Garth Live from Central Park [VHS]
From Orion
high octane entertainment
Even people that don't care for country music will appreciate this concert, filmed in August of 1997 in Central Park. It is 100% pure entertainment, with no gimmicks, and no outrageous behavior, just brilliant musicianship, great songs, and a lot of love between the audience and Garth.
The band is terrific, among them the incredible Steve McClure (steel guitar) and Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle).
Most of the first hour is filled with eleven songs: "Rodeo", "Papa Loved Mama", "The Beaches of Cheyenne", "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House", "The Thunder Rolls", "We Shall be Free", "Unanswered Prayers", "The River", "That Summer", "Callin' Baton Rouge", and "Shameless".
Billy Joel then joins Garth for ten fantastic minutes, singing "Ain't Goin' Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)", and a jazzy duet of "A New York State of Mind" with Jim Horn on saxophone adding to the magic.
When Garth sings "A New York State of Mind", and hits some of the most beautiful notes I've ever heard from him, one realizes that he would have reached the top of his field no matter what genre of music he chose to perform in.
The next 50 minutes include:
"The Fever", "Friends in Low Places", "The Dance".
Don McClean joins Garth for a marvelous rendition of his "American Pie".
Garth then sings "Much Too Young" and "If Tomorrow Never Comes", and is joined by Billy Joel once more for a rousing finale of Joel's "You May Be Right".
This performance is a refreshing example of superb talent, at its brightest, and is a concert that will provide enjoyment for years of repeated viewing.
This video is a Garth concert in your home.
I currently own this video and love it. If I didn't have a bunch of his other videos I would certainly wear out this tape. For all of his fans this is a must have. Especially if you can not make it to his concerts. Just recently I had the pleasure of seeing him live and in concert, this video does that it makes you feel as if you are at a concert. It gives out the vibes that he gives. For those that saw it on HBO still need to buy this tape. You missed the stage catching on fire and Garth's reaction to it. Missed Garth and his idol Billy Joel singing their hearts and souls out. Missed great songs such as The River, If Tommorow Never Comes and The Dance. Also missed the high energy song Ain't Goin Down till The Sun Comes Up. BUY THIS VIDEO YOU WON'T REGRET THE MONEY YOU SPENT.
I love this concert
It's all of the good things that others have said but the one thing that struck me most while watching it (shortly after 9/11) was the irony at the end of the song "We Shall Be Free", when a huge banner with the word "Freedom" was unrolled between the 2 World Trade buildings. It still gives me chills.
