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47 of 48 found the following review helpful:
 Stunning. Exceptional document of an exceptional performer.Nov 19, 2003
By M J Heilbron Jr.
"Dr. Mo"
The wide disparity between the previous reviewers may be likely due to the fact they may not have actually seen this DVD.It's stunning. Absolutely stunning. Here we have an entire Springsteen show (the first half aired live on MTV Europe) in front of a rabid Barcelona audience. There are things on this disc that you can show to people that aren't Springsteen fans that will make them convert. In a heartbeat. Barcelona is known for being particularly Springsteen-philic. It shows. I doubt if you will ever see a concert where the crowd is so enthusiastic and appreciative, yet considerate (they shut up when they're supposed to...) and knowledgeable. The "Rising" album hadn't been out all that long, yet they're singing along to most of the then-new tunes. The picture is crisp and vivid, and the audio sounds terrific! My disc #2 had a little glitch where it wouldn't initially play, but it was momentary. The performance itself goes without saying. It is obvious that the E Streeters are energized by the crowd. Reaction shots of the various members throughout the show tell the story. The first portion of the show was pretty standard "Rising Tour" stuff, but it seems that every time the band turns up their performance, the audience rises to the occasion. Seriously...the crowd even sang instrumental parts! They knew the lyrics to the new songs, and mind you, this is Spain we're talking about. English isn't even their mother tongue. There's a two-song somber mini-set from "The Rising", "Empty Sky" and "You're Missing" that are simply haunting. The show then swells, a joyous "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" leading into "The Promised Land" and so on, until Bruce opens up "She's The One".
That song comes off absolutely ferocious...the band so tight you'll simply marvel. It's like they put their collective feet on some unseen accelerator pedal and took OFF. Then Bruce turns a relatively non-descript (for him) party tune, "Mary's Place", into a barn-burner. It's a joy to watch...folding in several old Motown/Stax/soul songs into the mix. The Palau Sant Jordi literally lifts off. After the MTV Broadcast ends, he does several "requests"...songs not necessarily done night after night. Watching him call out songs, seeing the band scramble to get the right guitar, etc., is part of the fun. It happens several times during the show. Solo piano versions of "Spirit In The Night" and "Incident on 57th Street" are striking...it's hilarious when Bruce flubs a line during the latter tune. The encore opens with a tour rarity, "Night" (another request), a rollicking "Ramrod"...heck, you can see the setlist for yourself. It's one highlight after another. As he's bidding the audience farewell, after "Land of Hope and Dreams" (the standard second encore concert closer at the time), you can see him giving in to the crowd and calling out to the band for "one more..."Thunder Road". The performers all seem to be having a great time...smiles are everywhere. Their interplay is something you rarely get on concert discs nowadays. I honestly can't see the fault in this disc...I do not understand the negativity whatsoever! A 3-hour, reference quality complete concert DVD? The add-on mini-documentary is fine, with brief tantalizing clips of tours gone by...but make sure you stay through the whole thing.
The "Night of the Living Boss" clip, hidden at the end, is a hoot. Shot at Fenway Park, it uses the opening "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" and "Diddy Wah Diddy" to underscore some amazing footage. It'll bring a smile to your face, Bruce fan or not. Now, it's time to start putting together the footage from the past. It's time for "official" bootlegs. There's GOTTA be footage from the "Born In The USA" tours, if not earlier. Let's start releasing those, huh? Please?
81 of 89 found the following review helpful:
First Ever Complete Springsteen Concert Released on DVDOct 07, 2003
By Jimmy McNulty
This is the first time ever, in Springsteen's 30-plus-year career, that an entire show, from start to finish, has been officially released, whether audio or video ... Setlist: The Rising/Lonesome Day/Prove It All Night/Darkness on the Edge of Town/Empty Sky/You're Missing /Waitin' on a Sunny Day/The Promised Land/Worlds Apart/Badlands/She's the One/Mary's Place/Dancing in the Dark (end of broadcast)/Countin' on a Miracle/Spirit in the Night (solo piano)/Incident on 57th Street (solo piano)/Into the Fire
First Encore: Night/Ramrod/Born to Run
Second Encore: My City of Ruins/Born in the U.S.A./Land of Hope and Dreams/Thunder Road For [the price] how can you say no? Awesome stuff. Don't miss it.
