Heart - Alive in Seattle Reviews

• Proof that Rock 'n' Roll Still Has Heart

  
  By A2M1N8G4W4END8 on 2004-07-13
  The 2003 DVD release HEART: ALIVE IN SEATTLE is one of the best video recordings of a live performance of a rock band, and it is especially impressive when considering that it documents a recent performance from a band that has been playing kick-*ss rock for nearly 30 years (their debut album, DREAMBOAT ANNIE, was released in 1976).

  The performance was recorded at the Paramount Theater in Seattle (Heart's hometown) on Aug. 8, 2002, the last gig on the band's 2002 "Summer of Love" tour. The response to the tour was tremendous, with longtime fans and newbies alike enthusiastically welcoming fronters Ann and Nancy Wilson and their new back-up band--an ensemble that includes former Ozzy Osbourne and Alice In Chains bassist Mike Inez and Lovemongers drummer Ben Smith. The tour was so successful, in fact, that they turned right around and toured again in 2003 (the "Alive in America" tour) playing basically the same song set. So fans who missed either or both of those tours can still experience that concert atmosphere vicariously with the HEART: ALIVE IN SEATTLE disc--but with much better "seating"!

  The Wilson sisters made an excellent choice for the set list, which includes the band's very popular pre-`80s hard-rock standards like "Crazy on You," "Straight On," "Magic Man," and "Barracuda," as well as some great post-70s tunes such as "Alone" and "These Dreams." In addition, the band does a fantastic job on covers of Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore" and "Black Dog," the Elton John ballad "Mona Lisas and Madhatters," and an old garage-band ditty called "The Witch."

  Dark-haired Vocalist Ann Wilson, as beautiful as ever, proves that she still has what it takes to belt out the band's old hard-rock standards, and she still sounds as angelic as ever on the softer melancholy favorites like "Dog and Butterfly" and "Dreamboat Annie." When Heart plays their classic stuff, Ms. Wilson sounds exactly like she did when the songs were first recorded--which is a lot more than you can say for most rock vocalists from the '60s and '70s, who can no longer hit those high notes. But she and sister Nancy (who mainly plays guitar and other strings) also easily keep up with the newer, younger artists when they perform some of their latest compositions like "Heaven," "Sister Wild Rose," and the really cool hard-hitter "Break The Rock." Both women are certainly in top form and prove they can go the distance in the studio and on stage. And with HEART: ALIVE IN SEATTLE, they leave no doubt that they are still two of the most talented and creative women in rock.

  The picture quality on this DVD is crisp and clear, with great color saturation and nice contrast, and the cinematographer does a top-notch job of capturing the energy of the artists and the spirit of their performances. The Dolby sound quality is also excellent, and a sound system that takes advantage of the DTS Surround Sound can really make viewers feel like they are at the live performance.

  No longtime fan of HEART will be disappointed with HEART: ALIVE IN SEATTLE. And the DVD will certainly give newbies a taste of just how powerful and emotive this band and the talented duo that drives it can be.
  
  

• Heart fans will be pleased

  
  By A2JDVQ812P8PUL on 2003-09-23
  To the previous reviewer who gave this DVD 1 star. Who are you trying to appeal to? People who want to buy this DVD are Heart fans. Not people who feel betrayed by individual "sell-outs" from the grunge scene. Look at the audience, middle age yuppies who are trying to recall the days when they still rocked out. Back in the early 80's The Clash was unmercilously flogged for "selling out" by appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone and having the gall to have two hit singles. Seattle grunge bands were lining up in droves to "sell out". And I blame grunge (along with record labels and fans) for destroying the diversity of "alternative" music that once was. Why trash a mainstream 70's rock group?

  Anyways, I saw this video on PBS like so many others and was impressed with the Wilson sisters' live performance. Sure, they don't deviate much from their studio recordings (except for a few) but its nice to see professional musicians with good expressive voices and harmony. I'm not a huge Heart fan except for their signature songs like Barracuda, Magic Man, and Crazy on You. But their acoustic reworking of Alone and These Dreams were good. Their covers of Elton John's Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters and Led Zeppelin's Black Dog and Battle of Evermore show they're fans as well by showing the respect those songs deserve. And songs that weren't as familiar to me were made accessible by their performance.

  So if you didn't buy this DVD just to see the "bass player" (so you can see how much he's betrayed you) Heart fans should be very satisfied. All in all one of the better live concert DVD's out there. Very enjoyable.

  The widescreen video is nice and needless to say much cleaner than broadcast TV. I'd knock off 1/2 star for sound because the DTS/DD is 5.0 not 5.1 The Digital surround sounds excellent but why not make it 5.1 while they were at it? That discrete punch from the subwoofer would have been nice.
  
  

• They're back....

