What is the greatest musical performance ever captured on film?

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed

Whoever said this about James Brown's performance on The TAMI Show might be right, I just saw it and might have to agree. Thoughts?

iago g., Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:22 (fifteen years ago)

Might? OK, I will!

iago g., Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:23 (fifteen years ago)

This one gives me chills.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTdC11JaO9A

Nate Carson, Sunday, 7 March 2010 04:23 (fifteen years ago)

The Faces BBC "Sounds of Saturday" from 1972 - this pops up on vh1 classic every now and again. it just looks like the most fun any group of dudes has ever had on stage.

hobbes, Sunday, 7 March 2010 04:28 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_h7Lm7C9Nk

Are Slimes the Jews of monsterdom? (cankles), Sunday, 7 March 2010 04:36 (fifteen years ago)

breakdown at 1:55 is lifechanging

rahni, Sunday, 7 March 2010 04:55 (fifteen years ago)

shit, every time i forget to put "no sarcastic responses" in my thread question, i get john tesh

iago g., Sunday, 7 March 2010 05:02 (fifteen years ago)

0 to joke in 10 posts or less or your money back

noted schloar (dyao), Sunday, 7 March 2010 05:02 (fifteen years ago)

stevie wonder on sesame street

mookieproof, Sunday, 7 March 2010 05:04 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p79JKclG-oc

Vast Halo, Sunday, 7 March 2010 11:57 (fifteen years ago)

Funny haircuts, massive bass, guitar experiments, gospel rip-offs, all making Germans dance. Everything I want in music, condensed to 2 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5iI0__9S1c

bendy, Sunday, 7 March 2010 12:45 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWdI2IKiw

StanM, Sunday, 7 March 2010 12:59 (fifteen years ago)

ah man I came on here to post "stevie wonder on sesame street", but mookieproof beat me to it.

tomofthenest, Sunday, 7 March 2010 13:06 (fifteen years ago)

also monks : a++

tomofthenest, Sunday, 7 March 2010 13:09 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjyZ6B7mC-w

Dr X O'Skeleton, Sunday, 7 March 2010 13:21 (fifteen years ago)

came to post this also:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ul7X5js1vE

sofatruck, Sunday, 7 March 2010 13:22 (fifteen years ago)

i saw that stevie on sesame street for the first time last week. it's wonderful

Dr X O'Skeleton, Sunday, 7 March 2010 13:24 (fifteen years ago)

That Monks clip is great.

t(o_o)t (ENBB), Sunday, 7 March 2010 13:28 (fifteen years ago)

Bowie doing 'Young Americans' on Dick Cavett in 1974 for me please. (can't see the embeds, apologies if already posted)

Ismael Klata, Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:15 (fifteen years ago)

> Everything I want in music, condensed to 2 minutes

+ sexy uschi nerke

meisenfek, Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:24 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-XzGOZHYdA

EZ Snappin, Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:38 (fifteen years ago)

the answer is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZfr2QMk3Fc

m the g, Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:42 (fifteen years ago)

serious answer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8vyySL_zUQ

lukevalentine, Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:50 (fifteen years ago)

^^^ considered posting the 'judas' one but thought it was too obvious

noted schloar (dyao), Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:51 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp6-wG5LLqE

might seem normal but is actually (snoball), Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:56 (fifteen years ago)

Gotta have this in any serious conversation....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKdSHr1i2Yo

kornrulez6969, Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:57 (fifteen years ago)

(xpost) this is at the end of the film "The Kids Are Alright", and whenever I watched the video I'd turn the sound all the way up on the TV for the last couple of minutes.

might seem normal but is actually (snoball), Sunday, 7 March 2010 14:59 (fifteen years ago)

Definitely second The Monks and Dylan. And Elvis Unchained Melody slays me every time -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35Dpm5ZoCbE

'virgin' should be 'wizard' (GamalielRatsey), Sunday, 7 March 2010 15:02 (fifteen years ago)

Some classics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz0V6bIwXpM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25E0ACkA6uo

seandalai, Sunday, 7 March 2010 15:14 (fifteen years ago)

Planxty on "The late late show", dunno when its from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z3A5Tgy47M

The Boswell sisters from 1932:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9Afn3Z-BWI

Nick Lucas performs "tiptoe thru the tulips" with a bunch of chorines dressed as giant flowers, from 1929:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZMHJX4b9bU

dead flower :( (Pashmina), Sunday, 7 March 2010 15:25 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twh45yX2Kj8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x76CeJBbJs8

werewolf congress (schlump), Sunday, 7 March 2010 15:36 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j_TDoOPnIA

Ward Fowler, Sunday, 7 March 2010 15:54 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93v6eoTjpig

Ward Fowler, Sunday, 7 March 2010 15:57 (fifteen years ago)

can't say it's "the greatest musical performance ever on tv," but this is one keep replaying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5VFWA2YKdo

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:00 (fifteen years ago)

(sorry, this is one i keep replaying. . .)

