Product Description

This spectacular DVD features highlights from the Queen's Jubilee "Party at the Palace." Featuring: Sir Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Bennett, Dame Shirley Bassey, Joe Cocker, Phil Collins, The Corrs, Brian Wilson, Sir Elton John, Tom Jones, Annie Lennox, Ricky Martin, Rod Stewart, Steve Winwood, and more!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68209 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-07-09
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Color, Compilation, DVD, Live, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 180 minutes

Amazon.com
The Party at the Palace concert is a motley assortment of has-beens and time-wasters, a curious number of whom felt it proper to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 50 years by singing old Motown songs badly. The concert also features Lenny Henry shouting and an extended plug for Queen's (that's the band) risible musical We Will Rock You. Bewilderingly, Party at the Palace is not only redeemed, but made worth owning, by the four-song set by Brian Wilson, who gives a heartbreakingly earnest performance of "God Only Knows," accompanied by Andrea Corr. The concert ends with a pantomime version of "All You Need Is Love." Party at the Palace is the night rock & roll gave up. Proceeds from the sale of the DVD, "after the deduction of costs and expenses in relation to its production and distribution," will be donated to the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Trust. --Andrew Muller

Customer Reviews

A bit of a disappointment
I purchased the DVD of this concert, hoping to see the parts that had been left out of the VH-1 viewing, but, also, to see more of the introductions and extended versions of songs by the more famous performers. Although some of the songs are on display here (most notably the set with Queen and the cast of 'We Will Rock You') there is also a considerable amount left out. There is not one second of Dame Edna's hilarious introduction of Paul McCartney; nor is George Martin's heart-warming introduction of Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney's version of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' included. Instead, there is a very bland voice-over, which takes a lot of the emotion and humor out of the day.

There is also far too much of flash-in-the-pan artists I've never heard of before, and might not hear of tomorrow. It's refreshing to see the crowd's enthusiasm for Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey, and the classics of British rock, including Ray Davies, Steve Winwood, and Rod Stewart. But, the concert opens with a set by Ricky Martin. What does Ricky Martin have to do with Britain, and why is he opening the concert?

Her Majesty looks uncomfortable, as usual, with her subjects, as she makes the obligatory nod and stroll past the superstars. The Prince of Wales, on the other hand, seems downright relaxed and even flirts with some of the back-up singers, before giving a heartfelt speech. The two young princes seem to be stuck between two worlds, working the crowd of pop icons, while wearing their suits and keeping their place.

I did a lot of fast-forwarding on this DVD, and, except for the highlights of the classic stars, this DVD really isn't a must-see.

A "must have" for baby-boomers
What an incredible concert! 12,000 people in the garden behind Buckingham Palace and over 1,000,000 gathered outside the Palace. Well over twice as many people as attended the original Woodstock back in '69.

OK, I could have done without Ricky Martin and Tom Jones... and what was Tony Bennet doing there? But the rest of the line-up was incredible. Brian May of Queen playing "God Save The Queen" from the roof of Buckingham Palace and Eric Clapton doing "Layla" both gave me goose bumps. Phil Collins played drums for almost everyone. Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, Steve Winwood, Ray Davies and Ozzie sounded great. Brian Wilson looked more zombied-out than Ozzie and did a great rendition of "Warmth of the Sun" with Clapton. Dame Edna was a hoot! Sir Paul McCartney capped it off with everyone singing along to "Hey Jude".

I actually got to be there in person. The concert blew this 50 year old Texas boy away! The DVD makes an excellent keep-sake of my first trip across the big pond...

Well, the picture is at least clear...
One and a half really, but that's not a choice here. If you have to own everything Beatles-related, then you are stuck with this sad excuse for a concert video. To not have a 5.1 soundtrack on a DVD that was recorded recently is unbelievable ... To have a sticker on the case saying as seen on VH1, and not even include all the performances that were shown on VH1 is unbelievable... To leave out ALL of McCartney's solo performances (only "duets" and big group encores are included, minus even one of those) and include song after song of no-name, barely talented bores is just UNBELIEVABLE.

I guess this thing is around 3 hours? I sat there with the remote having to fast forward through almost everything. I feel sorry for those poor people who were actually there and had to sit through this in person without a fast forward.

The picture was filmed nice and clear, but the same genius who decided to leave out all the good stuff, must be the same [person] who thinks a great DVD bonus is watching fireworks on TV. What an inspired use of video time. If I ever take this down off the shelf to watch again (not just to maybe goof on with friends), that means someone has broken into the house and stolen all the other DVDs.