Customer Reviews

VH1 Storytellers - Rod Stewart

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While I tend watch his more recent "It Had To Be You...The Great American Songbook" and "One Night Only! Live At The Royal Albert Hall" dvds more often, "VH1 Storytellers" captures Rod Stewart in a more intimate environment, allowing us to see a more relaxed and looser Stewart not seen on the other two.

Though the VH1 show "Storytllers" was supposed to showcase artists performing some of their classic hits in a small club and telling the stories on how some of their best known songs, Rod never really does that except when an audience member asks him who "Maggie May" is about. Other than that, he gives brief facts on certain songs but never divulges their true inspiration. This, however, should not dull the experience. With or without the actual storytelling, Rod nonetheless gives excellent performances of classics like "Maggie May", "Tonight's The Night", "Stay With Me", "Ooh La La" (sung with an audience member), "Forever Young", "You're In My Heart" and "Having A Party". Also, Rod performs two songs, "Cigarettes And Alcohol" and "Rocks", from his 1998 covers album "When We Were The New Boys", an underrated gem (or so I'm told, I've never actually heard it).

There are two bonus performances included that were not it in the television broadcast. They are "Hot Legs" and "Have I Told You Lately". They are good but not as good the originals.

Overall, a great Stewart live dvd. Pick up this dvd and the two I mentioned before as well, and you will experience how it feels to be at a Rod Stewart concert.

Wonderful concert. Shows why he is so popular. Didn't last long enough, left you smiling and wanting more! One you will watch over and over, at least I will.

This was recorded right before the release of Rod's underrated 1998 release, When We Were the New Boys. The tour that followed was his last before his throat surgery, and the last before he split with his wife Rachel Hunter. The result is a terrific performance from a man with charisma, style and of course, that voice. Don't expect much in the way of info about the songs though, Rod has never been able to talk about his lyrics so it's just Rod sharing a few drinks and tunes with his audience. He also had a fantastic backing band on this tour as well. After listening to him do just passable versions of classic standards for the past two years, this concert reminds you what Rod Stewart should still be doing. It's also reasonably priced. A happy occasion for all......Pass on his standards CDs and buy this DVD OR the Faces terrific new box set, "Five Guys Walk Into a Bar."

With all the glitz, glamor, and fame (not to mention the mega-bucks) that go with being a rock star of Rod Stewart's standing, it's very hard to feel sorry for someone like him, but this DVD did it for me. Backed by a band one step up from the garage level, Rod kills himself trying to engage his audience, but with a very few exceptions, they just aren't there for him. It's sure not Rod's fault; he turns in a great performance all around and even has the grace to seem a bit jealous of the guy who helps him out on "Ooh La La", but, for the most part, all the audience returns is polite applause. This is no reason not to buy the DVD, the little heard songs make it worth it, but if you have any of the later DVDs you will be even more appreciative of Janna Jacoby, Chuck Kentis, Don Kirkpatrick, Jeff Golub, Katja Rieckermann, and Natasha Pearce.

A lame, wheelchair concert where geriatric Rod can't seem to get any juice going. Geeeez: he could have at least rehearsed for this show. Forgetting the words to a song and starting over is, hmmm, unacceptable. Even if VH1 tries to use it as a way of showing how "laid back" this "session" was.

Look at Rod's lame version of "Hot Legs" in the Extras section - he just ain't got the chops at this time to cover the vocalese. That being said: he does one incredible song, that I can't find anywhere, ostensibly from a group called, "Primal Scream": Get Your Rocks Off. It is a blistering rocker, well in Rod's vocal range for this period, and, probably worth the price of admission. Now: does anyone know where I can find it?

I love Rod. One of the greatest Rock and Roll voices ever. Just not on this DVD. Put it in your NetFlix queue. . .and save yourself a couple bucks.

being an avid Rod Stewart fan enjoyed this immensly. He was very in touch with his audience and one felt part of this also. Recommend to all fans young and old Sandi.

Rod sang well, the slow songs were excellent. but the band was worthless.

and Rod had to get in his bisexual comments, he never does seem to work to dispeel the talk that has gone on for decades. Sample, he says the word sin then looks at his guitar players pants and goes those are sinful, while staring at them, oh thats means nothing? they do on a man that has been so called dogged for being a bi all these years, and then the best one was when while he was singing turned the mic backwards and acted like he was buffing it with his mouth, it goes real fast, watch.

not that there is anything wrong with that, a la Jerry Seinfeld, but doing that on tv and knowing its going to be on dvd, no man, no.