marthavmuffin
Iggy is the consummate performer, he gives it his all, he always has, and always will. Growing up in Detroit I saw him perform live no less than a dozen times and he always gave a highly energetic performance no matter what the scenario and he doesn't disappoint here.I loved how he got the crowd right up on stage with him and then tore right into "No Fun" with them all still on stage. He was more or less slamming the bouncers, it was just "so Iggy"! Like he was playing at a house party or something.I don't think he does drugs anymore, but I don't know how he does it, man he's great.
MisterWhiplash
True, this document of the Stooges reunion concert from their native Michigan isn't filmed like if someone of Scorsese's ilk was at the helm, but maybe it needed this look, which is of a few (good quality) video cameras in a long-angle lens locked on the stage, with the occasional back-and-forth editing trick at the start of a show using fades, and a un-pretentious respect for the performers at hand (no sudden hippie-like visuals in the middle of a solo). It's a gritty, simple representation of what the Stooges have to offer, some thirty odd years after they broke up following three of the most groundbreaking albums of their time. They 'ground-break' because Iggy Pop and his stooges don't fool anybody- they're young kids (or rather old fogies at this point, still rocking though) who are crushed by authority, with nothing to do, looking to destroy, and in a bunch of crazy misadventures. They were, arguably, the first true punk rock group, influencing every single one of the early groups (Ramones, Pistols, Clash), and it's just a marvel, even if you're not a huge punk fan- and it goes without saying that the Stooges terrifically straddle the line of being down and dirty un-glamorous punks and just being good old rock and rollers- to see Pop on stage. He's like some crazy gazelle who's been let loose, shimmying around like it's the only thing keeping him going, jumping, humping, crawling, crowd-surfing. He might not have the best vocals in rock, but he's certainly one of the most energetic; a 180 from other members in the band, who are far from showy and just do their best to make it hard-charging rock for the audience. A great performer can bring out the best in the audience (in full disclosure, I saw the Stooges live a year ago and they had no less ability to make the crowd go 'good' crazy than depicted here), and it's a pure joy to see when they play No Fun and thirty or so fans go up on stage and jump and dance around to that brilliant three-chord number.Other songs from the Stooges (limited) catalog include here: 1969, Funhouse, Down on the Street, TV Eye, Dirt, and TWICE I Wanna Be Your Dog (the second time, as it comes on as a surprise 'why are they playing this again' moment, is even better than the first time around).
