Customer Reviews

Keeping the Legend Alive (Bonus Dvd)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This CD/DVD combo is great--I saw them at the Fillmore in Oct 2004 after George Grantham (drums,vocals) had his heart attack and he was missed greatly at this concert. At least I can see him on this DVD and also Richie Furay who was also at the Fillmore--the DVD was clear and crisp and the CD was the same. POCO fans--this a must buy-I got an Email from Rusty Young thanking me for this purchase-- This is a limited release--get it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Paul Cotton has several great guitar solos on it that shows the professional he is---GET THIS NOW All my thoughts and hopes for George--get better and get back on the road--we miss you!!!!!!!!!!

The Last CD of Poco's I picked up was the Forgotten Trail. I have played it regullarly for the past decade. I picked this offering up because I Saw that Richie Furay was with them again. I am sooo Glad I did. Every song is done to perfection. The Richie Furay numbers are great (I've liked his voice ever since the days of Buffalo Springfield), yet it's the surprises from the other talented members of the band that take this CD to the next level. Their version of JJ Cales Magnolia is fantastic! Spellbound, and Indian Summer are great. My personal favorite has to be Rose of Cimarron. It's just a great rendition. The playing and unpretentious presentation is flat out enjoyable. The buyer gets both the DVD and the CD of the show. This is one of the best buys of great music I have gotten in the past year. Highly recommended!

I purchased this set after some weeks of waiting for more postings concerning a problem with the DVD tracking. I went ahead without the confidence I'd hoped to have, but I had a strong wanting for all to be okay.
Let me say first that I buy a lot of music DVD's- over 350 at last count- and too many are disappointing. And I have stuff from a spectrum of artists/genres- from Keiko Matsui to Muddy Waters- from Metallica to Norah Jones to Jethro Tull.
I was there in the 60's following intensely the explosion of rock. For me it was all about the guitar- Eric Clapton playing with Mayall's BluesBreakers, Peter Green in Fleetwood Mac. I was an immediate post-Yardbirds Jimmy Page/Led Zeppelin supporter.
Right up there on my list of most-loved American groups was the Buffalo Springfield. But they were clearly too dense with talent to last long. Poco was one of the next generation groups that formed when the talent regrouped after 'Springfield. With more of a country tinge than 'Springfield- like Chris Hillman without the Byrds, Poco fell into an also-ran position for me. My record purchasing dollars went more often to Crosby, Stills & Nash, or Neil Young, or the Eagles. Or to heavier blues/rock. But now, in retrospect, I'm feeling a tad of guilt.
This DVD has turned out to be the greatest surprise in many moons. The photography is mature and balanced. The venue, the audience, the lighting: all are in sync. But ultimately, great music is why I buy music dvd's, and this one has me very happy. The sound is full and rich- a gratifying mix of pensive and toe tapping. (I could listen to Rusty Young's slide guitar all night.) I can't help but think they're like the Eagles without the ego trips. Listener friendly, and timeless stuff. Great music. Great people.
Chances are you're not reading this without some knowledge of Poco. If you're in need of some confidence in the quality of the DVD, let me assure you, I had "0" problems with this CD/DVD set. Nothing but first rate.
My only complaint has to do with marketing- why is this set marketed as a music CD (with dvd add-on)? That too often means marginal quality video. Clearly not so in this case. I spend far less these days on CD's than I do on DVD's. This DVD should come up when customers search for new music DVD's. Poco would be making many more people happy. And more people would have yet another reason to agree that so much pop music of today is dismal in comparison. Thanks guys.

