James - Seven... The Live Concert. Review

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Without a doubt, James is one of the greatest bands of all time. The three times that I've seen them live are three of the best shows I've ever seen. This week's featured concert film is James: Seven... The Live Concert. Filmed in December of 1991 at NW England's Warrington Hall, the band performs their upcoming Seven album in its entirety.


The show begins with an acoustic version of 'Protect Me' - just Tim and Larry, before the whole band joins in on 'Bring A Gun.' Until the band reunited in 2008 for the brilliant Hey Ma LP, the Seven tour was the last that we'd see of the band's amazing, 7-piece lineup: Tim Booth (vocals), Larry Gott (guitar), Saul Davies (violin, guitar), Jim Glennie (bass), Mark Hunter (keys), Andy Diagram (trumpet) and Dave Baynton-Power (drums). 'Bring A Gun' and 'Live A Love Of Life' have always been the weak spots on the album, and they stand out as the weak spots in this performance.

'Ring The Bells,' 'Sound' and 'Seven' are three of my favorite James' songs and they are the definite highlights of the set. Tim Booth's vocals are great as always, and James is not James without the trumpet and stage presence of Andy Diagram. 'Born Of Frustration' and 'Don't Wait That Long' also sound fabulous.

As I mentioned before, the entire purpose of this show was to perform the Seven album before its release. While it's a solid gig, if I had to recommend a James DVD for you, it would be Getting Away With It...Live - it's one of the best concert films of all time, filmed on their 2001 'Farewell Tour.' [Link posted at the bottom of this page.] 


Overall, the audio, the footage, lighting and stage backdrops on this DVD are outstanding. Bonus features include the music videos for 'Come Home,' 'Born Of Frustration,' 'Sound' and 'Seven.'


Track Listing:  Protect Me (acoustic) / Bring A Gun / Ring The Bells / Sound / Mother / Live A Love Of Life / Next Lover / Heavens / Protect Me / Seven / Born Of Frustration / Don't Wait That Long
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Social Distortion Live In Orange County. Review

Hello everyone! Here is this week's Concert Film Of The Week. If you'd like to keep up on my daily postings, head on over to the Life On This Planet Facebook Page and click LIKE. Thanks for stopping by.

Recorded live at the Anaheim House of Blues on January 19, 2003, this is the only official DVD of Social Distortion. At the time the show was filmed, it had been 7 years since the release of a new album, and just a couple of years since the tragic death of guitarist Dennis Danell.


I've seen Social D. several times over the years, and their live shows are always high energy - this show is no exception. The presentation begins with the band anxiously waiting in the stage wings, as singer Mike Ness explains the doo-wop song from '65 that is playing over the PA, before the band takes the stage. Opening with the country song 'Making Believe' - which appeared on 1992's Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell - the band is thunderous and tight.


The show hits all areas of their career at this point, including two really early ones - '1945' and 'Mass Hysteria' from 1981. 'Mommy's Little Monster' - the title track from Social D's 1983 debut - is dedicated to Danell. With the backdrop for that album proudly displaying behind them, the band also plays three other additional cuts from Monster.


It would still be well over a year before the release of 'Sex, Love and Rock 'N Roll,' so it's a treat to hear a couple of songs from the upcoming (at the time) album. 'Footprints On My Celing' - dedicated to Ness's wife - sounds great, as does one of my favorites by the band - 'I Wasn't Born To Follow' - dedicated to the late Joe Strummer (of The Clash) and Joey Ramone.

There are some cool bonus features added on to the DVD, including a backstage acoustic performance of 'Bad Luck,' how to play dice with Mike Ness, interviews, soundcheck, photo gallery, etc. Definitely grab a copy of this for your collection.

Track Listing:  Making Believe / 1945 / Sick Boy / Telling Them / Bad Luck / Footprints On My Ceiling / Don't Drag Me Down / I Wasn't Born To Follow / Another State Of Mind / The Creeps / Mommy's Little Monster / Mass Hysteria / 99 To Life / Ring Of Fire / Story Of My Life

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Jimi Hendrix Live At Monterey. Review

Last week I featured a different concert film every day of the week. I decided to continue with this concept, but bringing you one each week. If you'd like to keep up on my daily postings, head on over to the Life On This Planet Facebook Page and click LIKE. Thanks for stopping by.

I've been listening to a lot of Hendrix this week. As a matter of fact, I have the Valleys Of Neptune album spinning on my turntable as I type. Anyways, this week I was able to sit down and enjoy Jimi Hendrix's American breakthrough performance at the Monterey Pop Festival on June 18, 1967. At this point, Hendrix was virtually unknown in his native country, yet over in the UK he was championed by The Beatles, The Stones and Clapton. Jimi's appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival came just after the release of his brilliant debut album Are You Experienced.


The film begins with a documentary on Hendrix, and of the history of the Monterey Festival - which includes interviews with members of The Mamas and Papas, festival coordinators and other key figures. The fun begins when the late Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones steps up to the microphone to introduce The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It's great to see the original band with Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums. The band is on fire, tearing through covers of Howlin' Wolf's 'Killing Floor,' BB King's 'Rock Me Baby,' and Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone.' Hendrix is confident - a total seasoned pro as he jokes with the crowd in between songs.


What's really fascinating about this show is that mostly every single person in the crowd is getting to witness Hendrix for the very first time, never hearing of him before his band walked on stage. The handful of songs the band plays from Are You Experienced are falling onto the crowd's ears for the very first time, so it's really cool to hear songs that have become classics, like 'The Wind Cries Mary,' 'Foxey Lady' and 'Purple Haze,' basically being debuted on American soil.


The real highlight of Hendrix at Monterey is the show closer - 'Wild Thing.' This is the moment that skyrocketed him to fame in America. You've seen the photo of Hendrix on his knees with his guitar on fire - it's all on this DVD. During the solo, he plays the melody to 'Strangers In The Night' with one hand, before strangling some foreign sounds out of his Strat. As his guitar burns on the ground, the camera pans to a few audience members, staring with their mouths opened - kind of frightened, kind of intrigued. It's history in the making.


The film was directed by D.A. Pennebaker, the man who brought you 'Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars,' Depeche Mode's '101,' and Dylan's 'Don't Look Back.' Besides the documentaries, the bonus features also contain some of the earliest audio/video footage of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, filmed live in England in early 1967.

Track Listing:  Killing Floor / Foxy Lady / Like A Rolling Stone / Rock Me Baby / Hey Joe / The Wind Cries Mary / Purple Haze / Wild Thing

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