Uncommon Music - Concert Films

Written By: Nichole Wagner

The live concert video is an art form, to capture a performance on tape without losing the energy and atmosphere of a show is next to impossible. Yet, once in awhile the stars align just so and the outstanding concert recording is born. Here are some favorites.

The Band - Last Waltz
Maybe the gold standard in concert videos, directed by Martin Scorsese, it was the last performance of The Band. The guest list alone makes it worth watching with names like Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Ringo Starr, Van Morrison, Ronnie Wood, and Muddy Waters. Emmylou Harris and The Staples Singers are in segments that were filmed separately from the main concert.

Nanci Griffith - One Fair Summer Evening
With Nanci at the peak of her onstage rambling, she shares stories about blue moons, Woolworth’s stores and anonymous tall blonde dictators who swipe red bricks from the streets of Houston.

Anderson Fair, where it was filmed is small enough to make the viewer feel like perhaps they could be sitting in the audience. The delightful lack of audience “reaction” shots adds to the effect.

Pretenders - Isle of View
While it is a little strange to see Chrissie Hynde and company sitting down in a more or less acoustic show, it also makes the songs more interesting and gives a new layer to seeing the Pretenders. And of course, she’s in top vocal form and the strings section on songs like “Criminal” and the cover of “Creep” are fun to listen to.

Tom Petty - Live at the Olympic
It’s a bit bouncy, in order to represent all of the Heartbreakers, but it still decently portrays the Tom concert experience. The songs are nearly entirely from The Last DJ, with the exception of a few hits at the end, like Mary Jane’s Last Dance, You Wreck Me, and I Need To Know. On the special features, catch “Fun in the Desert” which is essentially Tom being goofy and riding a motorcycle around the set of the Last DJ commercials.

Fleetwood Mac - In Concert (1982)
Yes, The Dance is a much more accessible film, but it lacks a certain amount of spontaneity. Yes, there are a few moments of true emotion but the overall feel is scripted. Not this concert from the Mirage tour, (though technically it was two shows spliced together, a fact that is glaringly obvious in Sisters of the Moon.) Some of the best moments include Mick Fleetwood’s facial expressions during his drum solos, the version of the often overlooked Blue Letter and the vocals from Stevie Nicks on Rhiannon.

Cyndi Lauper - At Last Live!
It’s almost disturbing how much energy this woman can put forth in a concert. She’s jumping all over the place and going into the audience and practically hanging from the rafters -- all while hitting all the notes in the songs. It’s not nearly as much fun as seeing her in person, but only because there’s a lot less storytelling on the DVD than at a live show. Luckily, those stories can all be found on the “Driving with Cyndi” extras.

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
Of course, any movie with David Byrne involved is going to be a little unusual. This one has some neat elements, including the first few moments of the show with Byrne bringing out his boombox, the lack of audience shots and performer close-ups and the appearance of the “big suit” during Girlfriend is Better. It’s also a great reminder of all the songs you loved to hear but sometimes forget about.