  
  By A2EOCDPEG6K1WQ on 2003-05-21
  ....And better than ever!
  I loved Heart's first few albums. I never saw them live or even on TV until MTV came along in the '80s. Thus early on, I knew very little about this band. I did not know for instance that Nancy Wilson could sing, or that both sisters could play a wide variety of instruments. I only knew I loved their music. Then the 80s came and I saw Heart for the first time on a music video of theirs. I was horrified. HUGE hair, ultra-make-up, over-the-top vixen-like creatures, and music polished to the point of no longer having character. This image alone caused me to lose all interest. I no longer took them seriously. I felt betrayed. I dismissed every song they came out with after that out-of-hand, without even giving them a chance.

  
  Twenty years pass. I watch this DVD for the first time, and I practically weep with joy that the 'real' Wilson sisters are back. They look like human beings, and can still sing like angels. I was totally floored. Songs I had previously dismissed as '80s schlock ("These Dreams" and "Alone") are so brilliantly re-done here, that I simply cannot believe the transformation. Oh, it's nothing radical; the songs are structured basically the same, but they sound so much more human when all of the polish has been stripped away. Don't get me wrong. There's still polish on these songs, and for a live DVD, it sounds fantastic. But the original studio recordings had way too much...processing I guess...done to them. Now, watching this DVD, you will hear these songs the way I believe they sound best. I now suddenly finding myself thinking these are great songs!
  

  Speaking of which, there is not a bad track in this concert. I enjoyed every one, and both Ann and Nancy blew me away with their vocals especially. Photography and lighting are excellent. I notice this ad states 'full-screen format', but to me it looks like kind of a mild letterbox thing going on, with a bit of a black bar on the top and bottom of the screen. Which is good as far as I'm concerned (for those who don't yet know, when a movie is filmed for a wide movie screen, it is meant to be seen that way; on a wide screen. Television sets do not have a wide screen (in relation to its height), so to accomodate the TV crowd, lots of movies just get the sides cut off a bit so they will fit properly, thus you don't see the entire picture the way it was originally filmed. With letterbox, you get that narrow picture, but you also are seeing the ENTIRE width of it too).

  
  It's not full letterbox, where you get a really narrow picture, but just a bit narrower than true full-screen. The whole concert looks excellent, sounds excellent on my stereo system, and most importantly to me, it revived my interest in this group. I guess it's time to buy some CDs.
  
  

• What a concert!!

  
  By A2Q9WUO5JRRHFB on 2004-08-18
  I attended this concert just after returning to the US (the tickets were a gift) and it was one of the best I ever saw. This DVD captures the brilliance of the Wilson sisters. They haven't lost a thing! A must see for Heart fans.
  
  

• Ann & Nancy-still keeping the love alive. Aww yeah!

  
  By A2P49WD75WHAG5 on 2003-07-16
  In this concert, taken on the last day of their 2001 tour, they perform in their home city, Seattle, doing some new songs, old songs, as well as a few surprises.

  Most of the material is taken from their early classic period. Dreamboat Annie and Dog & Butterfly yield three songs each, while they do two songs from Little Queen, and one each from Heart, Bad Animals--guess which ones--and Brigade.

  While the show starts on a high, "Crazy On You," I noticed that time has slightly lessened the vitality of Ann's voice. However, by the time things get rolling, she's in great shape.
  
  As for their two #1 hits, "These Dreams" and "Alone", they replicate the stripped down mellowness from The Road Home, ie) none of wall of synthesizers.

  The new songs are in particular well-done and it harkens to a purer rock sound, especially "Two Faces Of Eve." I was likewise impressed with the mid-paced "Heaven," which Ann promises to be have on the new album.

  They've got a great backing band, especially the drummer, who replicate the original lineup's sound on the classic tracks, but this is clearly Ann and Nancy's show, as their other long-term partner, Howard Leese, is absent from the proceedings, so Ann & Nancy Wilson Alive In Seattle would probably be a more appropriate title. Yet their performance on such rockers as "Magic Man", "Barracuda", "Wild Child", the new tune "Break The Rock," and a rip-roaring cover of Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" give Ann and Nancy extra teeth.

  As for other instruments, Nancy plays a mandolin when they cover "The Battle Of Evermore," a track they did as the Lovemongers on the Singles soundtrack. Ann plays the flute like she did on the minstrel-like "Love Alive" from Little Queen.

  I will admit that it took me awhile to get over Ann's girth. She has really ballooned out, plus that majestic raven hair of hers has been shorn. But, I found myself thinking, that means she's got more love to give. Nancy is still the lithe blonde songstress and her voice seems to be in better shape. Her cover of Elton John's "Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters" demonstrates the lighter voice of Heart still at its best.

  And note the median age of the crowd--late 30's to mid-40's. Proof yet again that a good audience need not be the immature, snowboarding and mosh-pit generation born with a cellphone in their cradle. The Wilsons clearly enjoying performing on stage and their immense good nature also enhance this concert.

  At the end of the show, Ann thanks the crowd, then says that they're going to make an album--i.e. keep the love alive. I can hardly wait.
  
  

• These gals rawk!
  By A1ZGAT1A95PTJK on 2003-04-30
  If you're a long-time Heart fan, then you're in for a treat. Although not every era of their career can be covered in a 100-minute set, this concert comes darn close.

