I'm working on my year-end list of favorite albums for early next week but thought I should check in with this short note.Some of the most interesting music "content" can be found on On Demand, in my case, Comcast On Demand. One of the music channels always worth checking out is called concert.tv. They have indie rock concerts and numerous appearances by many really great bands on the UK's Later... With Jools Holland (why the US doesn't have a show like this is beyond me).
I've seen great stuff there recently: two sets by The Veils at the Bowery Ball Room in New York. A show by Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) in the same space. The Jools Holland appearances by Radiohead and the Band of Horses are very good. There's even a Jools Holand appearance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers doing a very spirited version of "Dani California," during which the camera cuts to the audience to reveal Thom Yorke (yup, of Radiohead) bobbing his head furiously in appreciation... It's an image I thought I'd never see.
But to the point, concert.tv currently has in its list of memorable rock shows a 1983 German concert of U2. This is less slick than the famous Red Rocks film but really terrific, anyway. U2 in that period were an awesome live band.They still are a great live band, but the youthful, Irish funky post-punk rock was really awesome in its time, and that comes through very forcefully watching the U2 guys circa 83.
Though U2 is a band somewhat famous for its lack of virtuosity, by 1983 they may have been one of the most whip tight bands on the planet. All three musicians -- The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr. and Adam Clayton -- are nearly flawless. The vintage songs here are great to hear live: "Gloria," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "I Will Follow," "New Years Day" and "Two Hearts" are just awesome.
Check out the show. It's divided into two 45-minute (approx.) sets on concert.tv. You won't be sorry. If you've forgotten how great these guys were, this will remind you.
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