The Rolling Stones - Rock and Roll Circus

I already owned the Circus on CD when I saw the DVD on offer here. I didn't hesitate a second. I only saw the Stones live twice (they haven't been the Stones for a loooong time now), and as this film makes clear, they are anything but an arena rock band, something the last three decades have for the most part stuck them with being. The Rock and Roll Circus, if nothing else, shows by its example how bad an idea musically arena rock was, regardless its benefits to democratic plebeian rock fans who actually get to see shows thanks to the added seats. When one thinks of it, one wonders: if this had been released immediately, as was the original intent, might we all be watching rock shows under the big top today?Don't know, but this may account for some of the things I've heard about the Stones' performance, particularly about Mick's. It appears to be Received Wisdom that The Who torched the Stones at this gig. I'd certainly never be one to denigrate the Who's diamond-hard rendition of "A Quick One," clearly superior in my mind to the one on the expanded "Live At Leeds." There may never have been a live band to match the Who, when they had it going as they clearly did here. The Who are the punk gods of White Middle-Class Outcast Rage. Daltrey punches up his lyrics --- literally, with his fists and the mic -- with a palpaple physical anger, which each of the other band members equals in his own way. The sterling quality of the music they managed to put out while emoting like this is one of rock's Seven Wonders, and it would be hard to come up with the other Six.But in my humble, the Stones give them a major run for their money here. Mick's performance, often panned as over the top, is from my view classic Mick, all the way through. He has his awkward moments, for sure. The Stones were playing a new music now, demanding a different onstage group persona from the songs they'd played before screaming teens in the mid-sixties, and the Circus shows Mick trying it on for size. He pops a couple of stitches and loses a button or two (and, of course, pulls off his shirt), but he succeeds, in the end, grandly. As Pete Townshend puts it in his interview here, Jagger's the only Circus musician to be looking through the camera at an audience 30 years down the road. Watch him; Townshend's right. I've been a Stones fan for more than 30 years, and I think that if you want to see the Stones doing what only they can - could once - do, this DVD may be the best place. It's at least one of them. If you are a Mick Jagger connoisseur in particular, this performance is essential. (Same for The Who; same for John Lennon.) It shows much of the arena posturing Mick's been doing for the last 30 years for the hollow sendup of himself that it is. And remember that the Stones - including among their number the key organizer of the event as lead singer - came on at the scrag end of what college kids would call an all-nighter; the Who were not only fresh from the road but nowhere near normal bedtime when they went on.Brian Jones? I was prepared from reviews I read here for a real zombie, but I have to give the man some credit. (Actually, lots, given his state at the time.) The CD credits him, but you have no idea from the sound alone what he's playing. His guitar does seem turned down to the point of inaudibility on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want," to the extent that I originally thought that Keith was the only guitarist on those numbers. Now that we can see it, though, there's no question who's playing that delicious slide lead on "No Expectations." Brian still had enough to contribute, much more than the maracas he's handed for "Sympathy for the Devil," which makes what was going on in the band at the time, and what happened to him only months later, all the sadder.Keith Richards holds that the band just expected more of their performance; they were disappointed, and as he puts it in his voice-over commentary, a bit harsh on themselves and ignorant of the significance of the event notwithstanding the performances. So, they shelved it. And Keith says they eventually were sorry they did.Jethro Tull, so far as I can tell, was the only act (other than Marianne Faithfull) to perform over a backing track. This need arose, apparently, when the departure of Mick Abrahams shortly before the Circus forced Tull to press future Black Sabbath metalmeister Tony Iommi into service as the session guitarist. (Interestingly, the CD credits Abrahams and makes no mention of Iommi.) As Ian Anderson reveals, an "industrial accident" had forcibly removed a few of Iommi's fingertips, making him, apparently, unsuited for the more subtle filigrees of the evolving Tull guitar style. In addition, the close-on harmonica and flute parts Anderson had put on the record version were impossible to duplicate live; bassist Glen Cornick thus winds up wearing a Dylan-style harp holder while he "plays" over the harp track. That was, apparently, the only lip-synching; according to his own testimony, Anderson both sang and played his own way through the song. (And if he's lipping, he's doing one heckuva job.) It is significant that -- again other than Faithfull's -- Tull's song is the only one that sounds pretty much like the album version.Performances (OK, Yoko, if you call that a performance and John agrees, so will we) aside, this is incredible fun, one heck of a period piece, and stuffed as well with great still photographs and voice-over comments from key participants. One word of warning: unless you are much more of a pro than I am at adapting your remote to the nuances of a particular DVD, getting at those nifty additions (and turning them off) will, well, give you some moments.Suffer them. They are worth it in ways that rare experiences just are.And one more note: if you don't have the CD, you might want it too. Not only is the music good enough to survive in your car; the deluxe booklet that comes with it features several photos (and two bangup articles by eyewitness David Dalton) that you can't get with the DVD.

