This concert, recorded in England in 2003, is made up of two sets. The first is a pared down acoustic set of predominantly vintage blues finished off by the all time Fleetwood Mac classic Albatross, one of the most popular instrumentals ever written. The second is a full on rocking electric set combining blues tracks, Splinter Group originals and Fleetwood Mac classics including Man Of The World, Black Magic Woman and The Green Manalishi.

Peter Green is universally accepted as one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time. Only Eric Clapton can challenge him as a white man playing the blues. BB King famously said of Peter Green "He's the only white guy to ever make me sweat." Green first came to notice as a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in the late 60's, where he replaced Clapton as lead guitarist. He left the band and took with him drummer Mick Fleetwood and bass player John McVie to form Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. Peter Green's troubles since his departure from Fleetwood Mac in the early 70's are well documented. After a number of years in the wilderness he returned in the mid 90's in the guise of the Peter Green Splinter Group who have since gone from strength to strength and seen Green recapture the magic of his early days.

Track Listing:
Acoustic Set:
1. Hitch Hiking Woman
2. Sweet Home Chicago
3. Dead Shrimp Blues
4. Can You Tell Me Why (a.k.a. Legal Fee Blues)
5. Little Queen Of Spades
6. Hell Hound On My Trail
7. Albatross

Electric Set:
1. I Believe My Time Ain't Long
2. Running After You
3. Little Red Rooster
4. Ain't Nothing Gonna Change It
5. Shadow On My Door
6. Must Be A Fool
7. The Stumble
8. Cool Down
9. Man Of The World
10. Dangerous Man
11. Need Your Love So Bad
12. Real World
13. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)
14. Black Magic Woman
15. Look On Yonder Wall

Bonus Features:
* Interview with The Splinter Group
* European Tour film
* Juke Box
* Discography
* Original promo video for the track Real World

Average Customer Review: ( 8 customer reviews )
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There are two sets, an acoustic set made up of blues standards, including the Robert Johnson covers for which the band is noted. Then there's an electric set in which the Splinter Group performs original compositions, concluding with two of Peter Green's old songs. This has been the formula since the band's inception: new arrangements of the Green classics; blues covers, and new material by the other members of the band.

Those other members play well, and this is an enjoyable concert. Sadly, however, Peter Green does not do very much. His voice, never strong since his return from retirement, is very shaky. (Significantly, Nigel now sings "Need Your Love So Bad", since Peter is no longer able to hit the higher notes at all.) And while Green plays some harp, and some guitar, it's really Nigel who's doing the work here. There are one or two spots where Green seriously gets to work, but for the most part he picks indifferently at his guitar, backing Nigel's fiery solos with a few notes here and there.

The disc also includes an interview segment, and here Peter looks and sounds even worse. I could barely understand a word he said. Tragically, he comes across almost as a caricature of a fallen rock star, although those familiar with his life story are aware that serious health problems are responsible for his deterioration, and that he's still in much better shape now than he was before Nigel dragged him back into the spotlight.

Another DVD feature is an MTV-style video of "Real World", a Splinter Group original from their latest CD, "Reaching the Cold 100". Amazingly, in this video Peter smiles, seems awake, actually PLAYS his guitar and seems fully engaged. Did the concert just catch him on a bad night, has his health gone downhill, or does he just feel more comfortable without a live audience?

I'd recommend this disc for die-hard Green fans like myself, but anyone who hasn't heard his seminal work with John Mayall and the original Fleetwood Mac will probably be shaking their heads, asking "What's the big deal about this guy, anyway?" It's a shame, because those of us who love Peter's work know that, after Jimi Hendrix, he was the greatest rock or blues guitar player of his generation. While I'm glad he's enjoying himself (finally), I can't help wishing he still had his songwriting ability. Watching him do other people's songs and warmed-over versions of 35-year-old hits is, finally, getting a bit old.

The disc is in anamorphic widescreen with a fine Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack.

13 of 14 found the following review helpful:

This Is An Interesting Concert!Apr 13, 2004
By Perry Celestino
I must say this is an interesting presentation. After reading the previous review and as a guitarist for 40 years, I was very curious about this DVD. I first re-bought the old "Hard Road" CD after getting Mayall's 70th Birthday Concert. I thought Green on Hard Road (an album I personally had not heard since 1970) was excellent and it contained perhaps Mayall's best straight Blues writing attempts. Anyway, I saw this DVD and got it!

Peter Green to me was always an enigma. He came out of the blue and took Clapton's place in the Bluesbreakers and then went off to form Fleewood Mac. Not being a fan of the latter band, I never really listened to their bluesy interpretations. I thought Green in 1967 was better than Clapton and he certainly could perform vocals better-his version of "You Don't Love Me" is one of Mayall's best recordings! Of course not enough can be said of Green's masterpiece instrumental "The Supernatural". The Stumble (even with a big mistake in one chrous) is the best Freddie King instrumental copy ever done!