Daniel, Esq., Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:01 (fifteen years ago)

not gonna front, I'm gonna take the Who here, but this performance deserves consideration (plus in context it was kinda life-changing for me):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7oZyWt7pGg

Most important performer of our generation: (Euler), Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:10 (fifteen years ago)

xp werewolf: Wow @ Can.

seandalai, Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:15 (fifteen years ago)

The R+R Circus Who Quick One While He's Away is my favorite but these two are my current faves...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_juH0AHvwk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btzIdZpln6k

dan selzer, Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:21 (fifteen years ago)

That John Fahey clip is excellent, WF, thanks.

dead flower :( (Pashmina), Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:22 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6C_WSp3Lks

iatee, Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:24 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bewgAy7hghg

noted schloar (dyao), Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:58 (fifteen years ago)

;-D

noted schloar (dyao), Sunday, 7 March 2010 16:58 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTGKzWDakK8

lukevalentine, Sunday, 7 March 2010 17:30 (fifteen years ago)

>+ sexy uschi nerke

Thanks, I've also long wondered who that babe is.

bendy, Sunday, 7 March 2010 17:40 (fifteen years ago)

Unfortunately it's no longer on YouTube but I found it here..

http://en.sevenload.com/videos/USMENud-Neil-Young-Rockin-In-The-Free-World-Live-SNL-1989

bad fog, Sunday, 7 March 2010 17:49 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH6D4LvYZwA

There's Always Been A Prance Element To (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 7 March 2010 17:53 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irc7ZntLEZw

hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Sunday, 7 March 2010 18:21 (fifteen years ago)

I don't know about "the greatest ever" etc but this completely wrecked me way back when and still seems incredibly powerful to me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvRxYty2ie0&feature=PlayList&p=E9E8B4DEAC36258E

Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Sunday, 7 March 2010 18:22 (fifteen years ago)

dude that arsenio thing is sick

man, I forgot hop hop used to be like that

lukevalentine, Sunday, 7 March 2010 18:24 (fifteen years ago)

Are the monks playing for real in that video upthread? There are parts where it seems like it was playback. If it's real then I'd have to agree it was a mindblowing performance.

Moka, Sunday, 7 March 2010 19:03 (fifteen years ago)

Thanks, iago g. and zvookster.

Stephen Deusner, Thursday, 11 March 2010 04:05 (fifteen years ago)

I love this one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbwxLGohUM0

Barnaby, Hardly, Thursday, 11 March 2010 10:07 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5M3chPv4v0

This is pretty epic.

MarkoP, Sunday, 14 March 2010 02:16 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FWftvvaVok

peepee, Sunday, 14 March 2010 03:18 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBUiPs1PxKo&feature=related

peepee, Sunday, 14 March 2010 03:59 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGTtu3mLacE

peepee, Sunday, 14 March 2010 04:31 (fifteen years ago)

one month passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFklR731N7k

billstevejim, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 04:52 (fifteen years ago)

I'm so proud of my little thread!

iago g., Wednesday, 21 April 2010 05:02 (fifteen years ago)

I've watched that transmission clip hundreds and hundreds of times. I get chills when Ian grabs the mic off the stand. Also the Digital clip from Here are the Young Man, though maybe I posted that above.

dan selzer, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 05:15 (fifteen years ago)

is no one else going to rep for Stop Making Sense?

village idiot (dog latin), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 09:10 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hbwdAOogBw

symsymsym, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 09:33 (fifteen years ago)

Hendrix @ Monterrey. None more transcendent.

ImprovSpirit, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 14:40 (fifteen years ago)

is no one else going to rep for Stop Making Sense?

I think maybe Heads people prefer the Rome 1980 stuff cited above? If I had to pick from SMS, would have to be the lampshade dance in This Must Be the Place or the song at the end where he runs circles around the stage (Born Under Punches?)

iago g., Wednesday, 21 April 2010 15:40 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3_nv3TYX-k

New Hors d'œuvre (DavidM), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 16:47 (fifteen years ago)

the song at the end where he runs circles around the stage (Born Under Punches?)

"Life During Wartime" and Byrne is ON FIRE on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXgMhnI3QOI

Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 19:43 (fifteen years ago)

He's byrning!

StanM, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 19:54 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtoCUHRFVoI

kingkongvsgodzilla, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 19:58 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p74mvDSUzQg

just darraghmac tbh (darraghmac), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 23:23 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa7birRBmNM

just darraghmac tbh (darraghmac), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 23:30 (fifteen years ago)

one month passes...

i know it's not a "classic" performance but damn i can't stop watching this performance of "it's you"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-yP1TOzwPA

Future_Perfect (LOLK), Thursday, 3 June 2010 17:44 (fourteen years ago)

Ah. Finally recognize that synth bit at 1:56 - 02:06 = Such A Shame, innit?

