Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 101
 the DVD is preferable to the CD, though the CD is quite good May 25, 2009
T. Scarillo (Studio City, CA)
59 out of 61 found this review helpful
I bought the CD and the DVD versions of the Clapton/Winwood MSG as a combo from Amazon. The CD (which I reviewed in its listing) I gave four stars to - it's very good, but now that I've seen the DVD, I'd give the DVD five stars, mainly for what it adds to the equation: the visuals. While it might seem counter-intuitive to grade musicians of this caliber by `what you can see', the DVD added such a great dimension to the show, in terms of WATCHING them solo and seeing the interplay between them, and their excellent band (these guys have serious CHOPS), that I think the DVD ups the ante, hence I'm giving the DVD 5 stars. The musicianship is excellent (they make it look so EASY....i guess that's what the best guys do when they're on their game? Plus they're clearly having a good time up there), and it's great to be able to see who's playing what (namely, that Winwood plays guitar on the first two cuts, and then on several others toward the end - he's a very good guitarist, and holds his own with Clapton, sometimes trading solos. I wasn't exactly sure what SW was playing on, just from listening to the CD - Chris Stainton is the other keysman). The picture is very good, and the camera work/composition is excellent, with nice close-ups and some striking angles where they got both guys in the same shot, Winwood on keys and Clapton on guitar. Some have pointed out editing inconsistencies w/ the visuals, but I didn't really notice it, as I was enjoying the show so much. I listened to the sound in DTS-mode (as opposed to straight 2-channel stereo) and it was excellent - really good mix - much preferable to the CD mix. I guess if you couldn't be there, this DVD (with a good A/V system) is about as close as you can get.
As for the extras on Disc 2, they're good - interviews, some background on Clapton and Winwood's 60's exploits, their time together in Blind Faith, and behind-the-scenes prep for the MSG shows. There are also a couple of bonus cuts, which didn't make the `main' concert as presented on Disc 1 - I noticed in spots, there were synch problems (from watching the drummer) between audio and video, but the extra cuts are nonetheless good (including a 7 minute "Crossroads"). Overall, the disc set was definitely worth the dough, and if you're a fan of either Clapton or Winwood, and have any inclination to buy this, then absolutely do so. You won't be disappointed.
Some things are meant to be! May 22, 2009
A. Vince (South Florida)
24 out of 27 found this review helpful
Clapton And Winwood have just dropped a forty year Time Bomb on the Baby Boom Generation with this release. Soul Psychedelisizing, Electrifying, Riveting performances...Very Special! What a great Mix of tunes...Awesome tributes to many of the greats who have left us...Ray, Buddy and Jimi to name a few. WOW! Absolutely incredible Sound and Video...I was very lucky to have seen Blind Faith Live at the old Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan during the Summer of 69, when I was just a boy. You won't want to miss this Dynamic Duos show if it comes to your Neighborhood In June. I have never seen Winwood and Clapton having so much fun! Great Stuff...Get it!
 Live at Madison Square Garden - EC and SW May 21, 2009
D. Hill (Chandler, AZ)
25 out of 29 found this review helpful
First thing first, this is a fantastic dvd that is a must have for any musician -especially a guitar player. I saw one review that complained about too many guitar solos??? For me, that is the highlight of this amazing release. There are some extended jams that shows the true talent of these guys who really invented the jam band. Eric Clapton played some of the most inspired guitar in his entire career. It may have been the incredible sound of SW's keys that provided the foundation for the inspired play. His playing on double trouble definitely made me pick up my strat... Steve Winwood still has an amazing voice along with great chops on the organ, but it was cool to see him jam on his guitar during Dear Mr. Fantasy. He is a great guitar player and I would have liked to see him play more of it along with EC on this dvd. BUT, when you have a guitar gun-slinger like Eric Clapton for a sideman, I can see why he let EC handle most of the guitar! Eric Clapton looked as if he really enjoyed playing during this performance. I have to think it was playing on songs that were fun to play for him. The highlights for me were them changes-glad-pearly queen-little wing-voodoo child-can't find-dear mr fantasy. The only reason I give it a 4 star is that I am not sure you need another version of cocaine - and it added nothing to the show. And I think there could have been a few more extra songs on the 2nd dvd. But I have watched this dvd several times and actually enjoy it more than the Cream re-union dvd. Not sure why, because Cream is one of my favorite groups of all time. But that says a lot for this dvd. The camara gets in tight on EC's guitar playing which is a dream for any guitar players. And it is not the usual fast cut style that we see too often in concert dvd's. It is easy to watch and listen to. I have to get the cd now!
 Shameful Audio - Ruins the Concert BluRay August 23, 2009
uthaman (Milford, MI United States)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Trust an owner of 100+ music concert DVDs and Blurays...this one is ruined by incredibly poor AUDIO.
The video is fine. The audio is a distorted mess. It isn't my system. I listen to all kinds of music and mostly hi-rez audio either in the form of SACD, DVD-A, or high definition 24-bit/96kHz or higher files. I have a great appreciation for sound.
Something went very wrong during the recording or mastering. They either used too much compression (which creates terrible distorsion)or the gain was wrong. Either way it is most noticeable on vocals...although in general the Bluray sounds harsh even at low volumes. My kids even commented.
So strike 1 - it is a Bluray without uncompressed audio as a sound choice (only DTS and PCM low rez)
Strike 2,3,4 - the sound is compressed and distorted unlike any other DVD or Bluray I've ever heard.
Such a shame. Otherwise it could have been a very nice concert Bluray.
Time Travel At Its' Best !! June 11, 2009
Bart D. Ravin
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Maybe it's my age and the music that formed me and my generation, but even if you didn't grow up during the time of the Blind Faith releases, you will still be amazed at the quality of this reunion. Steve Winwoods voice is still clear and strong, even pushing 60, and Clapton is, well, still getting better at 60 + !!! His voice is also strong, and when most of the other bands still touring who are approaching 60 tend to limit the upper register of their original recordings, both Winwood and Clapton are still hitting the high notes with ease. I only wish I had seen this concert in person, but the video and audio quality are excellent, and if you have a decent home theater system, you too will be transported right into Madison Square Garden as an audience member. Awesome DVD... Cudos to Clapton and Winwood for finally reuniting and bringing back to life the incredible tunes of Blind Faith..
Showing reviews 1-5 of 101
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