Live from the River of Dreams (1994) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This was a pretty good show, but hardly definitive when you consider the depth and breadth of Billy's catalogue. I, and most of his other fans, are still waiting for that one show that encapsulates everything that he is and does. This is a good performance but it didn't take my breath away. For one thing, he's great all by himself. An intimate "VH-1 Storytellers" type of concert might have been more compelling. Alternatively, a show that was about twice as long might have made this release feel more like an entree and less like an appetizer. This will have to do until something better comes along...
You will notice that Billy keeps rolling his eyes during the performance. Initially I thought he was just bored with the whole thing. After watching it a 2nd time I realized that he was trying desperately to avoid looking at the cameras while they were recording. This was probably done at the director's behest. It was an odd choice.
He also sweats profusely at times, and sounds a bit congested early in the show. He may not have been feeling well at the time.
One of the main highlights, and the thing that makes this one a keeper, was Billy's rendition of the Beatles' "Hard Day's Night". He was clearly turned on by the experience and I think the audience fed off of that energy.
Also of note: Billy is seen playing the piano with his arse during one segment, which I found oddly amusing. It kind of reminded me of one of those clasic rock moments such as Chuck Berry's duck-walk or Jerry Lee Lewis' various on-stage antics. He was clearly in the moment, which was great to see.
Final note: The bonus cd that comes with this dvd contains Billy's "All My Life" which is essentially his best Frank Sinatra impersonation. Even the cover photo shows him wearing one of Frank's hats. Be that as it may, there are a couple of live cuts from the Madison Square Garden show which have some real passion to them (particularly "Honesty"). It's a good little collection of songs (3 1/2 stars).

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PREVIOUSLY ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE "BILLY JOEL: MY LIVES" BOX SET, THIS DVD FEATURES ONE OF BILLY'S BEST CONCERTS. BILLY JOEL LIVE IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY IN 1994 ON THE "RIVER OF DREAMS" TOUR.

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