Farewell I Tour: Live from Melbourne [Blu-ray]

If you enjoy the sultry, Southern California sound of the Seventies, no group better personified that Classic Rock genre than the Eagles. If you were disheartened by the disbandment of Classic Rock's greatest demonstration of vocal and instrumental skill, you will feel great comfort and relief upon hearing the Eagles perform their Farewell 1 Tour Live From Melbourne. Oh, those lucky Aussies! Thank God the Eagles decided to record the Concert for the rest of us! Hurry up and get your copy of this Historic Concert today. Enjoy the perfectly pitched, lyrically nuanced vocals of Don, Glenn, Timothy and Joe. Enjoy the lightning fast, perfectly synchronized riffs of Joe and Glenn, expertly complimented by Steuart Smith, Guitarist Extraordinaire. I put together the perfect Playlist comprised of only five songs from this concert: one-half hour that tells the oldest story known: Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Girl. Guess which five songs I used. Here is how I view the greatness of the Eagles: They are a vocal group, through and through. And their instrumentals are no slouch, either. Vocally, the "Voice" of the Eagles is Glenn Frey. His voice is classically associated with the group's most famous hits. No one else could sing those songs. The Group's "lead" singer, however, the one who has one of the greatest (dare I say, "greatest") voices in rock 'n roll history, is none other than Don Henley. His articulation, lyric-writing, intonation, raspiness, and phrasing, are the best, and hardest to duplicate of most any rock 'n roll singer I've ever heard. I have lately been memorizing the lyrics to his songs and trying to imitate his voice (an octave lower). When I say it's a hard thing to do, I am not kidding. What a challenge! The bass player (superbly tasteful) is Timothy B. Schmidt. His addition from Poco was the best decision Glenn and Don ever made. His soft, soulful, high ballad voice is the one that will make me cry time and time again. I don't care what the words to the song are, my emotions spring out of me when I hear his voice. And the few songs he has written are all classic. Lastly, Joe Walsh added to the Hotel California mix was right on time! Joe has recovered from his addictions (think James Gang era, etc.) and writes anthems about his former and current life. Joe, don't be embarrassed by, or reluctant to share, those life stories. You are creating some great music, and providing valuable lessons for younger people who might be going through, or be considering going through, those same journeys. You are the voice of reason and experience. The songs that Joe has contributed to the Eagles have helped increase the group's relevance. Joe's voice is uniquely his own: odd, yet remarkable, and memorable. He adds many layers to the group's on-stage presence as well. And as to the quality of his song-writing? Think "Pretty Maids All in a Row!" His outrageous guitar playing also adds a new dimension. Again, think "James Gang," and Funk #49! Lastly, a word about the supporting musicians on this particular concert album. Eagles, you could not have chosen a better lead-supporting-chording guitarist than Steuart Smith. For those of you unfamiliar with Steuart's playing, check him out on You Tube. He is a, largely, unknown monster of a guitar player. He should become a permanent member of the group, at whatever cost, because in addition to his stellar guitar playing, he sings! The drummer, keyboardist, and horn players are magnificent. Had I known about this concert, I would have gladly paid my airfare to Melbourne, and up to $1,000 to attend it. And why is it that the Eagles almost sound better live in concert than in the studio? One name: Elliot Scheiner. Elliot recorded and mixed the sounds from the concert for the DVD and Blueray disc. I hadn't heard of or paid attention to Mr. Scheiner until 2004 when my wife and I purchased an Acura TL. It has a seven-speaker, plus sub-woofer, surround-sound speaker system that can play specially recorded surround sound discs. It was built for Acura by none other than Elliot Scheiner. Folks, Elliot Scheiner is a genius! I began singing rock 'n roll at age 15, forming the first Rock band of my young life. I had been playing and learning music since 4th grade. I played trumpet throughout Junior High School, High School, College, and three years in the 75th Army Band at Fort Belvior. I continued, uncommittedly, for another eight years, using it after I started my professional government career, and played in another two or three rock bands part-time. I finally withdrew from any musical aspirations at age 33 in 1981. Only now, at age 65, am I trying to regain my musical heritage. And who's helping me do it? The Eagles! Despite all those years playing trumpet, my one true love was singing Rock and Roll. In most of the rock bands I played in I was either lead or back-up singer. The Eagle's singing, their Classic Rock roots, their perfect mix of vocals and instrumentals, their songs that have become Rock Standards, are involuntarily drawing me back into my musical past. I am reviewing this album with all my history intact. I am forever grateful for Rock and Roll's Greatest Band of all time, The Eagles!