  Ann looks and sounds absolutely amazing. She's completely reenergized and totally on top of her game. Nancy is everything you expect her to be. The band plays very well together (even if they stick to the album arrangements a little too closely for my taste on many of the songs).

  The DVD features five new songs that will be on the new Heart album, promised for this Spring. Of these, the two best are "Sister Wild Rose," a really great rocker, and "Heaven," a very atmospheric song that features Nance playing her guitar like a cello. You gotta see it!

  Being a nit-picker, I would have rated this disc a 4.5, only because of the song set. Too many slow songs, all right in a row! This takes the energy level of the concert down a bit, even though some of the true highlights of the concert are the acoustic tunes. For instance, the true emotional peak of the concert is a wonderful performance of "Mistral Wind." Absolutely breathtaking at times, and drummer Ben Smith plays like a passionate fiend. And "Dog and Butterfly", played by Ann and Nance without the band, is stunning. "These Dreams" is rather bland, and seems a bit out of place, as they have returned to playing the album version rather than the very nice acoustic version they did in the Road Home shows. Also out of place is "Wild Child" as an encore. Seems an odd choice to me. It's an okay song, but there is much better material from that era (heck, from that album) they could have chosen. And it certainly seems weak as an encore, especially when paired up with an absolutely smokin' cover of Zepp's "Black Dog". Similarly, although performed extremely well, "Dreamboat Annie" is very anti-climatic as the final encore of the evening.

  In spite of the complaints, this is a fantastic concert, and well worth any Heart fan's (or classic rock fan's) dime. A bunch of great Heart classics ("Love Alive" is, in my opinion, the best song Heart ever wrote, and it blazes here), five excellent new tunes, two feiry Zepp covers... Its as close to the perfect Heart show as you can get!

  Alan
  
  

• Nothing Less Than Spectacular
  By A2QADKQBEO2260 on 2004-08-02
  I bought this DVD while on the road, and looking for something just to throw into the DVD player. I ended up playing this DVD every single day for two weeks straight. While the girls have aged since I saw them in concert in 1987, I must admit their voices and music have not changed at all. I found the new acoustical touches on their past hits refreshing, and I love watching Nancy getting into it on songs such as "The Battle Of Evermore". Ann's voice remains deep and full. I loved them when they first came out in the 70's, but I can say after seeing this dvd that they have continued to improve throughout the years. I can't say a bad thing about this dvd except that is was "TOO SHORT". I don't mean that it didn't have enough songs on it...I'm saying I would have enjoyed it if this dvd played on for 3 or 4 hours. It's that good. Ann and Nancy if you're reading this please put out another one soon. Robert Flint
  
  
• Don't buy this
  By A3I5IEED3JS7HH on 2004-09-06
  There was a time when Heart was a straight-up tough Led Zeppelin type of group. The way they interact and play off each other, they have evolved into a sort of hard rock Indigo Girls type of group. Where's the group unity? It's all about Ann & Nancy and that is obvious here. Ann is a shell of her former self. She should be forbidden from ever performing live again. Nancy looks all burnt out.
  
  
• Now I'm crazy for Heart!
  By A314Q8E30X5SCY on 2008-06-06
  Wow...What a concert! I was a casual fan of Heart knowing only a couple of songs. After watching this blu-ray, I became a crazy fan of theirs. The band is really talented and every song was performed flawlessly. Of course, the two ladies did phenominal job with such passion and musicianship. For about 5 songs (out of 19), they sing only to acoustic guitars and mandolin. "Alone" sounds great in acoustic version. I also really enjoyed the two popular songs "Barracuda" and "These Dreams". Camera work is precise and outstanding. I know this concert will be one of my all time favorites. I think this should be in your collection too. You won't be sorry.
  
  Technically, I would rate 4/5 for both PQ (1080i with AVC coding) and AQ. (DTS-MA 5.0 & PCM 2.0). There's no extras except photo gallery.
  
  
  
• Heart Still Beating
  By A3MH1EMKL08NRM on 2003-04-30
  Heart has always been a unique band in the world of rock, with a light/dark, soft/hard dynamic that defies easy categorization. One thing they do have is longevity thru solid music & talent of the Wilson sisters. This is a great CD for Heart fans and also for fans of rock or popular music who enjoy excellent female rock singing. Ann and Nancy are accompanied by top-notch musicians (Mike Inez from Alice in Chains on bass, for one); the song list is varied from early Heart (Magic Man) to later (Alone) and even new stuff (7 songs not previously recorded by the band); Ann & Nancy are in good form after 30 years of performing professionally- both still sing beautifully & the arrangements are good (IE, its not a nostalgia trip, or depressing as some long-time rock acts can be!). I would have liked to see some more staple-Heart hits ("Even it Up", "All I WannaDo", "Never", "Bebe le Strange", "Tell it LIke It Is" come to mind) rather than a cover of LedZep's "Black Dog" and also wonder why include a fairly uninteresting concert-tune like "Wild Child" over a quality rocker like "Even it Up" or any other beefier Heart song worthy of an encore. That is the flip sides of following a band that has been around for a long time- they aren't predictable in song selection on tours. One criticism, the energy that one usually experiences at a Heart concert is not truly captured on the recording, but I am not sure why. SOng highlights for me are: The Witch; Mistral Wind; Alone; Dog & Butterfly; Mona Lisa & Mad Hatters; Love Alive.
  Buy this disc & even better, see the band on this summer's tour. You will not be disappointed!
  
