The 37-minute CD offers seven songs performed in the concert (including the two not on the previous CD, "Broken Vow" and "For Always"), plus "O Holy Night." The DVD has excellent picture and sound (PCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, and DTS), interviews, and backstage footage, and the combination with the CD is an excellent value. Groban's fans, of course, will consider it a treasure at any price. --David Horiuchi

I would highly recommend this CD/DVD for your collection!


Probably the best "crossover" artist you'll find   December 7, 2002
 35 out of 53 found this review helpful

I should preface this by saying that I could technically be considered an opera snob. I'll take Renee Fleming over Sarah Brightman any day, and I laugh when people say that Andrea Bocelli is an opera singer.

That said, Groban is probably one of the finest young tenors out there. And I mean young. He hasn't reached his vocal prime yet and still has plenty of room for improvement. But if he walked into my voice studio, I wouldn't turn him away. He has considerable raw talent, and the good thing is that he will (hopefully) just keep getting better. But still, he would probably get blown off the stage were he to sing next to any of the 3 Tenors. I do hope he will continue to study and cultivate his voice. While it has a lovely quality, his voice can be quite thin and strident at times. He also needs help smoothing out his phrasing and needs to work on singing vowels. He still sings Italian and French like they're a foreign language, and even though they are to him, he needs to work on that if he wants to be taken seriously. At times, it was just painful to listen to his pronunciation of the Italian in "The Prayer." Additionally, with more breath support, he could produce a much larger, fuller sound that could rival any of the top operatic tenors.

But this collection of pop standards and classic numbers showcases his formidable raw talent. I'm not much of a fan of "Vincent," but it serves Groban's voice well. "The Prayer" is actually quite understated and lovely, and I prefer his version to Bocelli's. Groban's diction is less sloppy and he has more control of his voice.

It features a number of guest apperances, probably too many for a solo concert. I'd draw the line at two or three, but Groban has at least five. Andrea Corr is lovely as usual and adds a little Celtic flair. The Uillean pipes are also gorgeous. (However, I did find it bizarre that Groban would share how many records the Corrs have sold in his introduction of Andrea.) Angie Stone makes a nice duet partner on "The Prayer," singing with a great deal of heart and tenderness. The haunting "Let Me Fall" shows the pathos and beauty his voice is capable of. If only he had been that consistent throughout the rest of the performance. One major low spot is the overblown "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring," featuring singer/violinist Lili Haydn. She sings AND plays, but let's just say she should stick to the violin, so the song is essentially wasted. Groban would have better served to duet with someone who just sings, instead of Haydn attempting to multi-task.

Perhaps Groban's greatest challenge will be his decision to become a "crossover" artist or a straight-up opera singer. He has the potential to do both, and personally, I hope he leans toward the latter. He may lose some of his fan base, but I'd rather see him sing "Turandot" at the Met than do watered down versions of "Nessun Dorma."

All in all, this collection heralds great things to come for Groban. He still has room to grow, which is encouraging, but let's hope he doesn't get lazy with all the gushing adoration he gets from his "Grobanites," who would stand up and scream if he was reading the back of a cereal box.


CAUTION: CONTENTS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!!!   December 20, 2002
 33 out of 33 found this review helpful

How can I describe Josh Groban? His voice makes my spirit soar, rends my heart, and makes me weep. In the car, I sing along at the top of my voice. In the office, I enjoy hearing people ask "Hey, isn't that (insert your favorite opera tenor)?" and the look on their faces when I tell them the name and age of the artist they're hearing. I bought this package for the song "O Holy Night", but was completely blown away by the live concert on the DVD... what a wonderful show! I felt like I was right there in the front row, and now I won't be happy until I really do hear him perform in person! Last but not least, Josh Groban is so NICE - a humble and unassuming person. At first glance, he is a guy who just stepped off a train on a windy day. Then he opens his mouth to sing, and - poof!- he's an angel. Listen and find out for yourself.


The most amazing voice you will ever hear.   December 11, 2002
 30 out of 30 found this review helpful

Somebody at work introduced me to Josh Groban's first CD. They played one song for me and I thought it was the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. I went out and purchased his entire album and became an instant fan. Josh Groban has such an incredible voice he is truly blessed. This CD/DVD is amazing. O HOLY NIGHT is the most beautiful and powerful rendition of this song I have ever heard in my life. It will give you chills and bring tears to your eyes everytime you listen to it. The DVD is spectacular. His voice again is amazing and so powerful and to make it even better it is encoded in DTS sound so anyone with a higher quality home theater will be literally blown away by the sound of his voice. Josh Groban deserves more than 5 stars. I give him 10!