Customer Reviews

Weld [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the video to go with the "Weld" CD. It has the same songs as the 2 CD-set except the classic "Like A Hurricane" and "Farmer John" - it does have an interesting introduction featuring the infamous Roadas (roadies dressed as Jawas) as Jimi Hendrix's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner is played.

All the music is electric and justifies why Neil is called the godfather of grunge by many people. There is a lot of juicy distortion.

The album features many classic Neil tunes such as "Hey Hey My My", "Welfare Mothers", "Cortez The Killer", "Powderfinger", "Tonight's The Night" and "Roll another Number for The Road". There are also newer classics such as the ultimate rendition of "Rockin' In The Free World" (forget Pearl Jam's!)

Obviously the music sounds better from a CD-quality recording than a VHS tape.

It's very enjoyable to watch Neil and the Horse play, especially on his rampaging solos and thrashing of his guitar.

My only complaint is that the camera focuses too much on the audience and there are some real freaks in there!

First of all, WHY NOT PUT THIS OUT ON DVD!!! What are they waiting for. This is by far the best Neil Young show available. The only two fighting for a close second is Rust and Live at Redrocks. This VHS beats all other VHS and DVDs on the market. Now that it is out of print you better preorder it. If you are a Neil Young fan then you collection is incomplete without this concert.

I pre-ordered this on DVD in 2007 when Amazon said it was being released. They later sent me an email that my order has been canceled (!)

"Though we had expected to be able to send this item to you, we've since found that it is not available from any of our sources at this time."

Neil, I was at this show in Williamsburg, VA and have been patiently waiting 17 years for it to appear on DVD. What's going on? If someone in the band is balking just pay them off and release the DVD......

Having worn out my VHS copy, it would be nice to have a DVD to blow out my speakers with. How about it Neil?

I think this is an excellent video showing one of the greatest musicians in an unimposing and raw show. Great for any Neil Young fan.

Man, this one is frustrating. Director Bernard Shakey, who did such terrific work on the "Rust Never Sleeps" and "Live In A Rusted Out Garage" video concerts, really lets us down on this one. Rather than focusing on Neil and Crazy Horse, the cameras spend FAR too much time zeroing in on the concertgoers. Yeah, we know that everyone in the crowd knows all the words to all the songs, but to ENDLESSLY have to watch them lip synch the words through the better part of this concert is annoying. We do get to see some fairly hot babes during "Cinnamon Girl," but the rest of time we get to spend a LOT of cring-inducing time viewing average Joes playing air guitar/drums, pumping their fists into the air and singing along with Neil's songs.

Make no mistake, the band is terrific...Crazy Horse may never have sounded better than on this tour. And they're a lot of fun to watch...that is, when the cameras feature the band, which is where they should have stayed.

The five stars is for the music and performance of the band.

As a footnote: The album/CD mix for WELD and the Laser Disc (which is what I'm reviewing, transferred to DVD) mixes are markedly different. Neil and Billy Talbot messed with the album mix, adding overdubs and such, AFTER producer David Briggs was satisfied with the finished product. The album/CD resulted in a muddy, bass-heavy mix and bore a "produced by Neil Young and Billy Talbot" credit. The Laser Disc version retains the far-superior David Briggs mixes and production credit goes to David Briggs. Neil Young, in hindsight, has stated the "real" WELD is the Laser Disc.

I didn't expect this to be so good. After sampling many bootlegs and the Rust Never Sleeps video, I expected this to be a mid-level collection item. Nope. It's great! The best of the lot - better than any NY DVD's or other VHS available so far. Enjoy!

If you like the "electric" side of Neil Young ... this is a absolute must see (and hear)

No Acoustic numbers on this one....feedback galore and power from the first note to the last...

He's obviously not an NY fan.

The video was shot at the same time as the CD was recorded. The music is great - Young at his electric best, but surely better to see him stretching the srtings, teasing the harmonics or cranking out those rocking rhythms rather than long shots of matchstick men or the crowd mouthing the words.

We all know the words but we've paid to see Neil play.

This show rocks from start to finish.
Produced by L.A.Johnson a.k.a. Neil Percival Young.
Directed by Bernard Shakey a.k.a. Neil Percival Young.

I love the shots of all the freaks in the audience.
I was one of those freaks at the Summit show that year!

Thanks Wharfie!