Good Evening New York City: Deluxe Edition (2 CD & 2 DVD) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Paul McCartney's released many live CDs and DVDs but this is the best of the bunch he's released. Here's why; 1)We get the whole concert 2)the performances are dazzling (and Paul's in exceptiona voice--no Autotune or any processing device was used to augment Paul's voice)including a brief detour into a cover of a Jimi Hendrix tune (he shares a story about Hendrix having learned "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" even though it had just been released. Hendrix's guitar went out of tune and he asked if Eric Clapton was in the audience so he could tune it for him). 3)We get a healthy dose of Beatles songs (including "A Day in the Life" melded with Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance"), Wings tunes, Fireman and McCartney solo hits. 4)We get to hear the concert and see it on a bonus DVD AND Best Buy has a 2 CD/2DVD set (available only as an import here)in a nice book with McCartney's "David Letterman" live roof top show.
Sound-I'd give it a B for the CDs--they sound good not too loud, compressed or maximized could they sound better? Sure but for a contemporary CD this sounds good. The sound on the DVDs I'd give an A--they sound exceptionally clear, crisp with nice detail. The picture on the DVDs (I watched it upscaled on my Blu-ray player)looks exceptional as well. Would I have liked a Blu-ray option for this? Sure but the DVD looks just fine upscaled with nice detail although you'll notice it isn't quite as sharp as a Blu-ray.
Is Macca using Autotune here? The engineer that worked with Geoff Emerick on this Paul Hicks has indicated that there is no Autotune used on the album. Could there be a variation being used here? Possibly but this is still to me the best of his concerts on video.
The Letterman Show is terrific. McCartney and his band do a root top concert (sort of)at the Ed Sullivan Theater where The Beatles first appeared live for U.S. audiences for the first time changing history for themselves, us and altering music.
If you can find the 2 CD/DVD set pick it up (Best Buy is sold out on line but they fail to mention that MOST stores have them or had them in stock) or pick up the import.
Unlike previous McCartney shows (McCartney directed this himself)this one doesn't intercut performances with interviews and we only briefly get shots done by fans using the digital cameras distributed at the show(only one where the song is interrupted and it's fairly early on outside of "I'm Down". All of which makes this a BIG improvement on previous concert DVD/CD sets. The healthy variety of songs from throughout his long career along with the appearence of Billy Joel for "I Saw Her Standing There" (and the fact that, in my opinion, this is the best backing band he's had and I've seen all of them including Wings)makes this one a keeper. During Macca's story about The Beatles playing Shea the show cleverly intercuts Macca and his band playing "I'm Down" contrasting it with The Beatles performance. Just a note that "I'm Down" does appear on the bonus disc from the "Letterman" show uncut without the footage from The Beatles Shea appearence of "I'm Down" interpolated. There's also a brief "documentary" compiled from the digital cameras given to the people in the audience.
Every little thing Paul and his top notch band including Rusty Anderson (guitar, vocals), Brian Ray (guitar, bass, vocals), Abe Laboriel, Jr. (vocals, drums, percussion), Paul "Wix" Wickens (keyboards)do here is nearly perfect. Sure, you could carp about the fact that Paul's lost much of his upper register but he makes up for it here by dropping some of the material here by a step which allows himself to ably tackle the material. For someone who is 68 years old, Macca has a great voice after 45 plus years of entertaining you and me.
If you can't find this 2 DVD, 2 CD set check Paul McCartney's website (although they have been running behind in their shipping). Other recommended McCartney Live Recordings: Wings Over America
Back in the U.S. Live 2002


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The deluxe edition includes two CDs and two DVDs featuring the complete concert plus exclusive footage on the bonus DVD. The bonus DVD includes Paul's performance on the Late Night with David Letterman, plus additional features.
Track listing:
2 CD & DVD (All Regions)
1. Intro
2. Drive My Car
3. Jet
4. Only Mama Knows
5. Flaming Pie
6. Got To Get You Into My Life
7. Let Me Roll It
8. Highway
9. The Long And Winding Road
10. My Love
11. Blackbird
12. Here Today
13. Dance Tonight
14. Calico Skies
15. Mrs Vandebilt
16. Eleanor Rigby
17. Sing The Changes
18. Band On The Run
19. Back In The USSR
20. I'm Down
21. Something
22. I've Got A Feeling
23. Paperback Writer
24. A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
25. Let It Be
26. Live And Let Die
27. Hey Jude
28. Day Tripper
29. Lady Madonna
30. I Saw Her Standing There
31. Yesterday
32. Helter Skelter
33. Get Back
34. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End

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