Live Revolution Rock (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)There's some great stuff here, to be sure, but VERY few complete performances. Songs get thru two verses, then get jammed into some lousy graphics or a voice-over that gives no real input into what we're seeing. Why cut off "White Man In Hammersmith" two lines from the end? Why not have the full performances from The Tomorrow Show instead of chopping them off right before the climax? There's already a perfectly good Clash documentary out there ("Westway To The World", highly recommended if you've not seen it), so the only real reason to pick this up is to see some new footage and hear how powerful the group's live performances were. And this doesn't achieve that. Hang on to your bootleg DVDs, your VHSs taped off late night TV, the clips downloaded from wherever... That's still (sadly) the only way to get the best of "the only band that matter".
So in short, the tracklist looks good, but the product falls very flat. Only for the true completist. Sad, but true.

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THE CLASH LIVE: REVOLUTION ROCK is an exciting new documentary film directed by long-time Clash collaborator and Grammy-winning producer Don Letts (Westway To The World) that chronicles the electric live performances of one of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK. The film follows the live transformation of the band, incorporating footage from all phases of the Clash's meteoric career, beginning with live-in-the-studio clips and climaxing with a blow-out performance at New York's Shea Stadium in 1982.With rare and previously unreleased footage from all over the world, this film documents the history of the band by showcasing their incredible live performances, and will be a draw for both the new fan and their established passionate followers. TRACKLISTING: 1. Complete Control 2. I Fought The Law (London Lyceum '79) 3. Police & Thieves (Munich '77) 4. What's My Name (Manchester Elizabethan Suite '77) - previously unreleased 5. Capitol Radio One (Manchester Elizabethan Suite '77) - previously unreleased 6. White Riot 7. I'm So Bored With The U.S.A (Manchester Apollo '78) - previously unreleased 8. London's Burning (London Victoria Park '78) 9. 1977 10. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (Glasgow Apollo '78) 11. Tommy Gun 12. Safe European Home (London Music Machine '78) 13. London Calling (Bonds International Casino '81) 14. Clampdown (Lewisham Odeon '80) 15. The Guns Of Brixton (Fridays '80) - previously unreleased 16. Train In Vain (Lewisham Odeon '80) 17. This Is Radio Clash (Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder '81) - previously unreleased 18. The Magnificent Seven (Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder '81) - previously unreleased 19. Brand New Cadillac (Tokyo Sun Plaza Hall '82) - previously unreleased 20. Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Shea Stadium '82) 21. Know Your Rights (US Festival '83) - previously unreleased 22. Career Opportunities (Shea Stadium '82)

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Red Hot Chili Peppers - Off the Map (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I wasn't sure what to expect from a RHCP's live performance with John Frusciante back in the lineup. By far my favorite guitar player they've had, I didn't know if he could still play after his drug abuse problems in the years away from the band. Their "Californication" did little to alleviate those fears, his playing and soloing being so sparse and sort of un-practiced sounding. Don't get me wrong. "Californication" is a great album but it's much different from the chops galore "Blood Sugar Sex Magic". (And I don't mean that as a slam-BSSM is a masterwork in no small part due to Frusciante's intricate, interweaving lines throughout).
"Off the Map" put all my doubts to bed. Frusciante plays his [behind] off. Just check out "If You Have to Ask". Shredding, but he's so much more than than just a shredder. Something magical happens when his Strat, through a Wah, hits a Marshall. It's the tone for sure and then his note selection and use of space that really sets him apart from "shredders". I had read recently in a guitar magazine interview that he's trying to change his style, henceforth the new, sparse approach he's used on the last two albums. It's pretty funny to watch actually. When they play the new songs his playing shifts dramatically to the new style he's developing.
And don't let me forget Chad Smith and Flea. They are powerhouses here. Flea's gone from slapmaster (oh, he can still slap!) to improvisor and it suits him well. Chad is like a rock holding John and Flea's improvisations together.
This is a fun and inspiring dvd. The only reason I don't give it a 5 star review is because it does falter here and there. But that's what you get when your live show isn't prerecorded canned [stuff] and you take musical risks. That where the fun happens with these guys.

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Off the Map is the first concert home video since 1991 from one of rock's greatest live experiences, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Off the Map is also the band's first concert DVD--the only way to witness the funk-funk-rockmetal-rap musical orgy of one of today's most popular bands. Songs: Around The World, Give It Away, Usually Just a T-Shirt #3, Scar Tissue, Suck My Kiss, If You Have to Ask, Subterranean Homesick Blues, Otherside, Blackeyed Blonde, Pea, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Easily, What Is Soul?, Fire, Californication, Right On Time, Under The Bridge, Me And My Friends.

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Show Business - The Road to Broadway (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)A documentary about the genesis, success, press, and fallout of four Broadway musicals would have to be quickly paced. Besides that, the well-rounded content of Dori Berenstein's 'Show Business-The Road to Broadway' is whole and complete--entertaining, fun, informative, eventful, and fascinating. If you love musicals, this is a must-see. If you're only luke warm, you'll probably love it anyway just to trace the creative sparks back to their origins.
Well, it's just so exciting! Especially if you don't know the outcomes (like me). Watching four selected Broadway musicals from 2004, we witness each one get created from the piano to the stage. Only a hair less satisfying are the steps of creation for the choreography, rehearsals, and press conferences. It's all in the details. Some of the participants strive for the American dream from the bottom: One got off of welfare; another was working as a temp. Then, as the show takes a life of it's own, we make our bets (like on our favorite horse race) and see which one wins (financially and/or critically). Sort of an entertainment version of 'The Apprentice' without The Donald, Adam Zucker's editing never leaves us yawning in the aisles. The film is effective enough as it reaches its climax at The Tony Awards.
How can you not love a movie that gives you a real look at 'Wicked,' 'Avenue Q,' 'Caroline or Change,' and 'Taboo'? The film features substantative sound bites from a myriad of producers, actors, writers, and artists. As an overview, I loved the round-table discussions by critics at a New York restaurant. Or how about the feistiness and passion of Boy George and Rosie O'Donnell? Then, we're left in suspense as we see which show is left standing and for how long.
Noting that some musicals make millions in a few weeks and others fold the same night, 'Show Business...' gives us "the big idea" and runs off with it. Off the stage, that is, where all the players sip champagne--and celebrate their triumphs or drown out their sorrows. Vibrant like Broadway itself, it is quite a show!
(Especially featuring--besides the aforementioned--Tony award-winning Actor, Alan Cumming and 'The New Yorker' Chief Critic, John Lahr.)

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The real drama happens behind the curtain in this fascinating and rare look at four high-profile Broadway musicals (Wicked, Taboo, Caroline, Or Change, and Avenue Q) and their fearless journey to the Tony Awards®. Including a star-studded cast, this entertaining film takes viewers on an unprecedented behind-the-scenes view of the creative process that captures all the heartbreak and hilarity of trying make it big in Show Business!

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