Start making sense.
July 30, 2010 1:48 PM Subscribe
I recently watched (and ended up buying) Stop Making Sense, the concert movie of a Talking Heads performance in 1983. What other amazing concert movies are out there?
Things I love about Stop Making Sense: the energy, the music, the cinematography, Tina Weymouth...the list goes on and on.
What concert movie should I check out next? Thanks!
Things I love about Stop Making Sense: the energy, the music, the cinematography, Tina Weymouth...the list goes on and on.
What concert movie should I check out next? Thanks!
It really depends on your musical taste, but Woodstock and the Monterey Pop Festival are both legitimately incredible.
posted by one_bean at 1:53 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by one_bean at 1:53 PM on July 30, 2010
The Monterey Pop Festival
Woodstock
Nirvana: Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!!
U2 3D (if you can still see it in 3D somehow!)
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:54 PM on July 30, 2010
Woodstock
Nirvana: Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!!
U2 3D (if you can still see it in 3D somehow!)
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:54 PM on July 30, 2010
Jonathan Demme also did Neil Young's Heart Of Gold concert movie, which I thought was outstanding. I'm a big NY fan so YMMV - but I thought it did a great job of capturing the man and his art at a vulnerable point in NY's life.
posted by L. Ron McKenzie at 1:55 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by L. Ron McKenzie at 1:55 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
The last waltz is the only answer to this question.
posted by dfriedman at 1:55 PM on July 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by dfriedman at 1:55 PM on July 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
In my mind, Stop Making Sense and Home of the Brave: A Film by Laurie Anderson are perfectly paired.
I recommend love Oingo Boingo's Farewell.
Your milage may vary.
posted by lekvar at 1:56 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
I recommend love Oingo Boingo's Farewell.
Your milage may vary.
posted by lekvar at 1:56 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
The Rolling Stones' Rock & Roll Circus (was a live television broadcast)
Gimme Shelter, pretty amazing doc about a free concert in San Francisco. Also features a breathtaking performance from Tina Turner.
Jazz on a Summer's Day
posted by carsonb at 1:57 PM on July 30, 2010
Gimme Shelter, pretty amazing doc about a free concert in San Francisco. Also features a breathtaking performance from Tina Turner.
Jazz on a Summer's Day
posted by carsonb at 1:57 PM on July 30, 2010
The Who's Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 is great, especially to see Keith Moon.
In general, if you get Palladia (MTVs HD channel) on cable, they show a lot of the great old rock documentaries.
posted by smackfu at 1:58 PM on July 30, 2010
In general, if you get Palladia (MTVs HD channel) on cable, they show a lot of the great old rock documentaries.
posted by smackfu at 1:58 PM on July 30, 2010
Demon Days, the Gorillaz concert video. It is great.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 2:00 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by Admiral Haddock at 2:00 PM on July 30, 2010
Neil Young Rust Never Sleeps is a classic.
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:02 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:02 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
As others have said, The Last Waltz is the best of the genre. An obscure but wonderful documentary also from that era is Festival Express (made in 1970 with The Band, The Grateful Dead, and more). If you loved Squeeze in the '80s, you've got to watch One For The Road, in which Glen Tilbrook embarks on a solo US tour in a Winnebago.
posted by wisekaren at 2:02 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by wisekaren at 2:02 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Be sure to check out this previous AskMe:
What are the live performance concert DVDs that stun you with their excellence and excitement?My recommendation then and now:
Peter Gabriel's Secret World [YouTube excerpts].posted by ericb at 2:11 PM on July 30, 2010
The Killers: Live at Royal Albert Hall. [YouTube Excerpts].
posted by ericb at 2:14 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by ericb at 2:14 PM on July 30, 2010
I highly recommend D.A.Pennebaker's film of David Bowie and Co.'s final performance as Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. Absolutely one of a kind...