FANTASTIC!!!! Around 3 hours of "PERFECTION"!!!!!

This review is for the Blu-Ray version of the Eagles Live From Melbourne and specifically the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. I awaited this release with much anticipation not for new music but for the Blu-Ray audio improvement over the CD's that I own from this band. This disc did not disappoint. As with many Blu-Ray concert discs the audio really begins to shine at higher volume. I ran 120 watts in 5.1 surround at 60% for concert effect. There are some exceptional performances on this disc that make it special in its own way over the studio versions and with 30 songs it is a no brainer buy. The picture quality is excellent with vibrant colors and lighting and editing that gives excellent close ups of the various instruments in synch with the audio. There is enough activity and varied angles that you never tire of watching as you are often placed front row, side stage or deep in the crowd. The audio on the DTS-HD Master 5.1 is not the default and must be selected from set up and once it starts it is nothing short of phenomenal. The instruments are defined with exceptional clarity and your ears will smile with the excellent mix of vocal harmonies and the plethora of background musicians. The Long Run kicks off the show nicely followed by New Kid In Town where the band displays a tightness that makes you question if it is a live version. Frey wails like it 30 years ago. Wasted Time follows and is one of those rare concert treats where it is so much better than the live version. Henley is out front and sings his butt off and we get a wake-up call on how truly excellent of a vocalist he is. There is a spacious use of the surrounds that puts you in the arena. Peaceful Easy Feeling left me feeling a little flat. Here the live version departs too much from the previous arrangements and it feels like there are too many instruments playing resulting in a muddled presentation but this is rectified when I Can't Tell You Why follows with a beautiful simple approach highlighting Timothy B and Steuart Smith. One Of These Nights is another treat as all the members are out front on guitars and the clarity of the instruments shines through reminding us that great musicians can recreate the studio sound when they play live. They do it again on The Boys of Summer and you get a feel for how much fun they are having as they jam on this tune. The harmonies are spot on with some delicious echo effect. On this song you really get an appreciation of how good a player Steuart Smith is. The crowd responds on its feet in appreciation at the end but rather than relish in the moment the band quickly launches in to In The City and Joe Walsh never sounded better on his slide guitar playing. After a break the band has changed from suits to casual and they open up with some mellow sound and a short time in to the second half there is another special live moment when they play Love Will Keep Us Alive. The arrangement is something special accentuated by so many magical notes being played along with perfect harmonies. The crowd knows they just got served a moment. Hole In The World did not do much for me when the studio version came out of this song written the night of 9/11 however this live version gives me a better appreciation as the troubadours from the seventies ask everyone to get along. The vocals spread out across the fronts dominate this song with good use of the rears to create the arena ambiance. The song builds to a great finish. You Belong To The City and Life's Been Good have some awkward moments that had me going to the fridge for another refreshment and Walk Away seemed to be missing snap from the main riff that left me remembering the original. Dirty Laundry is a pleasant surprise and everyone is playing a guitar in tight crisp precision. The guys really jam it on this one and remind us of the days of the seventies and guitar oriented bands like the Outlaws and Blue Oyster Cult. This is another song where the live version is so much better than the original and the DTS Master Audio serves it up on a silver platter. Funk #49 has Joe Walsh playing a great bluesy intro and he delivers on the rest of the tune with the rest delivering expert back up. So much has been written about Hotel California and it is hard to top the Hell Freezes over version. I'm not sure this version does but then again it's a bit different. The crowd knows the intro immediately and what shines about this version is the camera work and use of crowd noise to put you in the song. Henley bellows from behind the stack and Steuart delivers on the double neck as the song builds to the anticipated climax which is highlighted by the dueling guitars and a side stage shot of guitar necks doing battle. Overall this is a fantastic concert disc both in terms of the concert experience with the varied live arrangements and the sound quality. In terms of audio it is one of, if not perhaps the best I have heard of the many I own and on par with SACD, DVD-Audio quality. Combine that with the playlist of so many songs we know by heart and at under twenty bucks this is a must own.

