BYH Concert Video Reviews: 'P' to 'Z'
P:
PEARL JAM:
Pearl Jam is a great rock band in the tradition of the Who and the Rolling Stones. They are one of the few bands of the grunge era to continue to flourish after the mid nineties. Up until 2000, they were not represented well as a live act, although they built their reputation on the road. With the release of their bootleg series and live DVD, they remedied that problem and established themselves as the premier rock band playing today.
$$$$$ Pearl Jam Touring Band 2000 – Recorded at various stops on their ‘Binaural’ tour. In print and available on VHS and DVD. This is a fantastic document of Pearl Jam on tour. They released every single concert from this tour on CD, and made a best of video to compile the performances. While some may call this overkill, the performances are stellar and moving. Perhaps the best part of the entire set is the end, when Eddie Vedder pulls a disabled boy from the crowd during ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ who ends up being Neil Young’s son. A very poignant moment to end a particularly impassioned performance. The video ends up being very reminiscent of early concert movies: A few angles, flat stage, minimal lighting and no effects. This definitely serves this band well. There are also a few different features on the DVD such as a few videos, different angles and a video montage with an extra song. A must see.
PEARL JAM: LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN:
ALSO AVAILABLE: Pearl Jam is notorious for not giving interviews, but there are plenty on Single Video Theory, the band’s other video collection (available on VHS and DVD). That is a great addition to the Touring Band video.
TOM PETTY and the Heartbreakers:
All of Tom Petty’s videos are essential viewing for rock fans. Each is individual and exciting, with varied song selection and excellent musicianship. Each receives a ‘five $’ rating to exemplify the superior quality of the production and performance. All are billed as ‘Gone Gator Productions’. A new DVD called 'Live at the Olympia: The Last DJ Live' is billed for August 2003.
$$$$$ High Grass Dogs: Live at the Fillmore - Recorded in San Francisco on March 15 and 16, 1999. Available on VHS and DVD (In Print). 90 Minutes. Directed by Martyn Atkins. This live video has 19 songs, many of them Petty’s greatest hits and some from the album ‘Echo’. This video, like Pack Up the Plantation (1985), is very atmospheric and filmed like a real movie. The performance is top notch, with the Heartbreakers playing a raw and raucous show, featuring bluesy, harder edged material like ‘Jammin Me’ and ‘County Farm’. The Fillmore Auditorium is certainly a catalyst for the many spontaneous moments throughout the performance. Perhaps the best moment is when Bo Diddley joins them onstage for a version of ‘Mona’. Petty stands toe to toe with the blues master and proves that he too has joined rock and roll’s performing elite.
$$$$$ Take the Highway: Live – Recorded at the Oakland Coliseum and Lawlor Events Center (Las Vegas), 1991. Originally Available on VHS and Laserdisc (Out of Print). 90 Minutes. Unfortunately, this release is currently unavailable. It is certainly Tom Petty’s most theatrical and ornate stage show to date. The stage is bedecked with a giant tree and gorgeous chandeliers that are part of several stage ‘performances’. Many of Petty’s greatest hits are played, as well as many from the ‘Into the Great Wide Open’ album. Songs like ‘Don’t Come Around Here No More’ are transformed into showcases for Petty’s acting, prevalent in ‘music videos’, but much more enjoyable here. Also of interest on this video are the many segments in which the individual Heartbreakers are encouraged to solo and showcase their talents. Perhaps the best part of this release comes when drummer Stan Lynch sings the classic Vampires tune ‘Psychotic Reaction’. This is certainly a video due for DVD treatment.
$$$$$ Pack Up the Plantation: Live – Recorded at the Wiltern Theatre on August 6 and 7, 1985. Available on VHS (In Print). 96 Minutes. Directed by Jeff Stein. In support of the album ‘Southern Accents’, Petty hit the road with the Heartbreakers as well as a horn section and female backup singers to augment the usual lineup. It works quite well and gives the songs a different spin than his later live videos. Songs like ‘Rebels’ and ‘Little Bit O Soul’ are infused with energy and the playing, like usual, is superb. A definite must for the average rock fan.