19 of 21 found the following review helpful:
Setting the Record Straight! Get Your Ears Checked!Feb 01, 2005
By Boss Fan
I don't know what all this is about the sound quality being poor on this DVD, but this is the best concert DVD I have, from Bruce or any other artist, and the reason, beyond the fact that Bruce is one of the best, if not the best, performers still showin' us how it's done, is the awesome sound quality. It is so good I burned a audio CD and listen to it all the time. For my money Bruce's songs generally sound better live than in the studio recordings - they benefit so much from having that live energy -so having a great setlist like this to listen to is like a dream come true.
It's over a year later and I still pop this in just to listen to it. And then I'll peek in at the picture and I'm trapped! Whatever I'm doing I stop and watch this thing I've seen a hundred times and still pulls me in! I love this concert!
So how can some reviewers here say the sound is great and others say its so bad that its not worth having? I have two theories: There are some lower quality prints circulating and/or some people have burned copies of this - not the real thing. The only other thing I can think of is that these people so down on this haven't actually seen this DVD. If I'm wrong about that than the only explination I can fathom is my first suspicion that there are some crap copies out there, because mine rocks! Maybe its time for a new TV and some surround sound.
My other beef with some of the reviews I'm seeing here are coments like Bruce looks old, tired, fat and sounds that way too. Again, I don't know what concert you guys are watching! As with the sound quality issue, I had the exact opposite reaction. The first time I watched this all I could think was how fit the Boss is for his age, how much energy he poured out for over 2 and a half straight hours and how I hope I look that good in 25-30 years! So again, did you people actually see this?!?!?!
People have watched this with me - even non-Bruce fans - and have been blown away; mezmerized by the performance! So this is not just me wanting to like this DVD.
I have to give props to three other critics who reviewed this DVD here at Amazon; one who says this is what it is like to be at a Bruce stadium show, and like being right there in Barcelona for this one, another calls it, "absolutly incredible," saying her 13-monh-old is addicted to it (I'm telling you, no one can tear their eyes away from this performance once they start watching it; it's great to hear Bruce can and will touch a whole new generation of fans - I hope when I have a kid they will feel the same), and lastly, the writer who calls this DVD "Simly the Best... 5 stars and more." I couldn't agree with all of you more. Interestingly, all of these reviewers testify the DVD has incredible sound and production values. Why others don't is a mystery, but it is a shame they are making posible buyers wary of this product. All I can say is make sure you buy the real thing and check the sound options on your TV and/or surround sound.
As for the highlights: "Mary's Place" is a high-energy kick. "Dancin' In the Dark's" live treatment bests the synthed-up album version, as does the throbbing, more guitar driven "Born In the USA" (I don't know how anyone can watch him blaze though this tune and say he looks anywhere near old or tired), "Ramrod" here becomes a classic because the whole band infuses a goofy energy and Bruce's piano spots work on a whole other emotional level. Also, this is the only place to see a full, uncut concert (it comes close to the performance I saw last year at Miller Park, but closer to the arena show I saw a year earlier; either way, its like being back there again), get great live performances from "The Rising," and see hits not included on the New York DVD, like "The Promised Land," She's the One," and the aforementioned "Dancin' In the Dark" and full-on-electric "U.S.A.," all of which are incredible! I can not say enough abouth this DVD!
I feel sorry for those who couldn't enjoy this because of their goofy hang-ups. Get your eyes and ears checked! Everyone else, get this DVD!
17 of 19 found the following review helpful:
This is what it's like to be at a Bruce stadium showMay 10, 2004
By Stephen H. Orel
. . . or as close as you can get on dvd. If you want to show somebody who's never been to one what a Bruce stadium show is like -- what it's actually like to be there -- you cannot ask for better than this. I was at two of the Giants Stadium shows in the summer of 2003, and apart from the occasional references to Barcelona and some passing Spanish, it would be hard to tell this show from one in New Jersey. Except, perhaps, that the overall quality of the performance does not flag for one moment from start to finish. Play "Badlands", the big sing-along number, for the initiate, which is followed immediately by "She's The One" with the ferocious backbeat. Then play BTR, with the awesome reverse pan over the crowd. The Boss will have a new fan for sure. As for the sound: who are the critics kidding? The sound at stadium shows is univerally atrocious. The sound here is pretty good by comparison, imo. No mushy booming bass. Voices that can actually be heard and, for the most part, understood. The only Bruce show I ever saw with decent sound was at the Meadowlands in 1980, when he opened the arena (literally), during the River tour. You can get a sense of it on the Live! 3-disc album, especially the River and Independence Day. At Giants stadium, by contrast, if you sat far enough back, there was an appreciable delay between the time you saw a motion on stage or the big screen and the time you heard it (that old bugaboo physics, light moves faster than sound); and if you didn't already know the words, you'd have been lost. The sound on this dvd is far superior to any outdoor Bruce stadium show I've ever seen. This Barcelona show was so good, it's making me almost like most of the Rising songs. I wish it had Sandy or Jungleland or Rosie like the Giants Stadium show I saw last July, but it's pretty good anyhow.
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
What's the Big Deal About this Springsteen Guy?Dec 01, 2003
By John Hocking
"J. Hocking"
Some artists are great songwriters but their live performances are either pedestrian, predictable, or uneven. They may be great if you catch them on the right night, but may phone it in for other shows. Bob Dylan is in this category. Other artists or bands put on an exciting show, but their catalog of truly great music is limited. This will raise some disagreement, but I see The Who in this category - while I certainly acknowledge that some of the greatest hard rock ever written comes from Pete and the boys, their creative flame burned brightly for only a few years. Of course, there are the Dinosaurs, the once great groups that haven't produced any good music in many years, yet tour and tour as tribute bands to themselves. The Rolling Stones top this list. Then there is Bruce. His live performances have been legendary for over 30 years. There are no mediocre Springsteen concerts - there are great shows and the shows that are better than that. If you were to see Bruce perform for the first time you would think that surely he was playing his last show ever. He saves nothing for the next night. No one puts it all together better - he is simultaneously one of rocks greatest writers and performers. In their biography, VH1 matter of factly refers to him as "the world's greatest living rock n' roll star." His records are arguably among the greatest in rock history (a recent poll in Rolling Stone ranked Born to Run (1975) as rocks greatest album). His range is astounding. His concerts are a lot like a Broadway musical, with much better (and louder) music. The audience leaves a Springsteen show having experienced the important human emotions. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll feel the sheer exhilaration of being glad you're alive. Rock and roll doesn't come across well on television. It is meant to be experienced live and loud. However this DVD (which was released in November, 2003, not 2000 as your Amazon date indicates - the Barcelona show was in the late summer of 2002) brings the viewer about as close to live Bruce as the medium allows. It probably does about as well as Saving Private Ryan in creating the feeling of being in combat without having to actually deal with imminent death. The crowd response is enthusiastic and very much like many of the 43 Springsteen shows I have attended. The show was performed toward the beginning of the hugely successful international tour in support of his 2002 album, "The Rising." Unlike the Dinosaurs, about ten of 24 songs are from that album. You'll enjoy the show more if you first listen to "The Rising." Bruce and the E Street Band performed 120 shows on the tour, which were attended by over three million people. It speaks volumes of his stature that he sold out arenas and stadiums all over North America and Europe a full 18 years after his popularity peaked with the album and tour, Born in the USA, which was released in 1984. In 30 years of international touring, this is the first complete Bruce Springsteen show ever released. I recommend getting a large screen TV, with a great sound system, and for three hours, "turn it up, turn it up, turn and up," and watch and listen to one of the greatest shows on earth. (Its worth noting that $14 is a GREAT price for a double DVD when single CDs can cost as much.)
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