I just finished watching this DVD, and I'm still dazed, so it's best to make this short but sweet. This film is overwhelmingly wonderful. Poignant, powerful, persuasive evidence that The Beatles were indeed the greatest rock and roll band ever.
Their performances on Ed Sullivan have been seen countless times, but their concert in Washington, D.C., on a small square stage, perhaps 25 feet on a side, begs description. Between numbers, Ringo has to help the roadies rotate the drum carousel so as to face a different direction for each song. Paul, George, and John obligingly move their amps along to face the same way.
Ringo's "I Wanna Be Your Man," screaming the lyrics, levitating above his drum set, with the whole auditorium just rocking, made ME scream, I got so excited. Oh man, this is so good.
And who knew before this film what a great dancer Ringo was? When he hops onstage at the Peppermint Lounge in New York to join the club's in-house dancers, you gotta get up and join them, it's that hot.
The sweetness of their live sound, unaided by recording studio clean-up and augmentation, is beyond exquisite. You have never heard them sound this good on any record. The sheer energy of the live audiences just explodes out of the TV screen along with their voices.
George's guitar is crystalline; Paul's driving, pulsating bass lines, John's great voice, and Ringo's back beat make this DVD rock big-time. Oh, mamma, won't you buy me this DVD?
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Man, you got me excited about this Joe - great job! Most of us have seen most of this footage many times, but it never fails to amaze me and gratify. I have to get this DVD also.