  
• pardon the pun, but they've got alot of heart...
  By A3PDYRRLMS1UAL on 2004-09-17
  It's great to be watching a proper Heart show. When they went the "wall of synths" route in the 80's, I was only mildly interested & figured my days with Ann & Nancy were about numbered. Then, many years later, along comes this DVD...and I must say, it's a helluva performance. Classic songs, new songs, re-worked songs ("These Dreams" and "Alone" are stripped-down, and sound so much better than the overproduced 80's versions IMO), and a few covers thrown in for good measure (including a sweet version of "Black Dog"...Ann's vocals hit "the zone" here). My only two gripes: the editing is occasionally weak, and the lack of special features was kinda disappointing. But the sound & picture is crisp, the performance is hot, and it's a great way to kick back an evening... here's hoping for a live release from the Jupiters Darling tour as well...
  
  
• Disappointed Fan
  By A1534MBU6VJXYN on 2005-04-17
  Being a huge Heart fan, I expected so much more from this dvd. What you basically get is a 103 minute performance of Heart running through some of their biggest and best known songs from the early years (only three total from "Heart", "Bad Animals" and "Brigade") as well as some covers and new songs from "Jupiter's Darling". The results are mixed.
  
  I'm going to start with the high points. The version of "These Dreams" is without a doubt the best version ever. Nancy and Ann pour so much soul into it, and the fact that isn't surrounded by a pile of snythesizers make it the definitive version. "Magic Man", "Barracuda" (which I didn't recognize at first) and "Wild Child" absolutley rock. They are probably the best performances on the disc other than "These Dreams". Finally, "Straight On", "Crazy On You", "Love Alive", "Dreamboat Annie" and "Dog And Butterfly" work well.
  
  Now for the low points. For starters, there's the performance of the group's other number one hit. While the performance of "These Dreams" works well without all the 1980s' synthesizers and other studio effects, "Alone" lacks the intense excitement of the single version, a big part of which was from the synthesized production. "Mistral Wind" gets off to a strong start but just drags on and on and become monotonous and boring. The new songs are dreadful, with only "Sister Wild Rose" coming off as decent. Finally, there are inferior covers of two Led Zeppelin songs and Elton John's "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters".
  
  This is definitely a dissapointment for longtime Heart fans. For a better performance, by Heart, try "The Road Home", which I have not seen yet but has to better than this. Please girls, do better next time.
  
  
• THE WILSON SISTERS ARE BACK!!!
  By A3S689E55KJW80 on 2003-05-01
  My big screen TV will never be the same. It was like being on stage with them. An incredible stage act! I love the versatility of "our" girls. My God! Look at how many different instruments they can play! I was not surprised, but the whole performance was just so mind blowing. They are by far the most outstanding musicians out there today. They DESERVE way more recognition for their unique talents and power stage performances!!! ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME HERE THEY COME!!!

  I paid more attention to the boys this time in many, many, many years. I think that I am finally over Mark and Denny. Gosh, I don't know what took me so long.

  I like Mike Inez and Ben Smith, the drummer. I must admit though I have never seen anyone smoke and play guitar at the same time on stage before. It was just completely smokin'.

  What a power performance! I hope the DVD sees the light of day like it deserves.

  I just can't help it. I still love the Wilson sisters after all of these years!!!
  
  

• Rock it down!!
  By A1DQV2XVAAB5W7 on 2003-05-03
  Well,lets make it simple.If you were ever a Heart fan, just buy this.
  All the things you loved about Heart are still there.The great voices,the acoustic guitar playing,the songs,and the great rock spirit.They flat burn it down.And as far as the Zep covers - not to be believed!
  The video production looks good. The DTS audio is mixed real hot.To my taste, the drums and bottom end are mixed in a little heavy,but hey it is a rock concert.The acoustic sets with the Wilson sister's voices are absolutely stunning.
  Just get it!!
  
  
• Back in amazing form
  By A2GSR9DWLISRQ on 2003-06-26
  Talk about talent. I'm simply amazed at the musicianship of Ann and Nancy Wilson. Impeccable rhythm, complex chords, great songs, amazing voices. When they strap on acoustics and play a tune like the Zeppelin cover "Battle of Evermore" it's simply engaging. I was a fan way back in the 70's and hadn't kept up with Heart until I stumbled onto seeing part of this show on PBS. I ordered the DVD and wasnt't disappointed. One highlight is the cover of Elton John's Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters. Just Nancy and Ann with two acoustics and it brought the house down. And of the numerous rockers on this DVD- turn it up and hear how tight this band is. The title of the DVD says it well- Alive in Seattle. For those of us who didn't know what had become of this duo, they are alive and more relevant than ever. This DVD has it all, great unplugged tunes, pop masterpieces, and some hard rocking tunes ala Zeppelin. Check it out. Seattle's Best may not be the coffee...
  
