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| Eagles: Farewell 1 Tour - Live From Melbourne [HD DVD] | ![Eagles: Farewell 1 Tour - Live From Melbourne [HD DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W6uDPfxoL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Carol Dodds
Actors: Don Henley, Joe Walsh (iii), Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey, Michael Thompson (xxii)
Studio: Rhino / Wea
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.98
Buy New: $19.95
You Save: $10.03 (33%)
New (17) Used (11) Collectible (1) from $11.89
Avg. Customer Rating:  456 reviews
Sales Rank: 3480
Format: Color, Live
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: HD DVD
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 190
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.5
MPN: 972167-2
UPC: 603497216727
EAN: 0603497216727
ASIN: B000J103WK
Theatrical Release Date: June 14, 2005
Publication Date: November 14, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
Without doubt the Eagles are one of the all-time biggest acts in popular music since the dawn of the rock'n'roll era. The band's roots go back to their role as defining artists in the phenomenally popular Southern California rock scene of the '70s a decade in which they delivered four consecutive #1 albums. Their momentous 2004 farewell tour filled stadiums around the world and this 2-DVD set captures one of the most stellar events from that now-historic global sweep.Track Listings:Long RunNew Kid in TownWasted TimePeaceful Easy FeelingI Can't Tell You WhyOne of These NightsOne Day At A Time (New Track)Lyin' EyesBoys of SummerIn The CityAlready GoneTequila SunriseLove Will Keep Us AliveNo More Cloudy Days (New Track)Hole In the WorldTake It To the LimitYou Belong to the CityWalk AwaySunset GrillLife's Been GoodDirty LaundryFunk #49Heartache TonightLife in the Fast LaneHotel CaliforniaRocky Mountain WayAll She Wants To Do Is DanceTake It EasyDesperadoFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS UPC: 603497216727 Manufacturer No: 972167-2
Amazon.com
Thirty songs, spread out over two discs and well over two and a half hours, with fine performances, great sound, and good visual direction: it's all here on Farewell 1 Tour, a documentary of the Eagles' 2004 concert in Melbourne, Australia. At one point, the veteran band seemed unlikely to even make it to the new millennium, but here they are, mostly intact, with a string of hits dating back more than three decades. The majority of them are performed here, from the earliest ("Take It Easy," "Desperado," "Peaceful Easy Feeling") through "Hotel California" and "Life in the Fast Lane" and right up to "Love Will Keep Us Alive" (from Hell Freezes Over, their most recent recording with new material on it); there are also hits from Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Joe Walsh's solo careers, and a few new songs as well, including Walsh's "One Day at a Time" (an earnest ode to his new-found sobriety) and "Hole in the World," Frey and Henley's moving, almost gospel-tinged reaction to the events of 9/11/01. Guitarist Don Felder, who split acrimoniously with the band in 2001, isn't much missed, as replacement Steuart Smith plays the parts just as Felder did--i.e., pretty much exactly as they were recorded (indeed, pristine recreations of the studio versions of their songs has always been a hallmark of the Eagles' live shows). As for the somewhat cheeky title, well, there's always been a certain smugness to the Eagles' sense of humor, and it's no different this time, as Frey doesn't even pretend that there won't be a Farewell 2 Tour in the future. And why not? These are good songs, played beautifully by the quartet (plus supplemental musicians) to audiences that love them. Bonus material is limited to perfunctory interviews with the band. --Sam Graham
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| Customer Reviews: Read 451 more reviews...
 Best Eagle's Concert I've Seen June 2, 2005
269 out of 285 found this review helpful
I just watched the concert on NBC using my High Definition TV broadcast, and 5.1 surround sound audio. It was absolutely terrific.
Every member of the group sounded great. Don Henley looked a bit heavy, and older, but sounded just fine.
If your favorite Eagle is Joe Walsh, this is the concert for you.
He sang more on this concert, and was great as always.
This concert contained almost every one of their hits, and left out a lot of their lesser known materials. Don Henley mentioned in some of his commentary that they don't mind at all doing their hits, even though they've performed them hundreds of times, and in fact thinks they've improved the songs and their performances over the years. I agree. In my opinion, this is a better concert than Hell Freezes Over, and that was very good.
How many bands can you name that have a country sound and are as popular with rockers as well as country, and have been around over 30 years?
Just great!!! By the way, the video and sound quality are top notch.