This has to be my favorite "music video" of all time. This is more David Lynchian than anything David Lynch has ever produced. It is such an odd episode in time, such a weird floating bubble of brilliance. It is a Festival of the Bizarre and the Hilarious. And, in my opinion, the music is superb. Approach this with the right expectations, and you will be dazzled!!!For starters, the colors are super-saturated, rich and deep reds and oranges and blues. It is a warm viewing experience. Every attendee is wearing a truly strange pull-over type robe with bright colors. Everyone is preternaturally happy and involved. Coupled with all the other other-worldly behavior, one wonders exactly what planet this circus tent is on. Is this a rock show, or Star Trek?Then we have Jethro Tull take the stage. This guy jams on a petite little flute like most rock stars jam on a Flying-V. It is a great performance. Someone says it is dubbed. If so, I never even noticed, and it doesn't really matter. The ambience is one of pure elation.Marianne Faithful is unbelievablly beautiful and elegant in a very formal performance which is in wonderful contrast to the raunchy rock festivities around her. She's wearing a beautiful dress, and she sits on the ground. Classic-beyond-belief.The Who: Great. Daltry and Townsend are in their primes, and everyone else looks sober, even Moonie and Entwhistle.Okay, the ultimate killer here is this: John Lennon does an awkward little comedy shtick with Mick Jagger. Lennon ends up handing Jagger his dinner plate, and Mick nibbles the left-overs. Very charming because it all seems so natural and unrehearsed. They display a fondness for and a familiarity with one another, but with a little bit of competitive edginess. Lennon actually seems like a guy attending a party or a barbeque. He does not seem to be performing here; he is participating, and having a good time. He does his little jam with Keith Richards, Clapton, and Mitch Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Think of that!!!! That's the equivalent of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ronald Reagan, Churchill and Teddy Roosevelt doing a session!!!! This is monumental history folks!!!! Beyond Belief!!! And then Yoko comes out and starts screeching this painfully odd wail. The pain is deep and vast. This is where the experience become priceless: look into the faces of the musicians, look into the faces of the intimate little audience: they all look like they are about to bust out laughing at this strange noise emanating from Yoko's mouth!!! They are as astounded as we are!!!! The confusion and disbelief is palpable. John Lennon keeps on jamming, looking a little embarassed, but fully supporting his nihilistic little wife!! David Lynch must be crying as he watches this, a celluoid moment of astonishing inexplicability, contrasting vectors of logic and nuance which quite simply blow-out our normal thought processes. Try as he might, he can never match this kind of shtuff!The the Stones climb on up and have at it. Mick steals the show. It is a 110% Stones experience in four songs.Pete Townsend does an interview as an extra and it is worth watching as he recollects on the events of that day. He describes how Mick handled the entire project with his characteristic "responsibility and ruthlessness." Apparently Brian Jones was falling apart during the course of the filming and Mick was having to help him remain composed, as well as dealing with all the other logistics. And, Keith was literally "green" from his ingestions of God-knows-what. So, Mick has to run the show from a business perspective, and then he has to perform. I personally thought he was awesome, especially in the rendition of "Sympathy for the Devil." The man quite simply defines Larger-Than-Life-Legend as far as I'm concerned.Folks, the four-star reviews here are missing the point just as much as the one-star reviews. Don't buy this for the music, per se. Buy this for the Overall Weird Scene Which Hails From a Bygone London Era. This is beyond mere psychedelic, this is Alternative Universe Stuff. The intimacy of it, the authentic, ad hoc nature of the entire setting, accented by little circus performers here and there. If I could chose to go back in time to this R&R Circus or to Woodstock, I would take this in a heartbeat. There's something for everybody here, and it is all good, and all strange in a friendly sort of way. It doesn't get much better in my book.

I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED '60s MOVIES AND DOCUMENTARIES BY THE ROLLING STONES-ESPECIALLY ANYTHING WITH BRIAN JONES IN THEM! THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL COLLECTIBLE MOVIE FOR ANY ROLLING STONES FAN.

Kein Zweifel, dies ist ein musikhistorisches Werk. Immerhin haben die Stones seinerzeit schon Filmaufnahmen gemacht. Man sollte aber wissen, dass nach gut einer Stunde Schluss mit dem Vergnügen ist.

great movie

Very cool to see performances by The Stones from the year I was born. They can keep the Circus acts and Yoko Ono never made much sense to me either. It was Interesting from start to finish. The video and audio are quite good for the day.

A 1 concert