  
• Outstanding performance and video quality...it DOES work on the 360!
  By A1B27IOPDX6OH4 on 2007-03-24
  Like Robert A. Rhode says below, this HD-DVD does indeed work on the Xbox 360 add-on. I received my copy from Netflix originally, and when I tried it, I couldn't get it to work on my 360. I sent it back, saying the disc was broken. I purchased a new one from Amazon, thinking it was really a physical error, and had the same result initially. I did some research and ran across these ratings. I did what Robert said to try and it worked. You simply:
  
  - Put the DVD in and let it get to the main menu screen. This may take a few minutes, so be patient
  - Once the main menu appears, simply hit "OK" on your HD-DVD add-on remote
  - Sit back and enjoy a wonderful concert
  
  Two ridiculously talented women with a brilliant supporting cast, Ann and Nancy put on one heck of a show. Two songs really moved me - "Alone" and "Battle of Evermore". Ann's vocals are as powerful now as they were 20 years ago as evidenced on "Alone". Their cover of Zeppelin's "Evermore" was a fitting tribute to the rock legends. Nancy's guitar skills are as sharp as ever. I had a hard time taking my eyes away from her fingers when they showed her playing on-screen, but I'm a little biased.
  
  The sisters have a bond and a chemistry that's easy to see and hear. It would have been a fun show to see live...too bad I missed it! This HD-DVD truly is the next-best thing, though. Once you get it working, of course.
  
  
• Very Poor Audio Quality
  By A31V9P6VM3QP6Y on 2003-05-01
  I am a Heart fan from way back in the early 70's, albums, cd's, concert's, etc . Out of my entire collection I think this DVD has the lowest quality audio of Anne that I have ever heard. All you hear is a lot of echo. I can live with 5.0 surround but the echo is so bad that I just previewed the DVD and could not play it completely. Who ever mixed this soundtrack has no idea what he is doing. Anne's voice is Heart. I recommend you do not buy this DVD until it is re-mixed. What a shame that such a great group's first DVD has such poor sound quality.
  
  
• Rock the house?
  By A3F6HU2AHQRGJD on 2003-05-10
  Well it ain't no "Rock the house live!". My expectations were very high just before I loaded the disc in my dvd. Maybe a little too high.

  Not that there's anything wrong with "Alive in Seattle" - the sound is great, the band is great and the Wilson sisters are superb. But (and there is a "but") I expected a little more rock & roll. In other words... where the hell are songs like: "Fallen from Grace", "Shell shock", "Tall, Dark Handsome Stranger" and "Black on Black". Seems like the band totally forgot the impact a cd like "Brigade" had. I can fully understand that they might be tired of performing "All I wanna do is make love to you" and "Will you be there in the morning" - but there's a little too much of a mid-seventies-flower-child-trip going on here.

  Well maybe I'm too critical... after all this dvd is truly soooo much better than most others on the market.

  But Ann and Nancy... a little more power next time around please. (By the way, am lookin' forward to the upcoming cd).
  
  

• Just Excellent!
  By A15G7YPHFAR1DF on 2004-07-16
  Hey, I'm a Dream Theater fan and I can say the comment about Ann and Nancy playing two chord over simplistic songs is the most rediculous thing I've ever heard. I'd like to see this guy play Battle Of Evermore and Black Dog. By the way, Heart kicks Zep's butt on those songs. I've always wondered what Battle would sound like sung in tune... how nice it is. Anyway, I'm a musician and Alice In Chains, while excellent in musicianship, is simply no more difficult to play, nor is it any more complicated in song structure than Dog and Butterfly or Mistral Wind. This fellow should also note that Mike Inez came to AIC from Ozzy Osbourne's band. Not exactly alternative, or prog I would say, so the sellout statement further proves the musical ignorance of this person(who I have to admit is probably just trolling to see if future reviewers pick him a part... but, not all the people reading will know that and they deserve to see why his comments are utter nonsense.)

  I'm only 27 so my Heart knowledge is backfill anything before thier self titled 1985 album. I didn't discover most of the older tunes until I had graduated from High School. I'm amazed that Ann sounds exactly the same after all these years. At 51 years old, I would say she is not just sounding great for her age, but sounding great for any age and I thought they both looked gorgeous.

  But, that's not why people will buy this, nor why they will like it. At least 30 minutes of the DVD is just the two of them, no band, playing and sounding amazing. And I should note they aren't playing and sounding amazing as far as being women goes... they are playing and sounding as good as anyone. Period.

  A friend loaned me his copy. I wasn't aware that they had been on a tour, been recording an album, and that now one has been released. I am a bit dissapointed that Heaven and Break The Rock didn't make it on the new album, but the preview clips on thier website sound great and I'll definately be buying my first Heart album ever. I've had various songs on compilations but never an album so I have some catch up work to do.

