Search - Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 (Special Edition) on DVD

The Who is the Best - Reissue is pretty great (no more reiss

bass boy | Arkansas | 11/15/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Here's the skinny on this. The two bonus tracks - "Naked Eye," which is great, although it's missing the Pete vocals that appeared in the song later, and "Substitute," which is pretty solid but a tad sloppy here and there - are just what they are. They're not inserted into the concert. They can be seen only as "extras." Why they weren't incorporated into the original film, I'll never know. The interview with Pete is the same 2004 which was recorded for the 2004 DVD version and limited theatrical release that year. The BIG difference here, though, is the widescreen presentation. It's widescreen, and there doesn't seem to be any cropping or "fake letterboxed" going on here. I compared the 2004 DVD to this new 2006 one, and more of the film image can be seen on the 2006 version. What baffles me, though, is I didn't think they shot this film with widescreen cameras. Still, though, there seems to be more of a visual image on this new version. So, it's worth it if you love The Who, but it's frustrating that they didn't include the two bonus tracks as actually part of the concert (main program) on the DVD.
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At The Top Of Their Game

Keith D. Ellerbrock | St. Louis, MO USA | 03/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're looking for a concert video that captures The Who at the peak of their talents, this one is it. The year is 1970. Pete Townshend still looks like himself (not that I have anything against Pete as an old fart, but, you know ...). He still had hair, and lots of it. His energy is infectious. His jumps and splits are perfectly timed. In fact, he strikes an exciting balance during this concert between The Who that was and The Who that would be. The windmill guitar strokes are eternal, of course. But Pete also employs "the birdman dance" here (you'll just have to see it) -- a move used in the band's early incarnation which disappeared in the 70's. So at The Isle of Wight you still see the last gasps of The Who's early stage act alongside the "Tommy era" look and act that would prevail for nearly a decade. Townshend's guitar work, as usual, is brilliant and pulse-raising. Roger's voice is in great shape. His phrasing is near perfect. He's in full "rock god" mode with his open leather vest and lion-like locks. He struts and marches across the stage with confidence and youthful energy. John Entwhistle (still alive) provides the awesome anchor for the hurricane that this band's live presentation is. His only wild statement is one killer skeleton suit. His bass licks are inimitable. And Moonie? What can I say? He's alive. (Hard to believe he'll meet his Maker in eight short years). He's loony. And he's one fast, skillful, and exciting maniac on the drums. His sense of humor is on full display, too. The band's playing that night so long ago was, in a word: tight. I mean, these four young guys were playing off each other perfectly. Young enough to release immense kinetic energy, experienced enough to play with a high level of musicianship. Like I said, it's the perfect moment in their history to capture them on film.

The DVD quality is excellent considering this concert took place in the increasingly distant past (although 1970 seems just like yesterday to me -- I'm an old fart, too -- but not boring!). Sound quality is very good. And somehow (and this is the most magical part for me) you actually get the sense, because of the way it was originally filmed, that you're actually at the show. For me it's like a time machine deposited me in a crowd of long-haired Brits flashing peace signs in 1970; and there's The Who, onstage just a few yards (or meters if you prefer) in front of me. Watching this disc is the next best thing to being at a Who concert back in the day.

In the end, though, it's worth it to buy this DVD just to hear a cocky Townshend address the crowd with tongue firmly in cheek: ""SMILE, you buggers! Pretend it's Christmas!" A must have for any Who fan."

It's All in the Mix

Benedict J. Likens | Whiting, IN USA | 01/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I couldn't get over LISTENING to this DVD. Not only has it been re-released in widescreen, but it's been remixed, as well, and let me tell you -- has it ever been remixed, and well!

I've never thought that this performance ranked among The Who's best from this period, mainly because I think drummer Keith Moon's performance was uneven and sloppy in places. Moon, and I think some might disagree with me on this, was not normally a sloppy drummer. Listen to the Live at Leeds CD or watch the London Coliseum section of the Live at Kilburn DVD. His playing is unusually precise for someone who went through the type of physical contortions he went through. It's also very, very lyrical, and he is incredibly in tune with what's being played around him. He somehow manages to complement vocals, guitar, and bass and "tie" or "knit" them together in a way that no other drummer, at least not for that particular band at that particular time, could have. There's really not enough space here to describe just how amazing his musicianship was. The stories of his off-stage activities are entertaining, yes, but it was his playing that was even more astounding than any of the lunacy of which he was capable, and he was, in spades.

From "Heaven and Hell," the mix of this concert is completely, totally crystal clear. I couldn't get over the detail in guitarist Pete Townshend's playing (which was also very sloppy in places, but hey, that's Pete). John Entwistle is not just a low rumble. His high end is brought out in the new mix, and this is important because part of Entwistle's technique involved turning up the treble control on his amplifier (as well as the volume control, and I mean REALLY high). There's a lot of "pluck" or "attack" (meaning the way Entwistle's pick hits his bass strings) that was not evident on the previous versions of this DVD.

The band's harmonies are stellar. At some points during the performance, their harmonies are so clear that I had to review the DVD at these points just to make sure it was the same band and performance to which I had gotten so accustomed. During the Tommy section (which, I'm very sorry to say, is horribly edited), the harmonies are given a place in the mix that had been denied them, even on the CD, which was released several years earlier than this completely and totally refurbished version. I wish The Who's label would release the CD of The Isle of Wight show (in sequence with no omissions) to showcase these newly experienced vocal highlights.

Now that this wonderful edition of The Isle of Wight concert has been released, I must agree with another Amazon customer (whose review is just before mine) and say that I really, really hope that there are no more re-issues, this one being the third edition thus far (not counting the Blu-ray version). However, before I conclude, I'll tip my hat to the folks who controlled the mixing desk just one last time. I'll be viewing (and listening to) this DVD very often, just because it's such a joy to hear this concert in this fashion (and the widescreen makes it equally pleasureable to watch). If you're unsure about whether or not it's all that much of an improvement, I must weigh in and say that yes, it is -- a HUGE one."

Pete Townshend's interview alone makes this DVD worthwhile.

Martin L. Grodt | Los Angeles | 01/15/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Who's performance brings back the memories of their greatness at what was probably the peak of their reign.

The performance part of the DVD is interesting enough but gets a little stale an hour or so into it because the camera work is limited to mostly one side of the stage. There is barely a few glimpses of their bass player John Entwistle who was possibly the best rock bassist of his time and certainly one of my personal rock heroes.

What was really a special treat was the surprise 45 minute interview at the end with a very recent Pete Townsend. I was shocked to hear him say how he actually hated the band and felt he had "nothing in common with those yahoos". However, he was "getting commissioned to write more songs" after their first big hit "My Generation'.

Townsend explains what they were thinking before and during their heyday, how they evolved and what they were trying to achieve with the rock opera Tommy.

What I assumed was simply live performance antics was actually very calculated to achieve a oneness with the audience, to lift them up and then "machine gun them down".

The Who was one of the best rock jam bands around and they weren't afraid to improvise a slightly different version of their songs with each performance. They used body language and certain musical phrases to signal when to leave the jam and go back into the written melody, which made their live performances fascinating. I wish I could have seen more of John Entwistle's fingers playing during the video. He was amazing.

The explanation of their circumstances and many other things by Pete Townsend makes this DVD interesting and worthwhile in its own right. If you're a fan it's worth having in your collection."