This review is for "The Eagles Farewell 1 Tour in Australia" on BluRay. This is the only Eagles concert disc you will ever need. All of their hits and more. This concert is for the die-hard Eagles fan, as well as new fans alike. The Eagles perform their hits as they originally sounded without getting stupid with added 10 minute mindless guitar riffs and repeating the words over and over. None of that crap here. You hear the song very close to how it originally sounded from the studio recordings. Yes there are subtle added sounds but they don't go crazy with it. The boys are in good form playing well and sounding great. You get to hear all of the Eagles hits that we all have grown to love. But they nice surprise is when they even throw in a few songs from each of their solo albums like Don Henley's "Boys Of Summer", "Sunset Grill", "Dirty Laundry", and "All She Wants To Do Is Dance". Then there's Glen Fry's "You Belong To The City", and Joe Walsh's "Life's Been Good", "Funk #49", and "Rocky Mountain Way". These solo hits sound fantastic backed up by the Eagles full band. Now the TECH SPECS. I always like to add some information for the Home Theater lovers who care about quality. They had some of the best in the business working behind the cameras and audio control room for this production. The video is of course sharp and crystal clear with no noise or artifacts. Color and brightness ratios are outstanding. The audio is above and beyond excellence. Available in DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround which is the best I have heard in a long time. The audio quality is very clean and crisp delivering sharp highs and clean deep bass. There is no audio level jumps like you hear with limiters. It is as close to being there as you will get. My favorite part is the 5.1 surround separation. The 5 individual audio channels are very discrete and easily noticed. The mixers did a superb job on mixing down what sounds to place on which speaker. This is not one of those cheap 5.1 mixes where they put the music up front and the audience on the rear channels. OH NO, not here. They put you in the center of it all. I heard Glenn's 12 string guitar ringing on the left front channel, Joe Walsh playing lead guitar on the right front channel, Keyboards from the left rear channel, and organ music and fiddle from the right rear channel. When the brass kicked in the Sax's were on the left rear, and the horns were on the right rear. The separation is very discrete and well placed within the surround field. The audience is mostly on the rear channels but also reflects well lightly on the front channels. As the drummer would do a roll of all his drums in front of him, you can hear them start on the right and roll to the left. All voices remain on the front speakers only. They do there song There's A Hole In The World Tonight with 4 part harmony, and you can close your eyes and point to each voice from left to right across the front field. By the way.... The audio is also available in DTS HD 2.0 Stereo, which is not bad at all, but it is nothing compared to the amazing 5.1 surround mix. This disc is a must have for Eagles music lovers and for Home Theater audiophiles everywhere. I gave it 5 stars but it deserves many more indeed. Buy this concert, you won't be sorry you did.

I can't resist adding my thoughts about this recording. From start to finish, this is of the very best given to us on a recording. There are so many great things happening on this concert that it's amazing. First, their songs are timeless. They are great, great songs with memorable melodies, great lyrics and wonderful harmonies. Another key thing is that these guys are so tuned into the groove! Man, I can just imagine what a feeling overtakes this band when they're deep into these grooves. I find it very fascinating that, in their interviews in the bonus material, they mention factors that make them great. One of them is groove. Intonation, harmony voicing, rhythmical togetherness, blend....all key elements of this great band. It takes work and a commitment to excellence to have a band be this good. These guys are seasoned and know how to do it better than anyone. Their supporting musicians are fabulous as well. The horn section really adds to the life of these songs. I read someone's review that criticized Joe Walsh acting like a fool. I think his antics are hilarious,(check out the 'helmet cam'- "Life's Been Good" made me laugh out loud!) classy fun and indicate that these fellas have nothing to prove anymore. Their longevity and the sheer number of people who STILL go to see them and buy their recordings are testaments to that. They are TRULY possibly the BEST BAND EVER!!! If you desire to view and/or own a fantastic recorded concert you must consider this one. Let's go 10 stars!