  Oh, and if you do like this DVD, get Toto's 25th anniversery DVD, Kansas' Device Voice Drum, and Journey's 2001 DVD. All of them are still sounding amazing. If you like Heart's heavy side, get Dream Theater's Metropolis Pt2 Live DVD... :)

  Ok, done plugging. There are quite a few new bands I like, but I haven't seen any of the newer band's DVDs that match the quality in performance of these. I have to thank all these guys for continuing to push the definition of old to higher and higher numbers. It's proof I guess that you're only as old as you feel and act. :)
  
  

• Great performance by Heart, DVD production could be better
  By A3BGMI6UT0AO2P on 2004-07-23
  I've been a Heart fan since their first album. Ann's vocal's are flawless, she seems to be stronger than ever. Add Nancy's sweet voice and mastery of a broad range of stringed instruments, and a well-chosen cadre of musicians to round out the band, and you have a group that really delivers, they are really a treat to listen to. This is NOT a band that is trying to milk past success.
  
  I really hope Heart puts out a DVD that chronicles each of their tours in the current and coming years. However, I also hope they select a different production company for any future DVDs. While the music itself - the performance of the band - is flawless (seriously, the band members are technically at the pinnacle of proficiency), and the audio quality of the DVD is excellent, the visual experience could be better. The camera/editing work is just plain sloppy. The camera people couldn't hold a shot, couldn't frame correctly, didn't seem to be familiar with the music. I'd be surprised if they've ever shot a concert before. The camera work seemed to be done by amatuers (and I'm not saying this from a position of ignorance). Editing often showed the wrong musician when another was playing a solo, camera shots often strayed.
  
  Just as irritating as the sloppy camera/editing, the audio mix is slightly out of sync with the video.
  
  With that said, I will admit that I would still buy the DVD knowing what I know now - without any hesitation. The DVD is watchable. But, it could have been so much better. So much.
  
  Some of the high points:
  
  "Alone": Ann and Nancy's harmonies in this song sent chills up my spine - they are second to nobody in this song. I think this song showcases their musical talents very well.
  
  "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters": This Elton John piece is sung by Nancy as she plays a twelve string guitar (I believe with a special stringing - see her guitar video). This piece showcases Nancy's talents very well. Ann joins in beautiful harmony and provides backing guitar. I listen to this one by itself if I have a few extra minutes between chores once in a while.
  
  "Battle of Evermore": Ann and Nancy do justice to the Led Zeppelin classic.
  
  "Barracuda": It's a great song!
  
  I'd give the _performance_ itself a "5". I'd give the camera and editing work a "2", and the audio gets a "5".
  
  I'd have given the performance a 5+ if Nancy had done the Silver Wheels intro to Crazy on You!
  
  
• Heart still rockin ......well!
  By A1VEH42T87E3EW on 2004-12-30
  Wow what a great show.....some of the reviews are quite puzzling though such a mix. This DVD is great for the existing heart fans, but why all the comparisons about two newer band members,Mike Inez, & Jerry Cantrell. After watching crossroads show on 12/28 these band members work as a team & yes after watching jerry Cantrells kick [...] shredding of Led Zeppelins rock n roll there's no doubt of his awesome talent. To say that it's beneath either of them or a sell out to work with these heart sisters is going a bit extreme though. They have been around for a very long time & have proved themselves enough ,there equally as talented , just from a little different era . As for the pmsers what's that ? Just take this DVD for what it's about a Group of very talented musicians giving us a show. Like um or not I like um & I would recommend this DVD as Great.
  
  
• Not much of an upgrade from SDVD
  By A2435GL2BA2OMN on 2008-08-09
  I bought this as an upgrade to the stardard version on Dvd i owned. I thought it would be a huge upgrade considering all the great reviews. I loved this performance however if you own it on reg dvd its not worth the upgrade. save your money. the audio quality is no better than regular DTS.
  the picture quality is only slightly better.
  
  
  
• A Good Reason to Buy that Big-Screen Surround Sound TV
  By A30HR9VR683FL8 on 2003-06-07
  For me, Heart was a four-album band (Dreamboat Annie/Little Queen/Magazine/Dog & Butterfly). After that, they evolved to a hair band singing power ballads. I accept the fact that acts must evolve to remain on top, but I lost interest. This performance captures my interest, again. It is a solid offering where the music is the focus. The fact that there is some new material is a plus. Most bands that have been around as long as Heart (aka the Wilson sisters, I realize the rest of the band has changed over time) can't do that and some that try to write new material shouldn't. This is not a nostalgia act, although they don't deny fans the chance to hear something familiar. They also still have their chops -- the musicianship is there, the playing is solid and Ann still has her voice. A must-have for Heart fans and a worthy addition for fans of straight-ahead rock-and-roll. Between this and the new Led Zepplin DVD I have to give serious consideration to a surround sound TV. Who knows, I might have given this a 5-star, if I had watched it on a better system.
  
