Reviews

Big Star fans will undoubtedly eat this up, and those unfamiliar with the band absolutely should watch it as well. Lots of fantastic interviews with people who were heavily involved with the production of their records, and I am also grateful for a healthy dose of information on Chris Bell (which seems incredibly hard to come by, even in this age). After watching the film I had a hard time figuring out if this film preaches to the converted, or actually makes an attempt to introduce the uninitiated to this incredible band. I thought I knew quite about the band prior to watching this, but after watching this I realize how little I really knew.

I've always enjoyed the Stones records, but I had no idea how great they were live. And I'm not just talking about how much their personalities shine, and the lengths to which they go to entertain their fans. This show is an excellent display of the musicianship of the band. Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood are absolutely incredible. Many of the songs that hover around the 4-minute mark on their records are extended into 7+ minute jams in these performances. The rendition of Beast of Burden really sticks out for me – it's emotional and workmanlike at the same time, with no theatrics, just a bunch of guys at the absolute top of their game. And one could certainly argue that this was indeed the last high point of their music career.