Product Description

Studio: Sony Music Release Date: 01/29/2002

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12396 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2002-01-29
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Compilation, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 245 minutes

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

From the Back Cover
One night. One place. One reason. Recorded live at Madison Square Garden on October 20th, 2001, The Concert for New York City was a celebration of the strength, resilience, and pride of New York and America. This 2-DVD set--nearly 5 hours long--includes the superstar presenters, the fabulous short films, and the stunning musical performances for your repeated enjoyment.

Disc 1:
1. Program Start
2. David Bowie: America
3. David Bowie: Heroes
4. Billy Crystal
5. Senator Tom Daschle
6. Billy Crystal and Al Quinones FDNY
7. Bon Jovi: Livin' on a Prayer
8. Bon Jovi: Wanted Dead or Alive
9. Bon Jovi: It's My Life
10. Mark Wahlberg
11. Jay-Z: Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
12. Billy Crystal with Matt Long FDNY
13. Goo Goo Dolls: American Girl
14. Susan Sarandon and Everald Taylor NYPD
15. Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro
16. Martin Scorsese: The Neighborhood (short film)
17. Billy Joel: Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
18. Billy Joel: New York State of Mind
19. Will Farrell: W
20. Chris Kattan
21. Destiny's Child: Emotion
22. Destiny's Child: Gospel Medley
23. Harrison Ford and Michael Gerbasi NYPD
24. Eric Clapton (featuring Buddy Guy): I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man
25. Christy Turlington
26. Ed Burns: Lovely Day (short film)
27. James Lipton
28. Adam Sandler: Operaman
29. Meg Ryan and Stackpole Family
30. Backstreet Boys: Quit Playing Games with My Heart
31. David Spade
32. Melissa Etheridge: Come to My Window
33. Melissa Etheridge: Born to Run
34. Halle Berry
35. Spike Lee: Come Rain or Come Shine
36. John Cusack and "Heroes"
37. The Who: Who Are You
38. The Who: Baba O'Riley
39. The Who: Behind Blue Eyes**
40. The Who: Won't Get Fooled Again

Disc 2:
1. Program Start
2. Governor George Pataki
3. John Cusack
4. Woody Allen: Sounds from the Town I Love (short film)
5. Mike Myers with Eric Rodriguez FDNY
6. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards: Salt of the Earth
7. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards: Miss You
8. Howard Stern
9. I'm a New Yorker (short film)
10. Julia Stiles and Mark Grillo NYPD
11. Senator Hillary Clinton
12. Jerry Seinfeld: The Greatest City on Earth (short film)
13. Bill Clinton
14. James Taylor: Fire and Rain
15. James Taylor: Up on the Roof
16. Michael J. Fox and Mike Moran FDNY
17. Mayor Rudy Giuliani
18. Jimmy Fallon: '80s Medley
19. Jon Bon Jovi
20. Kevin Smith: Why I Love New #%!&@ York (short film)
21. John Mellencamp: Peaceful World
22. John Mellencamp (featuring Kid Rock): Pink Houses
23. Firefighter tributes
24. Hilary Swank and Earl Holland NYPD-EMT
25. Five for Fighting: Superman (It's Not Easy)
26. Billy Crystal
27. Sports stars
28. Natalie Portman with Sal D'Agostino FDNY
29. Elton John: I Want Love**
30. Elton John: Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
31. Elton John and Billy Joel: Your Song**
32. Richard Gere
33. Ric Burns: New York: A Documentary Film excerpt (short film)
34. Salma Hayek
35. Jim Carrey
36. Paul McCartney: I'm Down
37. Paul McCartney: Yesterday
38. Paul McCartney: Freedom**
39. Paul McCartney: Let It Be
40. Paul McCartney: Freedom (finale)

**Bonus musical performance not available on The Concert for New York City 2-CD set

Customer Reviews

One reason to buy: The Who!!!
Once again, the Who show just why they are the greatest Rock and Roll band to ever walk the earth. There show was simply amazing. To hear the ovation they got at the end was truly shocking. They get it started with Who Are You and Pete is just amazing in his windmilling. Entwistle keeps it all together on bass and Daltrey gets the crowd going, while Starkey does a fine job on drums. Baba O'reilly and the reaction the crowd gives after hearing the first few cords brings goosebumps to everyone. Daltrey shows hes still go it with a killer harmonica solo in the end. Behind Blue Eyes brings everyone down to tears, only to pick us up again at the end of the song. And in Wont Get Fooled Again, Townshend and Entwistle go crazy, while Daltrey wails away at our ear drums. Starkeys drum solo at the end is just fantastic, and Daltrey gives one more screaming "Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" at the end. They were simply amazing. As Billy Crystal said, they "Just blew me away. Absolutely blew me away."

Musical Catharsis
I am a NYC Police Officer who found comfort and catharsis at this concert. I am grateful to those performers and to the Americans celebrating this music. Seeing the faces of my fellow Americans who gave themselves over to Rock and Roll for a mercurial moment made me proud yet overwhelmingly sad. I know that a lot of my fellow civil servants often have trouble reaching certain levels of emotion and, through good old fashioned Rock and Roll, we were able to let go. Listening again to those first few crashing chords from THE WHO still gives me chills. I know how every one of us was feeling at that moment.

This is not just great classic music -- this music defines us. We grew up on it. Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, James Taylor --this music fueled our youths and made us who we are. After September 11, 01 we found new meaning to these lyrics just as we had discovered more about ourselves. We should be proud to celebrate this music, in a country that lets us play it freely and with the volume all the way up. It reminds us how powerful music can be and how healing. I replay this concert over and over. I recall the images of every wife and girlfriend, wearing their hero's hat and clutching them with all of their might, grateful for that precious moment together. I have new-found love for life, for life's simple pleasures.

Perhaps the concert's newest artist summed it as well as the veteran acts that night. In a song I have loved since I first heard it last summer, though I never fully knew what it meant until that night: "Five For Fighting", SUPERMAN -- "I wish that I could cry. Fall upon my knees. Find a way to lie. About a home I'll never see. It may sound absurd but don't be naive. Even heroes have the right to bleed. I may be disturbed but don't you concede? Even heroes have the right to dream. It's not easy to be me...."

God Bless America.

The Best Concert Ever...With a Few Exceptions
Overall, 99% of this concert is very good. David Bowie, the Who, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney and Elton John all played fantastic sets here. But I have a problem with some of the other music. Eric Clapton plays "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," totally unreated to 9/11. Jay-Z also had no business appearing at this show, especially if the only piece he can come up with is "H to the Izzo." My other complaint is that this DVD is incomplete. Two Paul McCartney songs, one Eric Clapton song, one Goo Goo Dolls' first song, and a good cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends" are all missing. The entire 6-hour concert could've easily been released. But what's here, for the most part, is very good. So on the whole, this is a good buy.