Harry Chapin - Rockpalast Live

Starring:Harry Chapin
Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

This should NOT have been released for public-purchase
It's about Harry......
Harry's Tried
Translates as "boring"
Yes, the video quality is bad but Harry still sounds great

Harry Chapin - Rockpalast Live
Starring: Harry Chapin
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Harry Chapin - Remember When: The Anthology
Have You Heard - Jim Croce Live
Portrait Gallery
On the Road to Kingdom Come
Dance Band on the Titanic

ASIN: B000068TPA
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Customer Reviews:

This should NOT have been released for public-purchase.......2007-02-12

While on his tour of Europe, Harry Chapin and his band made a stop at the German venue, Rockpalast, and taped a concert in-front of a live audience. Maybe Harry and the band were given lousy sound-equipment to work with. Maybe it was the fact that Harry and his band were tired (as is implied by Harry during the concert) and only did it because Chapin's manager (or his label at the time, Elektra Records) saw a last-minute opportunity for publicity and/or promotion, and took it.

Whatever the reason, the fact remains that this is a poor Harry Chapin concert, which is why I give it 3 stars. And yet, I do not give it a lesser-rating because Harry strives to give it his all to an audience where few, in any, understand even an inkling of the English language. Harry's determination pays-off in the end, for, in the second-half of the concert, many in the audience have warmed-up to Harry and his music, which goes to show you that good music it not confined to a specific language or country.

Still, Harry's personal charisma aside, I still believe that the poor-quality of this DVD gives me reason to say that unless you're a hardcore Chapin-fan, don't bother purchasing this concert. Trust me, there are other televised Chapin concerts available for purchase which are far-better than this.

It's about Harry.............2006-11-16

I delayed buying this too long due to the mixed reviews here. You only have to ask yourself one question ? Am I a Harry fan ? If you are, then you should buy this DVD. It's not about the sound quality, or the German crowd. It's about the connection, the love, we as fans have for Harry. It's a great chance to see him again in one of the few concert videos he left behind. Set some time aside to watch...and remember...

Harry's Tried.......2006-05-14

I am one of those who was lucky enough to see several Chapin concerts. I saw two with only Harry and his guitar and one with the whole band. This dvd isn't high def or the best sound, but, it shows you how wonderful he was. Harry gave all of himself to every audience and I never attended another concert like it again. The audience on this one obviously couldn't understand
English and it must have made it hard on Harry, who loved audience participation.
Find "The Final Concert" on either vhs or dvd, if it's still out there. That one was filmed in America and really shows the whole band's power. Tom is one that one.
This concert is very subdued, but, then we can't be picky. If you loved Harry Chapin, you will be glad for the chance to see him in again.

Translates as "boring".......2005-01-17

I don't think there's ever been a performer who did as engaging a "live" show as Harry Chapin. This is the reason I immediately grabbed the DVD off the shelf at Virgin Records when I saw it. However, Harry's rapport with his audiences generally came from a mutual understanding; Harry understanding people and their dramas, heartaches, humor and happiness and the Audience understanding the words that came out of Harry's mouth. The German audience at this Rockpalast concert clearly did not understand Harry. I'm not suggesting that they didn't "get" him; they did not understand the English language, which is what Harry was speaking. When you take away the audience interplay, you're left with little more than a live performance of some of Harry's best songs. However, the audio and video quality is so poor that it's unbearable to sit through this concert. I'm sure Harry would support my recommendation that you support your local public television station (PBS) which offers a fantastic concert video of Harry performing in Hamilton, Ontario. The PBS concert has infinitely better audio/video quality and, most importantly, an English-speaking audience who love and appreciate Harry's music as well as his wit. Too bad Virgin won't let me return opened and viewed DVD's; Rockpalast would go back! Get the PBS video and buy the Bottom Line collection's two-disc set of Harry's performances at the legendary Greenwich Village cabaret.

Yes, the video quality is bad but Harry still sounds great.......2004-06-10

This Harry Chapin concern was taped in Germany on April 12, 1977 as an episode of the German television music show "Rockpalast Live," shortly after the release of the double-album "Dance Band on the Titanic." That accounts for both the poor quality of the video and the selection of these particular fourteen songs:

"Shooting Star"
"W.O.L.D."
"Mr. Tanner"
"Dance Band on the Titanic"
"Taxi"
"Six String Orchestra"
"Corey's Coming"
"Blues Man"
"Mail Order Annie"
"30,000 Pounds of Bananas"
"Cat's in the Cradle"
"Circle"
"Odd Man Job"
"I Wanna Learn a Love Song"

Actually only a couple of songs come from the "Dance Band on the Titanic" album, with five of the songs coming from the "Verities and Balderdash" album three from "Short Stories." Of course Chapin plays his most recognizable "hits," which are the few songs of his that got a lot of A.M. radio air play: "W.O.L.D.," "Taxi," and "Cat's in the Cradle." But long time fans will appreciate the chance to hear big John Wallace help out on "Mr. Tanner" and Harry's bittersweet love songs like "Mail Order Annie." The gem this time around would be the almost nine minute version of "Corey's Coming." The band consists of Chapin on acoustic guitar (and wearing a yellow shirt), Wallace on bass, brother Steve Chapin on keyboards, Doug Walker playing electric guitar, Howie Fields on drums, and Kim Scholes playing the cello. Of course everybody gets to join in on the fun with the sing along "Circle."

There is another Chapin concert out there, a PBS "Soundstage" concert released as "The Book of Chapin," but for Harry's fans any opportunity to see him perform again is worth the having. Even the strangeness of the German audience, who obviously have not already taken this music to heart, works because Harry makes a big effort to connect with them (but avoids doing the alternative endings on "30,000 Pounds of Bananas" because this audience is probably not going to get the jokes). But even if the video quality is suspect at times the audio is pretty good and that is what matters the most.

Harry was posthumously rewarded the Gold Medal of Freedom by Congress for his work fighting hunger in this country. He was something special and I still remembering hearing about the big LA radio station that played his song "What Made America Famous?" every hour during the 4th of July weekend the year I graduated high school. It is impossible to listen to any of his songs and not mourn the tragic accident that took him from us way too soon and to wonder about the dozen albums he would have put out between then and now and all the great songs we missed out on hearing. But we do have his excellent body of story songs and a few concert vidoes to remind us how great Harry was in concert.

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