  
• GET THIS
  By A2YP0ERKR0BG27 on 2003-06-10
  I cannot BELIEVE how excellent this concert was. There is nothing else to say. I think HEART as a group is underrated in terms of only being recognized for one or two hits like "magic man" and "barracuda". Although these are great songs, there are sooo many other songs by them that are fantastic. This concert demonstrated a broad range of their old and new hits. Their new hits were also great. You won't believe how good they sound, and you won't regret buying this.
  
  
• 4.75 STARS.....
  By on 2003-10-18
  ANN WILSON HAS THE BEST FEMALE ROCK VOCALS BAR NONE. SHE DOES SOME ZEP AND WITH THE BANDS ABILITY TO ROCK WITH HER ON THE ZEP TUNES IT'S ALMOST AS IF JIMMY PAGE AND ROBERT PLANT WERE PLAYING AND SINGING ALONG - WELL ALMOST. I WATCHED THIS ON SATTELITE HDNET IN HIGH DEFINITION AND THE AUDIO AND VIDEO WERE EXCELLENT. ALTHOUGH I NOTICED A LACK OF .1 EMPHASIS-(4.75 STARS). IT SAYS THIS DVD IS WIDESCREEN PLUS DD/DTS. I KNOW THE VIDEO WON'T BE 1080i BECAUSE DVD IS 480P BUT HAPPY TO HEAR IT IS IN A WIDESCREEN FORMAT. I AM HOPING THE AUDIO WITH THE DTS MIX WILL BE A BIT BETTER THAN THE DD SATTELITE AUDIO. MY GIRLFIEND LOVED IT SO I GUESS IT WILL BE A STOCKING STUFFER FOR HER. THIS IS A VERY GOOD CONCERT EXCEPT FOR A FEW IDIOTS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO FEEL COMPELLED TO SCREAM, YELL AND OR WHISTLE FROM TIME TO TIME.... IT CAN BE BOUGHT LOCALLY FOR LESS THAN $20 AT CCITY AND BBUY...
  
  
• Sounds Dated, Filmed Badly, Song Selection Horrible
  By A3GQX669OXGRS9 on 2004-03-25
  First off this video was filmed in a such a way that it looks like it was stretched out vertically. Looking at Ann's head looking that huge was nightmarish enough.
  
  The song selection is lackluster, several of the re-arranged classics sound tired and boring. I almost nodded off listenig to the acoustic version of Alone. This version was cool for the one off Acoustic Live album they did but hearing it this way every time is boring, they sound bored singing it.

  The sound is reminicent of 70's Southern Rock and doesn't inspire any creative thought. The only song that sounds like they experimented was the song "Break The Rock" which would have been cool in the early 90's with it's robotic rapper.

  The previous poster is right, I had to actully turn the bass off on my surround system because the sound recording of this is much too boomy and drowns out all the instrumentation.

  My suggestion to the band...either get a day job now or create something new, rehashing the 70's sound will not grab up new followers.
  
  

• Great show from the Wilsons and Heart
  By A3Q5YJQPR7IYLS on 2004-03-29
  Browsing the reviews I can't help but be amazed at the polarized opinions regarding this great show. What is it that causes people to feel negatively about this pearl? Recorded in their hometown of Seattle in 2002 in an intimate theater setting, Ann and Nancy Wilson lead their new Heart band through classics from Heart Phase 1 (74-82), Phase 2 (85-92) and some new material as well. The sound is excellent, the stage tastefully lit in the classic Heart pinks, blues and purples, the band is tight, and the Wilsons are in top form- they have aged very gracefully indeed for 50-something ladies! The music touched me deep into my emotions. It is especially the urgent vocals of Ann that transport you somewhere special. The new material sounds fine.
  
  Heart came out of the Great Northwest in the early 70s aping Zeppelin (one of their idols; they do a Zep tune in the show as well an Elton John) but they were always more than a cover band. Touching on hard rock, folk, progressive and other stiles, they developed an original sound based around Ann Wilson's amazing vocals and Nancy's Page-esque arranging and bandleading talents. In fact, you will see some of her Page-like moves in this DVD. Good songwriting as well contributed to their initial fame and they lead the rocknroll lifestyle to the hilt in a male-dominated world.
  
  After losing their initial fame in the early 80s, they regrouped in 1985 with the help of songsmiths such as Diane Warren and Desmond Child and jumped on the MTV/hair metal bandwagon. Ironically they would become more famous this time around then their initial run, similar in some ways to what happened to Aerosmith.
  
  But as anyone who has seen the VH-1 docs can attest, Ann especially had trouble keeping up with the speed of MTV-fueled fame that would burn out a 20 year old, never mind a woman in her mid to late 30s. Drugs, stress and over-eating caused her to have a breakdown.
  
  So she got fat, so what? She still has some of those extra pounds on her in the show but in my personal opinion she looks happy, healthy, and doesn't mind shaking it, even if it can occasionally conjure up images of latter-day Elvis. The bottom line is, the Wilson sisters and Heart still rock, and roll, and sound sublime. If you love Heart or just some good music, get this DVD. Period.
  
