Don Henley: Live Inside Job (2000 TV Movie) User Reviews

Exellent Job, Don

[jrolleman · 8/10 · 23 April 2001]

I could not decide between an 8 or a 9. I finally went for a 8. I will explain why. The performance is excellent, so is the band, backing vocals and the songs. I give it an 8 because the microphone of Don is not performing a warm sound but sounds a little to much high (or to little low). It does not matter if you listen in DTS or 5.1. On "Hell freezes over" from The Eagles the sound is perfect (I voted a 9), even the 'mike' of Don is perfect. For the rest no complains with Inside Job.

I have been listening in DTS with 6 channels several times to this DVD and are going to like it more and more.That's a good sign. The surprise is at the end by the performance of Hotel California. Cool, comic and new.

It's worth the money.

Lack of spontaneity is the only nitpick

[pellky54 · 9/10 · 21 January 2012]

The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because Henley always performs everything JUST like the record. He has no improvisational ability whatsoever, despite his genius as a songwriter and singer. I just wish he'd change it up a little once in a while ...

The Eagles are even worse when it comes to mimicking the record, but what are ya gonna do. Saw them in Grand Rapids, MI a few years back. They were awesome; they're the Eagles. But I could have closed my eyes and thought they were just broadcasting a CD over the arena PA. Ridiculous, especially for $150 a ticket.

The sidemen in this show are amazing, especially Peter Stroud.

Hard Work From A Perfectionist

[baldrichguy-1 · 10/10 · 31 December 2005]

Don Henley appears with Peter Stroud, lead guitarist from Sheryl Crow's band, in this lavishly staged and scrupulously professional performance.

My favorites among new material include the title song, "Workin' It", a skeptical commentary about the insides of the music business; two uplifting pieces with strong musical hooks, "Everything is Different Now" and "My Thanksgiving"; and a song about alien earth visitors, "They're Not Here, They're Not Coming".

This video places great attention on the physical set, lighting, visual and song variety, inclusion of a gospel choir.

A local performance critic panned the show in the newspaper, writing that the choir signaled a weakness in Henley's material. I disagree. The choir adds an inspirational, churchly presence to the songs that need it, in the same manner the Harlem choir added to the performance of U-2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".

Henley demonstrates throughout, and particularly on "Desperado" a vocal style of range and emotion that I believe places him in the realms of the greatest crooners in history: Sinatra, Van Morrison, Sting.

What he is not, however, is an instrumentalist. Henley demonstrates in the film the use of a guitar as prop.

What a fan gets with this DVD is real value. A ticket in 2001 for the fourteenth row of the live performance ($65) bought three hours in an uncomfortable folding chair in the midst of a balding, gray-haired audience. This DVD, at $20, gives a better view, arguably comparable sounds, and the opportunity to relive the concert in the privacy of one's home, in the presence of company or not.

A great night in!!

[alan-884 · 15 December 2006]

I watched this video in DTS and it felt like i was at the concert.Every song was performed to perfection but i wasn't quite sure what to make of his jazzed-up rendition of Hotel California,for me this song can only be performed one way..For a really great night in ,invite a few friends round for dinner followed by a nice bottle or two of wine,then throw in your copy of The Eagles-When hell freezes over,to get everyone in the mood for some great music,then round the evening off with some Don Henley,everyone will love you for this,especially if ,like me ,you throw it up on your projection screen.Your friends will thank you for taking them to a great concert..in general this is a great DVD and well worth adding to your collection of music DVD's..