| March 23rd, 2005 11:14 AM |
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| glencar |
The DVD was released yesterday in the USA. Or region 1, whatever that entails. I just ordered it & look forward to Keith's renditions of Love Hurts & Hickory Wind. |
| March 23rd, 2005 11:17 AM |
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| glencar |
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000777I74/ref=pd_rhf_p_4/104-1041935-6631903?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance |
| March 23rd, 2005 11:30 AM |
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| Martha |
Thanks for the heads up! glencar. :-) I gots to have it! |
| March 23rd, 2005 11:38 AM |
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| Bloozehound |
This looks like a must have, thanks gc
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| March 23rd, 2005 11:43 AM |
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| glencar |
You're welcome folks! I've been waiting for this one for awhile. |
| March 23rd, 2005 12:30 PM |
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| KeepRigid |
Keith really nailed both of those. He also sings the first verse of Wild Horses at the end. |
| March 23rd, 2005 01:56 PM |
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| riccardo |
And on 28 March it will be released in Europe! |
| March 23rd, 2005 04:03 PM |
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| Nellcote |
Posted on Stonedoug's great site SHIDOBEE
Return to Sin City: A Tribute to Gram Parsons (2004)
"This tribute tonight is for my father, Gram Parsons, a man who loved music, a man who loved song. And while he was walking on this earth, he was on a mission, blending the extremes of country, rhythm 'n blues and rock 'n roll. If he did nothing else but introduce Keith Richards to the soul of country music by exposing him to George Jones and Merle Haggard, that would have been enough."
- Polly Parsons
Review By: Jeff Rosado
Published: March 23, 2005
Stars: Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle
Other Stars: Kathleen Edwards, John Doe, Jim James, Jay Farrar, Kathleen Edwards, Raul Malo, James Burton, Al Perkins, Kristin Mooney, Bryson Jones, Jonny Kaplan, Kat Maslich Bode, Skip Edwards, Marvin Etzoni, Tony Furtado, Doug Petibone, Easy Pickens, Dave Raven, Dusty Wakeman, Colin Chipps, Jedd Hughes, Eddie Perez, House of Blues Gospel Choir
Director: Mark Lucas
MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01h:46m:00s
Release Date: March 22, 2005
UPC: 012569591325
Genre: rock
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DVD Review
As a budding musicologist during the age of vinyl (or as I heard it humorously dubbed in a movie once, "old CDs"), one album I kept hearing raved about time and time again was Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the legendary California rock band, The Byrds. What made it such an anomaly in their career was that it marked a screeching 180-degree turn, going headlong into mostly uncharted, untested waters of country rock.
Now, think about it: a well established, beloved, mostly radio-friendly quartet in an age when AM was king and psychedelia was the flavor of choice. Suddenly, the three part harmony of Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn, Turn, Turn was replaced by twangy, rural good ol' boy singin' and pickin'. Charter members David Crosby and Gene Clark were no longer in flight with head wingman Roger "Jim" McGuinn. The thinking man's rocker and the band's sole romantic both had flown the nest, and one unknown kid named Cecil Ingram Connor was recruited to fill the void. But as one era of the band had closed, another began, and so did the legend of the replacement, better known from that point as one Gram Parsons.
Although his tenure as a Byrd was brief, its after effects still resonate to these days and times. Prior to the release of Sweetheart, Columbia Records learned that Parsons was still technically under contract to a competing label, thanks to the singer-guitarist's short-lived tenure in The International Submarine Band, whose Safe at Home is arguably the first country-rock album with its mixture of rootsy originals and cool covers from the likes of Elvis, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash. Sadly, this forced most of his phenomenal vocal work to be stripped from about half of the completed album, with McGuinn having to make an 11th hour return to the studio to replicate what had been undone. But the spirit and passion that Gram instilled in his fellow band members would not be denied, and though it struck out commercially (only barely managing crack the lower rungs of Billboard's Top 100 album chart), those that took a chance preached its virtues like town criers, particularly singling out phenomenal Parson originals Hickory Wind and One Hundred Years from Now (my personal favorite) as the high points of a flawless album, which has gone on to become a certified musical classic.
Still, the low chart placing combined with his refusal to participate in a South African tour due to that country's shameful apartheid practices sent Gram packing with fellow band member Chris Hillman to form The Flying Burrito Brothers. Greater artistic triumphs loomed both with that groundbreaking quartet's amazing debut (which found Parsons meshing his beloved country with equally spirited soul in great remakes of Do Right Woman, Do Right Man and The Dark End of the Street) and on his own via a pair of luminous solo efforts (G.P., Grievous Angel) that hinted at a strong foundation for public as well as critical acclaim. But the restlessness that caused him to vacate all of his previous bands reappeared during his down times away from stage and studio in the form of drink and drugs. And on the night of September 19, 1973 one of the saddest losses in music transpired when Gram passed away due to a lethal mixture of tequila and morphine. But only in body, for in the three decades since, his lingering creative shadow has continued to influence countless artists from The Eagles to protégé Emmylou Harris to many of today's most promising acts that make up the "alt. country" movement.
In the summer of 2004, an incredibly diverse, gifted roster of musicians and vocalists congregated at Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheater for what turned out to be a rousing, emotional, and long overdue celebration of his work. Return to Sin City: A Tribute To Gram Parsons is a 21-song salute that blazes from its rocking take of Dave Dudley's 1960s favorite, Six Days on the Road (courtesy of the Sin City All Stars, the gig's wonderful core house band) onward and never becomes guilty of filler or tedium; only the recently similar Concert for George can compare in quality and emotional intensity. Like that show, everyone involved plays and sings their hearts out with only the most sincere intentions and complete lack of ego.
