Concert Documentaries (1 Viewer)

[JonBoriss]

What would you guys say are the top 4 or 5 most important/popular rock/concert documentaries of all time? Of the top of my head were Woodstock, The Last Waltz, Gimme Shelter, and Montrey Pop Festival, any others?

 

[Jason Seaver]

Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Folks applauded in the theater. Halfway through.

 

[Haggai]

Stop Making Sense is pretty great.

 

[Linda Thompson]

Not strictly a documentary, but I'd put Led Zep's "The Song Remains The Same" on the list...

My personal list would probably also include Guns N' Roses' "Use Your Illusion I/II - Live In Tokyo". They were a helluva band at their peak, IMO.

AC/DC's "Let There Be Rock" is great also, if your tastes happen to run in that direction.

And, if you're including multi-act festivals/events (like Woodstock and Monterey Pop), Live Aid might be a candidate, simply in terms of historical importance.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Stop Making Sense is positively brilliant.

Heartland Reggae (often called other things on video -- my laserdisc from Japan is called "Bob Marley One Love Peace Concert" on the cover) is really great, though time has not been kind to that film.

U2: Rattle and Hum is gorgeous to look at, but the interview segments are so lifeless that I think the film would be stronger if they were eliminated. But oh so gorgeous to look at.

 

[DavidBC]

Madonna: Truth Or Dare is a great examination of fame and narcissism in the early '90s.

 

[Bob Turnbull]

Another vote for Stop Making Sense. Just about every song has a different approach to lighting and the performances are chock full of energy. My favourite moment comes near the end of "Once In A Lifetime". The entire song has been focused on David Byrne's performance (one single camera with only him in the frame) and just near the end after he's risen up from almost being parallel to the ground bending over backwards, there's a cut to a side view of his backup singers slowly rising from similar positions. It's a stunning moment...

Others (I know these may not quite be of the documentary format you're looking for):

Bruce Springsteen - Live In New York City
The Cure - Trilogy
Peter Gabriel - Growing Up Live
Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live
Pink Floyd - Live At Pompeii
Live From Bonnaroo Music Festival 2002 (I didn't enjoy the following year's one as much as it cut into too much of the performances with interviews, etc.)
The Who - The Kids Are Alright
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
King Crimson - Deja Vroom

And a recent great addition:

Dig!

Talk about someone who purposely seems to sabotage their dreams of success...It's a fascinating look at rivalry between two bands over a 7 year span (The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre), but mostly about the one band leader's spiral into his own world...

 

[Lew Crippen]

I think your list is pretty good. I'd add Don't Look Back, D.A. Pennebaker's documentary on an early Bob Dylan tour to England.

 

[Matt Stieg]

Gimme Shelter and The Kids Are Alright are my two picks. But then of course, the Stones and the Who are my two favorite bands.