SOUNDSTAGE: 2 DVD
ALSO AVAILABLE: Playback Video Collection and Hard To Handle with Bob Dylan (Soon to Come in the Bob Dylan Section).
PRINCE:
Prince has had a few movies and some live videos on the market, but he had never been accurately captured on video until 2000. Such a dynamic live presence really needs to be seen in person to be appreciated, though, and it seems that he will be touring more in the next few years.
$$$$$ Rave Un 2 The Year 2000 – Recorded in 1999/2000. 113 Minutes. Available on VHS and DVD (In Print). For anyone who has come into contact with Prince, you know he is the premier live entertainer of our generation. That may be a bit extreme, but this video certainly captures the spirit of his live persona. Featuring his hits, some random funk and special guests, this show was meant to ring in the year 2000. If you saw the pay per view show, you do not need the video. Although, if you missed it, this is one concert everyone should see. The best part is when Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone comes on for a killer funk jam. Essential.
With the NPG LIVE IN LAS VEGAS: DVD
ALSO AVAILABLE: Prince has starred in three movies, Purple Rain (1984) $$$$$, Under the Cherry Moon $$$ (1986) and Graffiti Bridge $$$$ (1990). Purple Rain is great, and all fans of music should check it out, considering it is one of the biggest music movies of all time. Cherry Moon is for fans only, but worth a look if you enjoy Prince’s albums. The Purple Rain sequel, Graffiti Bridge, was a bomb, but is actually quite good. If you like Purple Rain, check it out.
R:
LEON RUSSELL:
Leon is a fantastic artist whose fame in the early 1970’s has given way to a diverse career spanning four decades. Check out www.leonrussellrecords.com to catch up with his whereabouts today. His live performances have long included country, bluegrass, soul, gospel, rock and roll, blues and jazz. This makes his out of print video collection essential for anyone interested in his music.
$$$$$ Leon Russell and the New Grass Revival – Recorded 1979, Released 1980, Re Released 1994. 55 Minutes. Produced by Leon Russell. From Paradise Video. Out of Print, originally available on VHS. This video is a fantastic look at Leon during his bluegrass period. Leon plays his old classics, some obscure covers and songs contemporary to the period. Although the setup is pure bluegrass, with Leon on piano, the set rocks and the Los Angeles audience goes nuts! This video is unjustly out of print, but Leon may reissue it at some point. It is definitely an essential concert for any Leon fan.
$$$ Leon Russell and Edgar Winter Live at the Main Street Café – Released in 1988. Out of Print, originally available on VHS. Features both Russell and Winter playing together on each others songs. A great film of a rare club show by these icons. Although not as essential as the New Grass Revival era, this tape shows Leon as he evolves from his bluesgrass/country period into his more blues/rock oriented era. Good.
n / a Leon Russell and Friends The Lost Festivals – Recorded in the early 1970’s. Out of Print, originally available on VHS. I haven’t been able to track this video down. It is a compilation of shows recorded around the time of the album ‘Leon Live’.
ALSO AVAILABLE: See ‘Concert for Bangladesh’. Again, there is no Leon stuff currently in print on video.
S:
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN:
Bruce Springsteen is a dynamic live presence that has never been accurately captured on video. This is his only offering:
$$$$ In Concert: Plugged – Recorded in Los Angeles on November 11, 1992. Available on VHS (Available on DVD January 2001)(In Print). 103 Minutes. Directed by Larry Jordan. This is Springsteen’s only live video release, aside from his appearance on the ‘No Nukes’ (1979) benefit and some scattered live shots on the ‘Anthology’ (1988) video. While he is one of the most dynamic stage performers in rock history, none of his tours with the E Street Band have been documented on video. Whether this has been due to lack of timing, or an attempt to cast mystery on his live shows, no one knows. What we are left with is this, an aborted Mtv Unplugged performance that served as a test run for a band of session players. If looked at on it’s merits alone, the video is quite compelling. Springsteen could infuse energy into a trash can, so the studio audience is truly moved throughout the performance. The song selection, while not full of E Street classics, is still packed with good tunes from Human Touch and Lucky Town. This set receives four $ for being an essential video for all Bruce Springsteen fans. It loses one $ for being too little too late for ‘classic’ status.