I have been fortunate to see Poco twice in Buffalo, NY - although sadly, without Richie. Each time I see them (this DVD included), they just get better and better.
Where Did The Time Go starts the concert off in such a simple, delicate way. It is a new, although short little song which sets the tone.
Keep On Tryin' is such a nice take on Timothy B. Schmidt's pretty song. Rusty is no Timmy B, but then who is?
Crazy Love is one of the classics from Legend. It always sounds great. How can you miss with those harmonies? And seeing George Grantham out from behind the drums! Cool!!
Pickin' Up The Pieces - Here's where it starts to go stellar. I have been a huge Richie Furay fan for years (Richie says 37 years for Poco), but it goes back to, yes, the Buffalo Springfield. It blows my mind that someone of Richie's advanced years (sorry, Richie) gets better with aging. Unfortunately, George sounded a little shaky on his solo. He sounded much better in Buffalo in 2004. Paul's and Rusty's solos are great. The only downside on them is they're not long enough to savor the musicianship.
Bad Weather - Paul Cotton - You can't say enough about this gem.
Call It Love - Rusty's hit from Legacy. He's starting to sound a little tired vocally here, but it's still a fun song to listen and watch them play.
Let's Dance - I am reminded, listening to this, why Richie is in the Hall of Fame. So much energy, such a great little rocker.
Magnolia - No matter how many times or how many versions of this J J Cale song I listen to, it still brings a tear to my eye. Paul nails it - again. Thanks, Paul. And Rusty, it's nice to see you've finally learned to play that steel.
You'd Better Think Twice - As much as I love Messina, Richie turns this into his own song.
Spellbound - Listening to Rusty noodle on the guitar, you're not quite sure what they're going to do next. But what a nice job on this slinky, smoky song. And by the way, they can still kick it up a notch! And did I mention those harmonies?
Indian Summer - one of two non-Richie highlights on this album. By that I mean this is not something they were playing every gig before the 2004 tour. It's a treat to listen to Paul on this one.
Kind Woman - OK, I'll admit it. I would have bought this album just to hear Richie do this song. Absolutely incredible.
Rose Of Cimmaron - What can I say? I love this song.
Ride The Country - this is the other non-Richie highlight. Paul is wonderful again on this gem.
Good Feelin' To Know - Has there ever been a bad performance of this one? Richie again show excellent range that doesn't seem to have lost anything.
Heart Of The Night - Great way to end the show, with the signature sax playing of the original by Phil Kensey, who is also a 'snappy dresser'. Couldn't be better.
A couple of comments on the band itself: Rusty in particular and the Madacy people in general handled the glitch problem in such a way that all customer service people could learn from. They replaced the DVDs that were purchased through the poconut.com website. Perfect!
Having seen them twice in an intimate setting, it is amazing that Poco members have a measure of humility and true appreciation for their fans. After all, even though they didn't achieve the commercial success of other bands, they did reach levels that 99-1/2% of us could only dream about. Yet they take the time to sign autographs, to have pictures taken, to joke with and to laugh with. And Richie was kind enough several years ago to respond to an email. So this DVD is just the cherry on top of the best cake. Thanks, guys, for so much.

We do not get to see Poco a lot in the UK these days though they toured succesfully in the early 1970s especially and played a one off last month in London. However they have always been in print in audio formats across the years indicating a continuing body of support for their music I hope.

This CD/DVD combo is brilliant and much better that many other such matches (the picture and sound on the DVD beats many stand alone DVDs I believe) and is already being played in my house a lot especially in 5:1 sound. If proof was needed that Rusty Young & Paul Cotton are truly under-rated singers and musicians then this will evidence it (and the addition of quiet George Grantham and Ritchie Furay taking time off from his religious pastoral duties if the interview bonus is to be believed)underline what an undervalued group versus the Eagles etc these guys have been.

This is a fan friendly package, with a CD and DVD presenting a great 2004 show from Nashville. Poco starts with an acoustic set, brings founding member Richie Furay out after the second song and glides into more of a rock mode as the show unfolds. There are some pleasant surprises in the set such as "Let's Dance", "Spellbound" and "Indian Summer". Ironically, the song "Legend" is not included despite the title and the fact that the song has been a concert staple. Rusty Young is the star of the proceedings. He has emerged into a comfortable performer and his playing on dobro and pedal steel can only be described as pristine. You expect his voice to give out at some point, but it does not. I appreciated the inclusion of a song each from the two key members not performing with the band, Tim Schmit and Jim Messina. This keeps a sense of the band's history in place. The performance builds as the show goes on and the audience is most appreciative. Perhaps the most surprising number is "Call it Love" which kicks things into high gear. The backing vocals throughout the concert are so good, you'll almost think Schmit was there!