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 2:21 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 2:21 PM on July 30, 2010
T.A.M.I. Show (1964). The culminating James Brown performance is the most amazing thing you'll ever see; Keith Richards has said that the Stones choosing to follow Brown was the biggest mistake they ever made (though it's also been said that that's when Jagger started developing his stage moves). The whole thing is... well, just trust me and watch it.
posted by languagehat at 2:27 PM on July 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by languagehat at 2:27 PM on July 30, 2010 [2 favorites]
More of a tour than a concert, but I liked Sigur Ros' Heima.
posted by chrisulonic at 2:28 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by chrisulonic at 2:28 PM on July 30, 2010
This is a reminder that the Last Waltz mus be played LOUD.
posted by Jon_Evil at 2:28 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by Jon_Evil at 2:28 PM on July 30, 2010
Tears for Fears (with Oleta Adams): Live From Santa Barbara. [YouTube excerpts].
posted by ericb at 2:30 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by ericb at 2:30 PM on July 30, 2010
Seconding the Pennebaker/Bowie film. I had the opportunity to see it on the big screen a few years ago, and damn, it was awesome.
posted by tetralix at 2:33 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by tetralix at 2:33 PM on July 30, 2010
Peter Gabriel - POV
posted by bluejayway at 2:34 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by bluejayway at 2:34 PM on July 30, 2010
I noticed that The Last Waltz is $13 on Amazon in blu-ray format. The AVS Forums have it in the gold tier for picture quality. Just snagged it for myself.
posted by L. Ron McKenzie at 2:48 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by L. Ron McKenzie at 2:48 PM on July 30, 2010
Whoa, I take it back - it's actually in the Copper tier. That's what I get for searching the first "Waltz" result and getting overexcited. I'm sure I'll enjoy it anyway!
posted by L. Ron McKenzie at 2:52 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by L. Ron McKenzie at 2:52 PM on July 30, 2010
Stop Making Sense is a great concert flick. The first one to come along that is in the same league for me is the Blue Man Group Complex Rock Tour Live. Seriously good.
posted by buzzv at 2:53 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by buzzv at 2:53 PM on July 30, 2010
Though it is more a documentary about the band than a concert film, Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story contains lots of concert footage. It's also refreshing to watch a rock doc in which a band isn't destroyed by drugs and booze and in-fighting but just because they kinda got interested in other stuff (in Roger Miller's case, preserving his hearing so he could continue to compose music) and drifted apart, only to get back together a couple of decades later and still sound great. And yes, there is a kick-ass version of "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" included.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:28 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:28 PM on July 30, 2010
Seconding jade east on Tom Waits's Big Time, though it seems to be hard to get on video these days. The album is good but not quite the film/concert experience.
posted by brianogilvie at 3:31 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by brianogilvie at 3:31 PM on July 30, 2010
Lou Reed's Berlin (2006), directed by Julian Schnabel.
posted by porn in the woods at 4:35 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by porn in the woods at 4:35 PM on July 30, 2010
The Ex's "Building a Broken Mousetrap" (Jem Cohen's film about Fugazi, "Instrument" is also well-worth checking out.)
If the T.A.M.I. Show is up your alley, do not miss "James Brown Live at the Boston Garden, April 5, 1968."
posted by ryanshepard at 8:17 PM on July 30, 2010
If the T.A.M.I. Show is up your alley, do not miss "James Brown Live at the Boston Garden, April 5, 1968."
posted by ryanshepard at 8:17 PM on July 30, 2010
Also, seconding Wattstax hard - if only for Rufus Thomas!
posted by ryanshepard at 8:20 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ryanshepard at 8:20 PM on July 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
Merzbau: "Urgh! A Music War, recently rereleased (on an unremastered DVD-R, but oh well) by the Warner Bros. Archive, is a must."
Worth it for the late Klaus Nomi performance (in a way).
posted by Red Loop at 8:23 PM on July 30, 2010
Worth it for the late Klaus Nomi performance (in a way).
posted by Red Loop at 8:23 PM on July 30, 2010
Ministry: In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up (live 1990) captures the feel of their early shows. Industrial awesomeness.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:10 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:10 PM on July 30, 2010
Yeah, Wattstax. Amazing.
posted by bonsai forest at 9:42 PM on July 30, 2010
posted by bonsai forest at 9:42 PM on July 30, 2010
Came here to suggest Urgh! as well.
I too came to suggest Urgh - there was a mefi post about it that points to a torrent
posted by the noob at 2:39 AM on July 31, 2010
I too came to suggest Urgh - there was a mefi post about it that points to a torrent
posted by the noob at 2:39 AM on July 31, 2010
Jimi Hendrix Blue Wild Angel concert is amazing. It's shot about two weeks before he died.
posted by zzazazz at 5:16 AM on July 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by zzazazz at 5:16 AM on July 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
1991 : The Year Punk Broke follows Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Dinosaur jr. and some other bands around Europe...
posted by schyler523 at 9:42 AM on July 31, 2010
posted by schyler523 at 9:42 AM on July 31, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Merzbau at 1:51 PM on July 30, 2010 [4 favorites]