden on his 60th birthday was recorded on March 25 2007 and was televised worldwide. This awe-inspiring moment was captured in breath-taking high definition complete with 5.1 surround sound and stereo mixes.Track Listing/Features:Sixty Years On Madman Across the Water Where To Now St. Peter? Hercules Ballad of a Well Known Gun Take Me To the Pilot High Flying Bird Holiday Inn Burn Down the Mission Better Off Dead Levon Empty Garden Daniel Honky Cat Rocket Man I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues The Bridge Roy Rogers Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word Bennie And the Jets All the Girls Love Alice Tiny Dancer Something About the Way You Look Tonight Philadelphia Freedom Sad Songs (Say So Much) Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me I'm Still Standing The Bitch Is Back Crocodile Rock Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting Funeral For a Friend/LoveFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/LIVE PERFORMANCES UPC: 602517467934 Manufacturer No: B0009983-59

Queen: Rock Montreal & Live Aid [Blu-ray]

Billed as "the day music changed history," the Live Aid concerts of July 13, 1985, were held to raise money to fight the horrifying famines sweeping Africa. The brainchild of Bob Geldof and representing the efforts of countless musicians and technicians, Live Aid was a genuine and inspiring effort to help the victims of an overwhelming calamity. Twenty years after the twin concerts (one in London, one in Philadelphia) were broadcast worldwide, the 4-DVD treatment furthers the cause, with proceeds going toward the Band Aid Trust.

The DVD set opens with a heartbreaking documentary on the crisis, followed by videos of the two hit songs that represented the collaborative nature of Geldof's efforts—Band Aid' s "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and USA for Africa's "We Are the World." Since Live Aid was never intended to be released in a recorded format, preservation of TV footage has been unreliable, resulting in some glaring omissions. Led Zeppelin's semi-reunion doesn't appear, and neither does a legendary session with Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, and Keith Richards. Some sets by performers who were popular at the time may inspire either nostalgic glee or head-scratching (Kiki Dee fans, you know who you are). Sprinkled amid these performances are a couple real gems, including a performance by Run DMC, the event's sole representative of the ascendant rap movement. Much of the music here was a passing fad, but the sentiment that brought it all together is timeless. -- Ryan Boudinot

"Queen Rock Montreal" will be released simultaneously in both high definition formats, HDDVD and Blu-Ray. This version includes the full Queen Live Aid performance, never before seen full performance footage of Queen rehearsing for Live Aid: Bohemian Rhapsody + Radio Gaga + Hammer To Fall and previously unreleased Live Aid interview with the whole band.

The Montreal concert is presented in high definition, while the Live Aid and all bonus materials will remain in standard definition.

Tracklisting: 1. Intro 2. We Will Rock You (fast) 3. Let Me Entertain You 4. Play The Game 5. Somebody To Love 6. Killer Queen 7. I'm In Love With My Car 8. Get Down Make Love 9. Save Me 10. Now I'm Here 11. Dragon Attack 12. Now I'm Here (reprise)13. Love Of My Life 14. Under Pressure 15. Keep Yourself Alive 16. Drum & Timpani Solo 17. Guitar Solo 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love 19. Jailhouse Rock 20. Bohemian Rhapsody 21. Tie Your Mother Down 22. Another One Bites The Dust 23. Sheer Heart Attack 24. We Will Rock You 25. We Are The Champions 26. God Save The Queen

Bonus Features: * Brand new audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor * The full Queen Live Aid performance * Never before seen full performance footage of Queen rehearsing for Live Aid: Bohemian Rhapsody + Radio Gaga + Hammer To Fall * Previously unreleased Live Aid interview with the whole band * 1982 news feature from US TV series PM Magazine * "Before & After" restoration comparison * Weblink to microsite.

Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden

On March 25 2007 Elton John took to the stage at New York City's legendary Madison Square Garden for his 60th sell-out performance at the venue. The event also marked Elton's 60th birthday and became a celebration of his life and career. Among the songs performed in this document of the show are classics such as "Your Song" "Daniel" "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer." An additional program featuring rare TV performances by Elton completes this comprehensive package.Format: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS UPC: 602517437357

Tommy

If you've ever wanted to hear Jack Nicholson sing (or try to) or marvel at the sight of Ann-Margret drunkenly cavorting in a cascade of baked beans, Tommy is the movie you've been waiting for. As it turns out, the Who's brilliant rock opera is sublimely matched to director Ken Russell's penchant for cinematic excess, and this 1975 production finds Russell at the peak of his filmmaking audacity. It's a fever-dream of musical bombast, custom-fit to the thematic ambition of Pete Townshend's epic rock drama, revolving around the titular "deaf, dumb, and blind kid" (played by Who vocalist Roger Daltrey) who survives the childhood trauma that stole his senses to become a Pinball Wizard messiah in Townshend's grandiose attack on the hypocrisy of organized religion.

The story is remarkably coherent considering the hypnotic dream-state induced by Russell's visuals. Tommy's odyssey is rendered through wall-to-wall music, each song representing a pivotal chapter in Tommy's chronology, from the bloodstream shock of "The Acid Queen" (performed to the hilt by Tina Turner) to Nicholson's turn as a well-intentioned physician, Elton John's towering rendition of "Pinball Wizard," and Daltrey's epiphanous rendition of "I'm Free." Other performers include Eric Clapton and (most outrageously) the Who's drummer Keith Moon, and through it all Russell is almost religiously faithful to Townshend's artistic vision. Although it divided critics when first released, Tommy now looks likes a minor classic of gonzo cinema, worthy of the musical genius that fueled its creation. --Jeff Shannon

Imagine (Deluxe Edition)

It can hardly be a coincidence that this "deluxe edition" of John Lennon - Imagine should be issued in late 2005, a couple of months after what would have been the former Beatle's 65th birthday and mere days before the 25th anniversary of his death. Whether that's cynical, poignant, or just good marketing is moot; what matters is that Lennon's impact, not just as a musician but as a public figure, remains largely undiminished. The film, released theatrically in 1988, will already be familiar to many fans. "Narrated" by Lennon himself and culled from hundreds of hours of footage, much of it home movies shot by John and Yoko Ono, Imagine is a substantial, reasonably illuminating portrait of the man, warts and all, from childhood through the Beatle years, his solo career, and his life with Yoko straight up to his fatal encounter with Mark David Chapman. It's the new bonus features that are the principal draw here; but whether or not they qualify as "deluxe" is arguable. The Lennons' radio interview with a BBC reporter is notable mostly for John's patience in the face of idiotic questions like "Is love very important to young people today?" The ten or so minutes spent with Lennon's school headmaster, William Ernest Pobjoy (love the name), yield little insight, especially considering that the two were at the school at the same time for just one year, half a century ago; likewise, a new "making of" documentary with Ono, writer-director Andrew Solt, producer David Wolper, and others isn't exactly ground-breaking. However, a previously unreleased performance of "Imagine," with Lennon and some unknown accompanists on acoustic guitar, is nice, as is some heretofore unseen footage of the Lennons at home on their Tittenhurst Estate. Add to that a fine transfer and Dolby digital sound, and you have another addition to the filmed legacy of the Beatles--a subject that, for many of us, will never be old news. --Sam Graham

Imagine John Lennon comes from a treasure trove: the legendary musician's own collection of more than 240 hours of film and videotape much of it never seen by the public. With cooperation from Yoko Ono in its creation producers David L. Wolper and Andrew Solt (partners on This Is Elvis) transform the archival footage - and a monumental 36-tune soundtrack - into a spellbinding account of a complex fascinating man. Lennon's own voice narrates "a classic film biography" (Roy Leonard WGN-TV/Chicago).Running Time: 106 min. Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS UPC: 012569726550 Manufacturer No: 72655

Tony Bennett - An American Classic [Blu-ray]

