Blu-ray Review: 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts October 29/30, 2009 Madison Square Garden

[Bob Rapoport]

Concert:
Video:
Audio:
Final Score:
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On October 29–30, 2009, Madison Square Garden became the epicenter of rock history. To celebrate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th Anniversary, two nights of music brought together legends spanning five decades — an unprecedented gathering that critics have rightly called “the best concerts ever” and “rock ’n’ roll history made.”

Originally aired as a critically acclaimed HBO special, this definitive edition now lives on Blu-ray with superb audio and video quality that makes it an essential title for any music lover with a high-performance HDMI Stereo or Multichannel DAC and audio system.

The Performances​

The magic of these concerts lies in the collaborations — unexpected, powerful, and unrepeatable.

• Mick Jagger & Fergie tear through Gimme Shelter with U2 as the house band.
• Bruce Springsteen & Billy Joel join forces on Born to Run.
• Sting & Jeff Beck deliver People Get Ready.
• Paul Simon, David Crosby & Graham Nash share Here Comes the Sun.
• Ozzy Osbourne & Metallica hammer out Iron Man and Paranoid.
• John Fogerty & Springsteen honor Roy Orbison with Oh, Pretty Woman.
• Also on stage: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Simon & Garfunkel, U2, Annie Lennox, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, James Taylor, Smokey Robinson, Dion, and many more in unique combinations.

This is not just a concert — it’s a living museum of rock ’n’ roll, performed by the very artists who defined it.

Sound & Vision​

Time-Life’s Blu-ray release is a reference-quality disc.

• Video: 1.78:1 VC-1 transfer with sharp detail and full, rich color. Close-ups show texture, facial expressions, stage fabrics — vivid and revealing. Black levels and contrast hold up even in dim lighting.
• Audio: Lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 plus uncompressed LPCM stereo. The surround mix offers immersion without artificial echo: quiet acoustic sections retain clarity, and full rock moments roar without distortion. Bass is deep, mids full, highs crisp but not brittle, vocals integrated cleanly. Instruments sit cleanly in the soundstage, and all transitions — from gentle to heavy — are handled with finesse.

For an audiophile setup (good DAC, high-quality speakers), this disc lets you experience these performances almost as if you were in the audience.

Why It Matters​

Anniversary concerts often lean to nostalgia, but this one transcends that — it’s a statement about rock’s continuity and impact. Seeing legends from different eras share the stage reminds us that the legacy of popular music is a living, breathing thread.

For audiophiles, this Blu-ray is more than entertainment — it’s a reference disc. For music fans, it’s a joyous, powerful, and unforgettable concert event.

My Pick Moment: Mick Jagger and Fergie’s “Gimme Shelter” with U2 — raw energy, perfect chemistry, unforgettable.

Final Verdict: If you love rock, appreciate great performances, or want a Blu-ray to test your system’s limits, The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts is a must-own.
Essential. Historic. Unforgettable.

Full Track List:

Night 1​

1. Jerry Lee Lewis – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
2. Crosby, Stills & Nash – Woodstock
3. “Marrakesh Express”
4. “Almost Cut My Hair”
5. David Crosby + Graham Nash / Bonnie Raitt – Love Has No Pride
6. “Midnight Rider”
7. Jackson Browne – The Pretender
8. James Taylor – Mexico
9. Crosby, Stills & Nash – Love the One You’re With
10. “Rock & Roll Woman”
11. (with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, James Taylor) Teach Your Children
12. Paul Simon – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
13. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
14. You Can Call Me Al
15. Dion DiMucci – The Wanderer
16. Crosby, Stills & Nash – Here Comes the Sun
17. Late in the Evening
18. Little Anthony & the Imperials – Two People in the World
19. Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence
20. “Mrs. Robinson / Not Fade Away”
21. The Boxer
22. Bridge Over Troubled Water
23. Cecilia
24. Stevie Wonder – Blowin’ in the Wind
25. Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
26. I Was Made to Love You
27. For Once in My Life
28. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours
29. Boogie on Reggae Woman
30. Smokey Robinson – The Tracks of My Tears
31. John Legend – Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
32. The Way You Make Me Feel
33. B.B. King – The Thrill Is Gone
34. Living for the City
35. Sting – Higher Ground / Roxanne
36. Jeff Beck – Superstition
37. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – 10th Avenue Freeze-Out
38. Sam Moore – Hold On, I'm Comin / Soul Man
39. Tom Morello – The Ghost of Tom Joad
40. John Fogerty – Fortunate Son
41. Proud Mary
42. Oh, Pretty Woman (with Fogerty & Springsteen)
43. Jungleland
44. Darlene Love – A Fine, Fine Boy / Da Doo Ron Ron
45. Tom Morello – London Calling
46. Badlands
47. Billy Joel – You May Be Right / Only the Good Die Young / New York State of Mind / Born to Run
48. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher

Night 2​

1. Jerry Lee Lewis – Great Balls of Fire
2. Aretha Franklin – Baby I Love You
3. Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)
4. Make Them Hear You
5. Annie Lennox – Chain of Fools
6. New York, New York
7. Lenny Kravitz – Think
8. Respect
9. Jeff Beck – Drown in My Own Tears
10. Sting – People Get Ready
11. Freeway Jam
12. Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers
13. Buddy Guy – Let Me Love You Baby / Big Block / Rice Pudding
14. Billy Gibbons – Foxy Lady / Rough Boy
15. A Day in the Life
16. Metallica – For Whom the Bell Tolls / One / Turn the Page
17. Lou Reed – Sweet Jane / White Light/White Heat
18. Ozzy Osbourne – Iron Man / Paranoid
19. Ray Davies – You Really Got Me / All Day and All of the Night / Stone Cold Crazy
20. Enter Sandman
21. U2 – Vertigo / Magnificent
22. (Because the Night) with Springsteen, Patti Smith, Roy Bittan
23. I Still Haven't Found What I’m Looking For (with Springsteen)
24. Mysterious Ways
25. Black Eyed Peas / Mick Jagger / Fergie / Will.i.am – Where Is the Love / One
26. Gimme Shelter
27. Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of
28. Beautiful Day

DVD / Blu-ray / Bonus Notes​

• The 3-disc DVD edition (HBO + bonus) splits the performances across discs; the Blu-ray edition brings the full program with extended performances. Hamilton Book+3Wikipedia+3Blu-ray.com+3
• Bonus tracks (not in the original HBO edit) appear on the extra disc(s), including additional performances by Simon & Garfunkel, Metallica, U2, Jeff Beck, and Springsteen segments. Wikipedia+2Discogs+2

Video specifications

• Resolution: 1080p.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 (widescreen).
• Video Codec: VC-1.
• Video Quality: Reviewers at blu-ray.com note that the VC-1 encoded image has "top notch" sharpness, saturation, and black levels.

Audio specifications

• Primary Audio Track:
  DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
  (48kHz, 24-bit).
• Secondary Audio Track:
  DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
  (48kHz, 24-bit).
• Audio Quality: A review from blu-ray.com describes the DTS-HD Master Audio tracks as "reference quality," praising their clear fidelity and robust sound.

Additional product details

• Discs: Two-disc set (2 BD-50).
• Running Time: 330 minutes.
• Packaging: Standard packaging includes a slipcover.
• Region: The version on blu-ray.com is noted as region-free.
• Notable Performances: The collection features 51 performances from the HBO special, along with 16 bonus tracks not included in the original broadcast.

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