Dead End Drive-In: Now Showing – The Rolling Stones
Written by Gaz Tidey
Sunday, 22 November 2015 02:00
The Rolling Stones – ‘From The Vault – Live In Leeds 1982 & Live At The Tokyo Dome 1990’ (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
‘From The Vault’, the series of archive recordings from The Rolling Stones getting their first official releases, continues unabated with the fourth and fifth titles released within weeks of each other.
Simultaneously released on DVD, SD Blu-ray, DVD + 2CD, and DVD + 4LP, the ‘From The Vault’ series truly is something to behold; the only real quibble the lack of bonus material given that there must be a wealth of unseen footage lying beneath a musty pile of garish, stage-used Mick Jagger clothing.
That said, these releases – reviewed here on the most basic of their formats, trusty old digital versatile disc – are amazingly well presented, the accompanying booklets awash with vintage ephemera and photography.
Released first of this pair, ‘Live At The Tokyo Dome 1990′ features a twenty-four track set from one of the Stones’ ten shows at the Japanese venue in the February of the first year of the new decade that promised so much.
The production really was the precursor to the McTours that would follow, the mega shows from huge bands that would once seem so grand but now seem so unnecessary and cynical in their pursuit of the mighty dollar. 1990 seems a lifetime ago now though, doesn’t it? The spectacle of such a show was still like a wonder of the world to most and the Stones hardly faltered in their pursuit of massive show happiness.
Jagger runs the show, Keef and Ronnie appearing, at times, to be fannying around simply for themselves, Charlie Watts keeping things simple, Bill Wyman an almost peripheral figure – on screen for less time than some of the extended band (because, of course, these huge shows called for expanded onstage musicians – there are backing vocalists and horn sections seemingly everywhere).
The real gem of this pair of releases is ‘Live In Leeds 1982’, however.
Filmed at the last concert of the band’s European tour in support of 1981’s ‘Tattoo You’, this footage is a real time capsule; the crowd at Roundhay Park entertained by what appeared to be true Rock ‘n’ Roll Superheroes; Jagger dressed like the weird uncle of American sports-loving metallers, Raven – a mess of varsity jacket and gridiron pants and socks – while the headbanded Wyman looked just like legendary centre-half Steve Foster, albeit playing one of those ludicrous Spirit bass guitars by Steinberger.
The setlist revolves heavily around the (then) just-released ‘Tattoo You’, and features Ian Stewart on piano for the very last time. In fact, this was the last Rolling Stones tour for seven years – something of a true collector’s piece then, for sure.
These first official releases have sound newly mixed by famed U.S. knob-twiddler Bob Clearmountain, and video footage carefully restored from the original recording. They look fine on upscaled DVD – the Tokyo Dome video as wonderfully soft as your favourite Nineties television shows – and I’m sure both audio and video will sparkle like Mick’s wardrobe (the sequined red beret he dons at the Leeds show is hideous) in true high definition.
Running at 137 and 132 minutes respectively, this pair of releases offers much value for the Rolling Stones fan in your life. You can’t always get what you want, but you can get some slick vintage Stones product at a very reasonable price.
To pick up any of the ‘From The Vault’ series of releases – CLICK HERE
