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Reviews (8)
Dec 26, 2005
Superb concert and history lesson wrapped up in one DVD
8 of 10 found this helpful Superb concert / documentary with a history lesson into the Beatles' impact on the former Soviet Union. The Soviet government attempted to surpress western influences, especially rock music, but nothing they did could keep the Beatles from seeping into the hearts and minds of the populace. A funny but telling moment in the film describes how public telephones were cannibalized in order to use the parts to build make-shift phonographs. The Beatles are given credit throughout the film as one of the many western forces which contributed toward the eventual fall of the Soviet empire. Best moment of course is when Paul breaks into "Back In The USSR"... the place goes nuts. McCartney loads up the play list with an abundance of Beatle music, and you know that can't be bad. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! ** BnB Beatles Depot **
Dec 28, 2005
Sgt Pepper set the standard for rock music
14 of 20 found this helpful There was nothing like Pepper before the Beatles' released it and nothing like it afterwards. When the Beach Boys released Pet Sounds prior to Pepper, it was considered ground breaking. After they heard Sgt Pepper, deep depression set in for the surfer boys. From a technical perspective, Pepper was recorded on only 4 tracks. However, by using a technique called "bounce tracking" the Beatles were able to create an LP that was the equivalent of a 24 track recording which was unheard of back in 1967 (hats off to George Martin). The remarkable part was the mix down and getting every track (bounced or otherwise) to ring out with clarity and not sound muddled. The songs themselves are brilliant and most have stood the test of time. Although the LP is dominated by McCartney tunes, Lennon's Lucy In The Sky and A Day In The Life (with the middle section of the song written by Paul) are stand outs. In one fell swoop, the Beatles with Pepper captured an entire era of psychedelic rock emitting a tidal wave of color, sounds and imagery that has yet to be surpassed. No band today worth its salt can deny Sgt Pepper as one of their major influences. If you have no other Beatle recording, this is the one to have. ** BnB Beatles Depot **
Dec 18, 2005
Worth Owning for the Historic Value Alone
8 of 11 found this helpful Bangladesh was the forefather of the live aid types of concerts. Here George, with a little help from his friends (including Ringo, Eric Clapton and Dylan), pulled together a wonderful concert event to help the people of Bangladesh. It has often been reported that George extended the invite to both Paul and John to join him with both declining (now that would have been some concert). The packaging for the deluxe set is great. The DVDs have plenty of extras and the concert is a joy to watch. What struck me was the total absence of flashy showmanship - just no nonsense, bare knuckles playing by a line-up of musicians who were very much the upper echelon of the rock scene at the time. One oddity was Badfinger being relegated to back-up (acoustic guitars) with no spotlight songs. Most embarrassing moment was Ringo forgetting the words to "It Don't Come Easy" which leaves the viewer scratching their head since it was his one big hit coming into the concert. All that being said, it is a great piece of documented rock history for Beatle fans and rock collector alike. You won't be disappointed. ** BnB Beatles Depot **