This DVD is down memory lane. I think the band is fairly competent, but not great. They are ok musicians and show a great love for the Blues. Peter Green is still an enigma (probably why I love this DVD!) He can hardly talk, but the NUANCE of his playing is fabluous-if you are a guitaist you can see it! His slide, while not as good (now) as, say, Mick Taylor, it is tinged with Elmore James on the high strings. He plays well on the first two Electric Set numbers. I was also really impressed with his harp playing! He is much better than John Mayall and has great tone and bending (still?). But his guitar playing for a guy his age (three years older than me!) is still very good.

Nigel Watson is an ok lead guitarist. He plays fat and very overdriven thumb picked leads which are about as good as your average Pub or Club band in Europe, Australia or America. He does hold the band together. Peter contributes very interesting fills and solos with hardly any effects (a little wah-wah in places). His solo on the Little Willie John tune is really awesome, no effects, no speed, but great phrasing. The highlight of this concert, for me, is The Stumble. How great is his playing with nuance, no effects, total control and mastery of the difficult chrous break-one of the most difficult in Blues. Twice as hard as the stop break in "Hideaway".

Lastly, I find is interesting in the bonus clip On Tour, they are with John Mayall on tour. Mayall should have gotten Green on his 70th Birthday concert!!! Amazon has offered both Green's DVD and Mayall's concert toghter at a special price, what a great deal! It is too bad that in today's world players can be judged by the difficulty of their techniques rather than the feeling of their music. That is the Blues. Best tracks are "Real World" (good chord progression and melody), the Stumble (great!!!!), Green Manalisi (brings back the 1960s styles!) and Black Magic Woman (great minor key chord progression). Get this DVD it is interesting!

8 of 9 found the following review helpful:

Mixed EmotionsOct 11, 2003
By Robert Bellenie
When Peter Green made his first trip back to the USA in 1998 his first stop was Wilberts in Cleveland and I drove 4 hours to see him. Having seen a BBC documentary and a German Ohne Filter show just before going I knew what to expect. Yes, this isn't the same Peter Green that in my opinion was the best blues guitarist to ever come out of Britain, bar none. Peter obviously has had a lot to overcome and if you read his biography you'll understand what a miracle it is that he is even able to stand on stage. The room at Wilberts was so full of love and understanding it was one of the most memorable concerts I have ever attended. That is how you have to view this dvd, with love and understanding for one of the kindest most gentle, and talented human beings I've ever met.
The band behind him is really pro. Nigel Watsons guitar work is very tasty. It's hard to believe that when he met Peter (through his sister who was married to Fleetwood Mac's manager at one time)he was working construction. The rest of the band is a pleasure to listen to.
Enjoy it for what it is, and if you want to see the classic Fleetwood Mac lineup search out a copy of Fleetwood Mac The Early Years that was released on DVD a few years ago.
It's just great to see Peter enjoying life again.

7 of 9 found the following review helpful:

Green's Still GoodDec 11, 2003
By Robert Conroy
He's still good and so is Splinter Group. His band does the best interpretations of Robert Johnson tunes of anyone I've heard to date. The acoustic section is especially good and the band is tight. Definitely check out the acoustic version of Albatross, nice interplay between Green and Nigel Watson
Good show!

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:

Great Come-back ConcertJun 25, 2010
By M. Huber "Michael Huber"
I'm an old Peter Green fan back when he lead Fleetwood Mac in the late 60's. I don't know if anyone else is aware of the fact that some times when a person gets older they tend to slow down and loose some of their nimbleness. It happens to everyone. Dare I say even Eric Clapton has slowed down some. To expect the same quality of play as he did 30 some odd years ago is being naive. Nigel helps pull the band together, he and Peter do have solos and duets that are, for the most part, outstanding. I will say that Peter's voice is somewhat softer and more gravely than it used to be, but he was never considered a crooner by any means. Just listen to the Peter Green Splinter Group of Robert Johnson's Ballads, Nigel plays most of the Guitar works on that too. The quality of Audio and Video is very good on this disc. There's an acoustic and an electric set, both are recorded extremely well and the video is, for the most part, fairly sharp and clean. The the performance was very good, a 4.5 but the Audio/Video quality is above average, therefore a total of 5. I wish I could find more DVD's from Peter Green with or without the Splinter Group. Very enjoyable DVD, it seems to find it's way into my DVD player often.

I wish Amazon had a 3 criteria rating that would make for a quicker, more accurate and fair rating of Cd's, DVD's and Blu-ray's.

1. Performance
2. Quality of Audio
3. Quality of Video (for DVD's and Blu-ray's)

1.****
2.*****
3.*****

Artists that wish to have there performances recorded and recognized should be held to a standard. Poor Audio or Video, no matter how good the performance, is still a BAD product. Those who would still rank that product highly just because of performance are not doing the industry or the band justice. Demand better and we will get it, settle for less and that's what you'll get.

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