Stones and Scorsese strike gold: "Shine A Light" Review
As a huge Stones fan, I embarked to the iMAX theatre of Turkey Creek with my beautiful girlfriend, Audrey, to see my favorite band's new concert film directed by movie making legend, Martin Scorsese. Shine A Light is a classic Rolling Stones song from rock and roll's greatest double album in history, "Exile on Mainstreet." It reappeared on the 90's semi unplugged album, "Stripped." Now the song becomes a movie that I was viewing on a 60 foot screen with a barely half full theatre on opening night.
So we took our seats and the movie began....
Taking place in New York's legendary Beacon Theatre, Scorsese set out to capture the Stones in an environment that they are not at all used to performing in. The theatre held well under 1,000 people, a small crowd compared to the Rolling Stones' 75,000 to 100,000 usual or Rio De Janero's crowd of more than 1,000,000. So though the theatre was packed, it proved to be an intimate setting. The movie began with hilarious conversations between Scorsese and the Stones about the stage, set list, cameras, and lighting. I won't give the jokes away, but it was quite amusing.
Finally the film got into the actual show, Bill Clinton introduced the boys and Keith walked on stage and hit the opening riff of Jumpin Jack Flash. Ronnie ran on acting goofy and Mick ran on, well, being Mick. Phenomenal sound. Charlie was strong as always, holding the tempo and keeping his composure behind three raving lunatics overtaken by rock and roll music.
The show continued with Shattered, She Was Hot, and All Down The Line, which led into the first of 3 duets for the night. Loving Cup was performed with White Stripes frontman, Jack White. This beautiful country rock song proved to be one of the highlights of the set. Rare gems followed, As Tears Go By, Some Girls and others. Buddy Guy then made his way onto stage for Champagne and Reefer. Trading solos with Keith and Ron, Guy also held his own in the vocal category with Mick. Nice performance; memorable to say the least.
Keep in mind, the concert was occasionally interrupted by classic Stones interviews. One of Mick in '65 saying they might only play for another year. One of Charlie finally admitting he was great. Just pure classic footage...
Tumbling Dice is quickly becoming my favorite Stones song. The feel of it in this movie just really struck a chord with me. I keep listening to it on the soundtrack... Something about it... I can't place why it gets to me. But I guess that's rock and roll for you.
Keith sung two songs for us next, You Got The Silver and Connection proved to be the replacement of the usual Happy. I love Happy, but it was nice to see something different. Keith's style is so different than Mick's. Mick runs, jumps, and plays to the crowd; he performs, which is what a front man should do. But Keith is no front man. He stood there and sung the songs. He let the passion of the music flow through him. It was a wonderful break from Mick's constant energy that was making me tired. Keith looks horrible by the way. I mean disgusting. No other man could live through what he has though, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Keith Richards outlived me.
Mick made a grand entrance through the crowd as Sympathy for the Devil started up. No fire like in the stadiums, just the song. And it was more than enough. Next up was the last duet, little miss Christina Aguilera. Oh god I thought to myself, but the truth is, the girl can sing. She easily out sung Mick on Live With Me. But I think Mick out danced her.
Start Me Up was next and proved to be the closer of the set. Encore followed with Brown Sugar and Satisfaction to end the show. Amazing energy for such a small theatre. I mean I wanted to stand up and clap along as if I was really there. Credits rolled and Shine A Light played. The show was over.
For over two hours, I sat mesmerized by The Rolling Stones. I wondered how a 64 year old Mick Jagger was able to move like that? How does Ronnie Wood put up with Mick and Keith? How does Charlie Watts hold the entire band together. How is Keith Richards still alive? Well the answer to all these questions is music. Rock and Roll keeps Mick going, Ronnie calm, Charlie classy, and Keith alive. I already knew the Stones were the greatest rock band in the world, but Scorsese proves this fact to eveyone else with this film, nothing less than stunning. Thank you Martin for providing a film that I will soon own and never forget.
Notes- No Honky Tonk Woman, Street Fighting Man, Gimme Shelter, It's Only Rock and Roll, You Got Me Rocking, or any other usual standards in the Stones' set... and it was still the best captured performance of them I've ever seen. That's saying something.--- Screen was 60 feet wide, Keith Richards' close ups looked like the grand canyon. He has one wrinkled face.--- Charlie has had cancer and looks the best out of all of them in this film.---Mick's nose is funny looking.--- Scorsese has weird eyebrows.---No real complaints I suppose.
