Rage Against The Machine

If you never had a chance to see Rage Against the Machine live, you really missed out. There was a time when Zach de la Rocha was the most frightening performer in the land. I caught them twice in '93, just as they were hitting - the shows were incendiary. Zach was wrath in the flesh, a live wire, ready to strike at any moment with unbridled fury. The pit was as wild as any I've ever experienced (I almost had a tooth knocked out!)I saw them once again in 1999 during "The Battle of Los Angeles" tour. The band was much tighter, and Zach got down, but I felt like they had lost much of their menacing edge. Still, they were absolutely captivating.This DVD captures Rage somewhere in between these two states. Most of the performances are from 1996/1997, their "Evil Empire" tour, with the exception of a couple from 1994 (pre-"Evil Empire"). Zach comes off as monstrous in '94, and more human in 1996/1997. Throughout, his intensity is at peak, especially on "Freedom" and "Tire Me" where he just goes absolutely nuts. It will give you shivers. Tom Morello is an extraordinary guitar player and is fascinating to watch as well.The live stuff is the reason to get this, but they've also included six music videos as a bonus. The early videos, like "Killing in the Name", are so poorly dubbed and low budget that they're almost painful to watch. The later videos border on jaw dropping they're so good (my favorite is "Bulls on Parade".)Unfortunately the special features are a little bland. One, for example, is a reading list. Another is a list of non-profit organizations that the band supports. Noble, sure, but both are already available on the Rage web site, where they are more legible. The best special feature is the ability to view the lyrics during the songs - all music DVDs should have this feature! The biggest thing lacking from this DVD is behind-the-scenes footage. I'm sure it's out there - why not include it?If you were lucky enough to see Rage live, this DVD will bring back memories and have you pining for a reunion. If you missed them, brother/sister, I can't help you. In fact, you probably should avoid this - your envy for those of us who saw them could easily grow to unbearable proportions. Anyways, if you're a big fan, this DVD is a must-own. Don't hesitate to purchase it.

Item as described and arrived on time so brilliant seller!

This Rage Against the Machine DVD features a selection of live performances from different dates and venues, as well as some uncensored music video clips. These music videos feature lots more live footage (as RATM videos tend to do) and there is also a poetry reading from Zack which is read over film footage. The special features on the DVD include lyrics, a reading list based on the books inside the `Evil Empire' album cover, an audio track of `The Ghost of Tom Joad' and a contact list of various organisations the band wishes to highlight. The live half of the disc offers up some explosive performances and whilst sometimes this isn't quite as tight as the `Olympic Auditorium' live disc, it has just as much passion and force. The music video for `Freedom' is especially good as they use it to bring to our attention the case of Leonard Peltier who is incarcerated under very dubious judicial conditions. All in all this is a good disc of live performances and videos and whilst I prefer the previously mentioned 'Olympic Auditorium' disc (as it feels more coherent and tight), this still has some great tracks to delight RATM fans.Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.

gift item, bf seems happy,

Many, but not all, reviewers seem to be confusing this DVD with Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium. This is a DVD re-release of a much earlier video. So Cypress Hill aren't on it, and there actually are no songs from Battle of LA because that hadnt be made at the time. Personally it is my favourite Rage DVD, the performances seem to me to be stronger than on Battle of Mexico City/Live at Grand. But it could just be because i prefer the material. By the end of their existence Rage were playing very little from the underrated Evil Empire. Live versions of tracks like Vietnow and Tire Me are therefore only on this release and not the later two, which have more emphasis on the Battle of LA album which i think is a bit weaker. Of course, the self-titled first album gets a good showing on all their DVDS. This one also starts with Ghost of Tom Joad, a brilliant cover, and a better version than the one that would appear on the Renegades album.As Tom said: "A good song should make you wanna tap your foot and get with your girl. A great song should destroy cops and set fire to the suburbs. I'm only interested in writing great songs." This is full of great performances of great songs

Delivery took so long i forgot i even ordered this....it was a pleasent suprise maybe 2 months after the intended persons birthday....got me extra gf points though hence the 3 stars....i watched maybe a song in it with the not so birthday boy anymore....not that i knew what thwy were saying but thats not due to the sound quality its my age and the bands style i think *over angry*? He liked and seemed to know the vocab and stuff so again when it eventually arrived it was good......maybe a tad pricey for a standard dvd in 2018? But 0lease dont change the price till 2019 or I'll feel like its been money wasted plus it just wouldnt be very nice...3.57am, Ellie

This fantastic compendium of Rage's finest hits creates the perfect DVD treat for all who like it heavily catchy. The great thing is about this is it has really good videos as well as great live in concert tracks. There really is no other music DVD that matches up to the sheer quality of this compilation that reminds you of one of the greatest bands in the world. Their lyrics make a point, the sound is anything but keyboard based, what more could you want?