Cue the Popcorn
Even with the beautiful fall weather, we need to keep in mind that Winter is not far behind and with that in mind I have come up with another dubious list for you to mull over. Time to get your DVD’s in order for bleak times ahead.
This list is for some of the greatest concert films ever recorded. Again, I like to keep things relatively current so nothing from the 40’s or 50’s.
Of course, some of these films will have been included in my greatest live recordings lists as well, but some aren’t and again, if you have any issue with what I present, please feel free to let me know. Learning is living I always say.
The first film is the granddaddy of them all, Woodstock. There are many versions out there and all of them are probably equally as good so whichever one you have or you are going to purchase you really can’t go wrong. I saw the original in a theater with my brother right after it was released and being 13 or 14 and watching this film was a game changer. Critics love to hate this film and too bad, it is an amazing film with some truly great performances and even though the style in which it was presented (multiple split screens) is very annoying and dated now, it still carries a weight few films can match.
Next would have to be, The Last Waltz, Scorcese’s film is a landmark in that it is a documentary as well as an excellent concert film. There are few films I could watch over and over and this one of them. Look at who showed up for this Thanksgiving Day farewell concert and you will know it was a magical event and something like this will never be repeated, ever.
At first I didn’t really get The Talking Heads concert film, Stop Making Sense, and then I just did. Having never been a Talking Heads fan it was hard for me to get in on the joke here (if there was one) but it took all of one song, David Bynes’ odd opening song “Pyscho Killer” for me to get into the film. The production just grew from there and it was a spare bland palate that highlighted more of the music and less of the actors on the stage. It is thoroughly enjoyable even if you aren’t a fan of the band and while Byrne is front and center, you can’t help but not watch the whole band as they interact with each other.
With a couple of different Rolling Stones concert films to choose from I decided that Gimme Shelter was the one that best exemplified the Stones in the ‘60’s. It is more a documentary leading up to that fateful Altamont festival that ended up in a stabbing by the Hells Angels. The concert performance is secondary but yet it is still excellent.
It may not be rock and roll but Wattstax has to be included in this list. Recorded in Los Angeles as the city was burning during the riots of the early 70’s, it was an attempt to bring a torn city together and judging by what has happened at times in Los Angeles, I am not sure it did that but it is still an awesome concert film. Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, The Staple Singers , and the list goes on. The film is different in that is just the concert with some acknowledgment of it’s future impact and it is not the over produced, over edited concert films of the day. It is raw.
Monterey Pop may not be the greatest concert film ever produced but it is special because of who played on it. Jimi Hendrix, Simon and Garfunkle, Otis Redding, The Mamas and Papas, the Who and the list goes on. It is a historically significant piece of filmmaking however and one interesting fact is that the ABC television network put up a significant amount of money to film the concert and when the President of ABC saw Hendrix’s performance he canned the idea.
This list would not be complete without the first concert film ever, The Tami Show. This concert film was a combination of two concerts held in mid 1964. It had the Rolling Stones, The Supremes, The Miracles, The Beach Boys, and The Godfather of Soul, James Brown with his band The Famous Flames. The film is notable for two things, it being the first true concert film and James Brown’s performance. The guy rarely had an opportunity to show his talent to national audiences and he made the best of it. Moves that Mick Jagger stole and used throughout his career. I fast forward through some of the really popish performances and watch the Supremes, Chuck Berry, James Brown and the Stones.
Granted there are a lot of other films I could have included but I have legit reasons not to. The Concert For Bangla Desh could be included but there are so many songs that are unwatchable. Given the aura of this concert, it is probably a sin to say this but Ravi Shankar performances put me to sleep. Enough said. A friend of mine suggested Prince’s Sign o The Times and maybe I should have but I have seen Prince and this film was not as good as what I have seen. Same with U2’s Rattle and Hum. They are better in person than any film could ever present and besides, in this film they make themselves out to be something they actually abhor, Demigods.
Feel free to reach out and give some me suggestions or bitch about mine.