MEDIA
Preview
Hendrix guide, as it’s a practical reference book
on the tools of a significant craftsman. —CK
List $35
voyageurpress.com
VIDEO
Thin Lizzy — Are You Ready?:
Live At Rockpalast
While it does feature the incomparable guitarist Scott Gorham, and there are moments
where the band really sounded locked together, this live set falls flat in some segments.
Lynott’s substance abuse was nearing its
height during this time, and his ability to project his voice and hit certain notes seems hampered. Lizzy newcomer Snowy White keeps
up with Gorham, only flubbing a few times
with an off-harmony note here and there.
While both guitarists occasionally groove in
unison like trademark Thin Lizzy, White just
looks dazed and confused when playing. Brian
Downey’s drumming, however, is one of the
DVD’s highlights—almost worth the purchase
price alone. His tight drumming and occasional bombastic fill really give the songs the
energy that they need, and the drum solo is a
powerful representation of his abilities.
Those looking for impeccable sound and
video quality will probably not be impressed,
as it shows noticeable tracking lines due to
the equipment in 1981. The bass frequencies
drop out only a couple of times, but enough
to make it mildly irritating when you’re really
getting into the song being played. For die
hard fans of Thin Lizzy, it may already be
obligatory; for others who really want to hear
the band at their best, Live and Dangerous
might be a better place to start. —JW
List $11.98
eaglerockent.com
Billy Idol —
In Super Overdrive Live
Not many rockers 30
years into a career are
willing to wear skin-tight-leather pants
or take their shirt
shirts off in front of a
packed house. Then
again, most rockers
aren’t Billy-f***ing-Idol. Filmed in 2009
at Chicago’s Congress
Theater, Billy Idol — In Super Overdrive Live
captures Idol and long-time guitarist Steve
Stevens on top of their game, nearly 30 years
after their first collaboration. Both give the
audience exactly what they’ve come to expect.
Idol provides the “punk rawk,” raucous vocals
and exuberates sex appeal, while Stevens
plays riff after bodacious riff (gotta love the
‘80s). Stevens gets his Idol-tone through some
Plexis and a wall of Marshall 4x12s. As for
guitars, he switches between various Les Pauls
(creamy white, pink and sparkle burst), two different Godins—Multiac ACS-SA and a custom
Signature Series LGXT—and even busts out
an Ernie Ball Music Man Axis. The DVD set list
is 70 minutes of Idol’s biggest hits, including
“White Wedding,” “Scream” and “Rebel Yell.”
In addition, they perform two unreleased tracks
“Touch My Love” and “Cry.” The high point
of the DVD (no it’s not when Idol removes his
shirt… twice) is when Idol digs back into his
Generation X days and performs “Dancing
With Myself,” “Ready Steady Go” and closes
the DVD with X’s “Kissing Me Deadly.”
Some naysayers may cry foul with only 12
songs, hardly any B-sides and no bonus material, but the power and tenacity of Idol and
Stevens in an intimate theater setting give
you just enough of the ‘70s and ‘80s, before
big hair and leather pants start to seem like a
good idea… again. —CK
List $14.98
eaglerockent.com
ZZ Top — Double Down Live
Like Kevin Bacon as
Chip Diller in Animal
House said, “Thank
you sir, may I have
another?” It’s the
same sentiment when
it comes to ZZ Top
DVDs, and ZZ Top
Double Down Live
delivers just that…
another. It features a
remastered “Definitely Then…” set recorded
at the Grugahalle in Essen, Germany, for
Rockpalast in 1980 during their Deguello tour.
The second disc labeled “Almost Now…” was
shot throughout their 2008 European tour.
The 1980 Rockpalast concert showcases the
tres hombres on top of their game. All three
are as tight as spandex and play smooth like
butter. They groove in between songs and
transition to the next with only the slightest
nod of acknowledgement—true masters of
their craft. The disc includes 22 essential ZZ Top
cuts like “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” “I’m Bad,
I’m Nationwide,” “Cheap Sunglasses” and they
even cover “Jailhouse Rock.” The first DVD is a
real treat for tonehounds because the simplistic shooting and remastered audio provides a
great lesson for Rock ‘n’ Roll 101.
The second disc is far less expansive with only
11 songs and includes many of the same as on
the first. Some fresh cuts are “Got Me Under
Pressure,” “Blue Jean Blues” and a cover of
“Hey Joe.” Thirty years later the trio doesn’t
move quite as much, but they can still show
the fire that’s been in them since the ‘60s. Age
is something that can be accounted for, but
the high-octane, dramatic cuts and overhead
zoom shots severely detract from the band’s
performance, causing confusion and distraction. In today’s high-paced, low-attention-span
world, other acts may need the flashy edits
and vogue camera angles, but for an outfit
like ZZ Top, we just want to see them rock.
Although the second disc has some editing
missteps, Double Down proves the power trio
could and still can provide that boogie woogie
blues we all know and love. —CK
List $24.98
eaglerockent.com