Jerry
One Of The Best Bands around period. May 19, 2005
127 out of 136 found this review helpful
I was fortunate enough to see this concert when they came to Philadelphia and I can easly say it was one of the all time best concerts i had ever been to - easily in my top 5. The songs and the performances were outstanding--should you expect anything less from such a legendary group of musicians....Hearing them perform these classics live brought chills to ones spine and the occaisonal tear to the eye....a rarety in concerts these days. I am so greatful that they decided to record one of these magical nights for all to see and the set list is impressive...If you are lucky enough to have them heading to your area in the next few months you have to see them-do NOT miss this oppertunity....this is one concert you will get your moneys worth and then some....But for those who cant make it and for the ones who have expreienced the Eagles Live this is going to be great to relieve those memories and classic songs all over again. If you are a music lover this is a MUST HAVE for your collection. Be prepared to be blown away by one of the best bands EVER. The Eagles. 'nuff said.
 Sorry ... September 7, 2005
21 out of 40 found this review helpful
I was dreading writing this review, most people will click the negative review button on this just because they are Eagles fanatics and not be able to see this DVD unbiased. I understand that though, completely. I love the Eagles.
1) The lack of Don Felder is obvious in the sound of the band. The 'Eagles' sound that we've listened to for years is lacking without him. Don Felder and Joe Walsh always played off of each other and now it just doesn't happen. Sorry.
2) The overt and heavy-handed use of a horn section, another guitarist and another keyboardist is just too painful to listen to. The clean, vibrant and very-much in-the-pocket performances from 'Hell Freezes Over' DVD are gone, replaced by what seems to be an attempt to tour just for the sake of it and to keep the "proverbial" pool heated (a term concerning touring musicians once coined by Lars Ulrich). If it's just about making money now, then I'll prefer to keep mine, thank you. Sorry.
3) The DTS mix DOES sound brittle as several other reviewers have pointed out. The DTS processing clearly wasn't completed with as much thought as the 'Hell Freezes Over' DVD. Sorry.
4) Don Henley, Glenn Frey & Timothy B. Schmit looked a little too 'geriatric'. Joe Walsh seems to have a lot of problems just enunciating his words for some reason. It really looked as though he was wearing `Depends' under his sarong pants he was wearing onstage during the second nights performance. I hate saying this about the Eagles, seeing that I've always appreciated them for their ability to perform and make great music. Their albums and music though, thankfully will continue to be timeless, even if they're not. Sorry.
5) If you own `Hell Freezes Over' DVD and own the `Selected Works' CD box set (which includes the Millennium concert that has a lot of songs that were played on tour but not on the DVD) then keep and cherish that as it really is the definitive work by these guys. Sorry.
6) A lot of the performances by Don Henley (on this release) are just unwatchable because he's lost his ability to really carry the music and vocalize, gaining the weight maybe hasn't helped him much either. Sorry.
Listen, I really love the Eagles in every way, but if you have to decide what you want to spend your $25 on, this aint it, get `Hell Freezes Over', and if you already own it, then be thankful and appreciate the previous releases. Sorry.
Zzzzzzzzz..... December 17, 2005
19 out of 40 found this review helpful
I grew up with and loved the Eagles' music. Still love a lot of it, in fact. So, I was looking forward to seeing them in concert for the first time. I'd heard rumors that they were never a good live band, but I figured hey, it's the Eagles, it should be enjoyable, right?
Wrong. This was the most boring live concert I have ever seen, bar none. Lifeless, sterile, humorless. No innovation, no chances taken, no spark whatsoever. I felt like I was watching a bunch of Disney animatronics.
Sure, the sound was great. The songs sounded EXACTLY like they do on the record. Exactly the same notes, exactly the same vocal inflections, exactly the same harmonies, exactly the same arrangements, exactly the same guitar solos, exactly the same length.
All the while, the band stands nearly motionless, except for "going through the motions" of playing the songs. This is the distinct feeling I got -- an extremely sterile, commercial display of a band that simply went through the motions, period.
And so I ask you: Where the heck is the fun in THAT? If I want to listen to the record, I'll listen to the record. But I go to concerts to see the artists take some chances, do some things differently, and above all, to connect with the performers and the audience in a memorable way. The Eagles made no effort to connect with the audience. It was all so textbook-dry, I was actually looking at my watch, even during old classic songs that I liked.
This was also one of the few rock concerts I've ever been to in Los Angeles where the audience sat down the entire concert. Hint: If you can't get an L.A. audience on their feet by the second or third song, something is wrong.
Everything was just so boring and completely predictable. The only guy that threw a tiny (not much more than tiny, though) bit of fun into the proceedings was Joe Walsh. But even that seemed contrived. He was sort of the "designated funny guy" in the show, dressing up in a silly outfit and construction hardhat during one segment. I may be too cynical, but it was as if the band had thought all of that out beforehand. "Here, Joe, you be the 'light entertainment'."
