gimme shelter

[lithium]

...is the title of a documentary about the events leading up to the Altamont free concert put on by the Rolling Stones in San Francisco in 1969. It's the one that went a bit pear shaped, with the Hell's Angels stabbing people and whatnot.

It's a great documentary, lovely photography, wonderful soundtrack (of course) of the Stones in their prime. Got me thinking about what other good concert / festival / music films there are.

A couple I can think of are "The Filth and the Fury" (Sex Pistols and punk rock) and "Woodstock" (obviously). There must be many more I can't remember just now:)

[bokonon]

No Direction Home - Bob Dylan

I thought that was pretty excellent. Directed by Martin Scorcese I was a bit shocked to discover.

[bokonon]

Oh, and not quite the same kettle of fish, but Super Furry Animals have some great music DVDs. The 'Songbook' one is just music videos I think, but the album ones, 'Phantom Power' and 'Rings Around The World' are canny. Just little animated shorts to go with the music, but they can be rather funny :)

[lithium]

Well it's music night tonight, first Gimme Shelter, and I just watched "Dig!" which is a great documentary about the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols, one of which found great success with some popular tunes and one ... didn't. I really like the music of both bands, it's a fascinating film showing the opposite trajectory of two bands who started out in the same "scene", one selling out and one not. Makes me want to dig out that Brian Jonestown Peel session I taped all those years ago:)

[lithium]

Oh, and not quite the same kettle of fish, but Super Furry Animals have some great music DVDs. The 'Songbook' one is just music videos I think, but the album ones, 'Phantom Power' and 'Rings Around The World' are canny. Just little animated shorts to go with the music, but they can be rather funny :)Yeah, again not quite the same thing but the DVD of Michel Gondry's (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) music videos (White Stripes, Bjork, Aphex Twin) is really great, some incredibly stunning visual trickery:D

[bokonon]

Aye "Dig!" is pretty darn good too :)

Brian Jonestown Massacre are touring in November, tickets are pretty cheap too. They'll probably not be as...violent...as those early days, but I'm sure it'll still be an interesting show!

There is some great music from both bands in the film, and it's funny as hell.

[bokonon]

Haven't seen the Michael Gondry one, sounds canny! Last month we rented Spike Jonze's which had some good stuff on it. He did The Chemical Brother's "Electrobank" video with the gymnist...Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet" and Fatlip's "What's Up Fatlip"! Amongst other things :)

[lithium]

Did anyone see Julien Temple's Glastonbury? I seem to remember greatly enjoying it as it was going on but can hardly remember a thing about it. Much like the festival itself...:eek:

Temple is a bit of a master of the form, he also directed "The Filth and the Fury" and "The Great Rock 'n Roll Swindle" apparently:)

[Jim]

Message To Love - Isle Of Wight 1970
The Last Waltz
Festival Express
Monterey Pop

All very much worth the watch if you like festival/music films/docus...