The Concert for New York City

Amazon.com

On October 20, 2001, this now-historic concert took place at Madison Square Garden, a mere six weeks after the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, survivors, families, and fans witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event as, in the space of nearly six hours, many legendary musical performers donated their time and their talent to one of the greatest causes ever, in the process giving their audience an unforgettable burst of pure emotion.

Organized by Sir Paul McCartney, the Concert for New York City was an overwhelming experience that deserves to be saved for posterity. The two-CD audio recording is crammed with dozens of superb performances but doesn't give a sense of the whole show that this two-DVD set certainly does. Not only can we relive such seminal performers from that evening as the Who, David Bowie, John Mellencamp, and Sir Paul himself, we can see the charming and personal short films made for the occasion by such New York filmmakers as Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, or the dozens of celebrities and unsung firefighters and police officers who immortalized that day with their stories and musical introductions.

There is one quibble: the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," one of the blues standards Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy played, and McCartney's "From a Lover to a Friend" and "Lonely Road" are all missing, which seems curious, considering that the entire show could have easily fit onto two DVDs. So don't erase that videotape you made of the concert the night it aired, because that remains the definitive version. But this DVD (with very good Dolby 5.1 surround sound) comes close. --Kevin Filipski

Customer Reviews:

4****.......2007-07-06

nice to have this dvd to remember how wild the world is and how helpful many pepole are.

2001 Benefit concert World Trade Center.......2007-06-26

This is an awesome 2 disk concert. I saw it at a friend's house & went home & purchased it the next day. Very, very good live performances by every artist imaginable, at Madison Square Garden.

not the whole concert.......2007-05-29

This is the 9/11 concert in MSG - it is not the full concert, U2's brilliant performance is not on this... very disappointing to find that out so buyer beware.

Excellent except it has been censored.......2007-05-28

This video is great except it has been censored. My wife and I watched it live and when Hillary Clinton came out, she was boo'd but when we bought the video and watched it, they replaced the boo's with cheers. It should have been left the way it was.

The producer must be related to Michael Moore!

The prevailing winds...........2006-12-04

One star off that this set was edited at all; another star off for the extent of editing reported, which twists the sentiment expressed into political propaganda.

THE CONCERT FOR NEW YORK CITY is chock-full of remarkable performances and extraordinary emotion. Two moments in particular stand out for this reviewer and make this a must-have set.

The first came midway through the evening. Richard Gere mounted the stage and committed the single bravest act I'd ever witnessed. From the care taken with his wording, Gere must've had a good measure of the audience, caught as it was between two very strong emotions -- keening for its losses and raging for retribution -- so the crowd dissolving into a booing mob could've come as no surprise. (Me, I jumped to my feet, applauded and wept.) Still, Gere plainly hoped -- and I hoped along with him -- that some WOULD hear, that the events of 9/11 HADN'T robbed America (or the world) of rational thought, that the dream of our world at peace LIVED.

Since that night, I have longed to convey two words to Mr. Gere: THANK YOU.

America had one moment when the majority of the world stood by our side. We could've worked real miracles, but baser reactions stirred the country to seek blood-for-blood instead and the elect chose to betray rather than serve by debasing themselves before the mob. And now the bloodless battle for peace must begin anew. As Elton John once sung ("Seasons Reprise", ASIN B000001DXH), "For our world / the circle turns again." We have fallen from immeasurable heights, but we can rise, too, with new or renewed understanding. And hope.

The second moment that makes this set memorable comes at the end. No bravery, but the moment made me weep as well, mournful tears, for when Macartney introduced his anthem for the evening, "Freedom", the emphasis sat squarely on the edict to "FIGHT!" and spill even more blood. The sentimental appendage, "for freedom", rang hollow, as no more than an afterthought, weak-voiced and wavering, audience participation dwindling fast. Sad, but then Paul never was the Beatles' political mastiff.

No, for what it's worth, I don't expect a single reader will click Yes to say this review was helpful to them. But I HOPE, even so.

Average customer rating:

4****
2001 Benefit concert World Trade Center
not the whole concert
Excellent except it has been censored
The prevailing winds....

The Concert for New York City

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000060PD8