Radiohead 6/17/2006 3-Camera Audience Shot [DVD]:
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Last summer Radiohead played a mind-blowing set to close the Bonnaroo Festival. Radiohead’s set was so good that Thom Yorke called it his favorite gig “for years and years and years.” NME even started a rumor that the band would release the pro-shot footage of the set as a live DVD. While the pro-shot DVD hasn’t come to fruition, a group of three amateur videographers have combined their footage with a terrific audio source to create one of the best audience-shot DVDs that we’ve ever come across.
Radiohead started strong with There, There and continued to show why they are one of the best live acts playing during a two and a half hour set that’s all killer, no filler. The highlight of the set for me is an epic version of The Bends that features the band playing with more energy than usual. Perhaps the hippies at Bonnaroo gave off a vibe that propelled the band to play one of their best sets ever. Each of the three cameras used seem to be top of the line, giving a professional feel to this amateur production. Both the quality of the video and the quality of the performance make this DVD a must-download.
Grateful Dead 5/28/82 Pro-Shot [DVD]:
We thought we had seen it all when it came to Dead videos, but recently a new rough gem has been discovered. A few days ago a collector uploaded a pro-shot DVD of the Grateful Dead’s performance at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from 1982. While I’m not the biggest fan of early ’80s Dead, the band plays a unique show with passion and energy that is missing from other gigs of that time period.
The Dead was just one of the bands playing on this night as part of a benefit for Vietnam Veterans. Jefferson Starship, Boz Scaggs and Country Joe McDonald were also on the bill. Scaggs is featured on the DVD, sitting in with the Dead for the whole second set. Weir and Scaggs trading licks and lines in Lovelight is worth the download alone. Walkin’ Blues > Mind To Give Up Livin’ are also well played, as well as the rippin’ Johnny B. Goode closer. We love it when videos we never knew existed come down the pike!
The Police 7/11/2007 Multi-Cam Audience Shot [DVD]:
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The summer of 2007 belongs to the reunited Police. Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have rebounded from a tough opening month of the tour to play solid concerts that show why they were once the best band in the world. If you don’t want to spend the ducats to see The Police, you can check out this two-DVD set that features footage from two cameras.
It was during the beginning of July when Summers began to get his shit together, and Sting loosened up a bit. These DVDs are culled from a show in Tampa during that time period. The bombastic Message In A Bottle and Synchronicity Part II opening sequence features the three musicians playing to each other strengths. Truth Hits Everybody and Walking On The Moon are both stellar versions that differ greatly (especially on this night) from the originals. Other highlights from this show include tasty jams in The Bed’s Too Big Without You and So Lonely, as well as beautiful takes on Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and King of Pain.
While we’d obviously prefer to download pro-shot footage, the cameramen do a nice job of keeping the shots steady throughout the DVDs. The Police return to the road tonight in Stockholm.
U2 11/22/1981 Pro-Shot [DVD]:
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It isn’t everyday that we run across footage from the early days of U2’s career. Check out this incredible pro-shot DVD for a unique look at a band on the rise. Bono is so full of energy that he can barely keep still when he delivers the lyrics. Bass player Adam Clayton, who is usually as exciting to watch as drying paint, shows off a stage presence that I just didn’t think he had in him. After watching this video it’s clear that U2’s sound was too big for the small club they were playing in. The audience goes nuts throughout their performance, and almost seems devastated when the band walks off the stage at the end of the show.
U2 kicks off the show with Another Time, Another Place from the album Boy. Throughout the show they would play most of the tracks from that incredible Steve Lillywhite-produced album, including I Will Follow and The Ocean. In fact U2 played I Will Follow twice, for some odd reason. Bono is in full superstar form, conversing with the audience and his band mates throughout. Outside of the previously mentioned I Will Follow and The Ocean, other highlights include a blistering version of The Electric Co. and a preview of the soon to be released October.
Have you downloaded any good live concert DVDs lately? We told you our faves, now you tell us yours by leaving a comment below…
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Bono kinda looks like a young Trent Reznor in that youtube clip.