Our go-to Friday Night Concert series blu ray. This concert has everything going for it except for the lack of founding members Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon (who has been on their most recent tour) and early member Don Felder. I actually love the inclusion of some of the solo material because seeing Don or Glen solo is very different than the full Eagles treatment of the same material. All of the songs are given respectful attention to detail and are sonically stellar, layered performances. It is difficult to choose favorites, but having seen the Eagles live several times, it's probably the inclusion of songs like New Kid in Town and Sunset Grill which are sometimes left off the roster, or the horn treatments in Hotel California and The Long Run. The only glaring omissions in my mind are Witchy Woman which would have been great with all the supplemental instrumentation, and Seven Bridges Road. Don and Glen are certainly aging at this point, and seeing them live now is still a pleasure, but this is like a time capsule where they hit their full stride after regrouping 10 years prior, and were in top form. Steuart Smith is a great addition to the group as well and complements the zaniness of Walsh sufficiently to keep the tone light but grounded. The recording itself in DTS Master 5.1 is clear with great separation of instruments. The video is clear and smoothly edited. Not a cut a second. Other than the Concert for George, there aren't many live dvd's or blu rays out there with a combination of performance and sound at this caliber. Outstanding.

This is the exact same master that originally appeared as a HD DVD. It is my favorite concert and RIP Glenn Fry.

BEEN WITH THE EAGLES AND THEIR HITS IN LPS, CDS, LDS, DVDS ( NEARLY ALL TITLES ) FOR 30 YEARS. THIS DVD SOUNDS SUPERB IN DTS. THE RECORDING TECHNOLOGY HAS REACHED A NEW FRONTIER FOR THE DISC : DYNAMIC, DEFINITIONS, DEPTH AND IMAGES OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ARE ALL THERE. THE FOUNDATIONAL MEMBERS ALWAYS PERFORM THE BEST EVEN THE VOICES NEVER BEING AFFECTED BY AGES AND YEARS. YES, WHERE IS DON FELDER ??? THAT IS WHY I GRADE THIS DISC 4 STARS. MY COMMENTS ARE: 1. THE REPLACED LEAD GUITARIST IS HARDLY COMPARED WITH DON OBVIOUSLY IN " I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY " ENDING GUITAR SOLOS. 2. DON HENLEY'S DRUM BEATS IN " I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY " WAS DULL IN SOUNDING. WRONG IN TUNE OR CHEAP BRAND DRUMS SET ? 3. 95' HELL FREEZE OVER HAD GOT A TEAM OF ORCHESTRA FOR BACK- GROUND MUSIC SUPPORT PRODUCING A SMOOTH CREAMY MUSIC EFFECT BUT THIS CONCERT ADDED SEVERAL SAXOPHONE AND TRUMPET PLAYERS WHO SPOILED THE SPIRIT OF EAGLES MUSIC BY BRINGING TOO MUCH NOISE COVERING ALL GUITAR SOLOS AT END OF HOTEL CALIFORNIA. AFTER ALL THEY WERE UNNECESSARY TO BE ADDED. 4. THE REPLACED GUITARIST SHOULD HAVE USED FENDER'S THAN GIBSON'S IN SOME OF THE HITS. ANYWAY, THIS DVD IS A MUST HAVE FOR EVERYBODY. THE SOUND IN SOME RANGE SOUNDS BETTER THAN 95'S HELL FREEZES OVER AS I BELIEVED IT WAS THE BEST SOUNDING. GET ONE COPY NOW !