What can be said about The Rolling Stones that hasn't already been said? I mean, I can go as far as to say "what can be said about The Stones live that I haven't already said?" You just can't go wrong with the Stones live. This new DVD with accompanying double CD set really drives that point home.

The main concert here is one from New York City on January 18th, 2003. That provides the songs from the audio discs, and the main feature on the DVD. While I might quibble a little with some of the song choices (with a catalog as massive as the Stones' you can't please everyone), you can't argue with the performance.

The band are on fire, and the video and audio recordings are both quite good. Sheryl Crow joins the group for "Honky Tonk Women." Keith Richards seems to be particularly inspired for the show. After Charlie Watts' recent death, seeing him on the screen is a bittersweet pleasure.

In addition to the main feature, there are some bonuses here. While a lot of times bonuses on these things are sort of "I'll watch it once or twice" experiences, the bonuses on this having staying power. First we get three songs from the "smaller stage" portion of a concert in Amsterdam. The video and audio quality rival the main feature and the band we're rocking well. Finally, this also includes a couple in-studio rehearsals. All in all, those contribute to make what is an exceptional video release from one of the greatest live bands of all time.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2022  Volume 4. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2022.