There are also some interesting features, including an informal band interview and fan photo galleries. Everything about this package is fan friendly from the price to the fact that the dvd was placed on a production hold when glitches were reported. My copy ran without any flaws.

When you view and listen to this performance, you will think of Poco as a band, not a group just hanging on to the past. Highly recommended!

As a wierd teenager growing up on Cape Cod in the late '70's and early '80's, I was often found listening to "strange" music. My friends were tuned into Springsteen or Billy Joel or the Eagles. Although, I liked the Eagles, I had discovered this "underground" more authentic version of them in Poco. I scooped up a number of their '70's offerings, Indian Summer, Legend and Rose Of Cimmaron. I even bought 1980's Under The Gun the day it came out. I remember the smell of the Vinyl LP freshly unwrapped. It was a thick album cover, complete black with red accents around the trademark Poco horse logo. I even followed the band over to Atlantic records on "Ghost Town" and "Inamorata", both stellar offerings that received little or no airplay.

Paul Cotton and Rusty Young are my Lennon and McCartney. They both sing and play amazingly. Young may be the best pedal-steel player ever. Cotton is a better version of Stephen Stills. Cotton's voice, even today is smooth, powerful and soulful. Rusty Young has a "rusty" tenor that can be identified almost instantly.

On "Keeping The Legend Alive", the band more than succeeds at the title. Joined by original founding father, Richie Furay, Poco steams through a set about as perfect as a band can do at this stage of their career. This set was recorded with 5.1 dolby, and the acoustic guitars shimmer and bounce from speaker to speaker. Everybody contributes with precision. The material chosen is outstanding. The album has some great surprises. "Spellbound" from Legend album is a welcome inclusion. As is "Kind Woman" from the Buffalo Springfield with Furay on vocals and original steel from Young. The band hits pure adrenaline on "In The Heart of The Night", the encore that features original studio sax player, Phil Kenzie who dazzles the Nashville audience with his great improv.

This album is one you listen to all at once and then you can pop in the DVD and get the show on screen with great interviews, pictures and special features. This is a great value and a piece of history! THIS BAND NEEDS TO BE IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME-NOW!!!

Poco is one of my favourite bands.I owe every album.Since I live in The Netherlands,it has allways been impossible te actueel see or feel a concert.This dvd makes it up.And how!The music is state of the Art and I really got chickenskinned when I heard Paul play on his beautiful Gretsch.Rusty on pedal is amazing and a sight to see.Even a Hammond B3 was showcased.I hope that one of the guys(Poco)will drop me an e-mail.If you love Poco,get this one.My favourite song,Rose of Cimarron,got me almost crying.
The sound is great,and while the band does not give a entertainment,they just do what they,re good at.Play music and making me happy.Thanx guys.

If you like the Eagles, America, Crosby Stills and Nash, this is for you. Great playing, singing and great songs.

On their website the band says that they are suspending production due to glitches on the DVD. My copy has them (the picture freezes and jumps for fractions of a second throughout the concert) but it is still watchable. Apparently this is being pulled out of circulation until a fix is found. But this DVD is so good I'll keep my copy anyway.

Does Poco sound a lot like the Eagles? As the whole world shoud know, it is the Eagles that sound like Poco!

I was lucky enough to have attended this concert, recorded in Nashville, and have been waiting eagerly for the release. This does not disapoint. The camera work, sound quality and the energy of the "live" experience are all spot on. The importance of this release can not be underestimated because for all the years Poco has been in existence, there is very little live footage, so to have this, with Richie Furay present for virtually the whole show is unbeleivable.