This television program examines the life and career of Tony Bennett. Revisiting all the hotspots where Bennet established himself and built a reputation AN AMERICAN CLASSIC makes stops in Greenwich Village the Columbia recording studios Las Vegas and Carnegie Hall. The film consists of re-recreations of key moments in the singer's life with special appearances by artists including Stevie Wonder Elton John Barbara Streisand and Christina Aguilera.Format: BLU-RAY DISC Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS UPC: 886970283298 Manufacturer No: 88697028329

High concept and high class, An American Classic is a worthy visual complement to Tony Bennett's 2006 duets CD of the same name. The notion of pairing veteran artists with a variety of singing partners is nothing new, of course (cf. B.B. King and Frank Sinatra, among many others), but this one goes a step further; under the direction of Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) and his team, Bennett appears in what's described as a "docu-musical," faithfully re-creating a variety of performance settings much like the ones in which the 80-year-old singer has appeared in the course of his long, fruitful career. Thus we find him on a concert stage with Barbra Streisand ("Smile"), in a nightclub with John Legend (a swinging, uptempo "Sing, You Sinners"), in the studio with k.d. lang and trumpeter Chris Botti ("Because of You"), on a '60s-style TV variety show with Diana Krall (a classy "The Best is Yet to Come"), in Vegas with Elton John ("Rags To Riches") and then Michael Buble (an amusing "Just in Time"), and so forth, on up to Bennett's triumphant shot on MTV Unplugged with Christina Aguilera (no jazz singer, but she keeps most of her excesses in check on "Steppin' Out") and the inevitable "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (Bennett with piano accompaniment only). It's all very respectful, well staged, and entertainingly choreographed, but if this 45-minute cavalcade has a significant shortcoming, it's that it mostly lacks fire and spontaneity; the only time Bennett cuts loose is during an audio-only "I Got Rhythm" heard under the various DVD menus. Viewers may also be disappointed that Sting, Bono, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, the Dixie Chicks, and several others on the CD do not appear here, and it's a notable drag that not a single one of the composers or arrangers of the material is identified. Bonus features include a "making of" documentary and other featurettes. --Sam Graham

Elton John - One Night Only (The Greatest Hits Live at Madison Square Garden)

No Description Available.
Genre: Music Video - Pop/Rock
Rating: NR
Release Date: 11-DEC-2001
Media Type: DVD

Elton John has had too many hits over the last three decades for the 12 songs in this collection to seriously be considered his "greatest," but that's hair-splitting. This hourlong concert, performed by John, his band, and several guest singers before a packed house at New York's Madison Square Garden in October 2000, certainly does contain some of his (and lyricist Bernie Taupin's) best and most popular tunes, like "Candle in the Wind," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," and "Your Song." And while Elton is a rather unlikely pop star these days--chubby, middle-aged, far less flamboyant than in his '70s heyday--he can still put on a good show, and that's just what he and his band (including longtime cohorts Davey Johnstone on guitar and Nigel Olsson on drums) do.

Some of his choices for guests are a bit puzzling: Bryan Adams adds little excitement to "Sad Songs (Say So Much)," while singer Ronan Keating of the British group Boyzone, a virtual unknown in the United States, is superfluous on "Your Song," perhaps Elton's most enduring tune (revived to considerably better effect on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack). On the other hand, Billy Joel is a good foil for Elton on "Yellow Brick Road," Mary J. Blige adds some soulful fervor to "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," Kiki Dee shows up to duet with Elton on "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" for the first time in several eons, and the young American singer Anastacia is a revelation on a hard-rocking "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting." --Sam Graham

