Bonnaroo 2008 - Live

Written by Fumo Verde

Okay, so you may have read about or heard via Internet radio show B-Sides Concept Album about Bonnaroo 2008 and the adventure El Bicho and I had while there. Well the DVD of this four-day event has hit the stores and though there were more performances there than one could possibly see, sixteen acts made this DVD. I noticed there were only seven bands on this disc that EB and I had a chance to see, the other nine would be new for me, but this was a chance to see what I missed.

The show for you watching this disc begins with meeting some of the cool people who attended this festival, while showing you images of grounds where it all happened. The first band up is The Raconteurs playing “Old Enough”. I was stoked to see these katz on here because EB and I, when they were playing, were halfway across the festival grounds watching some other band, the name of which eludes me right now. [El Bicho’s note: the bands watched during the Raconteurs set were Les Claypool, The Swell Season, and Rilo Kiley.] It’s followed by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings playing “Let Them Knock,” a performance from a band we only got to see play their final song. It has that R&B beat as the brass section adds to the fullness of the sound. Jones has one of those voices that remind you of Della Reese or Aretha Franklin.

Another band I was told to see but didn’t get a shot at was Broken Social Scene. “Love Is New” is a tune I have heard a few times on the local college station, but seeing them here on this disc really makes me want to see them now, be it Bonnaroo or any local venue. Other bands that made it onto the DVD, which we missed but now seeing them I definitely want to catch live, are Gogol Bordello who have an international sound that mixes folk rock with a splash of theater for the eye. Their song “Think Locally/ Fuck Globally” has enough energy to power the town of Manchester, TN. Chali 2na w/Galactic’s “Lock Shit/ Right Now” blends rap with rock and uses a baritone saxophone to get those super low notes.

Bands which we saw and are here on this DVD are Pearl Jam (“Better Man”), Jack Johnson (“If I had Eyes”) Metallica (“Fade to Black”) [El Bicho’s note: Fumo hit our tent for refreshments during their set.] along with two new bands for myself: Mastodon (“Colony of Birchmen”) and My Morning Jacket (“I’m Amazed”). Mastodon I would consider to be a metal band. Following in the footsteps of Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Anthrax, Mastodon has a hard edge and full-throttle energy driven by the drums and bass. These are katz I need to keep an eye out for when they come to my town. My Morning Jacket is the complete opposite but just as good. They have a sound which is hard to describe because each song is different, yet this tune “I’m Amazed,” well, one could say they sound a little like Phish, or the Dead, or even the Eagles, but that still doesn’t capture the essence of My Morning Jacket, another band I’m getting tickets for when they come to town.

This DVD will give you a little taste of what Bonnarooers were privilege to witness and enjoy. After watching this disc, I really want to go there again, and though the adventure was a total trip, and EB and I partied a little too hard near the end, it was an experience I think any fan of good music should take. This DVD brings 1/10th of what the total Bonnaroo experience was and is, but for those who couldn’t make it or for those of us who did Bonnaroo 2008 - Live is a fantastic way to see some of the best bands around. All I can say is, thank you, Manchester, TN and thank you, Bonnaroo.

Pearl Jam: Immagine In Cornice

Written by Fumo Verde

In 2006 Pearl Jam played five cities in Italy, and Danny Clinch caught it on film. This isn’t just a live concert that was filmed but rather a recorded journal of the band’s tour. More than a backstage pass, you are in the audience, backstage, above stage, on stage, out in line, in the pouring rain waiting to get in. Clinch puts the whole picture in the frame of his cameras and has created something magical. Plus the music is awesome; it’s Pearl Jam.

Over a dozen tracks come to life as Clinch goes from super-8 to HD, bringing much more intensity to an already politically charged band. The music is great as always. “Life Wasted,” “Porch,” and “Better Man” are just a few gems that PJ pulls out. What really blew me away was the band’s capacity to feed off of the energy the crowd exuded and then to give right back to them with twice the amount of force. Whether it’s a guitar solo by McCready, a drum jam by Cameron, or Vedder soulfully waning poetically, one can see the exchange that takes place. On the bonus track “Yellow Ledbetter” the melody alone brings out the tears. The pure emotion of the crowd could be felt as they tried to sing along with Vedder, who re-worded the song and started singing about ending the war in Iraq. When the crowd understood, the cheers poured out. Just seeing this gave me the goose bumps.

The music isn’t the only thing that Clinch got. Like I said, this is better than a backstage pass. Clinch was with the band at all times and this gave him the opportunity to let the fans see what the band is like when they are not being a band. In between each track, we find out a little more what the guys are like when they aren’t under the spotlight. One of my favorite little segments is when McCready is greeted at the hotel entrance by fans. He signs everybody’s autograph book or what have you, takes pictures with fans who want one, all the while he explains he used to be one of these fans. He talks about hiding under the bus of Def Leppard and spooking the drummer. This is a great look into the life of someone who is just a regular guy in a very famous and well-loved band, yet he too has heroes. I also loved Vedder taking us to his favorite place to go after a sound check. “The only difference between a four-track and an eight-track is four more knobs.”

It’s the music, it’s the moments between the music, and it’s the energy that’s traded between the two that makes Immagine in Cornice one of my top picks for the year. Even the packing of this disc is great. It comes with a photo album attached to the box.

Like Cameron Crowe following Led Zeppelin, Clinch has made something more than just a live concert video. He created a portrait of a band by letting the music, the musicians, and the fans paint the picture. He was the master who put it in the frame. And what a fine job he did. Thank you, Pearl Jam, and thank you, Danny Clinch, a fantastic piece of art by such talented artists.