Customer Reviews

Dan Fogelberg Live: Greetings From the West [VHS]

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As this video was unfortunately never sold in Europe, I had to go out and buy it in the original NTSC version in California during a summer vacation in 1995. Even though I had to get it copied to European PAL standard, it is a tape I treasure & never get tired of watching. Again, as DF has never made it across the ocean for a concert tour over here, the video is all have after 23 years of listening to the man's music to make up for never having been able to see him on stage. "Greetings From the West" is a wonderful 110 minute piece of concert footage, including some personal words from Dan and also a great selction of some of his best-loved tunes. It shows just what a great singer, musician & composer Dan Fogelberg is: tender ballads, energetic rockers and some very poetic lyrics - music that will never sound out of date. Excellent!

I've had this concert on VHS for several years, and it is one of the very first great concert videos. I couldn't wait until it was on DVD, but I shouldn't have bothered. My VHS tape looks better and sounds better than the DVD. The audio CD of this concert blows away the VHS tape, so I know good audio is there--why didn't we get it on this DVD? And the video looks like a VHS dub, and not even to DVD, but maybe to another VHS tape. The video smear and blur added to the audio dullness and distortion makes for a very poor transfer to DVD. I kid you not, I did an A/B comparison of my VHS tape to this DVD, and the tape won on both audio (VHS-HiFi) and video!
On the other hand, this concert is such a great performance that if you like Dan Fogelberg, you'll still like it, even with the horrible DVD quality. His rendition of "Power of Gold" alone justifies the price of this disc, and there are many more great songs for a bonus. Forget the picture and sound quality and just enjoy the concert. I'd give 5 stars for performance and 2 for the transfer and this averages to about 3.5, so I'll round it up to a 4.

Overall, this performance is stunning, and a must have for any Dan Fogelberg fan. His voice sounds higher and different than most of the renowned studio songs, and that may surprise some, but there's no complaint about its quality. The songs are so fine, that one can help but wonder why Dan has been so overlooked and underrated as an artist and songwriter. It's a pity that this is the only way that we can hear Dan Fogelberg on DVD, because they didn't put a lot of work on the sound. As somebody said it here, this looks like a simple transfer from the VHS, a poor one in sound, and just acceptable in picture. Luckyly, most of the songs have an average sound, but the interview snippets and some of the songs have a very noticeable distortion. But it's hard not to enjoy the concert even having to go through the abscense of quality in the video. Come on, SONY MUSIC, is this the best that you can do?.

I have the VCR copy of this and I purchased the DVD, hoping to have another way to watch it. However the quality of the DVD is horrible. It's like someone pirated it from the VCR copy. I could've done a better job with lesser equipment.

When I purchased my DVD player, I knew my first DVD had to be Hell Freezes Over by the Eagles. Next, it was The Dance by Fleetwood Mac. So perhaps unrealistically, my expectations were high when I purchased this DVD, Being a Dan fan from way back.

The song list is great, and this must have been a good concert to see in-person. All the good stuff is pointed out in the other reviews, so i'll focus on what was wrong with it, and try to balance out the score.

Unfortunately, it shows it's age. It should have been a clue that it wasn't being presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS, or even Pro-Logic. This concert should have been remastered before pressing the DVD. The sound stage is almost non-existent, at best when Dan plays the solo accoustic work. There's little or no separation of the stereo image. You might as well listen to it on your 50.00 boom box. And when Dan injects his commentary in-between, and sometimes on top of songs, it booms out, and distorts. especially if you've pumped up the volume a notch to make up for the lack of depth. The same applies to the picture quality, but this may be more at the source, than the way the DVD was pressed.

The presentation was also disappointing, with a bleak stage, having a kind of adobe walls, and American Indian folk art being the extent of any artistic expression. I know Dan is a nature boy, and I think that's cool. And he certainly needs no elaborate stage to present his music on. Quite the contrary actually, as I was hoping for a setting the likes of Kenny Loggins Redwoods Concert, and outdoors at a minimum. Perhaps Sedona (AZ) would have been a good setting (can you imagine)!

As far as his supporting band, and even some of Dan's equipment is concerned, there was also something to be desired. Don't get me wrong, the talent was there, just not the quality. For instance; There was far too much "synthesized" keyboard, bringing to mind a cheap one man bar band sound. In Leader of the Band, listen for what should be the horn solo. Instead it's poorly presented by a synth, that sounds well, like a synth. And again on Same Old Lang Syne, which should have been played on a baby grand. Instead Dan used a synth with the depth of a garage sale keyboard.

So there's my take, but if you're expecting to "experience" the concert, like you were there, forget it. Send Dan a letter and tell him to please do another. "If he builds it, it will sell!" Dan's music is certainly deserving of much, much more. It was just a marginal first attempt. If you only want a documentary, you wont be disappointed.

C'mon Dan, let's have it!

I have been a Dan Fogelberg fan since the '70s. I have followed him along his journey through music as it has helped me through my journey through life. I too am a poet/songwriter and he has helped me improve upon these talents. This video is a wonderful example of his creative abilities. I was fortunate enough to see him on the Live - Greetings From The West tour and this video is one of the best example of LIVE recordings I have ever seen. Whether you are already a fan or you are trying his music for the first time - YOU ARE IN FOR MUSICAL EXALTATION!

Also check out:

Dan Fogelberg-Portrait (4 CD Box Set)

Dan Fogelberg-The First Christmas Morning (New CD)

BSmith3051@NetZero.Net

I have owned this video now since it was introduced way back in 1991. Dan Fogelberg is a poet, a teacher, a linguist, a thrilling tribute to every emotion felt by people who love, or dare to love. You can never tire of watching him in motion at his concerts and in interviews. I imagine one day the world will turn and glance his way again and appreciate every song he has ever written as we get further in touch with "Mother Earth" and our own hearts and souls.

I missed Dan playing support to the Eagles back in the 70's when for some unknown reason he never turned up. Being a D.F. Fan since first hearing Homefree I had to buy this DVD. However it was never released in European format so I had to wait until I moved Stateside. I was a little disappointed to find that half the songs on the CD were missing from the DVD (what you playing at Sony!). Never the less, it's the nearest thing to seeing him live.
When are Sony or Full Moon going to release a full D.F. Concert in DVD format with decent Dolby sound? His Later material is just as good as ever and it's about time others got to see this unique artist in concert (including me!) As for only 3 stars, well if the sound quality was better and the DVD was as long as the album, it would have merited 5.

This DVD is a testament to the talent of Dan Fogelberg. His song writing is well known and has been admired for years, but his talent as a musician may not be realized by everyone who listens to his music.
I was in awe of his guitar playing, electric and acoustic, as well as his piano playing. He also does a blues number that is as blues as you can get. His acoustic slide guitar playing is awesome.
This is one to sit back and enjoy!

If you have never seen or heard Dan Fogelberg, you are in for a wonderful experience. I have the VHS version of this concert and have just purchased it on DVD. The picture is much better and, although I wish it came out on the 5.1 soundtrack, the 2.0 sounds wonderful. This is an artist with a beautiful voice. He is also a very talented musician and songwriter, and I fell in love with his music the first time I heard it.

It is such a treat to see this great performance. I have been to many of his concerts, but this gives you a chance to see him up close, and he and his band are terrific. The music covers a wide span of his work, and there are songs, such as a few from his CD "The Wild Places," that I have never heard at his other concerts.

You'll enjoy every minute of it!