That huge physical setting doubtless made the live shows eye-filling rock spectacles, but the video crew necessarily accepts the limitations of the small screen, focusing more on close-ups of the band, rapid cuts, and racing, hand-held tracking shots to convey excitement while keeping the viewer close to the action. The evening's repertoire sticks to the band's most familiar hits, and if the Glimmer Twins occasionally slip their masks to let the routine show, the real wonder is how effectively they keep the playing focused. During the first half of the program, the band's newest songs (especially "Saint of Me" and "Out of Control") elicit conspicuously higher energy from the band, if not the audience. But just as the show seems doomed to a certain anomie, the escape onto the smaller, no-frills stage pumps up players and crowd alike, particularly when they launch into "Like a Rolling Stone," a cover that winds up sounding like a great idea too long deferred. --Sam Sutherland

The band shows up on time, (something very unusual now a days for rock star wanna be's) and rocks your socks from beginning to end, non-stop.

The DVD brought back memories of that performace and did not fall short in any respects. The video is crystal clear, sound is exact and sharp, and the editing absolutely fabulous. The director seemed to know where one would be looking during the concert and it made me feel as if I was back there again.... some of the editors of concert videos that I have seen had no clue as to where and when to focus attention during the concert .....

Although I would give 'Voodoo Lounge' concert DVD a slight edge, (I mean a very very slight edge) over Babylon, trust me, this is a must have DVD that will, like Voodoo, go out of print and you'll be buying the DVD for 50.00 bucks just to have it in your collection......


A MUST HAVE   September 13, 2003
K. Ellis (Central Coast, CA United States)
19 out of 21 found this review helpful

This is a MUST HAVE if you like the Rolling Stones. This DVD has excellent sound quality and visual quality. This is the best Rolling Stones DVD on the market. This covers 40 years of hits with today's dvd technology.


Loved It!   February 24, 2006
Michael Colagiacomi (FLORIDA, USA)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful

Here you'll find Mick, Keith and the boys together with some "cool friends" doing what they do best. ROCK & ROLL!

They have the lovely & talented Lisa Fischer on backup vocals. She really used her "assets talents," all of them. Her voice hits all of those amazing notes that few singers will ever hope aproach.

The "really cool" Joshua Redmond joins in with his saxophone.

Lets not forget the inovative theatrics that we've come to expect from the Stones. The never disapoint me in that area. In this film they do actually cross "a bridge" to Babylon.

If you love the Stones and you love seeing them live or wish you could, this is a great way to see them!

All right, I admit it. I am a huge fan, (can't fool you) since the begining. I've spent more than I'll admit this year on concert Tickets, T-Shirts and DVD/CDs. Not to mention plane tickets!


Far more than a nostalgia act   October 10, 2001
Susan Nunes (Reno, NV United States)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

The Rolling Stones, thirty years after their prime, are still the best live act in the world, bar none. This concert, which was originally telecast as a pay-per-view concert in December 1997, is indisputable proof. They still have their edge, they still give it everything they've got in live performance, and their sell-out concerts are proof of it. All music acts should look at this concert to see how hard work, huge talent, and impeccable professionalism is done. The Rolling Stones are the masters of live performance.

I spent the twenty dollars it cost for the pay-per-view telecast and even taped it over the air. I have seen it at least 60 times and still love it. What struck me is, despite his age, Mick Jagger still has tremendous energy to play so well in front of an audience (and this concert was late in the evening, finishing after midnight). It takes a great deal of energy to be able to go back and forth on a stage about the size of a football field and under those hot lights. Not only that but he looked the best he ever looked in his life. About 25 pounds heavier than in his youth, Jagger was filled out, and, for being a member of a band not known for pulchritude, actually looked almost attractive. The rest of the band was in fine form, too, and contrary to some reviews, Keith Richards does not looked bored here. He was very much animated and seemed to enjoy himself.

The concert consists of a mix of both old hits and more recent songs, with three of the original concert tunes cut out of the DVD version ("Corinna," with Taj Mahal--not a high point of the show; one of Keith Richards' songs; and "The Last Time," which should probably be the last time for this tune as Jagger and company can no longer hit the notes). What remains is still great, with the second half of the concert being slightly better than the first half. Highlights include "Saint of Me," "Gimme Shelter," "Honky Tonk Women," "Jumping Jack Flash," "Start Me Up," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and a rousing finish in "Brown Sugar." Personal favorites of mine include Keith Richards' "I Wanna Hold You," featuring Keith duelling guitars with the underrated Ron Wood (in super form here), and an absolute killer version of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" performed during the small stage sequence.

There is only one complaint I have about this disk which others have said elsewhere, and that's the sound quality. Where in the world were the microphones set up for the soundtrack? It sounds as if it had been recorded clear in the back of the building. Jagger and his backup singers sound like they are in a cave. The sounds of the audience should have been muted by having the mikes put in an appropriate place. I still have my tape of the original pay-per-view telecast, and the sound quality on that is perfect with NO distortion. I strongly recommend the makers of this DVD get hold of the original soundtrack from the pay-per-view telecast and replace this dreadful one.


The greatest show on Earth   November 1, 2002
12 out of 14 found this review helpful

This 1998 Rolling Stones dvd is probably the best " live " dvd ever issued. The tape joins my other concert dvds on the shelf.
The sounds are crystal clear. The dvd opens up with shots of the
band's limo pulling up to the concert location. The show kicks off with Keith Richards leading the band out on stage with the powerful opening chords of " Satisfaction ". The show continues at a pace that never slows down. The dvd features enthusiastic
versions of " Let's Spend The Night Together " and " Honky Tonk
Women ", a great cover of Bob Dylan's " Like A Rolling Stone ",
and a song sung by Keith ( " I Wanna Hold You " ). Also, " Start
Me Up ", " Jumping Jack Flash ", " Miss You ", " It's Only Rock
'N' Roll ", " You Can't Always Get What You Want ", and " Tumbl-
ing Dice " are all thrown in. The dvd also features Dave Matthews
sharing the stage ( and microphone ) with Mick on a heartbreaking
" Wild Horses ", and saxophonist Joshua Redman plays a solo on
" Waiting On A Friend ". The highlight to me, however, is a
" haunting " performance of " Gimmie Shelter ". The only thing bad about the show is the three new songs " Flip The Switch ",
" Saint Of Me ", and " Out Of Control ". Also, when the Stones visit their website to see which song their fans want to see them
perform ( the winner was " Waiting On A Friend " ), we realized that there were many great songs they could have done ( " She's A
Rainbow ", " Under My Thumb ", " When The Whip Comes Down ",
" Love In Vain ", " Respectable ", " Fool To Cry " ). The dvd's final number is a great " Brown Sugar ". This show is perfect.