Friday, October 7, 2011

(In Which I Recommend "Stax/Volt Revue: Live in Norway 1967" (on DVD))

If I have seen a better live concert film in my life I sure don't know what it is. First of all, this Revue is in glorious black and white; second, the camera work is, in general, spectacular; third, it features some of the finest music, musicians and singers we have to offer - Booker T and the MGs, Eddie Floyd, Arthur Conley, Sam and Dave (whose "Hold On I'm Coming" is particularly brilliant), the Mar-Keys and, finally, Otis. I don't know how much footage of Otis is available, but this stuff is beyond priceless ("Satisfaction" and "Try A Little Tenderness" are just really something else) - I think he is on an extremely short list of the greatest American singers. Which undoubtedly will lead to a follow-up topic here at infection by light, and perhaps HEATED debate (or not)...

In short, I cannot recommend this highly enough; available through NetFlix.


IBL:mm

3 comments:

  1. That is a very good concert- and what a great band behind it all. But I do have to ask if you've seen The TAMI Show, which in my opinion holds the title of best live concert film. James Brown (to my mind is a performance only rivalled by his appearances at the Olympia as far as greatness goes), the Stones, great sets from Leslie Gore, Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys and Gerry and the Pacemakers to boot. Plus the horribly funny and icky Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas singing "Little Children" which just amuses me to no end.

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  2. I have not; I am off to NetFlix now, and thanks.

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