StanM, Thursday, 3 June 2010 18:47 (fourteen years ago)

I've avoided posting this video here so far cuz I thought it might be kinda tacky or premature w/e, but seriously:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7WxTP3ger8

INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Thursday, 3 June 2010 19:13 (fourteen years ago)

that's almost as beautiful as BU$H playing glycerine in the rain spring break 96

Future_Perfect (LOLK), Thursday, 3 June 2010 19:36 (fourteen years ago)

Awesome little Brazilian dudes and dudettes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6PwP5glyvg&feature=related

More Brazilian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4qK8RQcBYE&feature=related

i'm a desperate bicycle (leavethecapital), Thursday, 3 June 2010 21:33 (fourteen years ago)

watched my Cliff 'Em All tape last night. RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_wGFfrJv4Y

shugazi (herb albert), Monday, 7 June 2010 13:45 (fourteen years ago)

one month passes...

The Temtations - (i know) i'm losing you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CbzHIVtRj0

meisenfek, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 00:26 (fourteen years ago)

*p*

meisenfek, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 00:26 (fourteen years ago)

My current favorite for the 2000's...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Q2wS6sGQI

billstevejim, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 06:30 (fourteen years ago)

I don't necessarily think this is the greatest musical performance captured on film, but I do think this is the greatest film of a musical performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v_Y3Pbiims

Dodo Lurker (Slim and Slam), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:10 (fourteen years ago)

makes me want to drink whisky

+1

meisenfek, Thursday, 29 July 2010 18:17 (fourteen years ago)

six months pass...

pretty sure it's this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60H9X0mYH70

uncle twikkelingssteurnissen (unregistered), Monday, 14 February 2011 22:09 (fourteen years ago)

or maybe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeplSvy9MvQ

uncle twikkelingssteurnissen (unregistered), Monday, 14 February 2011 22:10 (fourteen years ago)

I've been on a HUGE Bill Carlisle kick the last couple of years, and I so wish there were older youtube vids of him in his prime in the 1950s. That one is awesome, but y'know...

Hodge Podge Bodge, Peo-PLE! (Dan Peterson), Monday, 14 February 2011 22:23 (fourteen years ago)

there's one other clip of him on youtube where looks to be about 85. it's funny to see him flapping his gums and doing a little hop for old time's sake, but yeah, I wish there was more footage of him from any era. I have a feeling that his studio records, as punchy as they are, don't capture all the excitement of his live sets.

uncle twikkelingssteurnissen (unregistered), Monday, 14 February 2011 22:38 (fourteen years ago)

oh cool, this one's from 1953:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsnf3WCDQLQ

uncle twikkelingssteurnissen (unregistered), Monday, 14 February 2011 22:46 (fourteen years ago)

1953: 1965

uncle twikkelingssteurnissen (unregistered), Monday, 14 February 2011 22:48 (fourteen years ago)

quite fond of this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqvQOACorAY

Paul, Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:42 (fourteen years ago)

two months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcq93txBdtM

Mr. Snrub, Friday, 13 May 2011 03:30 (fourteen years ago)

three months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOZEpP_zzaw&feature=BFa&list=PL73A3CC7F297BA0D5&lf=BFa

get ready for the banter (NotEnough), Tuesday, 30 August 2011 21:29 (thirteen years ago)

Liza with a Z

Josefa, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 04:46 (thirteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_4aGXTHo7w

thick-necked and hateful (latebloomer), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:22 (thirteen years ago)

eleven months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqwe3O2Mjf0

A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Friday, 17 August 2012 05:23 (twelve years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtgUbJN8oPE

^billie listening to lester's solo fuckin eh

A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Friday, 17 August 2012 06:07 (twelve years ago)

oh yeah, i love that clip of billie listening to prez solo

Iago Galdston, Friday, 17 August 2012 13:07 (twelve years ago)

eleven months pass...

All 4 clips are amazing. This one has probably my favorite heights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX0I60Zb9Qk&feature=share

Fetchboy, Friday, 9 August 2013 21:14 (eleven years ago)

four months pass...

45 years ago today.

Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:07 (eleven years ago)

Irish fans, gdansk, 2012

tracked like on pirate bay (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 22:42 (eleven years ago)

did you join in or just stand with your arms folded, darragh?

subaltern 8 (Michael B), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 23:29 (eleven years ago)

i love this thread (pats himself on the back)

Iago Galdston, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 23:37 (eleven years ago)

otm iago

michael, im a crank and im no patriot but at the same time if theres a wee shuteyed one goin i'll be not least nor last to pipe up

#YOLTMB (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 December 2013 00:53 (eleven years ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.