So in short: It was a real snooze-fest.
OK, so one of my family members buys this DVD. Guess what? It is EXACTLY the same concert we saw (even though I saw them in Los Angeles and this concert is in Australia, and the fact that Don Felder wasn't present). But still, it's exactly the same concert. Right down to the supposedly "off the cuff" comments between songs. It's actually an amazing thing, because it seems that no human would be able to so completely script a live show, right down to exact word-for-word comments between songs, and right down to the cynical smirk on Henley's face. Yes, I believe they actually ARE Disney animatronics!!
Buy this only if you're interested in seeing how a band can absolutely duplicate a studio sound in concert. That's the only part that actually is impressive from a technical standpoint, even if it is supremely boring. Or buy it, of course, if you need a good snooze.
 Still Retiring After All These Years... March 17, 2006
17 out of 22 found this review helpful
Back in the `70s, the Eagles latched onto something that seemed very creative at the time. The `country rock' sound that was developed by Gram Parsons and the Byrds in the late `60s got polished to a high-pitched sheen by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon, eventually abetted by Don Felder on lead guitar. Their first four albums were all crucial to their era, and brought `country-rock' to the forefront of popularity. By the time that they released "Hotel California," they were recognized as huge stars, and their creativity reached significantly beyond the standard arrangements of country rock. Then, `punk rock' attempted to change all that. The Eagles dismissed the do-it-yourself aesthetic of punk as a laughable aberration. Instead, they entered the recording studio for what seemed like years, only to emerge in 1979 with the most boring and ill-conceived album of their career, a poorly focused effort that was appropriately entitled "The Long Run." Judging by sales figures, the Eagles were right, though. Bands like the Buzzcocks and Stiff Little Fingers languished and then fell apart, while "The Long Run" went platinum. Still, though, the band recognized that their relevance was diminishing, and they disbanded soon afterward. They haven't released a studio album since then.
Twenty-five years later, the band is touring and drawing crowds as if they had never left. In the interim, a collection of their greatest hits has become the best-selling album of all time, so in reality, they never really did go away. Without any considerable addition to their catalog of tunes, the band has toured sporadically, demanding outrageous ticket prices, and yet continually selling out stadiums around the world. This time around, the tour was mockingly entitled the "Farewell 1 Tour", and this DVD captures one complete show as performed in Melbourne, Australia. As this audience ascertains, fans of the band now consist of a mixed group of three generations, all of whom seem to think that the year is 1977, and "Hotel California" is still at the top of the charts. (As a side note, it is rather obvious that for this show at least, the band sent out roadies to ensure that the front row was filled entirely with attractive women, a rather transparent and ridiculous maneuver at this point of the band's career.)
The strange thing, though, is that three of the five `original' bandmembers are no longer aboard, and their contributions are unacknowledged here, except for a performance of Meisner's "Take It to the Limit". Joe Walsh has been an Eagle for the last two albums only, and Timothy B. Shmit didn't join until the sessions for their last album, yet they now consist of 50% of the `official' band, along with leaders Glenn Frey and Don Henley. As a longtime fan, I will always consider Schmit as a member of Poco (with whom he released over ten records and wrote nearly one hundred songs) and Joe Walsh as a solo artist. From a historic perspective (but certainly not a financial one), their careers as "Eagles' seems secondary to me, but it is their presence that fleshes out what otherwise would have been reduced to a singing/songwriting duo.
Interestingly, this collection relies heavily on the subsequent solo work of Frey and Henley ("The Boys of Summer", You Belong to the City" "Dirty Laundry"), and the previous solo work of Walsh ("Rocky Mountain Way", "Funk #49"). Classic tracks like "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Life in the Fast Lane," "Lyin' Eyes," "New Kid in Town," "Hotel California" and "Already Gone" are the reason that people show up, though, and here, they sound like spit-and-polish versions of the original studio recordings. There is no doubt that this band has the goods to play these tunes to perfection. For me, though, the net result is that I really miss Meisner, Leadon and Felder. They were integral to the band when the band was at its most creative, and their absence is palpable. In this configuration, the performances are extremely tight and well-rehearsed, leaving virtually every note sounding processed to perfection. Apparently, this is exactly how their contemporary audience loves them, so I cannot deny the `new' Eagles their extended run of popularity. Still, though, I can't help but wonder how I could ever miss them if they won't ever go away.BTom Ryan
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