  
• Heartless no more, yay!
  By AU3GYRAKBUAEU on 2004-05-11
  This is an outstanding performance by outstanding muscians. After many years of being away from Heart doing the Lovemongers thing instead, Ann and Nancy Wilson went on the road as Heart again, this time without any other of the original band members. They were backed by Mike Inez, Scott Olson, Tom Kellock, and Ben Smith. This DVD was recorded at the final show of the tour in Seattle in 2002. A CD is also available.

  Ever since my early teens, I deeply desired to see a female Clapton, Page, Beck, Hendrix, Santana, or even Neil Young. It seemed to me that the chemistry between male and female guitarists on stage could be interesting and intense. I could not understand why such women were not out there, and finally gave up on ever seeing one. (This was way before Ford, Hind, Jett, Raitt, et. al. I was raised in a family of strong, independent women and it took me a long time to realize that this was not exactly a universal thing.)

  I was introduced to Heart in the early 80s and was blown away. When I saw some Dog and Butterfly concert footage of Nancy playing the old longer intro to Crazy On You, I nearly died. Finally! Here was a woman playing guitar with real fire! She was intense and, along with Ann's incredible vocals, created a whole new image of powerful women. I think their contribution to music, to society, and to women in general, is not appreciated enough. They are a very talented pair, and it has given me great joy to watch them persist and prevail in the cutthroat, "Barracuda"-ridden business of modern music. Living well is indeed the best revenge.

  This concert DVD shows them at their best. They sound and look great - talented, professional, full of energy, playful, sexy, powerful, and thoroughly enjoying the music. The Seattle audience definitely loves them, (who in their right mind wouldn't?) and the electricity of the night shines through wonderfully. The concert was recorded in High Definition video and mastered beautifully to DVD. I do have two very minor technical quibbles with the production, however. I felt that Nancy's guitars and vocals were sometimess lost in the mix under Olson's guitar. I really wanted to hear her more clearly. In all fairness, I listen in regular stereo not surround, and it may be better in surround.

  The other quibble is with the style of direction of the video. While sharp, rich, and generally beautiful, it seemed to me that there were too many times when the cuts didn't fit quite right, seemed to miss the real action or were just a bit off. Could be an age/style thing, as I dislike the shaky-video/1-second jump-cut MTV manner of editing video. I compared it with the video of the mid-1990s Road Home concert, and found that video editing more tuned in and flowing. Granted, there are differences in the venues; the Paramount is bigger, and the band is more spread out on the bigger stage. This makes it harder to get good two and three shots on the fly. The earlier concert was also more laid back and acoustic-oriented with much less movement. And it could be that non-musicians just aren't as sensitive to this and don't care about it. Regardless, the performance is clearly exceptional and absolutely worth having.

  They play a nice mix of old and new songs along with well done covers of Led Zeppelin's Battle of Evermore and Black Dog, and Elton John's Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters. When I discovered that they started playing Battle of Evermore in the Lovemonger days, I was thrilled. I knew they were perfect to cover such Zeppelin songs. Ann is one of very few people who could do justice to Plant's vocals, and she proves just how fantastic she is in this performance. She is in fine form here, and her voice just nails me to the wall and sends chills up and down my spine. Nancy's guitar work is as firey as ever, and they do an outstanding job of capturing the tone of their own original cuts while keeping the songs fresh, alive, and relevant. I really enjoy watching this performance over and over again.

  The songs in order: Crazy On You, Sister Wild Rose, The Witch, Straight On, These Dreams, Mistral Wind, Alone, Dog and Butterfly, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Battle of Evermore, Heaven, Magic Man, Two Faces of Eve, Love Alive, Break the Rock, Barracuda, Wild Child, Black Dog, Dreamboat Annie. There is also a small picture gallery on the DVD.

  As a fellow military brat from the Northwest, I am doubly proud of these two very talented women. Their musical gifts have enriched my life and I am very grateful that they continue to share those considerable gifts with all of us. I am looking forward to the Jupiters Darling CD due out soon, and hope they do a DVD of the tour supporting it.

  Every Heart fan should have this DVD, without question. Get it now!
  
  

• Everyone Should Have a HEART cd.dvd.
  By A1WRUHWJ7KRJH4 on 2005-10-12
  This DVD goes to show that the wilson sisters still have what it takes to rock an audience, ANN can, and even better belt out a tune with her powerful voice,Ann is like wine, she get better with age,I love her voice, Cheers,N
  Well done HEART
  
  
• Heart-Alive in Seattle
  By AYE17UE2YC9G5 on 2006-03-10
  I've been a longtime fan of the Wilson sisters and this is an excellent collection of some of their best songs done in a great setting with a great sound. If you have never even heard of Heart, this is a must purchase. It's always amazed me how some artists can keep the same voices and sounds they had 20 years ago!!
  
  

• Chicago/Earth Wind & Fire - Live at the Greek Theatre
• The Eagles - Farewell 1 Tour - Live From Melbourne
• Live from Texas
• The Moody Blues: Lovely to See You - Live [Blu-ray]
• Live Aid [Region 2]