First off, this concert was recorded in late 1988 for a TV show called Austin City Limits. That makes this performance almost 18 years old... and it shows. Dwight is only twenty-something and the picure quality of the disc looks about right for a TV show of its great age. The sound on the DVD is excellent! All of Yoakam's classic songs have never sounded better! I must say that Yoakam and company are very mellow and relaxed on the stage at Austin. It is not by any means a wild "rock the house" concert at all. This DVD is a showcase for Yoakam's voice and songwriting... not a show for hyperactive country fans of todays modern sound. This is Dwight's FIRST CONCERT DVD so it is a Must Have for any fan that's followed him for any amount of time. I hope Dwight's fan base will buy this DVD up so that more updated and modern(recent)Dwight Concerts can find a place in todays music DVD market.

The clarity made it seem as if we were watching it on Satellite and not on cable! We were very impressed at the quality of the DVD for the price. We are so glad we bought it!

This is the second of the "Austin City Limits" series I have purchased, and I am amazed at the quality and value. This set shows the young Dwight Yoakam at his best, singing a nice variety of some of his best tunes. A special treat is the guest appearance of Buck Owens and Flaco Jiminez, both of whom perform brilliantly, making a great show even better. Dwight's longtime collaborator Pete Anderson is also on board, playing his trademark guitar licks, and doing so superbly. In all, it is a thoroughly enjoyable show, nicely priced, and well worth buying for many repeat viewings. Those persons responsible for producing this series should be commended for this fine product. I look forward to acquiring the rest of the ACL series. Trust me on this one, friends - you can't go wrong with this DVD. It's a keeper!

Have you noticed that much of today's Country music all sounds the same? What the producers have developed as a studio recording model is to get the singer in and then back them with the best session musicians out there. So, we get a sameness to the instrumentation... album after album after album ad nauseum.

When I first saw this performance when it first aired on Austin City Limits, I was blown away by the authenticity of it. The music itself, the approach by the musicians and the unique songwriter and performer that is Dwight Yoakam all combine for an exercise in honesty when it comes to a LIVE performance. God bless the recording engineers for Austin City Limits on this night because they nailed it. The phrase 'lightning in a bottle' comes to mind.

If you like Mr. Yoakam at all you'll recognize every song played here. However you might not be familiar with just how good Dwight is on guitar. He flat picks it out on several of the tunes and that way, Pete Anderson doesn't have to do all the work.

For my money, Pete Anderson is the guts of the signature unique Dwight Yoakam Sound. He knows just how many notes to throw in - or leave out - when he takes a lead break in a song. His string bending and attack add that just right amount of Blues influence to the overall sound and what you're left with is Country music magic. The guy is just a monster player in the strongest sense of that word. His instrument and his approach to it drive the band to some very interesting places as he powers his way through song after song. It's damn near impossible to sit still when you watch this disc because of the licks and little hooks he throws in behind Dwight's work on the acoustic. The pairing of these two individuals is a perfect match for us listeners, that's for sure. On this disc, both gentlemen are operating at the height of their powers.

Visually this one just smokes. Dwight Yoakam is extremely entertaining just to watch let alone listen to in a LIVE performance like this. His posture, those little spins on the heel of one boot, the strutting across the stage literally reek of stage presence. Here he's young, skinny, cocky and it's all about the hormones, ladies. He's almost a Country Elvis if such a thing is possible. I think he gets those jeans spray-painted on at an Auto Body Shop.

Whether you're a major fan of Mr. Yoakam or not is immaterial when considering this disc. This is REAL Country music played right, and God love these boys for that. In this day and age, it's like a cool drink of water on a scorching hot day... mighty refreshing.

This was filmed on October 23,1988. In the notes to the dvd, it talks about how Dwight "almost single-handedly revived the rockabilly/honky tonk/hillbilly sound". Although, it is not in the notes included, Dwight was also heavily influenced by the late/great Gram Parsons. In the "Gram Parsons Tribute Concert", Dwight performs several of Gram's songs. Now, this concert, Dwight & his band & guest musicians are fantastic. This has a total approximate running time of 89 minutes. It's great from beginning to end.

The line-up:

Dwight Yoakam - vocals, acoustic guitar

Pete Anderson - lead electric guitar

Jeff Donavan - drums

Taras Prodaniuk - bass

Scott Joss - fiddle

Special Guests:

Buck Owens appears on "Streets of Bakersfield", with vocals & guitar.

Flaco Jimenez appears on "Streets of Bakersfield" & "Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room (She wore Red Dresses)". He plays the accordian.

Flaco Jimenez was also a member of the "Texas Super Group", the "Texas Tornados". I highly recommend the Texas Tornado's DVD. Flaco is a fantastic accordian player.

All the songs are fantastic, but a few of my favorites include:

"Guitars, Cadillacs", "What I don't Know", "Home of the Blues" (a Johnny Cash song), & Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses),

"Honky Tonk Man", "Streets of Bakersfield",& "Always late with Your Kisses" (a Lefty Frizzell song).

Also, a song that really stood out for me was "I Sang Dixie". Its about a young man dying in Los Angeles, He is missing dixieland, "the land of the cotton, where things are not so rotton". It's a very "touching" song. Is he singing about Gram Parsons who was from the South? Gram had a song called "Hickory Wind", where he talks about missing his home, back down in "dixie".

Anyway, this is a great one, and I highly recommend it. Thanks!!!