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Various Artists: Live at Knebworth (SD Blu-ray)

"The date was June 30, 1990, and the event was heralded as The Best British Concert of All Time."

A bold statement as ever there was, but there's no denying the star power that graced the stage at the Knebworth House in Hertsfordshire, as numerous British rock & pop luminaries performed for over 100,000 fans, benefitting the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and The Brit School for Performing Arts. You get a small selection of songs from a majority of the acts that played that day, highlighting songs that were hits for them in the '80s of course. Tears for Fears open things up in vibrant, fun fashion, and it's not hard to sing along to their mega hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Cliff Richard & The Shadows follows, kind of a curious pick for this set, that is until he rips into his huge '80s hit "We Don't Talk Anymore", and I can honestly say this is the first time I've heard this tune in quite some time. Genesis singer/drummer Phil Collins delivers a stunning "In the Air Tonight", alongside the accomplished Daryl Stuermer on guitar & Chester Thompson on drums, while Beatles/Wings legend Paul McCartney and his band wows the audience with "Coming Up", "Birthday", "Hey Jude" and a spirited "Can't Buy Me Love".

Those kings of boogie Status Quo get four tunes here, and of course whip the crowd into a frenzy with staples "Whatever You Want" and "Rockin' All Over the World". Such a shame this band never really hit it off with US rock fans, but in the UK they are embraced as legends. Eric Clapton delivers a bluesy "Before You Accuse Me" as well as his pop hit "Tearin' Us Apart", his tasty Fender Stratocaster licks soaring, and Mark Knopfler & Dire Straits also give us some sizzling guitar, especially on "Solid Rock" and "Money For Nothing" where Knopfler & Clapton duel it out. Elton John joins the fun shortly after, and you can expect a rousing version of "Sad Songs (Say So Much)", the singer in fine form vocally & on the piano with Clapton, his band, and Dire Straits behind him.

Of course, it's the back end of this live set that brings the most excitement, and it starts with Robert Plant and his band, who rock through kick ass versions of "Hurting Kind" and "Tall Cool One" before Plant's old mate in Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, comes out and joins them for "Wearing & Tearing" and "Rock and Roll". Collins does double duty here, as Genesis then appears with some of their newer hits "Mama", "Throwing It All Away", and lengthy "Turn It On Again" medley that's a lot of fun. Rounding out this Blu-ray is of course prog kingpins Pink Floyd, who deliver a stunning spectacle with "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and "Run Like Hell", complete with a wild light show and David Gilmour's fluid guitar lines.

Seeing as this is a standard definition Blu-ray, don't expect superior high definition quality here, but it is quite good overall, and the sound is clear and punchy. Strange that there's no menu or special features (it goes right into the first song when you pop the disc into your player), but overall this is a nice presentation of a noteworthy event from 25 years ago, with some of the proceeds of sales of the Blu-ray still going to the original charity, which is a real nice touch.A very cool mini-replica of the original festival program is included in this set as well.

See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!


Track Listing
Tears for Fears
1. Change
2. Badman's Song
3. Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Cliff Richard & The Shadows
4. On the Beach
5. Good Golly Miss Molly
6. We Don't Talk Anymore
Phil Collins & The Serious Band
7. In the Air Tonight
8. Sussudio
Paul McCartney
9. Coming Up
10. Birthday
11. Hey Jude
12. Can't Buy Me Love
Status Quo
13. Whatever You Want
14. Rockin' All Over the World
15. Dirty Water
16. In the Army Now
Eric Clapton
17. Before You Accuse Me
18. Tearin' Us Apart
Dire Straits
19. Solid Rock
20. Think I Love You Too Much
21. Money For Nothing
Elton John
22. Sacrifice
23. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
Robert Plant
24. Hurting Kind
25. Tall Cool One
26. Wearing & Tearing (with Jimmy Page)
27. Rock and Roll (with Jimmy Page)
Genesis
28. Mama
29. Throwing It All Away
30. Turn It On Again Medley: Turn It On Again/ Everybody Needs Somebody to Love/ Reach Out, I'll Be There/ Pinball Wizard/ In the Midnight Hour/ Turn It On Again (Reprise)
Pink Floyd
31. Shine On You Crazy Diamond
32. Run Like Hell

Added: April 12th 2015
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Hits: 1704
Language: english

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