Average Customer Review:
 ( 34 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Strong Performances = Great DVDJan 05, 2004
By D. R. Jeanclerc
"Reader, Listener & Obsessive Observer"
This DVD captures Rage's final concert performance in 2000. The event was laid down on film, not video, so it's got a professional vs. a made-for-Canadian-TV look. Unfortunately, however, the editing includes too many cut shots with effects (slo-mo, drop-frame, etc) that takes away from the overall package. I would have preferred a straight-forward, almost documentary style for a performance this strong - there's no need to hype it up like a music video. The straightforward look is on display for the bonus material of the performance outside 2000's Democratic National Convention in LA; plus, this may be an even better musical performance than the Canadian show. Both performance are as tight and energetic as you'd expect. They both also highlight the contrast between the heavy rock of Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk vs. the hip-hop lyricism and delivery of Zach de la Rocha. I don't believe that any of them will ever equal Rage while working on their individual side projects (i.e. the valium pill that was Audioslave). One constant irritation was that both shows would have benefitted from unplugging the mic in front of Commerford - stick to the bass, my man. Also, the obvious opportunity for an unforgettable audience participation moment during "Killing in the Name" went surprisingly flat - come on, don't you people know the words? Overall, a pair of great performance packaged together at a super-cheap price. Highly recommended for the Rage completist or anyone interested in seeing what they're all about. Finally, the liner notes contain contact information for a number of political action groups that they support - no matter what you think of their politics, you've got to admire that they've apparently done their homework and are challenging the listener to do the same.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
 bonus features are greatOct 21, 2004
By Freedom, Liberty, and Justice for all
The best part of the DVD in my opinion is found in the bonus material, the concert in front of the 2000 Democratic National Convention. It is awesome! It shows the meaning of Rage Against the Machine. Get the DVD and go straight to the bonus material!
10 of 12 found the following review helpful:
a must buy!Nov 20, 2003
By Randy E. Wheeler
"randywhe"
i was at this concert and it was the best i've ever been to! the energy of the band and audience mixed with the amazing sound quality inside the grand olympic auditorium is gonna make for a great dvd. there were so many cameras in there, i know there is going to be alot of great angles. this was rage's last concert, and it really captures the electricity of their amazing live show
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Outstanding quality, less fireAug 11, 2005
By Simon
Zack's voice has changed over the years. His earlier performances carry more hyped / firery vocals - as if he was screaming directly into the face of every single person there. Over the years however, especially since Battle Of Los Angeles (1999) his voice, still maintaining that aggressive edge, lacks that hype where you feel like he's running round the stage throwing his fist up in the air and making gestures to the crowd.
It can be hard to notice in some songs (Bulls On Parade) yet listening to earlier performances of 'Know Your Enemy' and then this one I kinda feel like he should be screaming those lyrics down the mic like its '92.
As far as live Rage CD's go (given that there are only two commercially released ones) this is by far the best produced one. The quality is outstanding, touching all the right notes and all members of the band are as tight as ever. For Rage fans its not one to be missed, however there are other performances that can be gotten hold of capturing more of Zack's rage!
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Clearance to Run the InterferenceMar 26, 2007
By Sky
In some of my other music DVD reviews, I take the tact of applying a set of standards to a release and establishing how the DVD in question measures up. Let me say in advance that when I take this tact, it usually means that I was disappointed in the release, but this would be only slightly true with Rage Against The Machine's Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium.
A memo should go out to all bands and music DVD producers that says at minimum: "1) Music DVD's should be produced to the highest standards. 2) The musical performances within should represent the talent that made the studio recorded CDs sell. 3) Theatrics are very cool too, as long as you can pull them off without deterioration in the quality of the music."
Let's break it down then for Rage's Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium:
1 - "Music DVD's should be produced to the highest standards." - The picture quality in Rage's Live at the GOA is fair at best. I think this is due to a combo of two things: Old technology was used to film the performance, and there is a deliberate use of a technique that makes the picture a bit grainy. This grainy effect is hardly noticeable on a standard def TV, but it's very noticeable on a high def plasma TV. Seemingly, the band and the director chose to deliver what they felt was some kind of "atmospheric production" versus giving the viewer a front row seat to the performance. Hence, the relatively poor picture takes a bit away from the DVD.
On the other hand, the visual doesn't jump all over the place every 2 seconds as is true with way too many music DVDs (for some reason the notion all too often is that changing the visual projects the energy of a song...and that's a stupid notion). The camera shots in Rage's Live at the GOA mostly give you a nice long look at each performer at the right time; if you were actually at the show, you'd probably be looking at the performer that the camera is on. This made for a viewing experience that enhanced the illusion of having a front row seat to the show.
The sound is great in Dolby 5.1. You get your choice between Stereo and Dolby 5.1. Dolby 5.1 is far superior even when listening on a stereo system. My home theater Surround system in 5.1 made it feel like I was at the show. When I tried stereo on my portable DVD player the bass was mixed way too high and the sound was distorted; this was instantly remedied by switching to 5.1.
2 - "The musical performances within should represent the talent that made the studio recorded CDs sell." - The guys prior to hitting the stage must have huddled and committed to each other to go out and play the music true to the studio versions of the songs. All of the tracks on Rage's Live at the GOA are performed precisely. Absolutely amazing.
Tom Morello is incredible. Morello is ranked in the top half of Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". And particularly his solo in Bulls on Parade is often noted by Guitar World and other music magazines; it was awesome to see him precisely pull off live the magic sounds he makes with a guitar that you might think he could only make in the studio.
The band gives you all of the songs that you'd really want to hear:
1. Bulls On Parade
2. Bombtrack
3. Calm Like A Bomb
4. Bullet In The Head
5. Sleep Now In The Fire
6. War Within A Breath
7. I'm Housin'
8. Killing In The Name
9. Born Of A Broken Man
10. No Shelter
11. Guerrilla Radio
12. How I Could Just Kill A Man (w/guest Cypress Hill)
13. Kick Out The Jams
14. Testify
15. Freedom
Bonus material includes:
"People of the Sun" and "Know Your Enemy"
The 2000 Democratic National Convention performance, featuring:
"Bulls On Parade"
"Testify"
"Guerrilla Radio"
"Sleep Now In The Fire"
"Freedom"
"Killing In The Name"
And video clips for "How I Could Just Kill a Man" and "Bombtrack"
The Grand Olympic Auditorium main performance is fabulous. The bonus material, especially the performance at the 2000 DNC, is interesting to watch and much more politically oriented than performance oriented.
3 - "Theatrics are very cool too, as long as you can pull them off without deterioration in the quality of the music." - There are no over-the-top theatrics...which is great. The guys just play the music, and as I said earlier, they perform the songs to perfection. There is a clear air on the stage that "this is our last show together". These guys all click and tonight they are clicking on all cylinders.
Zack de la Rocha's (and the band's) political message is highly visible (and audible) throughout. During the show Rage and de la Rocha voice their extremist support for revolutionary socialism that includes a sweeping condemnation of the police and corporations. Um...yikes! I can't say that I'm a fan of Rage's message, but their music rocks! And the show recorded on Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium also rocks.
All in all...Live at the GOA is a shouldn't-miss DVD if you like or ever liked Rage Against the Machine. But so much for this recording being their last performance; a 2007 reunion has been announced. Perhaps we'll get an upgraded high def performance DVD to rally 'round the family with.
See all 34 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
based on 34 reviews
