Carpenters New DVD Release Feb 21, 2012

I received this DVD today, it is most certainly a bootleg rip. The back cover of the DVD has the following track listings
1. Rainy Days & Mondays
2. Goodbye to Love
3. Top of the World
4. Help
5. Mr Guder
6. Close to You
7. Jambalaya
8. Yesterday Once More
9. Oldies Medley
10. Sing
11. Sometimes
12. We've Only Just Begun
13. For All We Know

It appears to be a rip from the broadcast it is not the full laserdisc version. The DVD menu is pretty sad, just play and selections, it has the correct C logo on the main menu though. The opening is cut, no intro or anything just starts right with song #1, Richard does introduce the band so the speaking parts are still there. The quality is really decent, it's not high def just standard quality, colors are good. It might be a tad better quality than the laserdisc version I have. It's clear enough for me to see that Karen is wearing her "K" dangle ring. it's so clear (the ring) during "Sometimes" She really liked that K ring, even wearing it up to her solo album photo sessions.

It contains Japanese subtitles, Jambalaya is in English subtitles. I went into the setting of the DVD what I found odd was under audio it says german, could this have been a rip from that country to avoid rights? I don't know. The back cover does say XXL Media. There are no inserts inside and the DVD has a label with the correct C logo but it's as plain as can be no copyright anything no written words. The back of the DVD cover says All trademarks and logos protected. All rights of the manufacturer and the owner of the recorded work reserved. What does this really mean??? This was obviously not released by Japan who I would think still own the rights.

The last song is For All We Know and after they take their bow and Karen runs off stage, Richard follows and it just stops, Richard is still seen partly walking. What a poor job to cut it like that. No credits, nothing. It's up to you if you want to get this one but for me, it lacks all the special parts of the intro warm up parts, full intro and most of all the special version of Close to You played over the ending credits. This is also no 1972, it is the Budakon concert from 1974.

There are now 6 reviews of this DVD on Amazon (US) yet it is really sad to read alot of them. There are some reviewers who think Richard was involved in this project or that it was an official release and then many others that think this was from 76 or 77. The public has no clue about this DVD. They don't realize this is the Budakon concert from 1974. There are also some that think this was an official release, this goes to show you how misinformed the public is about the Carpenters legacy. Since A&M Corner Carpenters forum is so full of correct knowledge, it always bothers me when so much incorrect information gets put out about the Carpenters.

This DVD is so bootleg, it's on par to buying it from someone like say from an ebay seller or online seller, although in this case it's probably worse since it's missing the front and back video sections. I think alot of people must think if Amazon is selling it that it's official.

in the words of ABBA....then I wonder should I laugh or cry...

how can these bootlegs exist? Wouldn't Richard be able to sue or go after them? He didn't allow their music to be used in the "barbie" movie...it seems like he wouldn't want people profitting on there video performances either...

Jonathan