[1] Carnegie Hall held great significance in Minnelli's family, as her mother, also a singer and an actress Judy Garland, made her triumphant return there 18 years earlier in an event that some call "the greatest night in showbiz history".

[3] The cover was created from one of the images from Minnelli's collection, taken by the American pop art painter and filmmaker Andy Warhol[4][note 1] At the time of the release, Minnelli was not affiliated with a major record label and had the vision to record these concerts and release them independently.

Will Friedwald of The Wall Street Journal wrote that the show "was not Mrs. Minnelli's final act - or even the halfway point - but it was the climax of a moment in cultural history.

The AIDS epidemic would soon end the festivities, but, as captured by Liza Minnelli at Carnegie in 1979, it was the greatest party in history."

He stated that the singer is in great vocal shape throughout the entire concert, and "as, song by song, monologue by monologue, Liza Minnelli takes the listener on a series of intriguing paths, her ability to tell the stories she brought to the stage shines brightly, resonating with individuality and originality."