It's hard to pick favorite moments from among this stellar lot: Jay Farrar's searing take on Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man, a memorable kiss-off to the cold reception Parsons and Roger McGuinn received from famed Nashville disc jockey Ralph Emery in the wake of an ill-fated Byrds appearance at the Grand Ole Opry (but hey, the latter happened to a skinny side-burned kid from Memphis; look what happened when he shrugged it off and moved on); a pair of kick-ass performances from former X leader John Doe, beaming with unbridled enthusiasm on Hot Burrito No. 2 and a positively gorgeous We'll Sweep Out the Ashes in the Morning (the latter featuring a wonderful backing vocal from the rapidly rising Kathleen Edwards, who's literally a star waiting to happen); an aching Sleepless Nights, an underground Everly Brothers classic Gram resurrected, here courtesy of a rarely better Lucinda Williams; the legendary Keith Richards reaching the vocal peak of his career (in his sixties, for crying out loud) on both Love Hurts (another Everly classic, teaming him with Norah Jones for some killer harmony and stellar instrumental support from steel guitar wonder Al Perkins and former Parsons/Elvis sideman, James Burton), and an absolutely heartfelt Hickory Wind, which I guarantee will move you to tears, just like it nearly does the so-called rock and roll bad boy, who was kind enough to let his old friend Gram record Wild Horses nearly two years before the Stones issued it on Sticky Fingers. Trumping them all are two "say hallelujah" performances from Memphis-based vocalist Susan Marshall, who in addition to providing smooth backing vocals with fellow "soul sister" Kristin Mooney, brings down the house with a letter perfect Do Right Woman, Do Right Man (which does for her what original artist Aretha Franklin did in her cover version Otis Redding's Respect: becomes her song) and an eye-widening rendition of the final track from what turned out to be Parson's unintentional farewell album (Grievous Angel), In My Hour of Darkness, which climaxes with tent-revival fury courtesy of L.A.'s House of Blues Gospel Choir.
All this, as well as super appearances from Dwight Yoakam, Jim Lauderdale, Jim James, Raul Malo, and Steve Earle. And I will leave some untapped joys for you to discover in what will definitely rank as one of the most talked about and much played concert DVDs, not just of this calendar year, but for ages to come.
In her touching remarks to the sold-out audience of this concert, Polly Parsons remarked, "May this gathering fill your soul and spirit in a way it has never been filled before."
Mission accomplished.
Rating for Style: A+
Rating for Substance: A+
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| March 25th, 2005 10:18 AM |
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| Gazza |
I have the DVD of it taken from the original broadcast
Very good show (pity about only including one of Steve Earle's two songs, but its a great performance of "Luxury Liner"). Lucinda's great too.
You'll all love Keith's performance. He's in fine form, and some of his "dirty old man" facial expressions during his duet with Norah Jones are worth the price of the disc on it's own. |
| March 25th, 2005 07:34 PM |
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| glimmertwin50 |
This is a great DVD. I just finished watching it. A heartfelt tribute to Gram. The Sin City All-Stars (including Al Perkins) rock the house. Keith and Norah Jones perform a really good version of "Love Hurts". All the artists put in credible to stellar performances. A must have. |
| March 25th, 2005 10:36 PM |
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| glencar |
I decided to get it at Bast Buy instead of amazon.com because it was several $ cheaper. I will commence playing it shortly. I cannot wait. |
| March 28th, 2005 01:33 PM |
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| Bloozehound |
I'm heading out to purchase this right now |
| March 29th, 2005 01:29 AM |
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| Bloozehound |
wow!
I eat my words, ol' john doe & that duet honkey tonk shit kicker duet fuckin stole the show IMA
great show throughout, john doe's pallin' around with george strait during the 80's paid off
his performance was fuckin' grand
and ol' al perkins lapsteel was supurb during the whole show, cry me a fuckin river
and keef!!! Keef!!!
i gots to go simmer down my doublewide
it's weeping............ |
| March 29th, 2005 01:36 PM |
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| Harry Haller |
Anyone knows if it's gonna be available in Europe (I'm in France)?
Can't find it on the internet...
Thanks |
| March 29th, 2005 02:14 PM |
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| Saint Sway |
I can't wait to get this. Thank God, Keith was able to show up for this. It just wouldnt be a proper Gram tribute show without him.
great list of guests. Some of my favorites like Steve Earle & Lucinda WIlliams.
but some glaring ommissions IMO. Most notably Chris Robinson! Is there another contemporary artist that has played Gram's songs live than Chris?? Both with the Crowes and ESPECIALLY with his solo shows he has played so many of Grams songs so many times.
I would of also liked to of seen some of the current alt.country folks included. Those bands are the torch bearers of Gram's music and spirit. Its a shame not to have The Jayhawks, BR549, Jay Farrer, Jeff Tweedy, Alejandro Escaveda, Ryan Adams and all. |
| March 29th, 2005 02:49 PM |
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| muddy |
Jay Farrar was at the show.
These were great shows. My only complaint is that this is an edited show, the same as was on PPV. For the DVD release they should have included the whole concert.
It would have been nice if Lucinda did some backup vocals for Keith. I've always wanted to hear them sing together. |
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