Live 8

Two decades years after Live Aid addressed the issue, lethally oppressive poverty in Africa remains a blight on the planet. Thus, in the Summer of 2005 activist Bob Geldof staged an even more ambitious series of continent-spanning concerts dedicated to raising funds and public consciousness about international debt relief. This expansive four-disc chronicles those shows in one of the most ambitious concert documents ever attempted, capturing all of the highlights (and a few complete artist sets) of concerts in London, Philadelphia, Toronto, Paris, Berlin and Moscow. Underscoring the events' sense of unity, the performances here span both generations and genres, offering veteran rock fans often muscular sets by Elton John (including a woozy take on T. Rex's "Children of the Revolution" with Baby Shambles' Pete Doherty), The Who, Sting (who sharply reprises a trio of Police favorites) and the ubiquitous Paul McCartney. But the highlight of the Jurassic set's contributions are a reunion of Roger Waters and his long-estranged Pink Floyd bandmates on a sonically flawless five-song whirl through highlights of Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall; footage of their rehearsal for the show is contained on the set's equally eclectic fourth disc of bonus materials. But there are highlights here for nearly every taste, be they a fine sampling of contemporary UK and Australian rockers ( Coldplay, Jet, Razorlight and especially blistering performances by Stereophonics and Kaiser Chiefs), a little hip-hop nostalgia (a joyous Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff leading what seems half of his Philly hometown in a goofy singalong of the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" theme); showy turns by pop-meister Robbie Williams and chateuses Mariah Carey, a rousing set by Black Eyed Peas (featuring Rita and Stephen Marley on a cover of "Get Up Stand Up"). Other one-off duets include Coldplay and Richard Ashcroft doing a fine version of the latter's "Bittersweet Symphony," Stevie Wonder with Rob Thomas ("Higher Ground") and Adam Levine ("Signed Sealed Delivered"), a tender take on "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban and McCartney and George Michael taking an upbeat turn via "Drive My Car," before Macca closes out the London show by leading its various participants in an obligatory singalong of "Hey Jude." Royalties from sales of the set will go to the Band Aid Trust for the relief of hunger and poverty in Africa. --Jerry McCulley

Live Aid (4 Disc Set)

The Day The Music Changed the World 1. Bob Dylan 2. David Bowie 3. Mick Jagger 4. U2 5. Queen 6. Paul McCartney 7. Madonna 8. Elton John 9. The Who 10. Eric Clapton 11. Neil Young 12. Dire Straits 13. Beach Boys 14. Sting 15. Tina Turner 16. Bryan Ferry 17. Bryan Adams 18. Joan Baez 19. Keith Richards 20. Ron Wood The Biggest Rock Event in History 1. Pretenders 2. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 3. George Michaels 4. Hall & Oates 5. INXS 6. Crosby Stills & Nash 7. Phil Collins 8. Style Council 9. Black Sabbath Featuring Ozzy Osbourne 10. Sade 11. Status Quo 12. Elvis Costello 13. The Cars The Greatest Live Concert of All Time 1. B.B. King 2. Duran Duran 3. Simple Minds 4. Alison Moyet 5. Paul Young 6. Boomtown Rays 7. Ultravox 8. Spandau Ballet 9. Albert Collins 10. Patti LaBelle 11. Teddy Pendergrass 12. Ashford & Simpson 13. George Thorogood & The Destroyers 14. Run DMCFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS Rating: NR UPC: 603497038329 Manufacturer No: 970383

Billed as "the day music changed history," the Live Aid concerts of July 13, 1985, were held to raise money to fight the horrifying famines sweeping Africa. The brainchild of Bob Geldof and representing the efforts of countless musicians and technicians, Live Aid was a genuine and inspiring effort to help the victims of an overwhelming calamity. Twenty years after the twin concerts (one in London, one in Philadelphia) were broadcast worldwide, the 4-DVD treatment furthers the cause, with proceeds going toward the Band Aid Trust.

The DVD set opens with a heartbreaking documentary on the crisis, followed by videos of the two hit songs that represented the collaborative nature of Geldof's efforts—Band Aid' s "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and USA for Africa's "We Are the World." Since Live Aid was never intended to be released in a recorded format, preservation of TV footage has been unreliable, resulting in some glaring omissions. Led Zeppelin's semi-reunion doesn't appear, and neither does a legendary session with Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, and Keith Richards. Some sets by performers who were popular at the time may inspire either nostalgic glee or head-scratching (Kiki Dee fans, you know who you are). Sprinkled amid these performances are a couple real gems, including a performance by Run DMC, the event's sole representative of the ascendant rap movement. Much of the music here was a passing fad, but the sentiment that brought it all together is timeless. -- Ryan Boudinot

The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert