Customer Reviews

The Concert for New York

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

One of the eeriest moments of this splendid, live recording is Billy Joel's performance of Miami 2017 in which the terrible events of September 2001 seemed to be foretold. The performer's voice breaks on the highs but it only seems to add to the pathos of his delivery. Like any live album of this sort, there are highs and lows. The highs, which include Mick Jagger and Keith Richard's powerhouse delivery of SALT OF THE EARTH, and Roger Daltrey's vocal on BABA O' REILLY, are some of the most passionate performances you've ever heard. And Daltrey's voice hardly sounds different from the one we heard thirty years ago. The great sanity and gentleness of James Taylor's performance will, in the historic context of this event, draw tears from more than one listener. Even Destiny's Child delivers beautifully in a Gospel Medley that will send shivers up your spine. Amidst all this grandeur are more lackluster moments,including David Bowie's opening cover of Paul Simon's AMERICA, Adam Sandler's very odd performance of OPERAMAN and Backstreet Boys' surprisingly sleepy rendition of QUIT PLAYING GAMES WITH MY HEART. There are also some blisteringly fine performances that are plopped into the middle of the performance -- such as HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN performed by Eric Clapton and the beloved Buddy Guy, that are so damned good, we want to hear another cut or two from the duo, but must settle for one. Live performances are always a dog to record, but the four producers of this landmark recording did all they could to create a wide soundstage, balanced accoustics and minimal rolloff distortion during the loudest cuts. Most of all, the audience is a living, breathing part of the recording; they react to the music, join with it, cheer it, even boo it once or twice. All of net Sony's net proceeds on the album will benefit the Robin Hood fund, so it's an especially satisfying purchase too. Over all, I loved this album, warts and all. It is one our children will share with their children. It proves that music can be unbelievably healing. And who knows, you may even get up and dance to it once or twice. I did, and it felt great.

The thing about this CD is how wonderful it is that this concert happened, but how horrible the reason. Humankind at its best, as a result of humankind at its worst, is a striking contrast and very uplifting. Listening to this CD is a very moving experience, and you've got to play it loud and sing along at the top of your lungs.

The songs are more relevant now than it could have ever been imagined before September 11th. Mick and Keith's "Salt of the Earth", The Who's "We Don't Get Fooled Again", JT's "Fire and Rain", Bowie covering S&G's "America", Five for Fighting's "Superman", and of course, Billy Joel's "Miami 2017" & "NY State of Mind"; all great songs in their time, and are especially moving in this emotional and powerful CD. (Billy Joel and Five for Fighting truly stand out).

If you're not sure whether to buy this CD, consider this. I (don't like) Bon Jovi (...)! But listen to their performance, you'll hear a bunch of American boys, pouring their hearts and souls into their music in honor of the FDNY, the City of New York, and their country. I admit that it brought a tear to my eye, but I'm still not running out to buy "Slippery When Wet".

I loved the intros by John Cusack and Bill Clinton, Mike Moran's narrative, and Operaman. The only hiccup was including The Backstreet Boys. This concert and CD should have been reserved for bands/acts with more integrity than the boy-band du jour. Nick, AJ, Justin and whatever their names are, do not belong in the pantheon with Clapton, Elton, McCartney, and the other bands listed above. The CD is sort of like the big family portrait which includes your sister's loser boyfriend who she dumped 2 weeks after the picture, leaving you with a perfect picture, except for him, and you can't crop him out. Destiny's Child also do not necessarily belong, but at least they covered a song "Emotions" written by someone more talented than themselves.
But overall, this is just nitpicking. Get this CD. You'll love it!

I went to New York City in January 2001 as part of an annual school trip--after three days there, I left having completely fallen in love with the city. Nine months later, the unthinkable happened, and my love for NYC only grew stronger. I remember watching this concert on VH1 and just being completely floored by everything about it: the policemen and the firemen having the best time of their lives, the short films by New York's--and Jersey's--finest (Kevin Smith, baby, yeah!), the great bits by Billy Crystal, Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, and Adam Sandler, but--my God--the music. The Who (complete with Townshend's windmill gesture), Billy Joel (later that night duetting with Elton John), and Paul McCartney bringing everyone out on stage at the end for his new single "Freedom". This is one of the best concert CDs I've ever heard, done for one of--no, the best--city in the world. Buy it.

With over 6,000 NY Fire Department members, NY Police Department members and NY Port Authority officers present, some of rock n'rolls' all time greats assembled for a powerful tribute to the heroes of September 11th and the City of New York. David Bowie opened with a powerful set of America and Heroes. Bon Jovi followed with a superb set. On down the line it went with Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy jammin' to Hoochie Coochie Man. Melissa Etheridge overcame some microphone problems to do a great version of the Boss's Born to Run. The WHO were magnificent, especially on Won't Get Fooled Again which brought the audience down, the NYC firemen and police really responding to their music. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, while their voices are not what they once were, did a powerful duo of numbers keynoted by Salt of the Earth. The final four numbers, led by Paul McCartney are some of the most appropriately chosen songs of the night, especially his newest, Freedom which (like Let It Be) features a stunning Eric Clapton guitar solo. This double CD set is one of the finest concerts I have ever heard. It is a more than fitting tribute to the City of New York and her fallen heroes and heroines. Long live the City of New York and the rockers who honor her.

This concert taped at Madison Square Garden in New York City was a magnificent show. If you were lucky enough to catch it when broadcast on VH1, then you know what I mean. The show ran for 4 hours or so. Thankfully, the CD doesn't. It is long tho. There are brilliant performers on here with priceless performances. The best part of the CD coming from, naturally, Sir Paul McCartney. His performance of "Yesterday", with no guitar, was as beautiful as it gets. Sir Paul sounded incredible. His new song "Freedom" is a great acheivement in his career. It's a very memorable 'message' song that makes one think of those types of songs he and Lennon did in The Beatles. Destined to be a classic recording. David Bowie is on hand with "Heroes", and a slew of other great performances. The Who really steal the show with a rocking set that includes "Who Are You". The Great John Mellencamp shows up with "Pink Houses", which also features a cameo by Kid Rock(sigh), and his great new song, "Peaceful World". Adam Sandler's appearance as Operaman is hysterical. The filler portion of this CD is unneeded performances and songs by Jay Z singing "H To The Izzo". What the (heck) does that mean?. The Backstreet boys singing "Quit Playing Games With My Heart' just doesn't fit. If it weren't for unnecessary appearances like that, this would get the full 5 stars. Oh yeah, how can I forget James Taylor's moving performance of "Fire And Rain"?. absolutely perfect. This is a great CD that shoould be part of your collection. It ranges from great feel good rock to serious and emotional music that soothes the soul. A great live CD if ever there was one. Get it today!. It's a must!.

Terrorists down the World Trade Center...Downtown New York in shambles...the world dealt a blow beneath the belt. It was several weeks later, this night, October 20, 2001, that America honored our heroes by doing something we do best, throw together memorable concerts. No, this was no Live Aid, this was no Tibetean Freedom Concert, this was better...We came together that night, in our homes in front of the TV, at Madison Square Garden, and all around the world, to honor the men and women who work for a living as someone who walks straight into hell without blinking an eye to save pure strangers, specifically New York's Bravest, the FDNY, and New York's Finest, the NYPD.
David Bowie starts out playing his tune, "America" and then we move on to the heart-pumping sounds of Bon Jovi, Jay-Z, and the Goo-Goo Dolls. Next is one of New York's own, Billy Joel. He takes us through on a trip of New York, singing about his "New York State of Mind." Destiny's Child entertains us with a few light tunes, and then Eric Clapton with Buddy Guy, playing a nice-moving tune, "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man." Adam Sandler takes the stage next, eagerly displaying his grief over Guliani's departure and his confusion over how "Tough Osama" is "exterminating" in a cave.
Disc 2 starts off with Mike Moran offering some Irish Wisdom to his good friend, Mr. Bin Laden. The Who then delivers an absolutely amazing performance (almost half of the second disc), rocking out on three songs for over 30 minutes...a performance to go down as one of the greatest sets of all time. Disc 2 is not as jam-packed as the first, but finishes out with Paul McCartney singing several songs, including never-aging renditions of "Yesterday" and "Let It Be". The CD ends with Paul McCartney and most of the artists there that night (minus a Mick Jaggar) playing his new song "Freedom" with Eric Clapton taking numerous exhilerating solos.
A CD collection to be remembered, a collection for the masses, a collection which no other can be compared to...
It was this night the greatest from all ends of the silver screen and the LP, from the "American Bad (...)" himself to American icons such as Jerry Seinfeld, James Lipton, and Billy Joel, that these images of America took a step back to focus the light on America's NEW heros, our EMS Volunteers, our Policemen, and our Firefighters. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

There have been a number benefit concerts in the last few months for the victims of the 9/11 tragedies and their families, but the biggest one in terms of musical star power was the one organized by Paul McCartney at Madison Square Garden on October 20th. Running for over five hours, the crowd (which included over 6000 firefighters, police officers & rescue workers who attended for free) was treated to stunning performances by a star-studded cast of musicians.

David Bowie opened the show with an acoustic version of Simon & Garfunkel's "America," followed by a rocking version of "Heroes." The latter was a bit shaky at first, as Bowie didn't get the lyrics quite right. Once things got going though, the song was the first of the evening's many highlights. Up next is a trio of songs from Bon Jovi. Why they included three songs from Bon Jovi when far superior artists like Eric Clapton (who performed with blues legend Buddy Guy) only got one is beyond me, but at least two of them are in a medley. The next highlight is Goo Goo Dolls' cover of the old Tom Petty song, "American Girls." It's a shame they didn't include "Iris" (which was performed before "American Girls") instead of one of the Bon Jovi songs, but hey...

Billy Joel really surprised me with his powerful rendition of (arguably his best song) "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)." I honestly didn't think he had it in him anymore. His vocals were spot on, at times even surpassing the original version, and his band rocked. Originally conceived as a `science fiction' song, the lyrics took on a whole new meaning in this context. "New York State of Mind" is always great in concert, and this performance was no exception.

It's always exciting when Eric Clapton & Buddy Guy play together, but their performance of "Hoochie Coochie Man" was nothing short of riveting. Adam Sandler reprised his Operaman character from his days as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Unlike the telecast, he's uncensored on the CD. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards performed two songs together for the first time since the last Stones tour. Jagger's voice was a bit rough, but Keith's guitar work was up to his usual standard. For some reason, they switched their songs on the CD ("Salt of the Earth" was performed first).

Disc two starts off with NYC firefighter Mike Moran's comments. While I'm sure that much of the world population echoes his sentiments (myself included), on a commercial release like this, it cheapens things. Up next is three (of the four) songs by The Who. Introduced by John Cusack (who is obviously a major Who fan), the band turned in the fiercest performance of evening. Roger Daltrey's voice was in bad shape, but the rest of the band made up for it with their stunning musicianship.

Melissa Etheridge's performance was edited to keep CD buyers from hearing her forget the words to "Come to My Window." Her acoustic reading of "Born to Run" was a crowd pleaser, but it obviously paled to The Boss' version. Ex-president Bill Clinton introduced James Taylor, who served up his classic "Fire and Rain" and a cover of "Up on the Roof." Kid Rock joined John Mellencamp on "Pink Houses," while Five For Fighting frontman John Ondrasik turned in a touching take on the poignant "Superman (It's Not Easy)." Elton John's solo rendition of "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" was another highpoint of the show. Like Billy Joel earlier in the show, Elton's vocals were outstanding.

Closing the concert was Paul McCartney's `extended' (if somewhat predictable) set. Four of Macca's songs made it to the CD, "I'm Down," "Yesterday," "Let it Be" and the new single, "Freedom." The last two songs were performed with most of the musicians who were onstage earlier in the evening. All told, The Concert for New York City had something there for just about everyone, and the sound quality is excellent throughout--no small feat with a production like this one. My only complaint is the editing between songs. The fades are too short and don't sound natural. Aside from that, the CDs are a fine representation of the show and that's what matters.

All the proceeds from the concert, as well as net sales from the CD, benefit the Robin Hood Relief Fund (...)

I am a NYC Police Officer who found comfort and catharsis at this concert. I am grateful to those performers and to the Americans celebrating this music. Seeing the faces of my fellow Americans who gave themselves over to Rock and Roll for a mercurial moment made me proud yet overwhelmingly sad. I know that a lot of my fellow civil servants often have trouble reaching certain levels of emotion and, through good old fashioned Rock and Roll, we were able to let go. Listening again to those first few crashing chords from THE WHO still gives me chills. I know how every one of us was feeling at that moment.

This is not just great classic music -- this music defines us. We grew up on it. Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, James Taylor --this music fueled our youths and made us who we are. After September 11, 01 we found new meaning to these lyrics just as we had discovered more about ourselves. We should be proud to celebrate this music, in a country that lets us play it freely and with the volume all the way up. It reminds us how powerful music can be and how healing. I replay this concert over and over. I recall the images of every wife and girlfriend, wearing their hero's hat and clutching them with all of their might, grateful for that precious moment together. I have new-found love for life, for life's simple pleasures.

Perhaps the concert's newest artist summed it as well as the veteran acts that night. In a song I have loved since I first heard it last summer, though I never fully knew what it meant until that night: "Five For Fighting", SUPERMAN -- "I wish that I could cry. Fall upon my knees. Find a way to lie. About a home I'll never see. It may sound absurd but don't be naive. Even heroes have the right to bleed. I may be disturbed but don't you concede? Even heroes have the right to dream. It's not easy to be me...."

God Bless America.

Much has been said about this concert, This is really a gem with outstanding live performances by superstars of today and yesterday, Its all here, The Who,Billy Joel,Jagger,Elton,James Taylor, Clapton...I mean come on...anyone who sees or hears this lineup performing live really deserves to be called extremely lucky. There are really very neat renditions of Classic Songs, most notably those done by The Who ,Bowie and Joel. Buy this cd right now, this is one of those rare times that you get something and your money goes for a good cause and you get a gem for the price you pay.
no seriously, go buy it right now.

p.s: my only unhappiness with the disc is the bass. The bass is not too great and I think the way the cd has been rushed maybe might be the cause of this,but that is no excuse for not owning it.

This is a great collection of artists getting together weeks after the attack on the World Trade Center under the leadership of Paul McCartney to pay tribute to the firefighters, police, and rescue workers. This 2 disc set features great music from artists just as David Bowie, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, The Who, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, James Taylor, Melissa Etheridge, Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi, Goo Goo Dolls, Jay Z, Destiny's Child, and Five For Fighting.

One of the best parts of this CD was the incredible performance by The Who. Pete, Roger and John were on fire and put on totally rocking performance that will take you back. I also had the pleasure of watching the entire concert live when it was first broadcast live on VH1 and The Who had the entire crowd on their feet rocking out. It was great to see people on their feet jumping around, dancing and singing along with Roger and Pete. Great show and this CD truly captures that magic.

The CD also includes a great performance by Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy performing `I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man'. I wish they would have included more of their stuff, instead of Destiny's Child but that's just my personal preference. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger also perform an incredible version of Let It Be and Salt of the Earth. Billy Joel adds icing on the cake with New York State of Mind. This CD has something for everyone and is just a great moving tribute to the brave men and woman of the NY Police, Fire and Rescue teams.