$$$$ Live in New York City: Recorded in 2000 at Madison Square Garden. Two DVD/Video Set. Includes complete HBO special, 11 additional songs and a 15 minute Bob Costas interview. This set marks the first live document of the Springsteen and his E Street Band. Springsteen fans are now satiated with this record of the reunion tour, the performances are technically amazing, but to me, lack the conviction of Springsteen’s recent acoustic tour. The band seems thrilled to be back with Bruce (as they should), but he seems to be pushing a bit too hard. His early shows were long because that was a natural progression. Now the length seems to be a formality. All of this is speculation, however, and we are left with a good concert movie that is at least better than the Plugged video. Enjoy!
LIVE IN BARCELONA: 2 DVD
ALSO AVAILABLE: While his performances have been scattered on other artist’s videos, his only other video is 'Video Anthology' from 1988 $$$. It is offered on DVD in an expanded package, featuring a clip from the E Street reunion tour. Also getting DVD treatment is the 'Blood Brothers' Video $$$$$. Blood Brothers is probably the best Springsteen video, as it shows the making of the Greatest Hits record with the E Street Band. Originally offered with a five song EP. Also recommended.
U:
U2
U2 is a great live band that has documented every tour on video. Here are the best:
$$$$$ Rattle and Hum: 1988 Available on VHS and DVD. This concert film and documentary was panned upon release as a self inflating 'Dont Look Back' rip off. It is viewed today as a superb document of a young band going nowhere but up. We could only wish to have a band like this coming out in the new millenium. The great b&w concert footage and interview segments are insightful and revealing. If you enjoy u2, go here first.
$$$$$ Elevation Tour Live in Boston: Recorded and Released in 2001 at Boston’s Fleet Center. Two DVD Set. Includes a full concert and making of documentary. U2 proclaims themselves one of the world’s best rock bands with this stunning document of the Elevation tour. If nothing else, see this for the stage show. While ZOO TV and Pop Mart were visually grandiose, this tour is simplistic with the heart shaped ramp and simple screens and lights. The performances are perfect and manage to surpass Rattle and Hum for incredible speeches from Bono! Edge also plays magnificent guitar and reveals himself as a great singer. Many songs from ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’, but also hits like ‘I Will Follow’ and ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’. A must see.
GO HOME: LIVE IN IRELAND: 2 DVD
ZOO TV: LIVE IN SYDNEY: 2 DVD
VERTIGO TOUR LIVE IN CHICAGO: 2 DVD
V:
VARIOUS ARTISTS:
This category will simply include multiple artist shows.
$$$$$ Concert for Bangladesh – Recorded in 1971,
Re Released in 1993. Available on VHS. Directed by Saul Swimmer. This video documents one of the first benefit extravaganzas that included superstar talent. Here we find George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr and Billy Preston performing their hits to great effect. Some say that the Dylan set is his finest released live performance. Also enjoyable is the medley performed by Leon Russell that is part revival meeting and part libidinous soul routine. This video is a keeper, and the accompanying album is very good. An Apple Records feature.
$$$$$ Further on Down the Road - Recorded in 1985. Available on VHS. This is an Alligator Records production featuring Lonnie Mack, Albert Collins and Roy Buchanan. They all play their own sets, then jam at the end at Carnegie Hall. Very interesting to see some of the best blues of the 1980's live. Definitely a must see for any blues fan. No soundtrack available. Still available through www.lonniemack.com
UPDATED 7/2009
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