As a gentleman with a bit of grey in my hair, I've been privileged to have seen almost every major act that came down the road. I saw this concert at another stop on the tour, and I must say I was completely and breathlessly KNOCKED OUT by Shakira's performance, on every professional and ethereal level. The atmosphere in the arena was as highly charged as I've ever experienced, and her entrance as you'll witness on this disc was dramatic, mysterious, sensual and almost otherworldly. When those lights hit the snake and the opening chords of Ojos Asi were struck... and as she began to move... and as she seemed to float forward to the mike... I'll tell you, it was a life moment, I'll never forget it. It was genuinely surreal. What was SO incredible, however, was that by the time the song was about to end and we had seen her movement, heard her voice, and felt the powerful and exotic wall of sound reduce to a simple violin phrase, the crowd was almost silent, as though dumbstruck. Few entrances and opening numbers have ever left me speechless... but this did. As to the DVD, it's A+ in every regard except for being the single most poorly edited video I've ever sat through. A blind editor would have done a better job. Otherwise the show is great, sound is great, camerawork when left alone for more than one second is good (this speed freak MTV five shots a second nonsense must end!), this woman has perhaps the most beautiful face since Bardot and she moves like an opium dream. Buy it and see why Britney and Christina cut their tours short - they obviously watched this DVD!

'Shakira Live and Off the Record'

LOS ANGELES, CA - On March 30, 2004, Grammy-winning, acclaimed recording artist/songwriter/producer Shakira, who set the world on fire with her breakthrough English album debut Laundry Service will release Shakira Live and Off the Record (En Vivo y En Privado) a 2 1/2 hour DVD that includes 90 minutes of live concert footage and an insightful behind-the-scenes look one of the most interesting and unique figures in contemporary music. A companion audio CD of ten live recordings never before available will also be included in the package.

Socially conscious, multilingual and multi cultural, Shakira was followed by an international crew of filmmakers during her critically acclaimed Tour of the Mongoose. During stops in Paris, London, Madrid, Rome, New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Bogata and other cities around the world, the camera filmed Shakira back stage and during private moments catching an intimate look at her most important relationships: She writes a song with her band; she shares a kiss with her fiancé Antonio de la Rua, and she prays with her parents. During a segment filmed in Mexico, Antonio awakens her on Valentines' Day with a kiss and a surprise serenade by a group of Mariachi.

Fans will get their first listen to "Shakira-speak", the songwriter's quirky and poetic expressions: "We were fresh as carrots"; "Why does something have to be right when it can be great?" "Most of the things I say, I mean, but some things not so much." "I feel nostalgia for things I have never lived."

In the course of the documentary, Shakira also discusses her thoughts about social responsibility and her personal commitment to helping the children of her war torn country, Colombia.

Another of Shakira's primary relationships is with her fans, and that connection is evident during the 90 minute concert that forms one of the most exciting elements of Shakira Live and Off the Record. By April 22, 2002, when the concert at the Sport Paleis Ahoy, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, was filmed, Shakira had been on tour for many months and was at the peak of her performing prowess. Enthusiasm from the fans and critics was unbounded: "She's an exciting performer, bringing fresh brio and the sensuality of a young Bardot", wrote one reporter and "she upped the ante for female pop divas", wrote another. The DVD gives viewers a front-row seat to the remarkable show, which balanced elements of beauty and spectacle with impeccable pacing, bravura performances, and a quality of showmanship that only the greats can deliver. Tour of the Mongoose was sponsored internationally by Pepsi and Reebok and presented by MTV in North America.

Shakira Live and Off the Record will include bonus footage, specialized web links and other elements not available elsewhere. The audio cd will include full recordings of the live performances featured on the CD, including some of Shakira's most successful such as "Whenever, Wherever", and others not available on any album, such as "Back in Black."

Laundry Service was released in the U.S. and Latin America in November 2001 and rocketed to #2 on the charts in its first week of release in the U.S. and #l throughout Latin America. The album sold 12 million units wordwide, over 3.5 million in the U.S. alone, going multi-platinum in 20 countries including Canada, India, Australia Japan and much of Europe where she was the #1 Selling Artist of 2002, platinum in 12 countries and gold in 10 more. The singles "Whenever Wherever/Suerte," "Underneath Your Clothes," "Objection," and "The One" all received major airplay worldwide and the distinctive videos became a staple on television everywhere. She has used her success to focus attention on the plight of poor children around the world through her Pies Descalzo (Bare Feet) Foundation and was recently named an Ambassador for UNICEF. Shakira is currently writing and recording her next album due in 2004.

DVD Selections

1. Ojos Asi

2. Si Te Vas

3. Ciega, Sordomuda

4. The One

5. Back In Black (yes, the AC/DC song!!!)

6. Rules

7. Inevitable

8. Estoy Aqui

9. Underneath Your Clothes

10. Octavo Dia

11. Ready For The Good Times

12. Tu

13. Poem To A Horse

14. Objection (Tango)

15. Whenever Wherever

Bonus Song

Donde Estan Los Ladrones

This is the DVD concert playlist. The DVD also includes a 60 min "on the road" documentary, a must for any Shakira fan. Including everything from Shakira seeing a new song for a movie rejected by the studio, to being serenaded by her all-too-famous boyfriend Antonio, to Shakira fighting her manager over her decision to play in Argentina, and her emotional trip to meet Colombia's President Uribe and Literature Nobel Prize Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez.

The documentary is in BOTH English and Spanish, with subtitles for all the Spanish segments.

Audio CD Selections

1. Ojos Asi

2. Si Te Vas

3. Underneath Your Clothes

4. Ciega, Sordomuda

5. The One

6. Back In Black

7. Tu

8. Poem To A Horse

9. Objection (Tango)

10. Whenever Wherever

Just to listen to her Back in Black cover is worth the price of the CD alone!

The DVD/CD live set is great, especially for all Shakira's fans all over the globe. Shakira is now an international superstar and I'm sure she still has her feet on the ground, in spite of all the attention media has given her. It's very cool to see a singer from Latin America receiving recognition for her work, as a true pop artist.

On this concert, Shakira performs several hits of her career, and many songs from "Laundry service" album, her "crossover" CD, in english. I never saw Shakira live and I'm amazed with the DVD. "Ojos asi" is breath taking, with all that sexy bellydancing. I also enjoy her latin songs, such as "Inevitable", which is very touching, "Si te vas" and "Octavio dia". Shakira's performances in "The One" and "Underneath your clothes" are great! I think they should include in the DVD, as a bonus feature, "Suerte", which is fine and better than "Whenever, wherever".

The documentary, which lasts 60 minutes, shows Shakira's busy life. There are also great interviews, proving that she is not a silly pop star, but a young woman who is aware of her role in this world.I liked the part in which she talked about Colombia's problems, showing a little bit of her native country.

Shakira is now finishing her next CD. Let's wait...

I love different kinds of music and I purchase many concerts on DVD and have seen many fair to good DVD presentations. But, Shakira: Live Off The Record is one of the greatest DVD concerts I own. Anyone readind this must know that Shakira is amazing beautiful and powerfuly sensual and steamy. She brings all her amazing body movements and raw sexuality to the stage in this DVD. The camera work is great and the stage show presented is top-dollar and fantastic! Shakira sings in English just a fraction more than she sings in Spanish in this concert but she is amazing no matter what language she vocalizes. The songs are mostly from Laundry Service and Oral Fixation Vol. 1 and she ads a few of her favorites like Back In Black (which she makes very sexy). Anyway, if you are even a little interested in Shakira, this is a great value for a DVD-CD combo. If you're already a fan... this is a no brainer until she comes out with a new concert featuring her work from Oral Fixation Vol. 2.