Summary:The three-disc set (two CDs and a DVD) features a recording of the ex-Beatle's three-night concert in New York City's Citi Field on July 17, 18, and 21, 2009.
With more than half of this two-and-a-half-hour-plus bonanza composed of spirited versions of Beatles chestnuts, this blast of freshly minted nostalgia almost seems too pat.
The two CDs sound terrific, documenting how gracefully both McCartney and his music are aging. His voice is robust, his charm on full blast, and the epic set of Beatles, Wings, and solo material is deepening with meaning and sentiment.
Apart from the inclusion of 'Mrs. Vanderbilt' and 'I'm Down,' there are no surprises, either in song selection or performance, but no surprises doesn't mean no satisfaction, and this is plenty entertaining.
It is pure nostalgia, and some of these songs are familiar to the point of tedium, but even a Beatles sceptic would find it hard to suppress a shudder of recognition on hearing these tunes sung by the man who wrote them.
Where the music in Good Evening manages to mostly please without much compromise, the visual documentation of said music bends over backwards to make itself palatable to only the most fervent of fans.
Pros: This is probably his best live CD release since "Wings Over America" (with the possible exception of "Unplugged"- &) & that's Pros: This is probably his best live CD release since "Wings Over America" (with the possible exception of "Unplugged"- &) & that's impressive as all his live albums have been quite good to excellent. It's also his best live DVD since "Rockshow" (with the possible exception of "Red Square") & since most of his live DVD's have been train wrecks of bad directing sabotaging great performances (WAY too many audience shots, & interviews actually interrupting performances, & hyper fast cuts) this is a welcome & needed addition to his catalog. He hasn't released a full length live album since 2002, and to be fair we just don't know how or when time will catch up to him & shows like this (high quality & long performances) will exist only in memory. So maybe it's a sort of last live release hurrah for him, and if so, he's going out on a real high note. This tour was amazing. I saw it in Boston & was blown away, as he always puts on great shows & that is captured really well here. Also there are, roughly, ten to a dozen songs here that haven't appeared as ive CD versions before- which amounts to about a single album's worth, or 1/3 of what's here. Cons: Yet another live McCartney album featuring so many songs that there are already countless live versions of (roughly 2/3 or more, of the album had already seen live versions released before). It ends up as more of the ultimate tour souvenir than anything else. Instead of doing this he could have released an Anthology or Bootleg Series type of release (like The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan & Neil Young all have done- as well as The Beatles) & done either separate studio & live releases (which I"d prefer) or combine live & studio tracks even, whatever, just something that touches the absolutely huge amount of unreleased material that he has. There are so many versions of great live performances of songs that have never appeared on any of his live albums, & instead with get the umpteenth live versions of "Let It Be", "Live & Let Die, etc., etc. (how many does one really need of these?)- great songs though they are, how about live versions of "Two Of Us", "You Won't See Me", "Getting Closer", "Mull Of Kintyre" or "I'll Get You" instead? He could have included the newer material done live here, or even the first time versions of a few older tracks that he chose to do. Final Verdict: Still worth it, in spades, but more for heavy duty fans, those they don't already have any live McCartney or folks who saw the tour, or these shows in particular...but...he could releasing so much more ambitious & valuable material, and let's hope he does at some point soon.…Expand
Best live CD from McCartney since Wings over America. Very well produced, performed and packaged...Best solo McCartney CD/DVD combo at a Best live CD from McCartney since Wings over America. Very well produced, performed and packaged...Best solo McCartney CD/DVD combo at a great price... The Best Buy Deluxe is absolutely worth the extra few dollars ($21). Load, enjoy and Rock On.…Expand
The only problem is that the set-list is so predictable. The concert really shines when McCartney launches into Sing the Changes, Mrs. The only problem is that the set-list is so predictable. The concert really shines when McCartney launches into Sing the Changes, Mrs. Vanderbilt, and Calico Skies. Obviously the Beatles and Wings hits are great (with the exception of "My Love," which doesn't quite work here), but I've seen them in McCartney's previous concert dvds numerous times. It'd be nice to further embrace the incredible work he's done over the past 10+ years.…Expand