Just some thoughts
So we took our seats and the movie began....
Taking place in New York's legendary Beacon Theatre, Scorsese set out to capture the Stones in an environment that they are not at all used to performing in. The theatre held well under 1,000 people, a small crowd compared to the Rolling Stones' 75,000 to 100,000 usual or Rio De Janero's crowd of more than 1,000,000. So though the theatre was packed, it proved to be an intimate setting. The movie began with hilarious conversations between Scorsese and the Stones about the stage, set list, cameras, and lighting. I won't give the jokes away, but it was quite amusing.
Finally the film got into the actual show, Bill Clinton introduced the boys and Keith walked on stage and hit the opening riff of Jumpin Jack Flash. Ronnie ran on acting goofy and Mick ran on, well, being Mick. Phenomenal sound. Charlie was strong as always, holding the tempo and keeping his composure behind three raving lunatics overtaken by rock and roll music.
The show continued with Shattered, She Was Hot, and All Down The Line, which led into the first of 3 duets for the night. Loving Cup was performed with White Stripes frontman, Jack White. This beautiful country rock song proved to be one of the highlights of the set. Rare gems followed, As Tears Go By, Some Girls and others. Buddy Guy then made his way onto stage for Champagne and Reefer. Trading solos with Keith and Ron, Guy also held his own in the vocal category with Mick. Nice performance; memorable to say the least.
Keep in mind, the concert was occasionally interrupted by classic Stones interviews. One of Mick in '65 saying they might only play for another year. One of Charlie finally admitting he was great. Just pure classic footage...
Tumbling Dice is quickly becoming my favorite Stones song. The feel of it in this movie just really struck a chord with me. I keep listening to it on the soundtrack... Something about it... I can't place why it gets to me. But I guess that's rock and roll for you.
Keith sung two songs for us next, You Got The Silver and Connection proved to be the replacement of the usual Happy. I love Happy, but it was nice to see something different. Keith's style is so different than Mick's. Mick runs, jumps, and plays to the crowd; he performs, which is what a front man should do. But Keith is no front man. He stood there and sung the songs. He let the passion of the music flow through him. It was a wonderful break from Mick's constant energy that was making me tired. Keith looks horrible by the way. I mean disgusting. No other man could live through what he has though, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Keith Richards outlived me.
Mick made a grand entrance through the crowd as Sympathy for the Devil started up. No fire like in the stadiums, just the song. And it was more than enough. Next up was the last duet, little miss Christina Aguilera. Oh god I thought to myself, but the truth is, the girl can sing. She easily out sung Mick on Live With Me. But I think Mick out danced her.
Start Me Up was next and proved to be the closer of the set. Encore followed with Brown Sugar and Satisfaction to end the show. Amazing energy for such a small theatre. I mean I wanted to stand up and clap along as if I was really there. Credits rolled and Shine A Light played. The show was over.
For over two hours, I sat mesmerized by The Rolling Stones. I wondered how a 64 year old Mick Jagger was able to move like that? How does Ronnie Wood put up with Mick and Keith? How does Charlie Watts hold the entire band together. How is Keith Richards still alive? Well the answer to all these questions is music. Rock and Roll keeps Mick going, Ronnie calm, Charlie classy, and Keith alive. I already knew the Stones were the greatest rock band in the world, but Scorsese proves this fact to eveyone else with this film, nothing less than stunning. Thank you Martin for providing a film that I will soon own and never forget.
Notes- No Honky Tonk Woman, Street Fighting Man, Gimme Shelter, It's Only Rock and Roll, You Got Me Rocking, or any other usual standards in the Stones' set... and it was still the best captured performance of them I've ever seen. That's saying something.--- Screen was 60 feet wide, Keith Richards' close ups looked like the grand canyon. He has one wrinkled face.--- Charlie has had cancer and looks the best out of all of them in this film.---Mick's nose is funny looking.--- Scorsese has weird eyebrows.---No real complaints I suppose.
Just some thoughts
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